Laura Berg: American Hero
The New York Times reports (April 27, 2008, p. 11) the strange case of V.A. nurse Laura Berg. She wrote a letter critiquing government policy. And the next thing she knew, her office computer had been seized and she was accused of “sedition.” According to Reason Magazine she got a response from some nit in the V.A. named Mel Hooker who wrote her that “You have insulted the very government that employs you, and the agency has a responsibility to investigate you for possible sedition."
After the ACLU and a senator got involved, the VA climbed down and apologized to her.
But, let’s pause for a moment at this claim that she “insulted” the government. That does take one’s breath away, doesn’t it? Has the cult of personality around right-wing leaders now spread out to the government itself as an entity that must be worshipped and its majesty not ‘insulted’ by pointing out that (the case Berg was making) that Katrina response was a big failure?
And has Mr. Hooker been fired? Disciplined? Apparently not. The VA says they’ve “moved on.” It should come as no surprise to anyone who’s ever worked in a large company that Hooker is in that totally misnamed “human resources” department.
And Berg’s characterization of the current junta in Washington as having “misplaced priorities” and suffering from “criminal negligence” is still true, isn’t it?