Guest Haywood Fennell invites guest Patricia Courtney, Council President of the Resurrection Lutheran Church, to discuss the church's history & service to the community, its upcoming events, encouraging youth to attend church, & more! Haywood gives updates on the Harlem Renaissance play at the Unitarian Church in Sharon, advocates for housing for veterans, & shares a multitude of programs available to help veterans.
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The Other Page Radio
(upbeat music) (humming) (upbeat music) - Welcome, welcome, welcome. Good afternoon. Welcome to the other page radio. Brought to you by Triad Veterans League in association with BNN Media Services. We are here at WBCALP 102.9 FM Boston. Boston's community radio station folks. My name is Haywood Fennell. I am a veteran and I am happy to be here with you today to welcome our guest Patricia Courtney is here today from the Resurrection Lutheran Church at 94 Warren Street, the church also known as the church with the red door. Patricia, how are you? God bless you. Thank you for coming in. - Thank you for having me, Haywood. - Yes, it's a pleasure, you know. I don't know if people know that you're a force in the community based on the things that you do around community service and being a part of a church that has a long, long history that we're gonna talk a little bit about today. We're gonna talk a little bit about, again, the Resurrection Lutheran Church. Patricia, tell me a little bit about your involvement in this church before we go into the other part. What are you doing over there? - I am the church council president. I've been that for several years. And the church has been a main state of this community for over a hundred years. It was celebrating 150th year of service. - You're celebrating 150 years of service, yes. - 150 years? - Yes. - Wow. Whoa, you do have a presence in this community. I'll tell you that much. - Yeah, is it all been read that long? - Yes, from the beginning. And as a symbol of Christ's blood. - And you're the council president. Now, I know the term president. You got decision-making, happiness in there. So you make decisions around what's going on with the church and in the church? - To some extent, there's a council and it's a total of eight of us. And... - Oh, Democrats? - I don't ask their political persuasion. But, but... - Go ahead. - The fact that we're a part of the ELCA, which is a social-minded, progressive component of the Lutheran faith. We have, for over 30 years, offered to the community of food pantry, that's twice a month on the second and fourths, Saturdays, year round. So I view that as a positive factor. - And what else do you do there? - Well, you mean, as me is the church. - Yes, the church and community services. - The community service, we've done many things. Our posinage has been used as a halfway house for people in transition of alcohol drugs. It's been used by a number of social agencies to help people who have problems, some of the mental health issues. And we're constantly, at the moment, looking to repurpose the house. The posinage was built in 1923. Those were the days when pastors had larger families. And when guests came for special events at the church, they would normally stay at the posinage. They weren't put up in hotels. - Right. And so, is the posinage the Bible remember? Is that the building that's behind the church? - Yes, it is. - Okay, so who's the pastor of your church now? - It's, you know what? Sometimes people go blank, but it's Reverend Cedro, Miriam Cedro. - Oh, it's a female. - It's a female. And she came to us later in life. She went to the seminary in Philadelphia. - And Lutherans seminary? - Yep, yes. - Philadelphia? - Yes. - Where did the Lutherans church start? Can you tell us? - Oh, it is started in the mid-1500s by Martin Luther. - mid-1500s. - Yes. - And Martin Luther, at the time, was interested in reforming the Roman Catholic faith of some of its practices. - Okay. - But as a result, he found himself being excommunicated and the Roman Catholic church wasn't interested in his reforms. And as you know, in the listening audience, no. Sometime reformers are not always welcome. Reformers is not always welcome. Well, you write about that. - And so as a result, what was supposed to be a reform landed up turning into a religion in the fact that it still has the premise of God and that Jesus Christ is son who died on the cross. - Okay. - But the number of sacraments is fewer than the Roman Catholic church. - This church is celebrating. It's coming Sunday, everybody, 150 years being in existence in Roxbury. And that within itself is really outstanding. 150 years that I put us back, I don't know how far, someplace around after the Civil War. I don't believe, you know, 100, this is 2020, 2024. So that would be what, 1924? - It was founded in 1874. - 1874, 1874, all right. So the Civil War was still being practiced, maybe not in the actual fighting, but discrimination was big. So I would imagine with this man Martin Luther being the type of man and he was a reformist, that there was a lot of things going on that helped our people, would you, would I be wrong? I was saying that. - You were on the money, yes. Congregation from its beginning was an integrated one. - Oh really, that's great. - And we, it was, it's really interesting. It was founded by Swedish immigrants. - Swedish immigrants. - And around the corner, St. Mark's Lutheran Church were founded by German immigrants. - German immigrants. - And so in the 1960s. - The 1960s. - Then the congregations joined together. - Okay. - And they moved into the bigger church. - Over on Warren Street. - On Warren Street. - Right, right. - And with that, their purpose has been part of the interface organization. It's like I said voter registration, Sunday school choir, bell ringers. It's always been an active part of the community and all are welcome. - Okay. Now, let me ask you, St. Mark's Lutheran Church. Would that be St. Mark's us own? On board half? - No, it would be on Winthrop, on Winthrop Street. - Okay, so it was right nearby? - Yes, it was around the corner, yeah. - All right, okay, all right, okay. Now, what other programs do you have? I know, I know, I don't want to talk about them right now, but I know that there are some other programs in that church that you gotta be proud of. - Well, we're proud of the fact that we have hosted AA meetings, NA meetings. - Okay, that's what I'm talking about. - And we have, and churches evolved. And so community changes and the congregation changes, but the church is a community of believers. - Yes. - And followed the principles and philosophy that all are welcome. I mean, Christ, Jesus Christ, didn't reject anybody. - Okay, well, we're certainly glad to have you here today. I want to take a small time and make a few announcements, folks, about what's going on with our veterans and veterans in the community. We didn't need the contact, and I was at the event last week at the 12 Baptist Church and the outreach center that's located for veterans on Blue Hill, and I believe it's Harvard Street, and it's, yes, Harvard Street. And they affiliated with Harvard Medical Center up in Matapan. I don't know if you would call it Matapan, but it's all the way up Washington Street. And they had an event there that talked about veterans and screening for lung cancer. And they meet on Wednesdays at the 12th Baptist Church. And they have a 60-plus veterans group there, and they are the officers on Blue Hill and Harvard Street. And the director there, I met her by the name of Karen King, and the co-chair committee were the ones that sponsored the event, and it was really very, very interesting. 'Cause we're talking about veterans in lung cancer screening. You notice you don't always have to smoke cigarettes yourself to get lung cancer, you know? So we talked about two different speakers coming in, making presentations, and we got to know the subject. And so, we also wanna make your way out of fact that the Triad Veterans League is going to be at the Sharon Unitarian Church performing the Oscar Michelle Family Theater Program Company that is developing, sponsored by Triad Veterans League. We are doing the legacy of the Harlem Renaissance, written by Monica Anderson Spencer, who is the director of the company, and it is absolutely absolute music, history, blending the history of the Harlem Renaissance with the history of the Unitarianist Movement that began a long time ago. So, you know, we want to make sure that you're there on November the 30th at four North Main Street in Sharon for ticket reservations, 857-204-5312. If you want to call, that's the number for your ticket reservation. And nobody picks up, they'll call you back, because this is a program that you really will appreciate. You got traditional gospel, spirituals, opera, liturgical dance, and acting, and spoken word. November the 30th, right after Thanksgiving, you can call 857-204-5312. This is the other page video. My name is Abel Finel. I'll guess today's Patricia Courtney, a lady that I've known for some time, and she's a hard worker. She's consistent. She's here today to talk about her church and what is going on in her church, and what is going on in the community that she's involved with. Patricia, what else are you doing outside of the community? I know you have an advantage. I know you have an advantage, I know that much. Well, I came on this show to let folks know that people see the building, because it's a big stone building, it's really a very tall building. And they think that there's nobody going there, but that's not the case. So we as a community have started, have started having a series of special events that are going to continue into next year. And-- Is that right? Yeah, so we started last summer having what is known as sacred jazz music. And we'll end up having Iran-Israel Quartet, who was celebrating Max Roach, 100th anniversary. And then we had several other groups through the summer, and leading up to this coming Sunday, where at 10 o'clock we're having an ecumenical worship service, which is to inspire all of us and reflect on we have come this far in all. Life has not been easy for any church. And the people who attend church. And so we're celebrating that. That's your Sunday, right? This Sunday. And it's a 10 o'clock service. 10 o'clock in the morning, folks. For the service part, that's ecumenical. And we're being-- What do you mean when you say ecumenical? What does that word mean? It means-- Sure. Let me tell you who's coming. Mount Sinai Baptist Church, their pastor is going to be our guest preacher. Okay, he's bringing the choir. And yes, he's bringing folks with him in the choir. And then later at three o'clock, we're going to have this special service of celebration. And as we said, we've come this far by our faith. We will start off with the music of the Lutheran tradition, which most of us who are inclined to as Protestants remember a mighty fortress, which was written by Mount Luther. And then followed with a fellowship meal to be shared with the community of friends, visitors and church members are coming. Oh, yeah, that's nice. And we are introducing the new bishop, Nathan Pippen, to the church. What is his name? Nathan Pippen. So he's going to be coming and he will be speaking. And it's, I think, important for folks to come out. I think that people will get to see the history of the church because we're doing an artifacts, photographs, video showcasing the journey of the church. Okay, all right, that sounds like something interesting. And so we want also to show our thanks to the congregation but to the thanks to the writer Roxbury community for their support over the years. Right, right. So now, what is your role there? Are you speaking or are you just going to participate in other areas? 'Cause you're the council president. Yeah, I get to speak. We have a citation, proclamation to be exact from Governor Healy regarding our service to the community and to the overall area of Boston and the state. And we think that one of the things that we're hoping that by having the display, people will come and go, "Oh, I remember that person." Because you know- 'Cause it's always good to have a memorabilia. You could say that, you know, and you're talking about 150 years. Not that you're going to have all of that, but I mean, you know, you're going to have some archivial stuff that people can carry with them when they leave, is that what you're saying? Well, we have special things. I won't give up the secret of what people who come will get. Why don't you give up the secret with you and let you keep it so you can have it with that. But we have a lot of photos and you know as well as I do. We take pictures, but we never label the back of the picture. All right, okay, so you won't know who did it, where did you did it? Yes. That's what you're saying, right? Oh, yeah. Folks, this again, I just want to end the thing. Let's just interject something here regarding child care. One of the best ways that you can get involved with a child is teaching them how to read. Triad Veterans League, 857204, 5312, you can call that number and be a volunteer for the Veterans Reading Brigade. Because if all children can't read, they can't learn. It's automatic spiraling out if you can't read. And there's a pushback in certain places in the United States of America around learning. Particularly if it's involving African Americans in their history of contributions to this country. And Triad Veterans League is involved in educational projects, cultural and rich in projects. And we're now involved with the United States commemorative stamp project that we are gathering signatures and support letters and doing a few other things to present to the United States Postal Service for consideration to be a commemorative stamp series to honor our veterans and their contributions. Because it is an underreported phenomenon of people that were captured, but they were never slaves and brought to this country. They said that they couldn't fight when the American Revolution came up, but I think they changed their mind about that. Of course, they didn't recognize it in the manner that they're doing it. And so, we want you to know that we're gonna be out there collecting signatures. And if you wanna be a member of the Veterans Reading Brigade volunteer group, 8572045312, consider that and you can call that number and get the information that you need. I guess, again, is Patricia Courtney, who is a known figure in the Roxbury community and maybe beyond because, you know, when you're doing the work that she's doing, other people are attracted and they wanna see what they can do to help because that church is helping people. I wanna thank you for that Patricia, for the work that you do to enlighten people and make them aware that, you know, everybody doesn't have to do a lot if one person makes a contribution or two people make a contribution or three people make a contribution to the same project. Now, I was just talking with you and you spoke about Vine Street. David Hinton, a real good friend now. And you're there, you're talking about improving the Center for our young people and it has been going on like that. We wanna thank you for that. - It's been our pleasure. We enjoy helping and that's what we're about. But this particular coming Sunday to celebrate the 150 years of service, I think is a time for not only reflection and look of the past, looking of what is needed now and then looking to the future. And this is a chance for us to celebrate our faith, our heritage, our community. But it's also Reverend Miriam Cedro, who's the pastor. He's been our pastor since 2009, has been always looking forward with the hope and gratitude of the community and the members of the church. - How does the community respond to you? Because you're surrounded by the 12 Baptists and St. John's and the one up on the hill there, the Reverend Murray Church. And you know, there's a distinction with the Lutheran Church. You know, their commitment to social justice is sharp, you know, it's been that way. What is the effect of that? - I think that we, Lutherans have are not what you call loud boisterous. We're kind of the quiet workers. - Okay. - And so this is our opportunity for people to look us over and go, oh, like I've said, many people have said to me the church with the red doors, yeah. Oh, well, I went there at some point in the past. Well, come back and look at us. And for some-- - So you come back and look at the position-- - Yeah, come back and look and go, you know, I had a good time when there, I was there when I was in Sunday school. And I, and like I said, we have a lot of photos that we need to identify people in the photo. - Well, let me just ask you a question 'cause you know, you go to church mode and I do. And I'm not saying that as a put down of myself. And, you know, 'cause I was, I'm a Baptist. You know, my grandmother was insistent that we go to church, my brother and I. We're also veterans. But let me just ask you a question, you know, what's this take on our young people coming into the church? Are they coming back or what's the story? What do you say? - I think they need to be encouraged to come back. I think they need to understand that the church, whether you're a Lutheran or a Methodist, Pentecostal, all of those and other faiths, okay? Have in this community, it's been where the education has occurred. It's been where people learn about charity, about helping others and helping others whether it's voter registration, whether it is literacy, whether it is the food pantry. That makes you feel good. And we're in a time when we need to start to feel good. - Right, okay. Patricia Courtney is here today folks. We're really happy to have her come in and talk a bit about what's going on this Sunday. - Patricia, are there going to be a lot of dignitaries and notables coming up for 150 years, prisons in the Roxbury community, do you know? - I believe so. I've had a chance to talk to the parish administrator to check the-- - Confirmations? - Yeah, just to check the number, but the number of the church is 617-- - Okay. - 427 2066-- - If you mind saying those numbers again so they could write them down. - Yeah, 617 427 2066. Or they can go to us on the website. - Uh-oh, we've got a website, what am I? - Oh yeah. - It's 50 years, you should have something like that, right? - Yeah, we have a website. - Okay. - So if they type in Resurrection Lutheran Church, they'll see the church. And our email address is rlcrocksperry@gmail.com. - What if we did a website up, you did? Whose idea was it? - It was already done before I even got to the church. We try to be, we may not be on the cutting edge, but we keep learning, we keep growing. - Yeah, yeah, yeah. - And the other thing that after this celebration, it doesn't mean we're gonna quietly slip away. We're planning to participate in the Juneteenth Day Parade. - Okay. - We're having the crucifixion, we had it last year, we wanna make it an annual event, it will be in April of 2025. And planning to have another sacred jazz music. Music is very important and people don't realize. - Tell us a little bit about the quiet and since you mentioned that, what's up? They're gonna sing, sonny? - There is a well, no, we're not having a quiet, but we're having a number of people sing solos. - Oh, okay. - And the congregation will be singing. And churches are like, they're an organic thing. - Okay. - You know as well as I do, your involvement with the veterans when you first started, it had to grow and it's changed and evolved. I've known you what, about 20 some years? - Yes. - And is it exactly the way it was when I first met you 20 years ago? - I don't think so. - No, it changes, it grows. - It grows, it changes, it's like an involvement if you will. - Yeah. - You know, the situation of required that, we, you know, reshaping everything, you know. For you know, one of the things that I'm really happy about, especially, especially is the theater aspect of your church, Farmer Hampton. - Yes, we're very ecstatic about Vernon Hampton's putting stone creatives. And they have been the one who has made it possible through her knowing the people for the sacred jazz music series that's-- - That's very important piece too. And the fact that we're planning 'cause people enjoyed the music and the movement of James Walden Johnson's, a six-trumbones and a piece of that is the crucifixion. So we're planning for it to happen again this coming April. The other thing that most people, and I don't know, how many people enjoy organ music. And that's the piece of the church, the organ. - Yes, it is. - It's not just voices, it's not just hymns, it is-- - It's that organ, it's that organ. - And we have a lovely pipe organ. So we're planning, haven't set the date yet, but we'll have it done by the time the New Year starts. - Wait, that's not that far away. - No, no, is to have an organ concert. And I think that music is part of the African-American experience. - No question. - In all of its different forms. - Right. - Whether it's the jazz that black-studded, African-American-studded jazz. And it's spread around the world. - It was spelled J-A-S-S one time. - It was, I didn't know that. - Yeah, my research, you know. - See, things you learn when you're talking to folks who have different interests than you do. - And that's why I'm so grateful that you came in today, Patricia, you know, give me a wrap it up now. But can you give us any more information in terms of how do we get in touch with the events for the Sony coming up? - Well, the church office at 617-427-2066 or email R-L-C Roxbury at gmail.com, the website that says Resurrection Lutheran Church at 94 Warren Street. - Okay. - The 10 o'clock service every Sunday morning at 94 Warren Street, yes. And this Sunday at three o'clock is our celebration. - All right, thank you so much. I guess it's been a community leader, lovely lady, friend of mine, Patricia Courtney. We say today, God bless you Patricia. Thank you so much for coming in. Audience, just hold on, we'll be right back. (upbeat music) (upbeat music) - Back to the second part of show folks, the name is David Fennel. This is again, the other page. And we just want to say, we're really happy to be able to talk a little bit about the church with the red door, our good friends with Patricia Courtney. She was here and she brought some information about the church and history and what's going on in the church. You know, as a veteran, you know, I know that God is important, you know, and I think that the church has got to learn how to appreciate them because they're very involved in social issues that we need to be mindful of. I want to talk a little bit about veterans, if I may, and what's going on with our veterans. I don't really see a lot of action by our elected officials. I used to see some elected officials like city representative, child of China. And I see district seven city council person, Anderson, you know, I'm in touch with their officers, et cetera, and I've been here talking with the Commissioner Robert Santiago for City of Boston and some conversations with the office of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. You know, I'm Santiago, another Santiago. My concern lies in the fact that we are the housing for our veterans. I mean, you know, come on. You're building what you want, but not what we need. We need to be able to take care of our veterans and everything that goes with that, including rep around services. And I want to just shout out to our good friends over there at Whittier Street Community Health Center 617-427-1000, it's their number. Not only do they provide services for the community on a large and broad scale, but they've created a plan, a program, to deal with veterans that are not going to go over to the VA hospital because they have certain phobias to include mistrust of the staff because they're not culturally sensitive in how to prescribe our services for our veterans, male or female. So we're gonna be on top of that tried veterans league and it's gonna be doing some conferences. I just did a presentation at the impact conference on substance abuse and substance abuse disorders because I'm educated and trained for that. You know, and being ecstatic after 30 years, you know, 30 years, I've just been working without the drink or the drug. And I've been able to help people because I would learn how to help myself first. You know, if you want to call, you can call 857-204-5312. And we can talk and I can make references and all of that. But what I want you to understand is that you're not alone. You know, we're always available. We try to be available to help each other because folks have helped me tremendously. You know, I'm always telling people about that on my Facebook account. We also have television program every other Thursday. I'm sorry, every other Wednesday. You know, then we follow up with our radio shows because we want our veterans and our community to know where they can go and what people can do for you to help lift you spiritually and otherwise. Because you need that. We had young men and women that raised their hands and were full of all kinds of figures to become a part of the United States military and travel all over the world, different places and lost track because of the trauma and the shock of what they were involved in, walk, come back home with their eyes all dull, looking like a fish on the ice and a fish market, unable to talk about the pain, unable to get around the trauma and the drama of being a veteran. A lot of veterans, because of systemic racism, are not able to quickly enough adapt to the military and they get marked as insubordinate and they receive a lot of pressure around their ethnic background or race or language. And that brings on some difficulty in following orders, feeling oppressed, becoming depressed, seeking relief, some of them began to drink others to other kinds of drugs. And there was a time that when you did that, you gave reason to get discharged, get undesirable discharges. And what happened was there were so many people that was caught up in this system for years and they didn't get any help and they didn't get no treatment. The American Psychiatric Society or Association or however they labeled themselves determined that substance abuse was a treatable issue. Therefore, everybody that got that kind of paper, based on those circumstances were eligible to get their discharges upgraded and for them to get the services that they needed. But that's a long process, folks. Our veterans are still fighting to be upgraded and they've shot that skin game into that too. It's everywhere. I tried Veterans League, 8572045312. We're out of there for you. We talk in all the time, we put in the participating in conferences, we did a scientific research document with the help of the late Dr. Joseph D. Warren community liaison for an office in university and did a scientific survey with some funding from the Boston Public Health Commission under the leadership plan of John Allback. And we were able to come back with some scientific data at the then Secretary of Veterans Affairs for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Tom Kelly, and with some recommendations that were never followed. And so we still caught up in bringing the energy, consolidating it for our veterans. You have veterans, you have veterans that are PhDs and did real good, and maybe they didn't have some of the issues that the veterans that they need to help in that, helping these to be acknowledged and coming together and organizing for the veterans. They don't do that. Try Veterans League as a volunteer organization and we do a lot. And we're proud of what we do. But we can't do anything without you. We need you to help us, help us reach out to veterans and get them on track so they can stand up and not just lay down and get the people in the community to understand that you don't have to be a veteran to support veterans. That's why a lot of people make mistakes and they say, "Oh, the government to take care of them, the government does not take care of us in the manner that we need to be taken care of." You know, I want to thank the people over there at Mind Street. I want to thank everybody that's involved in our process of trying to minimize the struggle and bring some dignity and some security back to our veterans that have been a part of defending the United States of America, since the American Revolution. And fact, folks, I want to talk a little bit about the strategies to create the United States commemorative stamp based on an art exhibit that we commissioned artists for humanity, a group after school program in South Boston, triad veterans, they commissioned them with pay, with pay with that program. They give stipends to their kids. So we went there, we talked with the folks. They liked what we were talking about. They took on this project and artist, master artist, Stephen Hamilton, who's over there at Harvard somewhere now. And Jason Abbott, along with Rob Gibbs, everybody know Rob Gibbs with the mules on the walls, all over Roxbury and beyond, knowing him since he's a little boy, I mean his brother Tyrone, down there in Linux Street projects. Now he's a big master artist, but they were there a little over 10 years ago when I came there with a idea of creating that art exhibit. It is beautiful. It's been a lot of places in our community as an exhibit. And later on we took those same images and we created a calendar and we listed veterans living and dead in the calendar with some events. War, battles, one. Some lower slides there and there. Then we have big spread on veterans and volunteering for the veterans reading brigade. Recently, I mean last year, as the chairman of the General Edward O. Gordon, veterans and friends committee who were responsible for the statue that's down there. Across the street from station two, Boston police station two. On veterans day this year with the help of the officers of the Commissioner of Veterans Services for the City of Boston, we were able to bring the mayor, the president of the Boston City Council, the Commissioner of Veterans Services. We brought them there with other veterans and the police force, a lot of them were there. They were in the military. And we had the first Veterans Day celebration in the General Edward O. Gordon, African-American Veterans Memorial Park. Now that is something. We're trying to build the presence and we want the veterans to don't hide and to come out and do what we know you did and celebrate yourself. I was a part of a co-design project for veterans, African-American veterans, dealing with screening for lung cancer. So what you gotta understand is that people don't necessarily have to be a smoker to get lung cancer. You can be around smoke and get it or you can reduce the resistance from stress and make the organs in the body not do what they were supposed to build and cause an advancement of an illness that might turn into lung cancer. It's all kind of ways to do it, but we need you to go to the VA and get that test. Screen yourself. Help yourself because help is available. So take time and go over to the VA. Call them up, make an appointment, find out how you get in there. I don't know if I was able to say it. It turns a thank you to the Williams Street Community Health Center under the leadership of the Drica M. Williams and her more than confidence staff and providing care and services, not only for the community and the blood we are speaking, but for the veterans as well. Veterans are welcome at Williams Street. 617-427-1617-427-1,000. That's the number at Williams Street. You know, you can call them and get information because they're giving our first class help. We need a healthy community. We need to be able to know that we're going to get treatment that's sensitive to our culture. It's going on at Williams Street today. Folks, I'm going to tell you something, right? I'm so grateful to be able here to be sitting here and being in and talking about veterans and what we can do. We've got a little program called Beyond the Uniform, you know, right? Wanting cards of veterans to take their military experience and their professional skills and lend them in the ways that we can help our community. And we're talking about art projects. Want to do some art projects. And if you're interested in doing some art, we'd have wanted to contact. We're going to have some flies up. You're going to see some flies on our television program because we want you to use those talent that God has loaned you. Show people that veterans count because right now we got to mobilize because we've been traumatized because we've been ignored by the community development corporations, also known as CDCs when they build these housing and they have like 25, 30 units in the building. And that's big, right? And they say that they are making affordable and they only make it for apartments. And everybody else, you know, they pay in the rent. Veterans need to be respected. Veterans need to be recognized for what they have done for this country. Here was a country that can support war. And gives billions of dollars to support war. But the war that the veterans are going on in the United States, homelessness and everything that is related to homelessness should be paid for. By the United States government, there shouldn't be a homeless veteran any place in the United States of America. And now we find ourselves veterans and some of you voted for a person who's never been in the military and he's called veterans suckers and losers. And you voted for him. A lot of y'all did. That's not going to help us at all. We're trying to put something together so that people will stand up and be recognized for their contribution and not feel shame and can I try to hide? We're trying to get those people from using drugs and alcohol so they can stand up and be recognized, not traumatized because they was in the military and you are labeled a sucker and a loser. You're not a loser. Right now you're a user and a abuser. But we got to get that back. We got to get you to stand up. We got to get you to understand that you mean something to this country because you raised your hand and you took an oath and some of you were given a weapon to go someplace to some people that you don't even know and kill them or they'll kill you in the country. That's not going to happen. Veterans have gone through a lot, folks and you need to understand that. You don't have to be a veteran to support a veteran and their families. This doesn't make any sense. You spend 50 billion dollars. You get them long-range missiles and then you hear the Russian say, "We're going to ratify or go back "and look at our nuclear treaty "because we want to bring nuclear bombs "and warfare to America." When you see those pictures and all the devastation of war and all the dead babies, don't you feel something? Don't you want to say STOP and people can't say STOP but they can't be heard because the bombs are coming in on them. This is Triad Veterans' Lego Program. It is the other page radio. We are here WBCALP 102.9 FM Boston. We're just trying to get our concerns out into the community and let me tell you something, folks. If you're a veteran, I told you that I was going to have the numbers for you for calling up the veteran services and letting them know you need help. But I have one number here today that I'm going to share with you because you need to have the number of the Office of Veterans Affairs because for the City of Boston that you need to contact them, you need to let them know that you need help and they are the ones that can help you. Their number for the Robert Santiago 617-635 3026-617-635-3026. And that is the Office Number 4, the Secretary or the Commissioner of Veterans Affairs for the City of Boston and I've been talking to some people that are downtown and the City Council and we've got to like look at these folks as veterans and say what they're doing. Some are doing a little bit, they're doing a little bit, a little bit, but on a congressional level, uh-uh, I don't see nothing. I don't see anything. And the funny thing about it, you know, I mentioned earlier, the community development corporations that in our neighborhood that are doing all the building, they're not building what we need, they're building what they want. They're saying that we can have, you know, a little bit, a few apartments, but that doesn't match our needs nowhere near it. And these CDCs, these community development corporations are getting federal dollars to build. They're getting federal dollars to build and they don't build anything for our veterans. We can do something about that. We don't need the wine and wine like this guy that's coming in to be the 47th president of the United States. I've never seen nobody do so much weeping in my life, man. And he's not a veteran. He called us losers and suckers. Can you see what's getting ready to happen? These elected officials, they got to be on the mission that we're on. Dignity and respect, you can't buy it in the store. You can't go to Amazon. And he's one of the guys that's ready to take us down the drain with his high prices, all of his businesses. We're getting nothing back to the United States military veterans. He's not a veteran. So that's what I'm talking about. So anyway, we're getting ready to wrap up. Stop the wall, start the healing, start dealing with the issues that matter. We're not losers and we're not suckers. We serve this country with honor. Thank you so much. Have a great day for listening to the other page radio. God bless you. The preceding commentary does not necessarily reflect the views of the staff and management of WBCA or the Boston neighborhood network. If you would like to express another opinion, you can address your comments to Boston neighborhood network 3025 Washington Street, Boston, Massachusetts, 02119. To arrange a time for your own commentary, you can call WBCA at 617 708 3215 or email radio at BNN media. at bnnmedia.org.