Officials with the California Department of Veterans Affairs (CalVet) are threatening to evict an 84-year-old widow from the California Veterans Home unless she halts longtime Bible studies she has been leading for fellow residents.
Pacific Justice Institute (PJI) represents Artis Breau, the widow who has come under fire. Artis and her late husband moved to the Veterans Home about nine years ago. Her husband had served as a Merchant Marine in World War II, served in the famed 82nd Airborne Division overseas, and then served in the Air Force during the Korean War. Meanwhile, Artis worked as a civilian employee in the Office of the Chief of Staff of the Army at the Pentagon during the Korean War.
For much of the past decade, Artis has volunteered with the chaplaincy program and led Bible studies in the Home. She began encountering opposition from officials last September when it was claimed that a discussion between herself and another resident about heaven and hell had allegedly caused him to lose sleep and therefore was elder abuse, emotional abuse, and otherwise illegal.
In mid-December, the Home notified Artis that her volunteer status was being suspended indefinitely due to the ongoing investigation. Nearly three months later, CalVet has yet to schedule an interview with Artis about the alleged complaint; yet she remains barred from volunteering in any official role. However, until this past week she had been permitted to continue leading Bible studies for some of the Home’s most elderly and mobility-challenged residents—many of whom cannot get to chapel services.
On Friday, March 1, PJI received an alarming e-mail from an attorney for CalVet, claiming Artis’ Bible studies were in violation of prior directives and would subject her to “involuntary discharge” from the Home if they continued. The Home claims it needs to protect residents from this elderly widow, even though attendance at her Bible studies is entirely voluntary. Artis has explained to PJI that the real issue is that she is an evangelical Jewish believer in Jesus, which does not sit well with some of the chaplains.
Full story at Pacific Justice Institute.
What about freedom of choice? Those who do not want to attend can stay away.
We have freedom of speech and religion in this country.
I really do not understand phrases like ‘mobility challenged’. Is this a ‘group’ term to include several people each with different issues?
In my opinion, as long as the lady respects those who do not wish to participate, that should be fine.
Some of the Chaplains dont like her? Worried about a little ‘friendly competition’ ladies and gentlemen?
mike m.– “mobility challenged” refers to people too crippled to walk. They may have a walker or wheelchair.
The Democrats 1) want to kick old people out of nursing homes 2) support infanticide 3) support sex trafficking across our borders 4) support drug trafficking across our borders 5) won’t condemn anti-semitism 6) won’t do anything about a racist governor because he is a Democrat 7) support allowing invaders of our country to vote in our elections 8) ignore charges of sexual assault against a Lieutenant Governor because he is a Democrat 8) use federal agencies to attack political enemies and 9) run up people’s tax bills to pay for broken and dysfunctional government. Do they do anything that is good?