The Entitlement Mentality of America is Disturbing and Unfair to its Warriors and its Veterans

Home

Columns

A Cup O' Kapeng Barako

The Entitlement Mentality of America is Disturbing and Unfair to its Warriors and its Veterans

Columns - A Cup O' Kapeng Barako

Written by Jesse Jose

Wednesday, 10 November 2010 14:51

By Jesse Jose

A Cup O' Kapeng Barako

S ome gave their arms. Some gave their legs. Some gave their lives.

They are veterans -- former warriors -- of America's wars. I am also a veteran, a disabled veteran. I, too, gave something up in fighting for my adopted country: My normal sense of hearing. I am deaf. I've become deaf from hearing all the noises of war machines and all the violent explosions of war. Bombs, big guns, screeching war planes, and the scream and curses of men. But that's nothing, compared to what my comrades-at-arms had given up.

This Thursday, November 11, is Veterans Day. A day to honor America's warriors who gave so much to their country ...

YET, had gotten the least of all!

Love him or loathe him, but please read on, because he nailed this one right on the head. Yes, him, the one and only Rush Limbaugh. He wrote what follows. America, LISTEN please:

COMPENSATION FOR 9/1I VICTIMS: I think the vast differences in compensation between victims of the September 11 casualty and those who die serving our country in Uniform are profound. No one is really thinking about it either, because you just don't criticize anything having to do with September 11. Well, I can't let the numbers pass by because it says something really disturbing about the ENTITLEMENT MENTALITY of this country.

If you lost a family member in the September 11 attack, you're going to get an average of $1,185,000. The range is a minimum guarantee of $250,000. all the way up to $4.7 million.

COMPENSATION FOR FAMILIES OF U.S. SOLDIERS KIA: If you are a surviving family member of an American soldier killed in action, the first check you get is a $6,000 direct death benefit, half of which is TAXABLE.

Next, you get $1,750 for burial costs. If you are the surviving spouse, you get $833 a month until you remarry. And there's a payment of $211 per month for each child under 18. When the child hits 18, those payments come to a screeching halt.

Keep in mind that some of the people who are getting an average of $1,185 million up to $4.7 million are complaining that it's NOT ENOUGH. Their deaths were tragic, but for most, they were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. Soldiers put themselves in harm's way for all of us, and they and their families know the dangers.

OKLAHOMA CITY BOMBING VICTIMS: We also learned ... that some of the victims from the Oklahoma City bombing have started an organization asking for the same deal that the September 11 families are getting. In addition to that, some of the families of those bombed in the embassies are now asking for compensation as well.

U.S. MILITARY PAY RAISES: You see where this is going, don't you? Folks, this is part and parcel of over 50 years of entitlement politics in this country. It's just really sad. Every time a pay raise comes up for the military, they USUALLY RECEIVE NEXT TO NOTHING of a raise. Now the green machine is in combat in the Middle East while their families have to survive on FOOD STAMPS and live in low-rent housings. Make sense?

U.S. CONGRESSMEN PAY RAISES: However our own Congress voted themselves a raise each time. Many of you don't know that they only have to be in Congress one time to receive a pension that is more than $15,000 per month. And most are now equal to being millionaires plus. They do not receive Social Security on retirement because they didn't have to pay into the system.

A MILITARY PENSION VS A CONGRESSMAN PENSION: If some of the military people stay in for 20 years and get out as an E-7, they may receive a pension of $1,000 per month and the very people who placed them in harm's way receives a pension of $15,000 per month!

I would like to see our elected officials pick up a weapon and join ranks before they start cutting out benefits and lowering pay for our sons and daughters who are now FIGHTING ...

ON MONEY GIVEN TO FILVETS: When I read that piece by Limbaugh, I went ballistics. So, I forwarded it to all my old conmrades-at-arms, with this note to each one of them.

C omrades:

As former warriors of America, I am sure you would all be pissed off to know what Rush Limbaugh had divulged in his little essay. More so, I think, at those so-called FilVets, who claimed that they also fought for America and got more money than we did. They did not fight for America. To say that they fought for America is fallacious. They fought, yes, they did, and bravely, too, I must say. But they fought for the Philippines. They were defending their own country against the Japanese invaders. It was their DUTY to do that. If there's any country that should give them compensation, it should be the Philippines.

If this fallacious rationale that any troops who "sided" with the United States in fighting "its enemies," should be compensated, then those South Koreans soldiers, and those Vietnamese soldiers and those H'mongs of Vietnam, and those Iraqi soldiers who sided with America, should also be given lump-sum "backpay." But they were not compensated.

They didn't BEG to be compensated.

I think those FilVets were just a bunch of professional beggars. The money that were handed to them belong to our U.S. soldiers and their families. The money given to those FilVets should be taken back and given intead to America's true warriors. Half of the homeless around the United States and some of those panhandlers that we see on street intersections are Vietnam Veterans. The money that were given to those FilVets could have been given to these homeless Vietnam vets.

America should take care of its U.S. Vets first, and FOREMOST, before the FilVets!

Now, check this out: Just like those families of the victims of the September 11 attack, the FilVets are also complaining that the money they got is "not enough." So, these FilVets are now SUING the U.S. government for more. Yes, suing America for more money! Unbelievable! Talking about "biting the hand that feeds you," or gives you alms, this is ... THE perfect example.

In fact, there's a word for that, comrades: Ingrates! JJ

< Prev		Next >

Newer news items:

12/16/2010 17:03 - The American Legion Opposes the DREAM Act – It's a Dream for Illegals, a Nightmare for America's Children
12/11/2010 18:42 - "The New START Treaty and Bush Tax Cuts": A Conversation and a Story of Indignation by Gerry Garrison
12/07/2010 11:41 - An Open Letter on the DIPHTHONG Debate
11/30/2010 13:26 - On Pakyaw and the Eagle Feather of Truth
11/17/2010 19:37 - Yeah ... Okey Ngarud, Bilib Na 'Ko Kay Pakyaw

Older news items:

11/06/2010 11:52 - Whoo-hoo!
10/22/2010 11:08 - Sister Grace Marie Takes her "Final Vows," Becomes a "Bride" of Christ Jesus
10/08/2010 22:44 - A Wedding Reception, a Birthday, a Gift and a Dyok on Obama Stamps
09/25/2010 14:21 - On Pakyaw, Miss Raj, Bristol . . . And On My Ripe Old Age
09/16/2010 23:06 - "Midget", "Whore" and "Chump" Labels for Pakyaw Are Not Racial Slurs to Us, Filipinos and Fil-Ams

<< Previous pageNext page >>

Last Updated on Tuesday, 30 November 2010 13:31

Comments (1)

Kuya Jesse,

Another marvelous column. Needless to say, Vietnam vets are treated much better today, than when I came home from my first tour of duty from there.

I remember flying back in my dress blues as young third class in '67. Back then we flew into Travis, then in a bus to San Francisco. I had heard stories of vets being mistreated, but didn't realize how bad until we got off the bus. Shunned, we were also called "baby killers", some of us even spit upon. I never understood this. I served my country honorably, and had nothing to do with the death of any civilians, much less babies.

When I got home to Colorado Springs, I received the same shunning. Even one of my sisters tried calling me names, when she and her boyfriend picked me up at the airport. Needless to say I let out my anger and displeasure on her, to the point of asking her to let me out of the car. She stopped running her mouth. When we got home, my dad chewed her out and made her apologize when he learned what had happened.

For a long time, until I reenlisted in the Navy in '72, after being out for four years, I never mentioned my time in the Navy, outside family and friends. I didn't need the abuse nor try to defend my service to my country.

It is much better now. People often thank me for my service - a good feeling comes over me when they do. But it still could be better, especially for the active duty soldiers and sailors. Hopefully, the new Congress will make efforts in that direction.

GO NAVY!

Gerry Garrison
Auburn, WA