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Opinion
This week, social media proved its utility due to a viral Veterans Affairs memo revealed on the location X by a well-liked account recognized for exposing woke ideology in authorities. The memo referred to as for the removing of the enduring World Battle II photograph of a sailor celebrating V-Day by kissing a nurse in Occasions Sq..
The memo demanded VA services take away the photograph and substitute it with one thing extra in step with the group’s values. Why? As a result of the photograph was allegedly in opposition to the VA’s zero tolerance coverage for sexual assault and harassment. Sadly, the memo was allegedly by no means cleared by VA Secretary Denis McDonough, who apparently first heard concerning the memo through viral social media posts.
Secretary McDonough made clear that he didn’t approve the memo, nor would the photograph be taken down from any facility. Nonetheless, questions nonetheless linger as to why anybody thought the memo was a good suggestion within the first place and whether or not those that facilitated its creation will likely be held accountable.
Trauma-inducing iconic WWII photograph?
In a memo signed by Assistant Undersecretary for Well being and Operations, RimaAnn Nelson, VA services have been instructed to take away the well-known photograph that exhibits a sailor kissing a nurse in celebration. In keeping with the memo, the photograph displays “inappropriate habits” and depicts a “non-consensual act.”
Ms. Nelson wrote that displaying the photograph in VA services:
“…could possibly be construed as a tacit endorsement of the inappropriate habits it depicts.”
The memo goes on to assert that:
“Workers have expressed discomfort with the show of this {photograph}.”
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Ms. Nelson continues to instruct the services to take away the photograph with a purpose to:
“…foster a extra trauma-informed setting.”
Nothing to see right here
As soon as the memo went viral on X, VA Secretary Denis McDonough reversed the ban on the {photograph}, stating that the photograph would stay in VA services. He wrote in no unsure phrases:
“Let me be clear: This picture just isn’t banned from VA services, and we are going to preserve it in VA services.”
In response to calls to fireplace Ms. Nelson, Secretary McDonough wrote:
“Rima has devoted her profession to serving veterans. We’re lucky to have her at VA, and she’s going to stay at VA.”
Ms. Nelson does certainly have an extended employment historical past with the VA. And this isn’t the primary time her skills to carry out her duties have been questioned. In 2016, Congresswoman Krysten Sinema and Congressman Matt Salmon requested then-President Barack Obama to dam Ms. Nelson’s appointment on the then-beleaguered Phoenix, Arizona, VA hospital.
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Their reasoning was attributable to her observe document at her prior location in St. Louis. They wrote to President Obama:
“Beneath Ms. Nelson’s tenure, the St. Louis hospital closed twice for unsafe and unsanitary situations and was ranked final within the nation for affected person satisfaction out of 126 VA medical facilities.”
Nonetheless, their request was not granted, and right here Ms. Nelson is having climbed the VA ladder, having her skills questioned, and nonetheless protected against any accountability.
The flawed focus
This isn’t the primary time the VA has decided primarily based on woke ideology to attempt to erase historical past. Final yr, the VA up to date its motto to make it extra gender-neutral after already updating it to incorporate girls.
The unique VA motto was from President Abraham Lincoln’s second inaugural tackle. He declared it was this nation’s solemn duty to:
“look after him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan.”
The VA up to date that motto to incorporate girls veterans like myself, altering it to:
“fulfill President Lincoln’s promise ‘to look after him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan’ by serving and honoring the women and men who’re America’s veterans.”
As if including the second caveat that girls like myself now additionally serve our nation wasn’t sufficient, the VA went one other step by altering the motto to:
“fulfill President Lincoln’s promise to care for individuals who have served in our nation’s army and for his or her households, caregivers, and survivors.”
Eradicating the quote doesn’t make me really feel extra included as a category of veterans. It insults my intelligence that I can’t make the psychological leap that in President Lincoln’s time, solely males served in battle. Now the nation has developed to permit girls like myself to serve in battle.
VA failures
Moreover, due to the precise quote and perception that President Lincoln had that the nation has an obligation to care for individuals who have “borne the battle,” veterans like myself have healthcare choices and different entitlements. I’ll go away you with a number of present statistics:
In 2023, veteran homelessness elevated by 7.4%
On a single evening in January of 2023, there have been 35,574 homeless veterans
17 veterans commit suicide day-after-day
An digital well being data subject might trigger 250,000 veterans to obtain the flawed medicine from VA hospitals
I don’t get my medical care from a VA hospital. Not due to a WWII photograph however as a result of I don’t belief that they are going to adhere to their solemn promise to look after me, and will probably make me worse. Maybe it’s time to give attention to look after veterans versus imagined trauma inducing pictures.
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