Yesterday afternoon, I drove past a street-corner beggar who had a Marine flag staked at his side and a sign that read, "Homeless and Hungry Vet." I did a little research and discovered that our veterans make up about eleven percent of our nation's population yet they make up better than 25% of our nation's homeless. This statistic does not surprise me although it certainly disturbs me.
Not always but often our military recruits have historically been those young men and women who have struggled in school and enter the military services to 'find' a career path while serving their country. Naturally, when war erupts these young lives are on the line of fire sometimes fighting for noble freedoms and other times serving a greedy corporate world. Think of my statement in another way; what percent of corporate America's CEO's kids are sleeping under a viaduct tonight or begging for coins on a street corner?
Okay, these young men and women come home from their military service and cannot find employment because they are not prepared for the twenty first century job market. Some of the young veterans grow depressed quickly with disillusionment and often turn to destructive life styles.
Personally, I agree with the outcry that our society should do more for our returning military service-people. However, I would really like to see our nation do a better job educating these kids in school and then perhaps this nation would not have enough volunteer military personnel, which would compel us to re-institute the draft. The draft would bring back an even playing field and cause Americans to look more carefully at war solutions, educational pathways and certainly it would reduce the 'homeless' numbers.
I did circle back during my drive and give the fella a couple of bucks. My neighbor Friend saw me and later suggested that my money likely went towards booze. He likely is correct but what-the-hell, my tax money bought the guy a gun and perhaps nightmares.
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