Putting Her Foot Down, Getting the Boot: Arlington Director fired over images of Iraq War casualties

[Amerigo Vespucci]

Putting Her Foot Down and Getting the Boot

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/09/AR2008070902169.html?nav=rss_opinion/columns

When Gina Gray took over as the public affairs director at Arlington National Cemetery about three months ago, she discovered that cemetery officials were attempting to impose new limits on media coverage of funerals of the Iraq war dead -- even after the fallen warriors' families granted permission for the coverage. She said that the new restrictions were wrong and that Army regulations didn't call for such limitations.

Six weeks after The Washington Post reported her efforts to restore media coverage of funerals, Gray was demoted. Twelve days ago, the Army fired her.

"Had I not put my foot down, had I just gone along with it and not said regulations were being violated, I'm sure I'd still be there," said the jobless Gray, who, over lunch yesterday in Crystal City, recounted what she is certain is her retaliatory dismissal. "It's about doing the right thing."

Army Secretary Pete Geren, in an interview last night, said he couldn't comment on Gray's firing. But he said the overall policy at Arlington is correct. "It appears to me that we've struck the right balance, consistent with the wishes of the family," the secretary said.



Former Arlington Public Affairs Director Gina Gray, whose boss said she acted inappropriately. (By Ricky Carioti -- The Washington Post)

[HowHasItComeToThis]

1. CONTROL OF INFORMATION IS CRITICAL FOR A FASCIST STATE

[LynnTheDem]

2. And the majority of German citizens claimed they didn't know about the atrocities.

Coz the German government kept it hidden from them.

What you don't see, you don't need to worry your beautiful little mind about.

Only one little problem with that; the rest of the world does see.

[Amerigo Vespucci]

3. The front-page photo Huffington Post used for this article:

[arcadian]

4. Why the Army Secretary? This is a VA issue.

Arlington falls under the jurisdiction of the Department of Veterans Affairs. Something doesn't smell right.

[annabanana]

7. NOTHING smells "right" in the vicinity of the White House

right now.

[exothermic]

5. The truth will set you free

from your government job.
:grr:

[gratuitous]

6. "Consistent with the wishes of the family"

That family being the Bushes.

[annabanana]

8. bingo.. the BFEE is the only "famly" that counts right now. . .. n/t

[arcadian]

10. They are a party unto themselves.

The Christian right and conservatives have to lie to themselves to think that they and the Bush Family have the same goals and objectives.

[patrice]

9. NO KINGS!!! POWER TO THE PEOPLE!!! nt

[Peace Patriot]

11. Another American hero gets shit-canned!

It's getting to be that, if you still work for the U.S. government, you must be a spineless, conscienceless, sniveling, toadying, incompetent, knuckle-dragging, amoral, hypocritical, flagpin wearing, stupid, ass-kissing, worthless, treasonous, lying, good-for-nothing, Bible thumping, snake-handling, unmitigated asshole.

Cuz everybody else has been fired.

[AmyCamus]

12. Thanks for posting this, Amerigo Vespucci.

I'll wager her bosses have never been to Iraq.