Posted on 11/19/2008 12:18:06 PM PST by SERKIT
Rick Gale, president of the Professional Fire Fighters of Wisconsin, resigned Tuesday from the union post amid mounting criticism over reports that he made a racial slur against President-elect Barack Obama.
Gale, a lieutenant with the West Allis Fire Department, also resigned from all public and government boards he served on, according to his resignation letter, which was included in a union statement announcing the resignation.
In the letter, Gale apologized for using a "single racially charged word in connection with our President-Elect."
"The word has no business in my vocabulary and I should not have used it - not even in private," Gale said.
Neither the statement nor Gale's letter states specifically the word he used during what the letter describes as a "casual conversation" among several PFFW board members having drinks and watching the news the night after Obama was elected the first African-American president of the United States.
Others, however, have said Gale used the N-word in describing how he would address Obama.
"Rick's comment was offensive, inappropriate and racially insensitive, and does not reflect the views of our union," the union statement said.
(Excerpt) Read more at jsonline.com ...
That single racially charged name is reserved for use only by racially charged blacks.
You are going to see a lot of blood in the water in the union world. If Obama doesn’t please the unions, they are going to get mouthy.
The Pogrom begins. ED Hill got the axe, too.
No one dare speak out against The Messiah(TM).
Michelle can call some Americans ‘Whitey’, but no one but Blacks can use the ‘N’ word.
“I guess not all members of the IAFF are on the same page for The One.”
#####
Yes.
In my area, the predominant firefighter mentality is Union perks,propaganda and personal benefits first and foremost.
“Firefighters For Obama”
Not the dreaded Muslim word, or commie, I’m out of guesses..
Recently, it has been hijacked by opponents of prop 8. The queers suddenly have the privilege of the use of the banned word....
There are very few workplaces in America where one could drop the N-Bomb and not be fired.
If a person who worked for me and dropped the N-Bomb, we would show him the door.
Wasn’t there a time in this country that we used to have something called free speech?
Nah, must be thinking of some other place.......
Militant
Probably called B. Hussein Obama the HNIC.
And that doesn’t stand for Hockey Night in Canada.
“If a person who worked for me and dropped the N-Bomb, we would show him the door.”
What would you do to a black employee who dropped the H-bomb or W-bomb or C-bomb?
Militant
It is insane that anyone should quit their job or be fired for one instance of using an insulting word. If that were so, how many people would be out of work.
PC gone mad. Of course, how many people used offensive and insulting language about Bush? No remorse or leaving positions.
Yes, we still do have Free Speech.
However, as anyone from the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court to a kid pulling a C- in a high school Civics class can tell you, the First Amendment does not protect you from from being fired from your job when you say something ignorant.
Biting my tongue until it bleeds.
The rule in my workplace as well as most workplaces in America is that no racial slurs are permitted.
Perhaps, the rules are different where you work but I suggest you test your freedom of speech at work by dropping N-Bombs at your place of work or to customers of your business.
Would you fire someone for dropping the “n” bomb on their own time?
It’s already an order in the CIA not to say the word “Islamic” when speaking about terrorists. How long before it’s against the law to say Muslim and Obama in the same sentence?
Included a black person?
Rick Gale, who had worked on Obama’s Wisconsin campaign
During their own time, no. Sitting around drinking beer with fellow employees or a client, yes.
AQ has taught us that there is no racial slur when it is truth
No. I could say that the sky is yellow, which is pretty ignorant, but I would challenge any boss or organization to fire me for that.
But, that’s really not what you mean, is it? You’re talking about someone using a term that is considered derogatory to another person or group of people, while on the job.
So that gets to my second question.....what do you do with the black person that makes similarly derogatory statements towards white people?
Militant
It is not against the law to drop an N-Bomb. However, if you drop that N-Bomb at work, you will likely be fired.
Drop that N-Bomb at a social event and people will see you as an ignorant racist.
But at least you will not be breaking the law.
Does this mean he shouldn’t be called Raghead-In-Chief?
That we sholdn’t play “Hail to the Sheethead” when he enters a room?
That we should use more than one finger to slaute him?
So much to remember; so much to forget; so little I’ll forgive the Chief So-n-so and First Biotch.
There are rules against using racial and ethnic slurs at work. No one has bothered to list which words are banned.
...and there are other workplaces, where they pay for it to be said and recorded; and pay extra everytime it’s used.
Lzst time I looked though, unless one was a bartender, waitress, or chippy, then ones workplace didn’t serve drinks with TV news on.
When someone uses “N word” in place of ________, what image does your brain bring up? Same with all the other banned words. It is too bad that good old fashioned manners have died out. Whatever happened to Emily Post?
Sure. Racial insults have no place in the a professional setting.
I've never heard a co-worker use a racial insult in the workplace.
Sitting around drinking beer with fellow employees or a client, yes.
Wanta’ clarify that? Are you saying on his own time drinking with fellow employees he’d be fired? I assume if they’re all sitting around drinking beer they wouldn’t be on the job.
That’ll be the second time you’ve skirted my very specific question. I’m getting to the concept of a double-standard here, if you haven’t yet figured that out.
Let me try again.....if you would fire a white person for using the N-word, would you also fire a black person for using a term like “cracker”, “honky” or whatever derogatory slur towards a white person?
Militant
Actually, yes. There are many times when we are out with fellow employees and clients eating dinner or having a beer. You drop an N-Bomb there and you would be gone.
If you don't think Obama will be able to stand as hard and fast as President Bush..so what? It is only a matter of free speech. If Bill Ayers and La Raza can use the American flag to stomp on or burn and call it free speech, well Obama can be call a Black Honkey, just as I am a White Honkey. Good lord, put a stop to this racism now before the half black gets in the White House...White House?.........DON'T EVEN THINK IT.
If any employee used a derogatory slur they would be fired.
“If any employee used a derogatory slur they would be fired.”
Thank-you. That wasn’t so tough, was it?
Militant
Yes, if you use the N-Word to refer to a black person, you are a racist.
Fortunately, the First Amendment protects you and you will not be charged with a crime for using the N-Word. However, the First Amendment does not protect you from being fired or deemed as as an ignorant racist by your family, friends, associates for dropping for N-Bomb.
That’s a company function. But if a bunch of guys got off work and stopped at a bar and had some beers and one of them said something that might be construed as insulting to some people but not insulting to anyone present....would fire him? ‘Cause I think in most states he could sue. Again, where does free speech end? Certainly at the employer’s door even more so than on public property.
Good manners should preclude the necessity of such utterances - a good vocabulary would certainly enhance the ability to describe a person, place, or thing. Organizations like La Raza or the devotees of Bill Ayers will have an easy time of it, they can and do say anything.
I want to know why they cave in. If people wouldn’t cave in this tactic would soon stop. Just tell them to stick it, that free speech still rules and tough sh** if they don’t like it.
US States are almost all "employment-at-will" jurisdictions. Except for illegal reasons (such as firing you due to your race), an employer can typically fire you for any, or no, reason.
Again, the First Amendment does not protect you from actions by your employer.
But if a person dropped N-Bombs at a non-work related event at a bar he would not be fired. However, that person would likely find themselves without any future good assignments. This would not be because of what he said but because he would have revealed himself to be ignorant and most importantly, in my field of work people can get hurt and each person on the crew must have the complete trust of everyone else.
Could you please point out to me where in the First Amendment you find that a person is protected from being fired from his job for saying something the employer finds objectionable?
I’m not saying I agree with what was said. But I do have a problem with the freedom of speech aspect of it. We’ve gone way too far in trying to keep from hurting people’s feelings. In the old days if a guy said this one of two things would have happened: 1) Nothing 2) A ass kickin’ But he wouldn’t have lost his job.
What bothers me most is the double standard. I dare you to fire a minority for saying “whitey” or “honky” or “gringo”.
No reeducation camp?
Which “n-word” did he use: ninny, nincompoop, nitwit, nonsensical, niggardly, Nobama, no way, nut, nutjob, nutcase, nutty, non-citizen, non copos-mentis, negro (half), nasty, nerd, not natural born, or something relating to his relatives from Niger?
Freedom of Speech. Oh, that’s gone too.
“If a person who worked for me and dropped the N-Bomb, we would show him the door.”
Would you do it if the employee was black? Not a trick question. A simple yes or no, please.
The First Amendment only protects one against speech being infringed by the government.
An employee can be fired for any action whatsoever.
“An employee can be fired for any action whatsoever.”
What a Clintonesque sissyboy answer. Don’t have the balls to answer yes or no. Get lost you effen troll.
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