2008 Obama Flashback: ‘The True Test of Our Patriotism’ Is How We Treat Our Vets

“At a time when ░░░░░░░░ re facing the largest ░░░░░░░░ since the Second World ░░░░░░░░ the true test of ░░░░░░░░ patriotism is whether we ░░░░░░░░ serve our returning heroes ░░░░░░░░ well as they ve ░░░░░░░░ us We know that ░░░░░░░░ the last eight years ░░░░░░░░ ve already fallen short ░░░░░░░░ meeting this test We ░░░░░░░░ learned about the deplorable ░░░░░░░░ that were discovered at ░░░░░░░░ like Fort Bragg and ░░░░░░░░ Reed We ve all ░░░░░░░░ by a veteran whose ░░░░░░░░ is now a cardboard ░░░░░░░░ on a street corner ░░░░░░░░ the richest nation on ░░░░░░░░ We ve all heard ░░░░░░░░ what it s like ░░░░░░░░ navigate the broken bureaucracy ░░░░░░░░ the VA the impossibly ░░░░░░░░ lines or the repeated ░░░░░░░░ for help that get ░░░░░░░░ nothing more than an ░░░░░░░░ machine Just a few ░░░░░░░░ ago an 89 year ░░░░░░░░ World War II veteran ░░░░░░░░ South Carolina told his ░░░░░░░░ No matter what I ░░░░░░░░ for at the VA ░░░░░░░░ turn me down The ░░░░░░░░ day he walked outside ░░░░░░░░ an Outpatient Clinic in ░░░░░░░░ and took his own ░░░░░░░░ How can we let ░░░░░░░░ happen How is that ░░░░░░░░ in the United States ░░░░░░░░ America The answer is ░░░░░░░░ s not It s ░░░░░░░░ outrage And it s ░░░░░░░░ betrayal a betrayal of ░░░░░░░░ ideals that we ask ░░░░░░░░ troops to risk their ░░░░░░░░ for But it doesn ░░░░░░░░ have to be this ░░░░░░░░ Not in this country ░░░░░░░░ if we decide that ░░░░░░░░ time will be different.”