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Had To Share This: My reply to Gantenbeins Article
I wrote this in November of 2003, in reply to an article written by Douglass Gantenbein, which insulted every firefighter everywhere.
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Subject: You got a lotta nerve buster...
From: FirefighterWidow
Date: Nov 5 2003 10:16PM
Exactly who the hell do you think you are? Firefighting can be a dangerous, hence my nickname FIREFIGHTER WIDOW. He died saving someone's ass like yours, only they were thankful they had their "cushy butts" out there to save them and their family. Yeah, so what if they have a cushy job, 24 hours at a time, have you actually EVER been on a shift for 24 hours? Ever seen them really in action fighting a fire, brush fire, burning building, a bad MVA? Of course not, you're too busy being self-righteous in your office in the air conditioning judging people you know absolutely shit about. They have mundane lives and sometimes their jobs can be tedious but when they are in action and their shifts are packed with not only calls but med calls as well, they are doing what they love the best. And so what if they are adrenaline junkies? SO are storm chasers and if it weren't for them, we wouldn't know what we know about tornadoes and severe weather but I don't see you shoving a pissy article up their butts. SO what's up. did you apply for a fireman's job and get turned down? Someone reply to your personal and tell you no thanks I prefer heroic men like policemen and firefighters not ignorant ass writers like you? Might I suggest therapy? Or maybe a few lessons in humility? And before you go spouting off about the 9-11 thing, you can take those comments and stick them in your left ear sideways bub, I was there from when the first plane hit until the second building fell and I saw heroism that would make anyone proud. And I am not just saying that because I am a firefighter widow, firefighters are different creatures, they thrive on something completely different than, say, your average fat bon-bon eating stupidass writers. When your smirky lily white ass is running out of your house while it is burning up, those cushy firefighters are running in past you, shoving you out of the way and getting to the heart of the fire so they can save that computer you write nasty little things about them with. Ok, so with all the lip flapping you've done, and the fat little fingers you've hammered out that article with, let me get this straight; if your house is actually burning down or your car is on fire, they can casually saunter over from their "cushy" jobs and eventually take care of the fire while they priss and preen (according to you) and pump adrenaline all over the place so they can prove you right in the first place? Listen, I know your Speak'N'Spell is probably broken so let me put it this way, you wouldn't have a frickin clue what it takes to be a true fireman, even if someone searched their couch cushions for change to buy you a clue. And the day I will take back what I say is the day I see your holier-than-thou ass fighting a fire in Florida weather in full bunker gear and have to pull out a fellow fireman who died while putting out a fire. Oh wait, they don't make helmets for heads as big as yours....such a shame for someone who is supposed to be intelligent. (Key word being intelligent and that is giving you the benefit of the doubt). Until then, you can kiss my entire ass and I don't care who sees this, you yought to be ashamed. What's next? The soldiers in Iraq? You are a complete idiot.
FSFA Member, Firefighter Widow & 9-11 survivor
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Subject: You got a lotta nerve buster...
From: FirefighterWidow
Date: Nov 5 2003 10:16PM
Exactly who the hell do you think you are? Firefighting can be a dangerous, hence my nickname FIREFIGHTER WIDOW. He died saving someone's ass like yours, only they were thankful they had their "cushy butts" out there to save them and their family. Yeah, so what if they have a cushy job, 24 hours at a time, have you actually EVER been on a shift for 24 hours? Ever seen them really in action fighting a fire, brush fire, burning building, a bad MVA? Of course not, you're too busy being self-righteous in your office in the air conditioning judging people you know absolutely shit about. They have mundane lives and sometimes their jobs can be tedious but when they are in action and their shifts are packed with not only calls but med calls as well, they are doing what they love the best. And so what if they are adrenaline junkies? SO are storm chasers and if it weren't for them, we wouldn't know what we know about tornadoes and severe weather but I don't see you shoving a pissy article up their butts. SO what's up. did you apply for a fireman's job and get turned down? Someone reply to your personal and tell you no thanks I prefer heroic men like policemen and firefighters not ignorant ass writers like you? Might I suggest therapy? Or maybe a few lessons in humility? And before you go spouting off about the 9-11 thing, you can take those comments and stick them in your left ear sideways bub, I was there from when the first plane hit until the second building fell and I saw heroism that would make anyone proud. And I am not just saying that because I am a firefighter widow, firefighters are different creatures, they thrive on something completely different than, say, your average fat bon-bon eating stupidass writers. When your smirky lily white ass is running out of your house while it is burning up, those cushy firefighters are running in past you, shoving you out of the way and getting to the heart of the fire so they can save that computer you write nasty little things about them with. Ok, so with all the lip flapping you've done, and the fat little fingers you've hammered out that article with, let me get this straight; if your house is actually burning down or your car is on fire, they can casually saunter over from their "cushy" jobs and eventually take care of the fire while they priss and preen (according to you) and pump adrenaline all over the place so they can prove you right in the first place? Listen, I know your Speak'N'Spell is probably broken so let me put it this way, you wouldn't have a frickin clue what it takes to be a true fireman, even if someone searched their couch cushions for change to buy you a clue. And the day I will take back what I say is the day I see your holier-than-thou ass fighting a fire in Florida weather in full bunker gear and have to pull out a fellow fireman who died while putting out a fire. Oh wait, they don't make helmets for heads as big as yours....such a shame for someone who is supposed to be intelligent. (Key word being intelligent and that is giving you the benefit of the doubt). Until then, you can kiss my entire ass and I don't care who sees this, you yought to be ashamed. What's next? The soldiers in Iraq? You are a complete idiot.
FSFA Member, Firefighter Widow & 9-11 survivor
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Art "ChiefReason" Goodrich on
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Rebecca:
I remember the firestorm that his Slate article created like it was yesterday. People are still finding it and reacting to it over six years later. Man; I wish my writing had that kind of impactful longevity.
I don't know that he ever apologized, but in the interview with me, he said that he had some regrets.
I can tell you this: I thought when I read the piece, we had a writer that was just trying to stir up things from the "other" side of an issue.
But, after I read his book, I could better understand WHY he thought the way he did, though not necessarily agreeing with it. I was upset just like everyone else was and two years post 9/11 to have someone come out with an "anti-hero" piece. I don't blame you for unleashing.
You have to admit; we are affected by certain stimuli that reinforces the way that we think or changes the way that we think. The fact that we can articulate in a way that leaves others saying "That's exactly what I was thinking; I just didn't know how to put it into words", can be both a gift or a curse.
I was critical of a highly respected FF who delivered what I considered to be an "over-the-top" address at FDIC and I can tell you without hesitation exactly how Doug Gantenbein felt. I got the threats and hate mail just like he did.
And my judgment and my writing has improved as a result. I still have my strong opinions, but it is less of a street fight now and instead a boxing match.
I hope things are well with you.
Keep writing.
TCSS.
Art
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Permalink Reply by blair4630 on
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Thank you Rebecca for sharing your responses and bringing this piece to light.
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Art, thank you for your interview and sharing that with us. Your writing, both creative and factual, is a nice piece of this website, and I always take something from them.
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Permalink Reply by lutan1 on
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Man; I wish my writing had that kind of impactful longevity.
It does....
Don't underestimate what you write.
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Permalink Reply by Rebecca on
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Thank you Art. I applaud your honesty and you as a person. You keep writing too, I look forward to reading things you have wrote.
-Rebecca
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Permalink Reply by Tony P on
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Firstly, my thanks to you Luke. You made a much better job of viewing Doug's article than I would have, sometimes I write quite well, othertimes not. Thanks also to you Art, perspective is so very important. The 'article' itself? Yes I read it. I also can see some of what it is about, what the man seems to be saying.
So. As I've seen as a signature comment on another website "I am a firefighter, that doesn't mean I'm a hero".
I actually detest that word, the too common and all too frequent use of that word. The word I call "the H word". "Hero" as a word has several meanings, to me it is best used for a person who has truly performed some heroic action. Another meaning? Plain admiration for somebody who for whatever reason is seen as worthy. How often do we hear of a sports person being called a 'hero'? Give it a rest, a person happens to put a lot of work into a game, happens to earn large amounts of money, so they are a 'hero'? Not to me they aren't, it devalues the word.
Do I agree with what Doug G said? In part, yes. Did he go too far? Reading that article in isolation, yes. Being a firefighter is not all about altruism. Do we all perform heroic actions? No we don't, not with my understanding of the word. As with Luke, I know firefighters who think that it happens to be a good second job, what they do in their 'off days' is the primary job. Every FF I know enjoys the big jobs, the 'rush' we get. Yes, they all want to help people in trouble, but that is not all there is to it.
You know, I also wouldn't call all the soldiers serving in war zones heroes. Some may well be, not all. I was in the Army during the last years of the Vietnam war. All the guys I new that served over there wanted the adventure, the extra money of a war zone, and again the adventure. Like all young people they would never think of being a casualty, that always happens to someone else. Heroic? Not all of them. Those who performed heroic actions, definitely.
So that takes me back to being a firefighter, that doesn't mean I'm a hero. Yes I've been in dangerous incidents. Yes I will probably see more. Yes I'll always do my best. I don't do it to be a hero and I don't like it when people call me a hero, I feel uncomfortable.
There are sure to be people who don't like my post. That's fine, I wouldn't think that everyone would share my opinion. Notice that? It's my opinion.
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Firstly, my thanks to you Luke. You made a much better job of viewing Doug's article than I would have, sometimes I write quite well, othertimes not.
Thanks Tony.
I think it's always important to read things with an open mind and to try and remove emotion from it.
It's especially important that when something hits a nerve (as this article obviously has for a few people) to take some time to read it a few times. It is even more important to get other opinions before responding to ensure you have understood it and are not misunderstanding the authors intention.
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Well, you can spot alot of cynicism in a couple of recent articles that I have written, so I will pose this question here:
If doing what we do everyday, day in; day out, makes us "heroes", then what we are witnessing in today's fire service with cheating, stealing and such, makes us...
Think about it; we ALL reaped the "benefits" of the ultimate sacrifices of 343 FDNY's bravest after 9/11; something that I was never comfortable with, but many started believing it. That's up to them.
But, should we all be broad brushed into the corner where the corruption that has spread through our fire service is destroying a public's trust?
Or will this be a time when a particular description, label etc. is one that we don't care to wear?
Anyone?
TCSS.
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Permalink Reply by Smoke Eater on
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You know, I actually made my family mad at me over the whole 9/11 thing. At my grandmother's church they held an appreciation service for local police, fire, and EMS personel. I didn't go because I wasn't comfortable with all of the attention. I didn't want to be recognized as a hero. I do it becasue I like it. I was doing it before 9/11 and I will continue doing it. I don't want a thank you and I don't want to be considered a hero. My father was very upset over my feeling this way. He and my little brother were both recognized by the church and he and my grandmother wanted all three of us there. Sorry. It's just what I do. It's in my blood and always will be.
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