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# Vets aren’t the evil ones
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/vets-arent-the-evil-ones-editor/
- Published: 2005-10-17T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T07:59:32.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Opinion, Brentwood, #archive-import, Homeless

*By James Zeruk Jr. Homeless vet*

Gerald M. Condon’s diatribe and predicted mayhem in the streets as homeless veterans “repeat history” (SMDP, Oct. 11, page 5) and turn Brentwood into some kind of a smoldering apocalypse of lawlessness and mayhem (my hyperbole) is not only flawed in its accuracy, it reeks with self-righteous indignation, and, quite frankly, is as disgusting as sewer offal (no hyperbole). Mr. Condon, you, first of all, are out of touch. The VA does house homeless vets. I outlined this in a detailed letter to the SMDP printed on June 7, 2005\. Approximately 500,000 homeless vets live at one of the four major homeless vet programs at the West Los Angeles VA campus on any given day, Mr. Condon. Some have even arrived there direct from prison or jail (heavens to mercy). Nevertheless, Brentwood is still considered one of the safest areas in the county. Also, if all veterans were, say, African-American, would not your blanket statements about homeless vets and crime be racist? Hmmm. Me thinks, yes. For, you see Mr. Condon, all veterans — homeless or not — who served to keep you safe and snug are of one color... G.I. green.

Get a reality check, please Mr. Condon. The vast majority of homeless vets are not committing rape, robbery and homicide as your sickening letter eclipsed, nor will they ever. Hell, few of us even jay-walk. The same was actually true during the 1940s and ’50s as well. Exaggerated and sensationalized news items by tabloidistic Walter-Winchell-wannabes of the post-war era notwithstanding, we veterans — homeless or not — were, and are, usually well behaved. Remarkable, really, when you note that our former purpose was to kill people and break stuff.

By the way, it wasn’t a homeless vet who blew up Micky Cohen’s Brentwood ice cream parlor and machine-gunned his Brentwood home (twice) in the 1950s. Neither was it a homeless vet who butchered alive Nicole Simpson and Ron Goldman one terrible Brentwood night. The last thing Mr. Condon and quaint little Brentwwod need to worry about is hospitalized, homeless veterans taking a break from turning their lives around in order to lurk in the shadows with diabolical intent. However, what we all need to fear is people like Condon who use words much the way words were used during the Salem witch trials.

Homeless vets may not wear halos, Mr. Condon, but we sure as hell don’t need your ugly, virulent, and cowardly insecurities hanging over our heads like the Sword of Damocles, either.

Shame on you, Mr. Condon.

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on October 17, 2005.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/101705.pdf?ref=smdp.com)