[HARDCORE]

I have often wondered what would happen if that same power structure that unbendingly dictates compliance from the people, were themselves, to be exposed for ignoring the same mandates that they demand of those people?

?Of course, a full accounting has been insisted upon in the past from certain governmental agencies, and by God, it must be demanded anew, especially from the Veterans Administration!?

HERE IS WHERE THE OSTRICH ENTERS THE PICTURE

I had learned in the past that the practice of burying one?s head under a growing mound of dirt and excrement, especially when caught with your pants down around your ankles, is not an agenda that was limited to the hoi polloi (common people). Silence, followed by denial, and then a not guilty plea is standard fare, even when caught red handed in the act!

THEN CAME THE GADFLY

A gadfly is a pesky little insect (or an irritating, bothersome individual), who is usually more buzz than bite. Unfortunately, however, some in government tend to consider many of the people of our nation to be akin to this critter!

ENTER THE BEAST

The beast is a predator that feeds upon the weak, the infirmed and the less endowed. It sometimes even kills for the pure fun of it, and what it does not devour, it merely leaves to the elements! Many a beast, however, has been brought to it?s knees by creatures of far less bulk who refuse to take into account the size of this creature, or are not intimidated by it?s reputation and/or it?s posturing!

CASE IN POINT

Elements of the Mighty ($$$$) Veterans Administration have (on occasions) looked for every excuse, every angle, every mistake, and every filthy little trick (including outright lies), to intimidate, harass and even threaten (provable) it?s veteran charges!

When, however, they themselves are caught-up in ?OUTRIGHT LIES?, they merely slip into their ostrich mode, crawl back into silence, and then act as if nothing at all had happened? ?Apparently, the bureaucracy does not even police their own!?" (opinion)

When (and if), however, the heat becomes too intense, honorable resignations are usually requested, and this without the truth behind these ?Firings By Proxy? ever being publicly aired! (opinion) Then, unfortunately, it?s back to business as usual in short order - ?no explanations, no facts given, no apologies made, and as usual, no compensation to the victims is ever forthcoming!?

Apparently, the very same truth and honor that is demanded from the people themselves, is not required (or even expected) from a few of those who have entered beyond the golden door of that - ?Government Of The Government, By The Government, and For The Government!?

To quote Abe Lincoln partially: ?This country, with its institutions, belongs to the people who inhabit it. Whenever they shall grow weary of the existing government, they can exercise their constitutional right of amending it!?


Thomas Jefferson, our Third President, also affirmed that, and again I quote: ?When a man assumes a public trust, he should consider himself as public property (and not the other way around)!

Getting back to our guests, the Ostrich, the Gadfly and the Beast - ?Government sometimes plays the part of the ostrich when ignoring it?s own mandates!? And when our government (for one reason or another), overlooks the outright perjury (and other wrongs) committed by an element of one of it?s own bureaucracies (in this case the VA), then they too must shoulder at least a small portion of the shame!

As for that illustrious gadfly, no man should be considered an irritant just because he stands up for his rights and beliefs against the all-powerful! For even the ?Gods of Olympus? were not always right, or even truthful in their dealings!

Finally, the Beast Itself is nothing more that a metamorphosis of that same old ostrich. When unchallenged or unquestioned, any wrong quickly becomes a right, a lie becomes the truth, and the liar himself becomes a bogus white knight!

?Well, this damned old gadfly (me) still has a bite, and by God I will continue to use it (within the law), until that is, truth and justice are well served!?

I have never had much use for systemic liars, not even the few who yet haunt the ?Mighty VA!?

VERITAS