An 84-year-old widow of a veteran
is being threatened with eviction for hosting voluntary Bible studies,
according to the Pacific Justice Institute.
The
widow, Artis Breau, received a letter from the California Department of
Veterans Affairs (CalVet) demanding that she cease hosting the Bible studies or
else she will be thrown out of her veteran’s home.
“The
home claims it needs to protect residents from this elderly widow, even though
attendance at her Bible studies is entirely voluntary,” the institute stated. “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.”
Breau,
whose late husband served in the Korean War, initially took heat from the home
last September over a discussion she had with another resident about Heaven and
Hell which officials claimed had caused that resident to “lose sleep” and was
thus “elder abuse.”
Breau
was banned from volunteer work at the home over the complaint despite not yet
being interviewed over the allegation, the institute stated.
“CalVet’s
treatment of this widow is shameful,” PJI stated in a press release.
“Throughout this process, we have been deeply disturbed not only by the lack of
constitutional guidelines, ineptitude, and lack of due process in the
investigation, but even more by the notion that discussing religious views on
the eternal state of the soul is somehow elder abuse or emotional abuse.”
“Our
client’s husband fought for his country to preserve the freedoms now being
threatened by CalVet. Our veterans deserve better.”
Responding
to the allegations, CalVet said that “the safety, security, and well-being of
all of our residents is our top priority.”
“We are
very proud of the religious services provided to all of our residents through
our chaplaincy services,” said the deputy secretary of Women Veterans Affairs
at CalVet, according to Fox
News. “This investigation concerns the private conduct of an individual.”
“Beyond
that, we are unable to comment on an ongoing investigation.”
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