Upside Down, Inside Out "Turkey World"

When deciding on the national bird, Dr. Benjamin Franklin wanted to use the wild turkey, because he considering the eagle a very immoral bird since the eagle many times would take food right out of another bird's mouth.

Peter Schmuck, a Baltimore sports writer commenting on the indictment of Roger Clements said, “Isn't it great to live in a society where the penalty for lying to a congressman can be up to 30 years in jail, but the penalty for a congressman lying to you is another two years in office".

Combining these two thoughts I want to relate my recent experience with the Veteran's administration just trying to obtain a talking watch...a totally blind, 100% disabled, service-connected officer of the Korean conflict era...who had been issued such a watch several times previously.



%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%


Monday, October 25, 2010
Honorable Eric K. Shinseki, Secretary of VA.
Senator Richard Burr, Senate Veteran's committee
Representative Mike McIntyre, House Armed Services

RE: Commentary on one veteran attempting to get talking watch.

Sirs,

Your records will verify my eligibility, records that VA Durham and other places will furnish, I am an 80 year old, mostly housebound, veteran with health problems. Living alone, I desperately need a talking watch, several have been issued to me over the years, I wrote the Chief of Staff, VA Durham, requesting a new watch to replace one that has since worn out. Never any reply from Dr. Shellborn, Dr. Daniels made requests. Copy of enclosed letter is indicative.

I have already spent over $100 for a driver to drive my car to Raleigh in an effort to solve this problem. Several years ago, I was knocked down on a stairway by a women who injured me as well as breaking my cane. I called Dr. Beauchamp, my primary care physician (now retired), and expressed to him my need for a new cane. He said, “you do not want to have to go through what it takes to get a white cane.” One of my assistants had seen one in a junk store in town, and the junk store manager sent it to me without charge, I am still using that white cane to this day. The attached picture shows me wearing my new talking watch which I ordered online, at my expense. I want you to see that the watch and cane, minimal expenses for a blind veteran, were not furnished by VA.

Now, as you can see, VA expects me to undergo further examination in order to get this type of assistance. For years, at my expense, I went to every specialist in this country trying to regain just a shadow of vision in my eyes (Massachusetts Eye Infirmary, Duke Hospital, Lighthouse for Blind NYC, etc.). Let me assure you that the retinas are gone, in spite of my efforts and unceasing prayers.

I am told that many welfare recipient get thousands of dollars for assistance with scooters, etc. I put cement blocks by my exit doors for 30 years, for security, before I ever obtained a security system. There is nothing more frightful for a blind person than a break-in or fire. In this upside-down, inside-out, phoney-boloney world of mixed up values, I refuse to get alarmed or insulted about anything anymore, but it should embarrass someone that a disabled veteran must go through this gauntlet of abuse.

Thank you,

Dr. T.R. Morris
Lt. Col USA Retired
Blind/Dictated