Hope for Homeless Vets: Lyons Domiciliary

William Shakespeare once asked, "What's in a name, would not a rose by any other name smell as sweet?" (paraphrased) Perhaps it would, but there is a lot in a name. In my short life, used cars have become pre-owned vehicles, the handicapped have become physically challenged and medical patients have become clients. So, it should come as no surprise that many military veterans took offense to the usage of "strung out" in an article in New Jersey's Star Ledger newspaper referencing to vets. I refer, of course, to the recently published article: 'An American tragedy' Haven of hope for strung-out vets Tuesday, November 27, 2007 by NYIER ABDOU Star-Ledger Staff.

The otherwise informative, if not brief, article covers one of several military veteran transitional residences the Veterans Administration operates in partnership with private organizations. The article certainly succeeds in bringing much needed attention to The Hope for Veterans Transitional Housing Program. The program, located on the Lyons Veterans Administration Campus in Bernards Township, New Jersey, does remarkable work and has helped hundreds of veterans with psychological, medical and/or substance abuse problems transition from treatment back into society. However, the term "strung out" was an ill-conceived editorial choice for the sub-title.

"Strung Out" is the kind of "coded" term that has made the American Journalism Community complacent contributors of negative labels that are forever embedded in our collective social conscience; words like "baby-killer", "dead-beat dad" and "welfare queen" to name a few. This is certainly the kind of sensationalized reporting that has become all too familiar and far too seldom criticized. It is a reminder of how far we have strayed from the social conscience journalism of W. E. B. Dubois' Crisis and the radio/television reporting of Edward R. Murrow and Walter Cronkite down the ugly path of Rupert Murdoch's politically motivated Fox News Corp and the likes of Rush Limbaugh and Ann Colture.

Had Nyier Abdous and the editors of The Star Ledger afforded this article the same time and consideration of recent on articles covering the Iraq War ,the Middle East and social justice, readers might have learned more about the program and the veterans the program serves.

Readers might have learned, for instance, that the so-called "strung out" veterans in VA transitional housing are required to be drug/alcohol free, have verifiable employment and be compliant with strict behavioral policies, rules and regulations. Readers might have learned that many of the "strung out" vets are not only preparing for return to their families and communities, but are also preparing business plans as well as college and employment applications.

Readers might have learned that many of the "strung out" veterans work for the VA, the newly constructed Prudential Center in Newark, book distributor Baker and Taylor as well as hundreds of other small businesses and large corporations. Readers would have learned that graduates of the Lyons, VA Domiciliary Homeless Veterans Program, with and without substance abuse issues, have gone on to become social workers, members of the clergy, teachers and even lawyers. However, these facts would not be in line of what most people think of when they envision "stung out" vets.

I think it is worth mentioning again that the article, probably well intentioned, did cite the excellent work of the directors, administrators and staffs of this and other transitional residences provide to vets. It also shined a much needed light on the growing problem of homeless veterans; however, judging by the reaction of many of my fellow vets who read the article, the term "strung out" was offensive. The writer and editors of the Star ledger owe us all an apology. Though I doubt we will get one.

You see the newspaper business in America has taken a position that the 1st Amendment comes with a free license to print whatever is necessary to grab attention in the pursuit not of reporting the news, but in pursuit of increased circulation and sales. This is unfortunate, because that belief brings light to another American Tragedy--the increasing "sub-prime" standard of American Journalism and The Fourth Estate.

Hi Larry:

Thank-you for your generous understanding. Even though I didn't write the headline, I was still very frustrated that it got through and into the paper. I thought you may be interested to know that the following clarification ran on page 2 of our paper yesterday.

Kind regards,

Nyier

The Star-Ledger Archive
COPYRIGHT © The Star-Ledger 2007

Date: 2007/12/04 Tuesday Page: 002 Section: NEWS Edition: FINAL Size: 215 words

CORRECTIONS

Some readers took offense at a headline in several editions last Tuesday "Haven of hope for strung-out vets." The article was about a transitional housing program at Lyons Veterans Administration Campus for people referred from the VA's mental health unit or drug rehabilitation program. The veterans highlighted in the article took advantage of the program to turn their lives around and the headline should have reflected that success.

Nyier H. Abdou
Reporter, Somerset County Bureau
The Star-Ledger
15 Somerset Street
Somerville, NJ 08876

Tel. (908) 429-9925; Fax (908) 685-1037
nabdou@starledger.com