Michelle Obama Stands Up For U.S. Veterans, Condemns Veteran Homelessness

Michelle Obama has criticized the current situation of military veterans in the U.S., many of whom are currently subjected to homelessness. Speaking before 1,600 activists and government officials at the 2014 National Conference on Ending Homelessness in Washington D.C., the First Lady called the approximately 58,000 cases of homelessness among military veterans a “stain on the soul of the nation.”

Obama further condemned the growing mistreatment of U.S. military veterans and encouraged the crowd to take a more active stance against veteran homelessness.

“As Americans, the idea that anyone who has worn our country’s uniform is sleeping on the ground should horrify us.”

Michelle Obama emphasized the importance of looking for a long-term solution for the problem:

“That moral and patriotic duty is only part of the reason why ending veteran homelessness is so critical. As we all know, ending homelessness for our veterans can also be a crucial first step, a proof point to show that we can end homelessness for everyone in this country.

“Day after day, as you fight for more resources, you encounter too many folks who don’t take you seriously because they don’t believe that we will ever, truly be able to solve this problem. Yet when so many others accept homelessness as a fact of life, you refuse to give up.”

Mrs. Obama has been passionately campaigning against veteran homelessness for the past few years, according to ABC News. Just last month, Michelle Obama described the shelter situation of many veterans in the country as a “moral outrage.” The statement was made at a White House event announcing the Mayor’s Challenge to End Veteran Homelessness, an initiative that encourages mayors to inspect and give shelter to veterans suffering from poverty in their respective cities.

Michelle Obama’s pro-veteran statements were positively received by both Dems and Reps who were able to hear the First Lady’s statements. However, not all of Mrs. Obama’s sentiments this week were well-received. Just recently, Obama received mixed reactions for her statements to young African leaders in Washington D.C. Wednesday while acknowledging her African heritage. According to a recent Inquisitr report, Michelle Obama allegedly said, “The blood of Africa runs through my veins.” This garnered praises from her guests but receiving flack from a few people on the internet.

Despite the statements, the First Lady remains very popular among the American public while her husband’s popularity continue to wane among both Democrats and Republicans. A few experts attribute this to Michelle Obama’s passionate efforts for gender equality and obesity awareness.

[Image from Barack Obama/Flickr]