As I drove to work yesterday Paul Harvey was on the radio. In years past this would have been the bastion of the conservative right. I know the times are a changing however, when Paul himself is questioning the moral compass of our nation. When he is questioning whether there is any liberty left for citizens.

His piece yesterday was on the plight of homeless veterans. As a person working to end homelessness, I found this particularly interesting and his information to be quite startling even though I consider myself to be better informed on the subject than most. Mr. Harvey quoted the statistics that 25% of those counted nationally as homeless are veterans. That nationally 194,254 people who have served all of us are without shelter and basic security upon returning home. The reasons are countless I’m sure – from post traumatic stress to drug and alcohol abuse to both – and beyond, but still the question lingers in my mind – where is our national sense of duty to those who would put down their lives for us?

I know that the fight is on in congress for more funding for what Paul Harvey refers to as “this crazy war” and I also know that at the same time the president’s budget has totally cut funding for some of the most basic social service programs and drastically cut others. What is wrong with the picture when children, seniors and disabled veterans are left starving and homeless while Halliburton and Blackwater grow fat and prosperous feeding on our tax dollars? It’s time for all of us to stand up and be counted for what is morally right and obvious. This is not a political or religious issue – its about our country’s future and what we are headed toward becoming.

We need to raise our voices on this issue, to write letters to our political leaders and tell them how we feel. We need to reclaim what is ours – A government for the people and by the people.

Lael Duncan

Tonasket