Sunday Evening, August 21, 2022 |
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MRFF GETS SWIFT JUSTICE AND
LIFE-SAVING HEALTHCARE FOR VETERAN
RETALIATED AGAINST FOR OBJECTING
TO PROSELYTIZING BY VA DOCTOR
After complaining to the Phoenix VA about his primary care physician's incessant religious proselytizing during appointments, phone calls, and in emails, Navy veteran Gary Rinsem, who has a
life-threatening medical condition, was egregiously retaliated
against, including being told that he would have to wait a month
and a half to be assigned a new primary care physician and at
least another month longer than that to get an appointment – a length of time that could have literally been a death sentence.
When his attempts to receive essential, proselytizing-free medical care by contacting the VA facility's Patient Advocate failed,
Gary turned to MRFF, and now has an appointment
with a new doctor scheduled for Sept 12.
In an email thanking MRFF, Gary wrote:
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"In only hours Mikey did what I couldn't do in years. …
"… A couple days later and guess what? Every mutant monster bulldog below fifty feet tall, has fled the state in fear of Mikey.
"What's that mean? I just got a phone call from the Phoenix VA. Nobody will ever say they're sorry for the wrongdoing, but they
have their tails between their legs so far that it's blocking their vision... as they run from my 100 foot bulldog buddy.
"He stopped the abuser and the people pulling
their whistleblower retribution crap. …"
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MRFF client Navy veteran Gary Rinsem |
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CROOKS & LIARS
COVERS MRFF
Navy Vet Faced Death Sentence
From Religious Zealot
By: Paul Rosenberg
Sunday, August 21, 2022
"After years of religious abuse by his VA doctor he spoke out & lost his
life-sustaining health care. He says it's #MeToo movement time for religious abusers."
MRFF summary of article:
This in depth article details the potentially life-threatening retaliation that Navy veteran Gary Rinsem faced for objecting to his primary care physician's incessant religious proselytizing and how MRFF's aggressive intervention ensured that this veteran will get the care he needs in time to not put his life in danger.
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MRFF Founder and President Mikey Weinstein's
email to Tanya Bradsher, Chief of Staff,
Department of Veterans Affairs
Friday, August 19, 2022
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…Tanya, thx so much for personally and kindly taking my call just now…..as requested, below is the powerful E-mail sent by our MRFF client last evening to both us and the journalist currently working to break this story……please take a good look and help if there is anything you can do to support MRFF to assist Mr. Gary Rinsem our MRFF client at the Phoenix VA…..he’s been OUTRAGEOUSLY told as of yesterday by the Phoenix Patients Advocate’s Office that he must wait 1 and a half months to get a new Primary Care doctor assigned and then ANOTHER month and half before he’ll likely be able to even get an appointment!!!!?????…he suffers from a VERY serious autoimmune disease that may well take his life and needs constant attention!!…..HE JUST COULD NO LONGER TAKE THE INCESSANT "GOD/JESUS PROSELYTIZING" FROM HIS FORMER PRIMARY CARE VA DOC, DR. FRED CHERON, THERE!!
Respectfully, Tanya, MRFF wants 3 things from the Phoenix VA immediately for our client Mr. Gary Rinsem:
(1) immediate assignment of a new Primary Care Physician given the severe exigency of his life-threatening medical condition;
(2) immediate and aggressive investigation of his now former Primary Care physician, Dr. Fred Cheron, regarding the serious allegations of Christian proselytizing of our client…..and who knows how many OTHER VA patients Dr. Cheron may have similarly proselytized in the past, is now proselytizing or may proselytize in the future if not stopped NOW!!??;
(3) to be welcomed back immediately in full good standing by the Phoenix VA
…..again, thank you, Tanya….Mikey Weinstein, Founder and President, Military Religious Freedom Foundation ..standing by at 505-250-7727
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Excerpt from veteran Gary Rinsem's email
enclosed with Mikey Weinstein's email
to VA Chief of Staff Tanya Bradsher
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[...]
When near religion predators, I always feel violated. Dr Cheron beat me with his God and Jesus too many times for the violated feeling to subside. After a couple of years, just his name gave me an uncomfortable feeling which I can't describe.
He was in a position of power and authority over me. He abused it. I had little choice in the matter. I need constant access to healthcare. In two years the Phoenix VA hit me with five losers who were medically even worse than Dr Cheron. Yes, he is also a VERY bad doctor.
Dr Cheron never approached physical abuse, and he smiles nice and acts very pleasant and agreeable, but there is always the same feeling around him. It's the result of five years of repeatedly pushing his God and Jesus on me, when I was at my most vulnerable, in need of medical attention. If not for my vulnerability, and his power and authority, I would have told him where to shove it after a few times of asking him nicely to knock it off. If I had options for healthcare, I would have walked out of the first office visit with him and found another doctor, the instant he proselytized.
I don't deny anyone's religious belief. We all have the exact same rights or nobody has any. Nobody has the right to use power and authority to violate another person's mind. It is particularly despicable when it's done from a position within a government agency. The Phoenix VA is supporting his behavior and attacking my ability to get healthcare. I am denied healthcare and I am in desperate need.
I can't call it endemic, but religion predation at the Phoenix VA is common enough, to indicate management's failure to control it. I am periodically proselytized by healthcare workers at the Phoenix VA. Their God is providing this vaccine, for example.
[...]
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Demand letter from MRFF legal counsel
Donald Rehkopf emailed to VA Phoenix Health Care Interim Medical Center Director Michael Welsh
and VA Chief of Staff Tanya Bradsher
Friday, August 19, 2022
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A pair of exquisite "Thank you" emails from
grateful veteran Gary Rinsem after receiving an apology from the Phoenix VA for the horrendous
"treatment" he had been subjected to
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From: Gary Rinsem
Subject: Bitchen and Far Out Man!
Date: August 19, 2022 at 6:54:44 PM MDT
To: Mikey Weinstein <mikey@militaryreligiousfreedom.org>
Mikey Weinstein kicks ass. I asked if anyone ever called him a ten foot tall mutant monster bulldog. He laughed. I think it's his nickname.
After five years abuse by a religion predator doctor at the Phoenix VA, I had the nerve to file a complaint. Shame on me, right? The Phoenix VA immediately began its usual program of attacking a whistleblower, while tossing my complaint into the trash.
Desperate for help, that night I found Mikey Weinstein online. In only hours Mikey did what I couldn't do in years. He got an appointment the next day with a petty bureaucrat at the Phoenix VA, who said she could fix the wrongdoing. Just to be cooperative, we agreed to meet, with no real hope for help. It did no good, after all, it is the VA we're dealing with.
Mikey got serious. He turned into a thirty foot tall mutant monster bulldog.
A couple days later and guess what? Every mutant monster bulldog below fifty feet tall, has fled the state in fear of Mikey.
What's that mean? I just got a phone call from the Phoenix VA. Nobody will ever say they're sorry for the wrongdoing, but they have their tails between their legs so far that it's blocking their vision... as they run from my 100 foot bulldog buddy.
He stopped the abuser and the people pulling their whistleblower retribution crap. I think he's in the corner taking a nap, but there's still more in his plans.
I'm reminded of a 1970s song called Taking Care Of Business. That's what 9" long bulldog teeth do.
*** NEWS FLASH***
It's an hour later and I got an email with an apology, YES I SAID APOLOGY! FROM THE DIRECTOR OF THE PHOENIX VA! I ALSO HAVE HIS EMAIL ADDRESS AND PHONE NUMBER!
That ain’t normal. A week ago I couldn't get his name. Those people do nothing but hide from conflicts they create.
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From: Gary Rinsem
Subject: You Rock
Date: August 20, 2022 at 5:43:31 AM MDT
To: Mikey Weinstein <mikey@militaryreligiousfreedom.org>
Mr. Weinstein,
I've spent hours considering how to word a letter of appreciation to you and your organization. The problem is kicking my ass as hard you all kicked the VA's ass. I won't offend you with the words "thank you." It's what people say when handed a cup of coffee at Starbucks.
In seven years I've tried every tactic imaginable, and still failed to get healthcare out of the overflowing cesspool. Some people call it the Phoenix VA Healthcare System. I view it as cancerous tissue in the bio-waste container of an operating room.
I understand; last week's effort by Military Freedom Foundation and outlying affiliates was no more than an involuntary twitch of the pinky finger of your right hand. It's a twitch which I appreciate beyond measure. Mikey is incredible and he's got the resources to get the job done. His work required the effort of a highly dedicated organization.
You all did in four days, what I couldn't do in seven years. You got action from the VA. I can't even get my symptoms put into my medical record.
Far beyond forcing a still unknown end result, YOU GOT A FRACKING APOLOGY. It's true... a written apology from a head bureaucrat of the Phoenix VA. If you don't believe me, ask Mikey to show it to you. That is one of the single most impressive accomplishments I've witnessed in my entire life. NASA could have used your help putting men on the moon. They made it look difficult. You could have done better.
The near future will tell the final result of your work. But I now have at least SOME hope of getting healthcare from the cesspool.
You accomplished your mission by forcing an apology from the Phoenix VA, for religious abuse by a doctor. That apology is an admission of wrongdoing. You left a bitter taste in his mouth that he won't soon forget.
You got me their attention. I plan to use this victory as a weapon to force far more. My new motto is "Strike while the iron is hot."
Be proud.
Sincerely,
Gary Rinsem
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A few highlights from MRFF's long history of assisting veterans in receiving healthcare free from Christian proselytizing at VA medical facilities
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