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Comment by John Crabbe on March 24, 2010 at 11:16pm

I would agree with the issues mentioned in this blog and it just shows that there is a need for public education by depts. Much of the issues described I have also seen angerily asked as to "why do you need to take the rig to the store" with a response of , "so we can respond if we get a call". There are folks who think that we don't pay for our meals and that it is a perk to eat at the firehouse. Exercise and sleep etc can also be looked down upon, yet people need to understand that these are not guarantees, there is no guarantee of sleep and the reason we are there is for a quick response. Much of this stuff was understood for years, but again how people soon forget, and with a bad economy, we are just viewed as a drain on the taxpayer.

I agree this is a new monster with such people who get a mob mentality who fail to see or turn a blind eye to reason. One doesn't have to go much further than these forums here to see how a mob mentality can be and how reason wants to be ignored. (the Nativity threads etc show that well). For us career personnel, the way to address this is to again educate and be proactive. The general public has little to no clue what we do or why we do things, yet doing some education as to why we cut holes in roofs, why we have staffing etc, can help people understand the job. It doesn't take much to present a powerpoint, pictures, explainations etc to groups like neighborhood association meetings, local clubs like ELKS, 4H, church groups, etc. Many times people look for a meeting topic and this is a good way to be proactive so people understand why such cuts etc would do more harm than good.

Comment by Jack/dt on March 23, 2010 at 3:44pm

Allen,
I don't think that a tea bagger partier (?) can be easily described. But of the people that you described, most likely it was their parents who were in favor of Social Security and Medicaid and Unemployment Compensation, you know, move people's money around to those that didn't have it. And their parents were probably involved in organizing workers in order to dictate to employers how much they should get paid, vacations and even health insurance. You know, Unions. Radical socialist ideas for their respective times.

I happen to be a rather liberal person (although I have only ever registered as Independent) and am in favor of all of the aforementioned social programs. I am in favor of gun ownership, abortions, health insurance, unions, small government, social programs, better education and longer vacations. And that just scratches the surface. If I could afford one I'd probably drive a hybrid, I have serious doubts as to the veracity of all components of global warming yet curbing pollution is not a bad idea. Oh...I smoked pot once or twice as well, even inhaled. It was rather fun.

Comment by Allen Wahlstrom on March 22, 2010 at 9:41pm

Mike, as one who has been to tea parties, yeah wearing a Fire Department shirt & no racist, firefighter hating, small government loving, tea party attendees gave me the evil eye.

I was welcomed and patted on the back and thanked for my service more times than I could count.

The same idiots who are against us going to the store, gym or sleeping are the ame progressive liberals who hated government in the 1960's, smoked pot, and held sit ins. These are the same prius driving, global warming fanatics who want us to make everyone have the same pay, same house and same prius.

This is no different than the brothers who sit in front of the play station while others study for their promotional exams, then cry foul after failing it. The world is not fair, and on a slow news day, anyone can be the target...