Sometimes it takes personal injustice to bring into focus the ill treatment and wrongful punishment that the average American citizen does, and can face. I've recently fell victim to such injustice, and I for one am willing to conceive that everyone who claims to be innocent of a crime, may just be telling the truth. Rather by a hindrance of laws that contradict one another; as in my case; or a lack of professional courage and conviction on the part of those in a position to render justice to those wrongly punished (a by-product of my situation), the results are the same.
When the only side that's allowed a voice and representation is the big guns or the wealthy, where do we turn? How do we demand of a China human rights for it's citizens, that we as a country, don't allow to our own? Punishment is for the guilty. Punishment must be preserved for a crime or a wrong that is committed, and not for the convenience of moving on because a insignificant nobody was the victim of wrongful punishment, based on; not doing a wrong; but rather two laws contradict one another in the instance. Allow me to give you the untold account.
I'm a veteran that's homeless and jobless. I get by on whatever my family can afford to give me; which isn't much; as I come from poor people. And I've never made friends outside the army. Due to my age, most companies won't hire me; even though I have the skills and ability to do the work. I'm out of trucking; not for doing anything wrong or illegal; but due to the way DOT Rules are structured, and the unethical tactics of certain people within the Anderson Trucking Services organization. Until I can get some work and get a lawyer to handle a lawsuit for me, I'm assumed guilty until proved innocent. I'm attempting to get my Congressman to intercede, on my behave. As it stands; I'm in my fourth month of unemployment; as no company will hire me. Why? My DAC Report; by which all commercial drivers are judged; indicates that I refused to take a drug test. It's a lie; but I wasn't given a voice to protest nor an interview with the Department Of Transportation, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Agency; although they claimed to have investigated. Seemed pretty one sided, if they did.
The VA refused to help because I have less than 30% disability
As I've ruined my own credit, trying to keep my trucking business afloat over the past five years, and was actually three weeks from turning the corner when I got railed road-ed out of the trucking industry; starting over is even harder than would be normal. Call it my punishment for working with unscrupulous people within the trucking industry. I don't begrudge that punishment. I earned it. So are the fortunes of war. By the way; I'm not looking for pity; just stating the facts as they exist.
I've filled out over two hundred job applications since January, sent correspondence to many lawyers; including pro bonos; senators, congressman, DOT, FMCSA, the VA, NAACA, local and national news media; written the State Department, Justice Department, the White House, and the Workers Association. You know what I've discovered? Unless your situation can sell newspapers or garner ratings; the media doesn't give a darn for you [ but I already knew that; but gave it a shot anyway].
Even though the people who railroaded me and ruined my career in trucking lied to the FMCSA and it can be proved that they did; no one in the government wants to get involved for the sake of a penniless nobody; even though I am a war veteran. Even the FMCSA refused to investigate the logbook violations, when they did their investigation; although I clearly pointed it out to them in my first correspondence with them. That in itself should've been justification for them to have the lie of Refusing to take a drug test removed from my DAC Report, so I could get back to work and hire some lawyers to sue for loss of wages; among other things. Surprise, surprise; they never even looked into it. From the letter I receive from Mr. Daniel P Drexler- Division Administrator, for the St. Paul, Mn branch of the FMCSA- U.S. Department of Transportation; it appears the focus was on the DOT rule for missed drug test. There was absolutely no mention of the Hours of service rules, which deal with logbook issues. I promptly wrote back to Mr. Drexler, explaining this omission from the investigation an the lie of me being giving directions to the clinic, by a member of Anderson Trucking Service; which he said was told him by this company's Safety Director. I'm still awaiting Mr. Drexler's response. No one needs to lie if they were in the right and if they didn't wrongfully punish an individual, by terminating his contract and ruining his ability to work in his chosen profession. No indeed. Someone has a lot to answer for.
