The Era’s cartoon atop the Comment/Opinion page in the March 29 edition showed a homeless veteran sleeping outside, covered by a newspaper with the headline, “Biden to spend $86 million on hotel rooms for migrants.” As the bearded vet slept near a garbage can, a sign “Homeless vet, please help” rested near a donation can.
The graphic manipulates biased feelings. Veteran homelessness reduced dramatically during President Obama’s terms, from 75,609 to 40,000 veterans, nearly a 50% drop. During 2009-2016, about 36,000 gained homes due to the successful Opening Doors program, in addition to Michelle Obama’s Mayors Challenge to End Veteran Homelessness.
Endeavors, a non-profit management firm, will use the $86 million to house 1,239 immigrants over six months, plus pay for COVID testing, meals, snacks, education, vaccine and legal counsel. President Biden’s American Rescue Plan earmarks $20 billion for rental relief and aid for homeless folks. Biden has urged immigrants not to come to the border but the surge continues.
President Trump also used hotels last year to process 900 immigrants before sending them back to home countries.
We need media anchors to clarify this. Predictably, some editors, artists and U.S. Rep. Madison Cawthorn, R-N.C., are obscuring the solution. Cawthorn tweeted recently that in the rescue plan “zero dollars go to vets.” He voted against the rescue plan. ALL Republicans in the House and Senate voted against the plan.
Leaders of the Veterans Administration, National Coalition for Vets Homelessness and other federal agencies disputed Cawthorn.
In August 2016, the Housing and Urban Development reported about 40,000 veterans needed homes. Four years later, in January 2020, 37,252 vets were still homeless, led by California with 11,400. Eighty two communities and three states — Connecticut, Delaware and Virginia have successfully ended veteran homelessness.
The U.S. wants immigrants and veterans to succeed. The VA will spend $2 billion this year to support veterans who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, a VA spokesperson verified. With Biden’s leadership, we should see the numbers go way down.
A cartoon can prey on biases and preconceptions. Active reading, research and media attention are vital.
John Jeselnick
Eldred, Pa.
