MILITARY VETERANS SHOULD RETURN TO THE POLITICAL PARTY THAT GIVES A DAMN ABOUT THEM

Last week I introduced DWT readers to a singer/songwriter (and six-year military veteran) named Tom Chelston with a song he wrote and performs called "BushWhacked." I hope you've had a chance to listen to it and think about his lyrics.

In the past few days I've been listening to another of Tom's songs, "Veteran". I've noticed that most of the Democratic challengers to the War Party incumbents have made a big deal about the rights of veterans. I've seen the ideas expressed on numerous campaign websites from every party of the country-- and from across the Democratic spectrum. Yesterday I did a call to action alert for Francine Busby over at Music For America and I talked about Busby's proposals for an equitable, honorable and dignified relationship between the men and women who have served in the military and our government. Tom's song and Francine's proposals seemed like a perfect match.

I sent the song to one of the Fighting Dems, a thoughtful, clear-eyed school teacher named Rick Penberthy in Florida's 5th congressional district, where he is trying to oust a vicious, far right maniac named Ginny Brown-Waite. The district has the most veterans of any in the U.S. and a significant aspect of Rick's campaign is very veteran-oriented, Rick having served in both the Army and in the Naval Reserves. The next day visitors to the front page of Rick's campaign website were already listening to "Veteran."

If you don't already have enough reasons to never even consider voting for the rubber-stamp Republicans who have turned our Congress into a national disgrace, please read the lyrics to Tom's chilling and powerful song:

Veteran

We sing songs about our freedom 
We always keep them in our prayers 
We wave our flags and bow our heads 
Support our Soldiers over there   
But all across this nation 
Probably right in your home town 
There’s a group of weary Soldiers 
With their world turned upside down   
We asked them for their lives and they agreed  
Now their asking for the benefits 
That they thought were guaranteed 
We sent them off to fight on foreign shores 
But now they’re casualties of a bureaucratic war   
With every flag draped procession 
With every tear and every prayer 
We remember those who gave their lives  
For every battle we declare   
But all across our nation 
Probably right in your hometown 
There’s a group of broken Heroes 
Because their country let them down   
We asked them for their lives and they agreed  
Now their asking for the benefits 
That they thought were guaranteed 
We sent them off to fight on foreign shores 
But now they’re casualties of a bureaucratic war   
We sent them off to fight on foreign shores 
Hey America 
Let’s give our Veterans something more 
Veteran


UPDATE

Kathie Costos put up a poignant piece yesterday on homelessness among veterans on an Orlando blog called Where Will You Be When War Veterans Need You?