When will they grow up?

In another controversial case racial tensions ignite, shining the spotlight of idiocy on a tiny majority firefighters- yet again.

A story from the Connecticut Post reports that an email sent by an FDNY Battalion Chief to the Captain at the Bridgeport CT Fire Department contained a small message at bottom. The Bridgeport Captain then forwarded the message, along with the "offensive content” to dozens of department members of various races on November 30, apparently inadvertently. The report claims the department is “an already divided department”

Bridgeport Fire Chief Brian Rooney said he initiated an internal investigation into the matter after it came to his attention on Wednesday, and sent a department-wide letter of apology.

"We don't condone this," the chief said in a telephone interview Friday. "It has no place in our fire service or even in our country. (The e-mail was forwarded) innocently -- it wasn't done maliciously. We're trying to cut it off as soon as possible ... explain again that there's a zero-tolerance policy."

Here is a link to the original article. It is accompanied by an unbelievable YouTube video of a so-called “religious leader” spouting some discriminatory venom.

We do not yet know who is responsible for the original message.

If you think you know, no you don’t. If you want to believe you know, you are lying to yourself. It's called pre-judging (as in prejudice). I'm looking forward to a complete and thorough investigation.

Then, in my opinion, the person(s) responsible should lose their job- for starters. These imbeciles are weak and noisy, and are not fit to be called my brother.

In a few days we begin another new decade here in the United States. Yet it seems that we are seeing more and more of these reports of prejudice and racial issues percolating and bubbling up to the surface like a noxious acid eating away at our souls.

For what?

Those of us who have been around for a few years know very well the stink of sexual harassment in the fire service. Although the problem still exists, there is much less tolerance of this immature behavior, and rightfully so. Agencies and municipalities were and are paying out huge sums of the almighty greenback to settle multi-million dollar sexual harassment lawsuits.

Why do you think you were mandated to receive specific, focused training regarding this litigation nightmare?

Follow the money.

Is that what it will take to get us “all growed up” concerning the ancient views of intolerance of a different race?

If we don’t have what it takes to police our own personal behavior while in the workplace WITH OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS, then you’d better be willing to face up to the fact that your employer will be stepping in to show you how.

How much longer will it take before the hateful, bigoted, myopic, loud-mouthed imbeciles are called on their crap BY THEIR PEERS?

It will take firefighters that are have the cojones to stand up to the tiny minority of bad apples who think it’s still OK to spew the hatred that we all should have grown out of so long ago.

It’s not OK to enjoy the undying praise and admiration of children of all colors then turn around and act like a child.

Are you proud of the brotherhood you enjoy as a firefighter? Prove it.

When you hear an idiot start mouthing off, put a stop to the crap. Take back the pride of brotherhood you have worked so hard to earn.

Offended? Good. You oughtta be. Now go do something about it.



John Mitchell is a Lieutenant on a suburban Chicago fire department. He is a paramedic, fire and EMS instructor, certified fire investigator and Chicago Blackhawks fan. He is the editor of FireDaily.com.