Did I miss something? We have seen so many strange and unusual happenings occurring in this year 2020. It’s been a year of ongoing uncertainty with almost daily uncommon and ongoing news events ranging from climate change, political unrest and uncertainty to stock market fluctuations, the COVID-19 fiasco, etc., just to name a few. I am almost getting used to adapting and accommodating to the ever-changing values we see being plastered in social media, local and national papers, and the evening news.

The one thing I will never learn to adapt to is the unsolicited and unwarranted assault by this president/commander in chief on our military veterans and their families. Most assuredly, I will never not address any insult and/ or attack to the dignity of those who sacrificed their lives in their service to our country.

Did I miss something? Did I miss seeing our local and national veterans organizations rise up with our unified and collective outrage condemning with their strongest communal voices this unpatriotic affront? Did I miss veterans (Republicans, Democrats, and·Independents), their family members and all Americans rising up to say this deplorable attack is unacceptable?

Calling our deceased veterans “suckers” and “losers” is an unparalled affront to all Americans. The disrespect to our Gold Star family members is up and beyond belief and without precedent. This is not a political or party affiliation issue to be discussed and/or debated. It is about an individual who cowardly attacks our sacred institution of military service and its veterans. The irony of this ongoing assault comes from an individual who himself refused to serve.

Of course to many, this is fake news and probably all made up. It would do you well to review reference articles by the New York Times, The Atlantic and by Jennifer Griffin, the National Security correspondent from Fox News.

If you can somehow justify or rationalize your inaction to this disrespectful betrayal to our veterans and their families, then you are complicit with your silence. You are as much to blame with your silence and passive acceptance as your commander in chief who initiated it.

It is beyond me how our local DAV and American Legion, as well as national offices, can demonstrate this kind of disrespect by having it go unchallenged. These organizations, their leaders and members claim to be advocates and frontline warriors in the protection and advocacy of those who served. Really? You stand by this desecration to our brothers and sisters who served generation after generation. Again, the term of “those who served” is completely lost on an individual who refused to serve his country.