A sad narrative playing out in Youngstown, Ohio, where some residents are rejecting transitional housing for 14 veterans (story HERE).
In a screaming demonstration of ignorance, their objections include concerns that its too close to a foster home and a daycare, and that the veterans would face “temptation”.
It’s clear that these residents are both ungrateful and project a harmful view of some of our fellow veterans who have fallen on tough times.
They’re acting like we’re monsters. And when the communities we defended with our lives start treating us like monsters, we begin questioning why we existed in the first place.
The story mentions that the community has received federal funding for the housing.
If they don’t want it, then we should pull all of their federal funding for all of their projects. This community is rejecting the very purpose for which we subsidize these projects for. To help others.
And they don’t want to help others. They don’t want to help the veterans who worked to defend their freedom.
Let’s hope that Youngstown pushes forward with this housing. I know that the majority of residents in Ohio appreciate their neighbors that wore the uniform.
The voices opposing this project need to take inventory of what they stand for. Because right now, they’re not standing for the people who left their families behind to go and fight thousands of miles away from home for them.
And while we slept in the sand, they slept in their beds, only to reject us when we got home.
It’s an infuriating demonstration of fear and intolerance.
Homeless veterans aren’t monsters. It’s my wish that the residents of Youngstown would realize this and open their hearts to how we can make communities better.
Many of the veterans in the communities I write about don’t have a voice. I look to highlight their struggles, many which overlap my own. If you’d like to help the blog, you can below.