VA Asst. UnderSec tries to ban “The Kiss”
Probably one of the most iconic photos of WWII, after the flag-raising on Mount Suribachi, is “The Kiss” – a young sailor dippin’ and kisssin’ an unidentified girl in Times Square.
George Mendonsa spotted Greta Friedman, spun her around and planted a kiss. The two had never met.
The photo, by Alfred Eisenstaedt, is called “V-J Day in Times Square” but is known to most people simply as “The Kiss.”
Friedman told the Library of Congress in 2005 that “it wasn’t a romantic event. It was just an event of thank God the war is over kind of thing.” She added in an oral history of the photo, “It wasn’t my choice to be kissed. The guy just came over and kissed or grabbed.”
Secretary Denis McDonough acted hours after a copy of a memo from a VA assistant undersecretary requesting the photo’s removal from all VA health facilities was shared on social media. The memo had said the photo “depicts a non-consensual act” and is inconsistent with the department’s sexual harassment policy.
McDonough on Tuesday tweeted out a copy of the image, which appeared in Life magazine, adding, “Let me be clear: This image is not banned from VA facilities — and we will keep it in VA facilities.”
Notice she never says she objected, felt demeaned, any of the usual buzzwords – but some pissant departmental flunkie name of RimaAnn Nelson decided it wasn’t politically correct. For once a Bidener got it partially right – Secretary McDonough immediately countermanded the memo and even the White House took the right stance.
“The VA is not going to be banning this photo,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Tuesday. “I can definitely say that the memo was not sanctioned, and so it’s not something that we were even aware of.”
No wonder people complain of a functionary’s “deep state” with idiots like that ‘assistant undersecretary’ around – and still employed.
This isn’t her first rodeo, either.
Nelson served as the director of the St. Louis VA hospital from 2009 to 2013, during a time when veterans were reportedly exposed to HIV and hepatitis. CNN reported that an investigation found that “staff in St. Louis had not been trained to sterilize equipment, and according to a whistleblower, the poor sanitation contributed to infections.”
According to a report from AZ Central, investigators followed up to see if the problem had been addressed at the facility, and they had not. The Daily Caller reported that conditions were so bad that veterans were left sitting in feces for “days.”
Nelson was appointed to be head of the Phoenix VA in 2016, which prompted outrage from then Democratic Rep. and now Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, along with former Republican Rep. Matt Salmon, who wrote a letter to then-President Obama calling for a reconsideration of Nelson’s appointment due to her previous tenure at the St. Louis VA hospital.
Despite the documented problems at the hospital, Nelson reportedly received more than $25,000 in bonuses.
McFonough responded to calls for Nelson’s firing with:
In a statement to Fox News Digital, McDonough responded to the letter, saying, “Rima has dedicated her career to serving Veterans. We are fortunate to have her at VA, and she will remain at VA.”
So much for getting it right.
This was mentioned in comments Tuesday, but I tend to write several columns at a whack and I’m too lazy to rewrite today’s. So there. (apologies to Monty Python)
Category: "Teh Stoopid", "The Floggings Will Continue Until Morale Improves"
Proof that draining the swamp is impossible.
We’re going to need a bigger plunger….
Plunger, hell…We need a diesel powered Roto-Rooter…and more woodchippers!
Wanna fix the VA problems? Sh*tcan every upper level there now and put ALL grubermint employees health care, including kongress kritters, into the system.
“RimaAnn Nelson”
I’ve dropped a few “rimmers” in my time.
Proof positive that “Fuck Up and Move Up” is still alive and well in the federal gubmint. She should’ve been shitcanned three fuckups back.
“Single-payer healthcare,” for all y’all progressive fans of it… go enjoy yourselves some.
Can we get the assistant under secretary banned as well?
The Pretenders have a song about shooting off at the mouth…
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3Dyog-meAq1so&ved=2ahUKEwjtld7r4uSEAxXyIjQIHVtHCVQQ3yx6BAgWEAI&usg=AOvVaw2PRNKL59OjKS066qUqxbZV
And the False Commander “Phony” Phil Monkress (CEO of All-Points Logistics) is all about you shooting off into his mouth…
St. Louis? The same HIV-spread-by-dirty-buttscope crap (plus re-using single use syringes) happened at Hell Paso, too. Lack of training or willfully not givin’ a sh*t?
Here’s David.
Happy Friday….fuckers.
“I fart in your general direction. Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries. No, now go away or I shall taunt you a second time!”
Right movie, too.
And folks wonder what is wrong the VA.
Always figured grandpa had a reason he avoided the VA… and, now, I agree with him.
How is it possible for any hospital staff to not know about sterilization of equipment? That ranks right up there in the basics like wearing clothes at work.
Willfully not giving a sh*t is more likely.
Sanitation and Hygiene Training was placed on the back burner so employees could participate in Diversity Equity and Inclusion and Recognizing White Supremacy training.
Tell us more about the common sense of wearing clothes to work
You just gotta make sure that it’s your suitcase you’re picking up on the carousel.
When I was a medic I was in charge of the central nursing sterile supply (CNSS) at a USAF medical center. One day all of our sterilizers broke down. The repairs and testing took several days so we used the sterilizers at the local VA hospital. The guy in charge of the CNSS at the VA told me he was having his job audited; he was convinced every other hospital in the area was paying a lot more money for the job he was doing. I told him to keep my name off of the list. He got defensive as though I was trying to keep him from getting a raise in pay. Quite the opposite I assured him; I told him I was an E-5 and I was sure he made more money than I did.
I’m not saying he wasn’t good and qualified for the job; I am saying the best candidate probably wouldn’t apply for such a low paying position when there was better money to be made.
As Reagan said, “The best minds are not in government. If any were, business would steal them away”.
🤦