Woke officials at the Department of Veterans Affairs banned the iconic photo of a World War II Times Square kiss from agency buildings last week — claiming it no longer fit the “values” of the VA.
But the move apparently blind-sided their furious boss, VA Secretary Denis McDonough, who very publicly reversed the edict on X on Tuesday morning — after seemingly learning of it through a tweet.
The VA chief had not been made aware of the memo before it was issued and never approved it, sources familiar with the matter added to The Associated Press.
The photo — which captures an ecstatic US sailor kissing a nurse passing by to celebrate the end of war with Japan in 1945 — was deemed “inappropriate behavior” by VA higher-ups because it “depicts a non-consensual act.”
Displaying the snapshot in VA hospitals “could be construed as a tacit endorsement of the inappropriate behavior it depicts,” wrote RimaAnn Nelson, the agency’s assistant undersecretary for Health for Operations, in a Feb. 29 memo to staffers around the country.
“Employees have expressed discomfort with the display of this photograph” — and “to foster a more trauma-informed environment,’’ it should be removed, the missive said.
Doing so “reflects our dedication to creating a respectful and safe workplace, and is in keeping with our broader efforts to promote a culture of inclusivity and awareness,” Nelson wrote.
Here’s the true story behind the iconic V-J Day kiss pic
As first dates go, Rita Petry thought this one was pretty great: a beautiful summer afternoon in the city, a matinee at Radio City Music Hall, drinks after, followed by a passionate, soon-to-be-iconic kiss.
Well, maybe not the kiss: Her handsome young suitor, it turns out, planted that on another woman.
Such is the incredible story behind one of the most romantic and enduring photos of the 20th century — and one of our most compelling mysteries.
Since Aug. 14, 1945, the identities of the smooching sailor and the nurse in Alfred Eisenstaedt’s Times Square V-J Day photograph have never been determined — until the publication, last week, of the book “The Kissing Sailor: The Mystery Behind the Photo that Ended World War II.”
There’s another person in the frame, one nobody even knew to look for, who makes the image that much more poignant: Rita Petry, the future wife of that sailor, George Mendonsa.
The administration honcho suggested staffers instead find “alternative photographs that capture the spirit of victory and peace without compromising the VAs commitment to a safe and respectful environment.
“Your cooperation in this matter is vital,’’ the memo added. “Please ensure that these photographs are promptly removed.”
But the ban is believed to have infuriated Nelson’s boss when he learned of it — apparently five days later through social media.
“Let me be clear: This image is not banned from VA facilities — and we will keep it in VA facilities,” McDonough wrote on X on Tuesday — an hour and a half after a copy of Nelson’s memo surfaced on an account titled End Wokeness.
The VA chief had not been made aware of the memo before it was issued and never approved it, sources familiar with the matter told The Associated Press.
The…
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