Oct 8, 2008

Letter: Posey will stand up for veterans

By TCPalm Staff

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

In this election year, veterans have an opportunity to decide who will best represent their interests. As a disabled veteran, I was shocked to hear of the slurs against disabled veterans by the Democratic Party leadership.

There was an assertion that John McCain could not use a keyboard, insinuating he was computer illiterate. Truth is, Sen. McCain injured his shoulder when he bailed out over North Vietnam. He also endured five years of torture at the Hanoi Hilton.

At the local level, we can elect a congressman who knows what veterans need and want.

Unlike Democrats who demean disabled veterans, Bill Posey has spent a great deal of time seeking out veterans and discussing their concerns with them.

Bill Posey has been coming to veterans meetings, not to talk down to us, but to listen to us. He has researched the issues that concern veterans and veterans’ families. He understands that the Defense Department and the VA have been remiss in caring for injured veterans. It took years for Congress to recognize the Agent Orange problem. Officials are currently behind the curve on post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental problems faced by veterans of the war on terrorism.

Our future veterans are fighting thugs and terrorists who hide as civilians. They want to cause collateral damage among the civilian population. They understand that we venerate life. They desire to die as martyrs and welcome death. They exploit these differences in our cultures to play mind games with our troops.

We must have a congressman we can talk to and who will listen to us. Veterans have too much at stake in this election.

As an active member in several veterans groups, I urge you to elect Bill Posey to represent us, not the Washington bureaucracy. �

Michael J. Weiss

major, U.S. Army Reserve, retired �

Vero Beach