July 6, 2025 The Best Source of News, Culture, Lifestyle for Culver City, Mar Vista, Del Rey, Palms and West Los Angeles

Brentwood Beat: Here’s to the agitators

Brentwood Beat columnist Jeff Hall.
Brentwood Beat columnist Jeff Hall.

I come from the “let’s all get along” school, figuring if people of good will are willing to sit down for a few hours to hash out whatever the issue is, there’s usually a way to figure things out.

But it doesn’t always work out that way. Sometimes people are too entrenched in their positions. They’d rather fight and get nothing – as opposed to compromising and getting half a loaf.

But occasionally those who are more confrontational bring about real progress. And even though they can make the rest of us uncomfortable along the way, we need to give credit where credit is due.

One person in particular comes to mind right now, and that’s Robert Rosebrock. Rosebrock can be a royal pain, I speak from much personal experience when I say this.

If you don’t know who he is, he’s the guy who has been pushing for the VA to do more for homeless veterans at the West LA campus – literally for decades.

Maybe you’ve seen him leading protests on Sunday afternoons at the corner of Wilshire and San Vicente. As part of his quest, he has been arrested, he got the ACLU to file a lawsuit and the lawsuit recently got settled in a way that should bring relief to homeless veterans. He never quit. He still isn’t about to give up.

Veteran activists like Robert Rosebrock like to say it’s the rich people of Brentwood who somehow convinced the VA to keep the homeless veterans out of their backyard, but in the main, I don’t think that’s correct.

It’s true, I heard a tiny bit of this “NIMBY”-type talk on rare occasions over the years, but I think most Brentwoodians really want to see the VA do more to help homeless veterans.

Now that this is starting to happen, most of the people I know are cheering on the VA.

I saw Robert Rosebrock at the opening of Building 209 the other day. I asked him if he was happy to see how things are now finally unfolding.

I told him he should be proud of what he did, for his efforts could pay off for countless veterans for many years to come.
But he was not happy, he assured me. There is a state of emergency out there on the streets, he said. Far more can and must be done – and much more quickly, he added.

He actually seemed pretty disgusted with what’s happening – or not happening – at the VA.

Though he doesn’t see it today, I hope Rosebrock eventually comes to realize he has done something with real meaning. He has helped make history, really, returning the VA to its original intent – providing an Old Soldiers Home for disabled veterans.

It’s pretty clear this wasn’t going to just happen on its own. It wouldn’t have happened without Robert Rosebrock’s agitating. In helping some homeless veterans, he has helped all of us, really. He made something happen that we all should want.

I am reminded of that great quote by George Bernard Shaw: “The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man.”

In this case, Rosebrock was the unreasonable man. He bent history in the direction of his cause.

I think Rosebrock should now be reasonable and give the new team over at the VA a fair chance, but Rosebrock will likely continue to agitate. He obviously thinks the current VA administrators are being unreasonable by not moving faster.

Maybe Rosebrock’s continued pressure could result in the VA doing more at a quicker pace. Then again, maybe it’s time for us all to join arm in arm and work together on this.

But there I go again.

For a moment, let’s stop and recognize those who irritate. Though they can be a pain, they can also do the rest of us a favor by making the world a more just place.

in News
Related Posts

Michael Madsen, Star of Reservoir Dogs and Kill Bill, Dies at 67 in Malibu

July 4, 2025

July 4, 2025

Actor Remembered for His Intense Performances and as a Poet  Actor Michael Madsen, known for his distinctive gravelly voice and...

Los Angeles City Council Cracks Down on ‘Disaster Tours’ in Pacific Palisades

July 4, 2025

July 4, 2025

City Council Bans Commercial Bus Tours in Burn Zone Amid Community Backlash Tour buses that have been operating in fire-ravaged...

Tow Truck Scammers Target Crash Victims Across L.A.: Authorities Warn of Fraud at Accident Scenes

July 4, 2025

July 4, 2025

Officials Urge Drivers to Stay Alert After Collisions as Rogue Operators Demand Inflated Fees  Motorists involved in vehicle accidents are...

Woman Dies After Melrose Store Altercation: LAPD Launches Homicide Investigation

July 4, 2025

July 4, 2025

Critically Injured Young Woman Died July 2, After She was Badly Beaten at Work  The death of a woman critically...

CHP Officer Dies in Culver City Crash: Medical Emergency Suspected Behind Tragic Incident

July 4, 2025

July 4, 2025

Officer lost consciousness while transporting a suspect before crashing into a tree California Highway Patrol Officer Miguel Cano died early...

L.A. Beaches Brace for Holiday Rush: Over 1 Million Visitors Expected This Fourth of July

July 4, 2025

July 4, 2025

County Officials Urge Beachgoers to Pack Out Their Trash and  Monitor Water Quality More than one million visitors are expected...

(Video) A visit to New York Bagel & Deli in Santa Monica

July 3, 2025

July 3, 2025

Authentic NY Style Bagels with Extra Creamy Cream Cheese and Multi-Cultural Desserts. Located at 2216 Wilshire Blvd. A visit to...

Hot Dogs & Rosé: Something About Her and The Culver Hotel Roll Out Summer Specials

July 2, 2025

July 2, 2025

Westside Venues to Serve Playful Bites and Seasonal Sips For the Holiday Weekend A bold new offering is making its...

NeueHouse Hosts Bold One-Night Dinner With Culinary Phenomenon Diego Argoti

July 2, 2025

July 2, 2025

Acclaimed Chef Brings Culinary Mischief With a Five-Course Tasting Experience. NeueHouse Hollywood will host an exclusive, one-night-only dining event on...

(Video) Legacy, Reimagined: Architecture, Design & Construction by Home Front Build Los Angeles

July 2, 2025

July 2, 2025

Go To Homefrontbuild.com For More Information @home_front_build Legacy, Reimagined: Architecture, Design & Construction by Home Front Build Los Angeles Go...

405 Crash Near the Getty Sends Three to Hospital: Two Seriously Hurt Near Site Where LAPD Sgt. Died

July 2, 2025

July 2, 2025

Early Morning Multi-Vehicle Collision Shut Down Lanes Near Brentwood Three men were injured and traffic was snarled for hours following...

(Video) Jikoni, the AfriCali PopUp from celebrated cookbook author Kiano Moju Has Been Extended Until July 3 at Citizen Public Market

July 1, 2025

July 1, 2025

Bold Flavors and Spice Merge with Crisp, Chewy Chapati. Delicious With a Caring Chef and Staff. Jikoni, the AfriCali PopUp...

Pentagon Orders Troop Drawdown in LA: 150 National Guard Members Reassigned to Wildfire Duty

July 1, 2025

July 1, 2025

Federal Forces Begin Partial Withdrawal From Protest Response as California Leaders Push Back U.S. Northern Command announced Tuesday that 150...

California Highway Patrol Deploys for Independence Day Enforcement Surge

July 1, 2025

July 1, 2025

All Available Officers to Hit California Highways for Holiday Weekend As Californians gear up for Fourth of July festivities, the...

Court Postpones Arraignment for Driver in Malibu Crash That Killed Four Students

July 1, 2025

July 1, 2025

Fraser Michael Bohm Faces Murder Charges in Fatal PCH Wreck  The arraignment for Fraser Michael Bohm, the 23-year-old man accused...