Elevate-The-Soul Online Radio (Rick Tingling-Clemmons Interview on Racism Included)
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Flyer for March 28th 2008 Rally
The Spook Who Sat by the Door (a movie, book by Sam Greenlee, about whistleblowing)There is something rotten in our Fire Department, and our many E.R.A.S.E. investigators have uncovered a number of outrageous abuses of public trust, theft, mismanagement, and stupid racist acts against DC’s Black finest. End Racism and Stop Exploitation, E.R.A.S.E. has eyes and ears in the firehouses; and it is committed to “breaking the jaws of racism” (to quote noted abolitionist John Brown) in the DCFD. E.R.A.S.E. says End the Double Standards!!It has been alleged that:· A white firefighter running a prostitution ring in NE was transferred to Georgetown;· A black firefighter who stopped to fight a fire on his way to training is up for review and possible termination (recommended by Chief Rubin)· DCFD receives about 55 EEOC complaints per year, costing city (taxpayers) on average about $2-3 million dollars in city losses;· Dismissals of Black firefighters to white at a ratio of 8 to 1;· Suspensions of Black firefighters also higher than whites; · One wife-beating Lieutenant spent 10 days in jail, but is now driving the Chief · Lt. Crow (white) hit two firefighters (white and black) in the face with plates at Engine 30 - then allowed to drive the Chief around, and now is driving the First Battalion Chief and performing administrative duties; demoted to Sergeant, but lost no pay; · Lt. Lehan, while under investigation for racist charges and gay-bashing, was recommended by the Chief for the President’s State of the Union duty and is the only firefighter receiving overtime the city can’t afford (for driving Chief Rubin);· Firefighters were reported smoking in firehouse near oxygen;· DCFD’s Fleet maintenance division is losing equipment at heavy cost to the city, reportedly being sold to other states; and · Top three (3) ranked (and paid) firefighters live in Maryland, NOT DC!What do we want? How about some justice!! E.R.A.S.E. and our community demands that the Mayor and/or City Council take action in support of our firefighters and citizens: · Call for a judicial review, · Establish a Citizen’s Review Board;· Request a Congressional inquiry;· Get Lt. Lehan out of our neighborhood… Or …WE’LL DO IT OURSELVES!! CALLING ALL CONCERNED CITIZENS: SUPPORT OUR FIREFIGHTERSCOME TO A RALLY!! WHEN: FRIDAY, MARCH 28TH WHERE: WILSON BUILDING, 1350 PA. AVE, NWTIME: 12:00 NOON Call the council members below; demand they look into this situation!! Mayor Fenty has said his hands are tied by the process and chain of command! We must let him know that our justice cannot wait and they will be heard! Chairman Vincent Gray, 724-8032At-Large Councilmember Kwame Brown, 724-8174At-large Councilmember Phil Mendelson, 724-8064Ward 7 Councilmember Yvette Alexander 724-8068Ward 8 Councilmember Marion Barry, 724-8045Ward 5 Councilmember Harry Thomas, 724-8028ANC 7D05 Commissioner Rick Tingling-Clemmons, 397.2277Help E.R.A.S.E. Break the Jaws of Racism! FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO HELP:ERASE-RACISM@HOTMAIL.COM; ABOLISHRACISM.BLOGSPOT.COM Want to help? Copy, post and help distribute this flyer! Thanks!!
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3 comments:
1st time visiting this site. When you talk about the good ole boy system you mean to say because firefighting that is in ones blood and has been a family tradition is a reason they got hired? If you grow up around the fire service there is a good chance when your old enough you will follow in the same footsteps. Therefore the reason for a good reason why they fill out an application like anyone. You will also find that a family member will try to get hired by the same department they worked for. Maybe with the DCFD whites fill out more applications. Maybe whites score higher than other races. You just cant say were not hiring enough black people. The job is not given to you, you have to earn it. For example if a black person scores a 60 on the entrance exam and a white person gets a 95, that pretty much puts that person on the edge of not getting hired or being placed further down the list of potential hires. Does that mean they couldnt be a firefighter because of a test score. No Taking tests at the training academy is part of the training. So the person who gets a 90 whether black, white, blue etc....is going to get the nod over the next person. Thats one way to look at it.
The difference is and your group seems to avoid acknowledging it, is that both white,black and other races take this career path because its there calling. Others take the job for other reasons like its a job like 7eleven or the days off. There hearts are never into the job, they are not proficient in there skills, dont take the time to learn the job and turn out to be the ones who you cant count on when theres a fire. Practical jokes have been around the firehouse for years. It depends on the individual and how its taken too. When i first came into the fire department I had 2 older veterans(white) who were on me day and night for this and that. I was also a easy target for there practical jokes. They also taught me a great deal as well, but i always watched my back for the next 5 gallon bucket of ice water. After about 7 years they finally told me why they were so hard on me. They told me we work for the fire department and sometimes we encounter dangerous situations so if i couldnt handle a little razzing or anything else, they probably couldnt count on me when something bad happened. My take for what I know about E30 is that the offending members took offense to there officer because he held them accountable in making them do your job. Maybe there previous officer didnt. Oh well this isnt a playground its a fire department. There is time for the these things, but if you want to sleep, play video games or do anything other than your job when you first arrive at work then you should be held accountable. Dont claim racism because you cant do what you want because the guy before allowed it. Im sure the members of your group who work for DCFD had eyes on them all the time they too might be scrutinized for there actions. When you point a finger at a person theres always 2 pointing back right at you.
What happened with the Black Capitan getting promoted to Battalion Chief only to be demoted before it took affect? Then he was replaced by a White guy? What's up with that?
The black Captain had a criminal record he did not disclose to the department. Sorry for ya!
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