Truman Jackson
Yes, you read that headline correctly, but it isn’t what you think. And that is because you’ve been told HOW to think, which is not what you think. If you are confused, you will soon understand; just keep reading.
When most people think of supporting veterans, the image of a bumper sticker on the back of a gas guzzling S.U.V.; an S.U.V. which the usage of may or may not be further supporting the war more so than the desired outcome of an end to war- just sayin’. These bumper stickers say things like “I support the troops!” “Support Veterans!” or a litany of other slogans that is intended to make the people behind aforementioned gas guzzling S.U.V. understand that the person in front of them supports the troops.
When one thinks of supporting disabled veterans, in today’s age, a litany of ‘alphabet soup’ type organizations come to mind, particularly, the VA and WWP, or Wounded Warrior Project.
A couple of weeks ago, an Iraq War veteran who is also a journalist, Dean Graham, wrote a scathing article about WWP, in which he mentioned some of their allegedly unscrupulous activities, such as profiting from the image of disabled veterans and spending nearly half of their intake on marketing and fundraising expenses, with not so much being passed on to the actual disabled veterans they parade around like war heroes (and they really are war heroes) to draw donations. (See article here:Wounded Warrior Project is a Fraud- Making Millions Off Disabled Veterans)
Interestingly, and if nothing more, proving Graham right, the WWP has allegedly filed a lawsuit against him, spending more money that could go to disabled veterans on lawyers.
(See Article: Wounded Warrior Project Bullies Small Veteran’s Not for Profit Group With Frivolous Lawsuit)
Now, before you jump down the throat of anyone you know who is associated with the WWP, another company recently figured out how to make a quick buck off of a disabled veteran- preying on the “warm and fuzziness” so many people have come to associate with any cause pertaining to disabled veterans.
A YouTube video went viral several months ago, in which a designer had gone out and found a disabled veteran who suffers from severe depression and alcoholism, among other disabilities. A team of make up artists and film directors and producers whipped together a fast forward, time elapsed video showing a dirty, scruffy man- the veteran- seated in a stylist chair, getting a complete make over, from a hair cut and shave to a brand news suit. The end of the video states that the whole experience, finally, allowed this man to turn his life around and that he’d obtained gainful employment and had begun attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings.
However, just last week, sad news came out that the veteran in the video had relapsed on alcohol and gotten arrested.
(See related: Homeless Man That Gets Makeover Arrested).
(See related: Homeless Man That Gets Makeover Arrested).
It’s important to note that the creators of the video made more than $30,000 in ad revenue from the sheer amount of visits on YouTube. Did they use the money to come to the aid of the veteran they’d used as a prop to create the “warm and fuzzies” for so many, and rack up those views?
No.
The creator of the video, Rob Bliss, issued the following statement to CNN.
“If he gets arrested fewer times this year than last, that’s progress.”
You cannot claim to support the troops and veterans, while at the same time exploiting them or taking advantage of them for profit.