12,000 Believe This Veteran Deserves Better On Veterans Day

by Mark Anthony Dingbaum · 2011-11-11 08:26:00 UTC
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On Veterans Day -- as one should everyday -- we acknowledge and show gratitude for the personal sacrifices made by the men and women in the U.S. military. And while that sentiment may be nice, unfortunately, the care we provide these brave soldiers after duty often fails to reflect that gratitude.

Esther Garatie, a 28-year-old lesbian Marine veteran who was honorably discharged, walked into a mental health clinic at the Dallas VA Medical Center on October 12, 2011, seeking treatment for severe depression and possible post-traumatic stress disorder, as well as thoughts of suicide. But instead of help, Esther asserts that she was subjected to a vitriolic, hateful rant that lasted three hours on the topic of Esther's sexual orientation. The protagonist: a homophobic nurse practitioner named Lincy Pandithurai.

“She sat down and looked at me, and her first question was, ‘Are you a lesbian?’” Garatie wrote in a personal statement written one day after the incident and published by the Voice. “Her second question to me was, ‘Have you asked God into your heart? Have you been saved by Jesus Christ?’”

“This is when I realized that I was no longer a United States veteran in her eyes,” Garatie continued. “I was just a homosexual.”

Immediately after the event, Esther reached out to her friend Jessica Gerson, who quickly launched a campaign on Change.org calling on the Dallas VA Medical Center to fire the anti-gay nurse. As of Veterans Day, more than 12,000 people have now signed Jessica's petition.

“I can’t imagine Esther’s feeling very appreciated this Veterans Day,” said Gerson. “Esther was honorably discharged from the military for an injury she incurred while serving her country. How dare Nurse Pandithurai attack her with such bigotry and intolerance? She should be fired from the Dallas VA Medical Center and have her license revoked by the Texas Board of Nursing.”

Garatie has filed official complaints with the VA Medical Center and the Texas Board of Nursing against the nurse practitioner. Monica Smith, a spokeswoman for the VA Medical Center, confirmed to Change.org in an email that the Dallas VA is currently reviewing the complaint and will complete its investigation within the next few weeks.

“We started a fact-finding review when this allegation was first brought to our attention,” said Smith. “To get a more in-depth look at the allegation, VA North Texas is now conducting an administrative investigation board review and expects to have that completed by the end of November.”

You can read more and sign in support of this veteran here: http://www.change.org/petitions/dallas-va-medical-center-fire-homophobic-nurse-for-harassing-lesbian-marine-veteran

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Dallas VA Medical Center: Fire Homophobic Nurse for Harassing Lesbian Marine Veteran
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