Posted on 10/07/2017 2:14:34 PM PDT by TigerClaws
DETROIT (WJBK) - Fired before he officially started.
Last Monday, 41-year-old Robert Pattison went to introduce himself to his fellow firefighters at Engine 55 at Joy and Southfield in Detroit.
Second Battallion Chief Shawn McCarty calls it a tradition for firefighters.
by Taboola Sponsored Links Ad Content U.S. Trust: The Growth of Wind Power & Its Economic Affects From U.S. Trust The States Most Affected by Rising Sea Levels Zillow "It's not mandatory, it's voluntary," he said. "You come in bearing gifts. The usual gift is doughnuts but you are allowed to bring whatever you want to bring in."
photo And Pattison, a probationary firefighter, decided to bring a watermelon wrapped in a pink ribbon.
We're told some African-American firefighters were instantly offended since 90 percent of the people who work at Engine 55 are black.
"When you get your first detail at a firehouse you pretty much know what you are getting yourself into," said Patrick Trout. "So you would have to say it was probably a bad call."
FOX 2: "Is it racially insensitive to bring a watermelon into a fire house?"
"To some people," McCarty said.
FOX 2 spoke to Pattison by phone who claims it was not a joke - and he did not mean to offend his fellow firefighters. But he clearly did.
Fire Commissioner Eric Jones says the Fenton native was officially discharged.
In a statement Jones says: "There is zero tolerance for discriminatory behavior inside the Detroit Fire Department. On Saturday, Sept. 30, 2017, at Engine 55, a trial firefighter (probationary employee) engaged in unsatisfactory work behavior which was deemed offensive and racially insensitive to members of the Detroit Fire Department.
"After a thorough investigation, it was determined that the best course of action was to terminate the employment of this probationary employee."
In a world where racial tensions run high, some tell me the trial firefighter should have known better. Trout doesn't know if he meant anything by it - but feels it was a bad choice.
"For sure by far it was,"
The question is did DFD take it too far?
FOX 2: "Should he have lost his job over a watermelon?"
"I don't think so," McCarty said. "Between what he did and what was there are a few things that could have been done."
Wat??? Black people don’t like watermelon???
Post of the day! LOLOL
Try the collard greens.
Popeys.
“Small people” are easily insulted ....
I guess Engine #55 will refuse to answer fire alarms from KFC or Church’s Fried Chicken.
Popeyes Is my New Favorite!
Mashed Taters and Cole Slaw
Oh ... Killer!
I was taken to HR last month for
Calling a guy “ Player” ?!?
Tough Marine....
I made Him look like a Fool!
It is Crazy out there Folks.
( glad I made You laugh!)
From a recent New Yorker piece on Rex Tillerson:
On weekends, he picked cotton: “You just show up Saturday morning at 6 a.m., climb into the back of a panel truck with a bunch of other guys, and you drive out to one of the farms and drag a big cotton sack behind you, picking cotton all day long, for a dollar an hour.”
The fire service has been under the same PC pressure as the rest of society at large, and the younger generation of firefighter includes a goodly number of snowflakes...
They’ve moved up into the command ranks...Sadly, it’s not the same service it once was...
My favorite Dinner;
Tuna with Mayo on white bread,
Two Twinkies
And a TAB! 3
Player? I thought that was sort of a compliment!
You can still get TAB?
Compliment...Yes!
HR thought so too.
But This clown was and still Is
Out to get me.
HE is getting A lesson.
Tab...
NAVENS Birthday dinner from
THE JERK
Yup. I agree. Blacks think that being racist is somehow going to be of benefit to “the community”, but it’s always been just the opposite.
Oh! I get it now.
They could’ve just taken a knee.
I would sue them for racial discrimination. Everybody likes watermelon.
I really don’t get the negative connection between watermelon and black people. I’ve heard about it for years, but really don’t get it. Can someone spell it out for me?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.