An email from Paul Rieckhoff of the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America:
Dear June,
Last night, Bill O'Reilly raised an important topic on his television show: the plight of homeless veterans.
Unfortunately, he got the facts wrong.
O'Reilly: "They (homeless veterans) may be out there, but there's not many of them out there. Okay?...If you know where there is a veteran, sleeping under a bridge, you call me immediately, and we will make sure that man does not do it."
Despite O'Reilly's doubts, the facts are irrefutable. According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, almost 200,000 veterans sleep on our nation's streets each night. And Iraq and Afghanistan veterans are joining those ranks at an alarming rate.
Click here to sign an open letter to Bill O'Reilly, telling him that he needs to set the record straight as soon as possible. This issue is far too important to be swept under the rug. You can also learn more about the issue of homeless veterans, and find out what you can do to help.
As an IAVA Supporter, you're more familiar with this issue than most people. Sadly, many Americans still don't realize that veterans make up about one-third of the adult homeless population.
No matter how you feel about Bill O'Reilly, there's no denying the fact that he has a huge audience - an estimated 2.3 million people tune in each weekday night. So take a minute to urge Bill O'Reilly to correct his mistake. He has a great opportunity to help homeless veterans by bringing more attention to the issue, and you can urge him to be part of the solution.
Thank you for standing with us.
Sincerely,
Paul
It's easy.
UPDATE: See Mike in Texas for a link to a hilarious video which shows the performance of an oratorio, Mackris v. O’Reilly, a work by Igor Keller, with the libretto consisting of a verbatim transcript of of the phone call between O'Reilly and Andrea Makris, who brought a sexual harassment complaint against Bill O'Reilly in 2004. The libretto includes the falafel reference. Here's the link to further information on the oratorio.
Bless your heart, Mimi. It's hard to think of a more futile occupation than telling Falafel Boy that he's wrong, but good luck to you.
ReplyDeleteIt was just the same after Vietman, wasn't it? They drafted them and sent them out there; it was an unpopular war and rightly so; when it was over they abandoned the vets to their own devices. Whatever one's opinion of a war, a country has a duty to support those it sent out to fight - and to be killed and mutilated - on its behalf, when they return home.
Oh my... this is so tragic, at so many levels.
ReplyDeleteAnd every time I see one of those ubiquitous yellow "support the troops" ribbons on a car, I feel like screaming.
I was part of a couple of threads of blog talk about flag etiquette and this is similar.
It is often the American way to support something on the surface - yell support the troops for example, but then let them suffer more when home.
The same with the jingoistic flag behavior... Run it up the pole and ignore it so that it can fly in tatters.
Very sad.
Lapin, the exercise is not entirely futile in that I feel better after I've done this small thing. As far as changing Falafel Boy, I have no illusions, but I hope that he's a little annoyed by the emails.
ReplyDeleteFran, whenever I see someone getting out of a car with the "Support the Troops" ribbon, I want to walk right up to them and ask what they do for the troops besides slap a metal sticker on their car. My bumper sticker says, "Bring Them Home".
We do not take good care of our veterans, and that is despicable.
Franiam,
ReplyDeleteCount yourself lucky; if I were to do an acronym association test, SUV (with ribbon) brings up "RPG", which is "Rocket-Propelled Grenade", a bazooka like Anti-vehicle weapon.
Talked with a guy last night who seemed a little edgy, then found out he was leaving soon for another tour. And Monday, follow-up on whether the shelter staff got that Sleeping Bag they promised to a vet who needs to be outside.
Let's keep this a more family-friendly blog, OK?
BTW, Mimi, who's this "Falafel Boy"?
ReplyDeleteFeel free to withhold information for my own good. heh.
Johnieb, that's Bill (Full-of-Shit Blowhard) O'Reilly. It's a long story. Google O'Reilly and falafel.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Mimi; the name Bill O'Reilly is enough for me to avoid it.
ReplyDeleteWork with your BP meds, not against them.
JohnieB ....
ReplyDeleteFor details of the O'Lielly, Loofah, Falafel connection check this out.
Mimi, I linked to your post ... with some additional video about loofahs and falafel for those who missed it the first time around
ReplyDeleteThanks, Mike. For those who want to know more!
ReplyDelete