Comment

The Worst Right Wing Tweet So Far About the Isla Vista Murders

108
BongCrodny5/25/2014 10:19:31 pm PDT

I want to share a conversation I took part in at Facebook. The VA scandal is an important story, and I’m not apologizing for the VA or interested in covering up its perceived faults — if what allegedly happened in Phoenix turns out to have happened, maybe the central players should even face jail time — but I really want to stress that so far, this whole thing seems to be primarily the work of the right wing noise machine.

I don’t know how to cut and paste from Facebook, so I’m just going to post the quotes (with names redacted).

I want it known that I am not cherry picking here — the quotes below represent the entirety of the comments responding to the Fox story.

I’m not intimating that the VA is perfect; far from it. I am concerned that we’ve been hearing only one side of the story.

The comments are from a FB story on a page dedicated to the ship I served on in the USS Navy over 30 years ago. A member of that group posted a story from Fox News, “Staff at embattled VA pocketed bonuses, hefty salaries.” Her comment to the initial post was:

Shocking? Sadly, no.
Yet ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTING!

Here are the follow-up comments from group members to that story.

Oh wow……UNBELIEVABLE!!!!! I wonder if it’s happening here in Chicago as well.

I am glad to say that I receive exceptional treatment at Clarksburg VA Hospital here in WV. My husband also.

Why are government workers pulling down bonuses? For what? Doing there job?

I receive great care at the Huntington V.A here in W.V…only bad thing is you have to wait a lot of times for certain care…

i walked into the ER at my VA and my buddy says, “He’s having trouble breathing” They were on me like flies on shit! had 6 pple tending me. Have gone back many times for different reasons and have always had the same level of attention and care. Obviously there are some bad if not pathetic facilities out there,but we shouldnt judge them all based on those!

The Memphis VA is tremendous. I have been so well cared for there as have alot of my homeless vets.

Glad I’m at Palo Alto.

It’s exactly what I was asking you to check out. *They’re lucky congress is looking into it so you don’t have to go down there and clean house.

I am so happy that others are also receiving great care…

Fortunately I have not used the VA health system. My brother tried all the Chicago facilities for help with agent orange and PTSD problems. He finally went to Wisconsin where he got great care. He had a heart valve replaced and 1/2 lung removed and was finally awarded 100% disability. He died a year later at 59… All I can say is based on my exposure to the VA health system is that in northern Illinois, it stinks.

I suggest that the system be shut down. Only use Military Hospitals when veterans return. After that everyone go to regular hospitals where the patients aren’t treated like cattle.

San Antonio TX VA seems pretty good for me!

I have been treated well at the Hampton, Virginia VAMC.

Back in the 90’s, Rick (my late husband) was seen weekly, on an outpatient basis at the Mpls VA. We couldn’t have asked for a better doctor & staff. In 1995 when be became terminal, they trained me to be his caregiver at home (changing out his IV bags, etc.). At the begining of 96, he became terminal and spent the last month of his life there, inpatient… He was once again, in the best care possible. I was quite young at the time (26) and everyone there made sure I was taken care of too. The staff kept me closely under their wings The only frustrating part to his final days, was that particular VA was a ‘learning hospital’, so we dealt with new doctors (interns) a couple times a week, but nonetheless, I wish every vet now a days could get the care that Rick had, up until the day he died!

Togus, ME was AOK with me!

I’ve only been a patient at one VA hospital and a staffer at one other one, so I can’t speak for the rest of the system — but from my own little corner of the world, it really does seem as though the people riding this “scandal” have ulterior motives.