La Vets Demand Housing @ Giant Va Campus Poem by Luke Easter

Gigantic Los Angeles property donated for war vets in 1888,
To, 'establish, construct and permanently maintain' but wait,
To let thousands of homeless vets live there must the ACLU,
File a lawsuit to house Veterans for what it was meant to do?

Ron Kovich, whose story was, “Born On The Forth Of July, ”
Is one of a multitude who ponder & scratch their heads why?
Doesn’t the VA maintain cemeteries to house those who die?
VA officials ask the judge to throw case out of court, oh my.

Estimated 8,000 vets have been barred from living at the site,
Even though nearly 400 acres by an original deed is their right,
The West Los Angeles’ property is some of the most valuable,
Except for when it is to house thousands of homeless people.

“It’s a shame” says Caroline Barrie, a descendant of the heiress,
Who donated the land specifically for want torn vets to possess,
While the, “Department of Veterans Affairs Now” has declared,
Starting with the Vietnam Nam Era, vets aren’t welcomed there.

The abandoned buildings are off limits to those it intended to serve,
By way of fierce combat protecting this nation, that’s a lot of nerve,
Veteran Robert Rissman struggles with PTSD since he’s been back,
Sadly declaring that sometimes he whishes he would of died in Iraq,

Unemployment is high above the national average for those who are,
Yet the VA has seen fit to lease parts of the property which is by far,
A slap in the face, disgraceful kick in the butt, to hell with the rules,
Golf course, baseball, theater & practice field for Brentwood School.

An illustrious private institution where not one day in combat spent,
Now those who sacrificed for the likes of them can’t pay their rent,
Homeless estimated at107,000 and suffering substance abuse 70%,
Just under half with mental illness the VA continues to circumvent.

CNN initial request referred to the Justice Department by the VA,
18 year-old high school senior Rissman signed up because they’d pay,
He could get his college degree, “make something of myself” he said,
Not to be strung out on drugs & the streets of, “Showtime” his bed.

“We don’t believe the VA has any authority or responsibility to provide, ”
A Justice Department Attorney allegedly said, so let them live outside?
Senator Dianne Feinstein, via an email statement says she is concerned,
But of course from her well to do housing and six-figure salary earned.

Saying, “I intend to keep working to make sure Congress doesn’t stop, ”
Links, baseball diamond, private facilities, etc & that’s all you’ve got?
Oh, VA Secretary Eric Shinseki is renovating buildings, ah two more?
Dianne, if that’s what you call committed no wonder vets live outdoors.

Simply unpatriotic that vets have to get outside help to fight their battle,
All lined up soldier-to-soldier they probably stretch from LA to Seattle,
Not just a current problem, this injustice has been going on since Nam,
Been talking about it that long too so does any one really give a damn?

These elected politicians and their appointed cronies have a lot of nerve,
Especially when Veterans deft defying situations they have never served,
By passing laws, shuffling papers neither they nor their staff barely read,
Because if they ever did vets would have what’s rightfully theirs, indeed.