Impersonating military vets for donations would be felony under state rep’s bill
March 05, 2010
The Associated Press â€" A South Florida lawmaker wants to put a stop to people impersonating military veterans when soliciting donations.
State Rep. Maria Sachs, D-Delray Beach, plans to introduce the legislation (HB 1445) Friday at a Deerfield Beach news conference. The bill would make it a felony to misrepresent oneself as a veteran or member of the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps or Coast Guard in order to collect donations from the public.
In many of Florida's major cities, paid solicitors dress in military uniforms to ask drivers and shoppers for contributions, according to a release from the House minority office Thursday.
This is good news
Good! Glad to hear it. It's about time.
Good! Glad to hear it. It's about time. --<ooops, sorry Strider, I signed on as you.>
Quote from: sheclown on March 10, 2010, 02:06:02 PM
Good! Glad to hear it. It's about time. --<ooops, sorry Strider, I signed on as you.>
???????
Seriously, as a veteran of WWI I am appalled that some people would stoop to this level to cheat someone out of a buck. I'm taking donations to fight this all the way to Washington DC.
^ You youngins....always feel like you're entitled something.
Try dodging musket balls in the snow with cruddy shoes. Those damned Redcoats have yet to send me a PENNY!
;D
In all seriousness, I think this is a fantastic law and should be passed immediately.
Isn't fraud already illegal? How will a new law change anything?
It would now be a felony offence versus a misdemeanor.
Quote from: Jason on March 10, 2010, 03:34:46 PM
^ You youngins....always feel like you're entitled something.
Try dodging musket balls in the snow with cruddy shoes. Those damned Redcoats have yet to send me a PENNY!
;D
In all seriousness, I think this is a fantastic law and should be passed immediately.
PFFT Try being a Spartan in the battle of Thermopylae! We had to fight without shirts!! (not that I have a problem with running around that way)
But seriously make it felony no doubt.
Quote from: urbanlibertarian on March 10, 2010, 03:54:54 PM
Isn't fraud already illegal? How will a new law change anything?
My thoughts exactly.
There is already a law called "stolen valor" that makes it a Federal offense to claim to be a decorated veteran. No fraudulent purpose needs to be proved. Applying for veteran's benefits would be fraud, but standing on the roadside with a sign that says, "homeless vet" would be difficult to prosecute as fraud.
Pass this law. Too many jerks out there are stealing the honor of those who served.
Quote from: Dog Walker on March 10, 2010, 04:54:13 PM
There is already a law called "stolen valor" that makes it a Federal offense to claim to be a decorated veteran. No fraudulent purpose needs to be proved. Applying for veteran's benefits would be fraud, but standing on the roadside with a sign that says, "homeless vet" would be difficult to prosecute as fraud.
Pass this law. Too many jerks out there are stealing the honor of those who served.
What if I'm only claiming to be a veteran of the school of hard knocks?
You might be a drop-out from the school of hard knocks, as I am, or a veteran blogger, but don't claim to a veteran of military service unless you are one! LOL!
So vagueness is the way around any such ordinance?
It really is outrageous
Sorry boys and girls, many of those homeless signs read "VIETNAM VETERAN - HUNGRY - HOMELESS." Just like Eddie Murphy in Trading Places, many of these guys are "secret agent Orange." When they try and tell me about their service, and there obviously wasn't any, I don't want to toss them in Jail... Castration would sound fair to me!
OCKLAWAHA
Quote from: Ocklawaha on March 10, 2010, 07:21:04 PM
Sorry boys and girls, many of those homeless signs read "VIETNAM VETERAN - HUNGRY - HOMELESS." Just like Eddie Murphy in Trading Places, many of these guys are "secret agent Orange." When they try and tell me about their service, and there obviously wasn't any, I don't want to toss them in Jail... Castration would sound fair to me!
OCKLAWAHA
I'd rather actually send them to war. With poor equipment outfitting of course.
Wowzers! Compassion levels seem to drop when a homeless opportunist seeks to exploit the good name of our military service veterans.
I doubt malice exists on the part of the homeless. It's more likely a case of "whatever works best".
I don't even make eye contact with these bums because they seem to use the Veteran label as a cop out. As a veteran myself, it pisses me off and every one of them should be forced to serve, then see how it feels.
Ok, so how exactly would this law be enforceable? Would it be required of all vets to carry a copy of their DD-214 as proof to any would-be donor? :-\
Maybe so Buckethead, and it might be "what works," but it is a dangerous game to impersonate a veteran. Veterans are a group of citizen's that share some extraordinary experiences. Those that have "seen the elephant" and those that haven't, Polliwog or Shellback, Blue Nosed Polar Bear, Mossback etc... Should never be considered as equal to the general homeless population:
The true veteran is either disabled or listed as a military reserve, in the event of a national emergency, the veterans are ready to spring back to the services.. This type of clerical or logistical or law enforcement support could hardly be obtained from a cluster of homeless who have proved their distaste for organized lifestyle. As the saying goes, "If you can read this, thank a teacher, if you are reading it in English, thank a Veteran."
OCKLAWAHA
Quote from: reednavy on March 11, 2010, 10:22:26 AM
I don't even make eye contact with these bums because they seem to use the Veteran label as a cop out. As a veteran myself, it pisses me off and every one of them should be forced to serve, then see how it feels.
one would think with all the bums tricks and stories they have the skills to talk their way into a job. They mostly prey on suburbing types that are unfamiliar with city life. I treat them like the scum they. It is their fault they gave up not ours. The rules of life apply to everyone the dumb, the smart, lazy, hard working, attractive, unattractive etc. If your a bum it because you made yourself that way. No Mercy.
So if he claims to be a VN vet remember the very last ones left in 1975. That means he'd be at least 53. WW2 and Korea would be or close to 80s. WW1 would be ........... dead, like my ex-law great uncle. Most vets I know are proud of the service, but not willing to speak much of details. Some scary things are not worth it to remember.
The gimmie a dollar guys will use many stories to get money.
.........need money to buy medicine (for snake bite?)
.........will work for food (usually have a bad back)
........ need money for food (money not food)
..........homeless vet (military veteran?, animal doctor?)
..........unemployed
........... family
One of our superintendents offered some will work for food guys a job placing concrete and they couldn't get away fast enough.
I think the move is to get the groups that dress up in fatigues, claim to be vets and go out at intersections or call on the phone or approach people in the shopping center for donations to different veteran relief programs. There can be big money in those. The ones that never get the money to the programs. The ones that if any $$$ does get to the organization the administrative fees run 95%. I think we get calls from an organization claiming to be for the FOP with similar line.
I had one "Veterans" group that would deliver an American flag for my donation. I got the flag, but they changed the amount on my check.
Don't worry, I won't be out there I cannot get into my uniforms from that period. They shrunk. ............ They are also out of date. The current BDUs and dress uniforms are very different than in the old days.
QuoteThey shrunk. ............
:D Yours too??? :D
Quote from: BridgeTroll on March 11, 2010, 03:48:37 PM
QuoteThey shrunk. ............
:D Yours too??? :D
BTW Its not your fault that they shrunk. It is caused by a pest called a weaver moth. They eat a small section and then weave it back together to hide there tracks. After a few years the said clothing is several sizes smaller ::)
QuoteBTW Its not your fault that they shrunk.
I didnt think so... but something needs to be done about those damn moths... :D
Thanks for the explanation. I always thought that phenomenon was caused by "closet rays" that gradually shrank clothes that were not taken out very often.