In the FDNY, slurs are more than horseplay (A culture of hate toward gays, women, minorities)

NY Daily News ^ | January 21, 2004 | TOM RYAN

[presidio9]

New York's firefighters are known by many names. Traditionally, they are called the Bravest. After 9/11, many called us the Heroes. Within the FDNY, some refer to themselves as the Brotherhood. Unfortunately, many firefighters have other names for their colleagues that are racial, ethnic or sexual slurs. I know, because I served more than 20 years in the FDNY, and I'm also a gay man. I heard those terms used and saw them scrawled on walls countless times in firehouses throughout the city.

On New Year's Eve, one firefighter attacked another in an assault preceded by what some newspapers are calling "a homosexual slur." The victim has been hospitalized with severe head injuries.

FDNY spokesmen call the assault an isolated incident resulting from "horseplay." Mayor Bloomberg called it an "altercation." Some reports have portrayed verbal harassment as a firefighter's rite of passage.

These descriptions are unbelievably dismissive. An anti-gay slur followed by a physical attack is not horseplay, whether the victim is gay or not. It is a hate crime. Likewise, the widespread use of slurs is not a harmless form of teasing. Its purpose is to create a climate of fear.

Such intimidation is not limited to gays. I often witnessed the outrageous harassment that women and minority firefighters endure. This overt cruelty is meant to create a work environment so unbearable that they will eventually quit the force.

Unfortunately, the hostility continues today. The FDNY is approximately 95% white. In 1982, when women first gained admission, 38 women became firefighters. Since then, only 11 more have been hired.

I know gay firefighters who survived the collapse of the World Trade Center. But despite braving the worst hell anyone can imagine, they are afraid to live openly as gay men within the Brotherhood. Of the 343 firefighters killed on 9/11, more than 20 were gay men, including two men who were partners in life and the Rev. Mychal Judge, the beloved FDNY chaplain.

Verbal abusiveness may be a tradition in the FDNY but it has nothing to do with creating good firefighters. It is also a violation of the law. For the mayor and the department's officials to tolerate a culture of prejudice is unacceptable and an insult to the gay, lesbian and minority firefighters who have given their lives in the line of duty.

[presidio9]

FYI, I just searched the net for a photo to accompany this picture and found out something I never knew: There was no "fireman" in the Village People.

[KantianBurke]

"Hickory Dickory Dock...

[vetvetdoug]

Have you forgotten? I guess so. Now we are back to PC nitpicking by the leftest idiots.

[Jeff Chandler]

While I believe that every innocent human being should be treated with respect, I also believe that is is shortsighted to try to program out every aggressive tendancy in men.

[ikka]

The FDNY are heroes. Therefore the Left must destroy them, especially since they are white males.

[TrebleRebel]

...and our response should be......?

[2banana]

Looks like the "hero" status of 9/11 has been forgotten (especially by the left).

[presidio9]

How Gay Activists Smeared Mychal Judge

The buttsex crowd loves to draft people who can't defend themselves.

[agrace]

Wasn't the whole idea of Judge being gay nothing more than an urban legend run amok after 9/11? I know he worked with AIDS sufferers but he wasn't gay himself I thought. But it keeps getting touted as fact in gay advocacy articles etc.

[presidio9]

How gay activists smeared Father Mychal Judge

[arichtaxpayer]

They boooooo-d Hillary, that's good enough for me.

[Blue Screen of Death]

"Bruce... what are you doing with that firehose?"

[cynicom]

Thye author should get a grip. This attitude is prevalent in NYC. It is everywhere, not just the FD.

[longtermmemmory]

Attempts to feminize manhood continue.

[UB355]

The one gay member of a department I am a member of was done in because he would invite the explorers over and show them porn movies.

He wasn't scorned because he was gay, he was an idiot.

[Trampled by Lambs]

This article acts like this sort of thing is unheard of but it has been my experience that most any group of normal men will eventually wind up joking about homosexuals, using the various "slurs" as put downs and humor based insults. This is nothing new.

[where's_the_Outrage?]

The FDNY is approximately 95% white.

With all the affirmative action and diversity enhancements, how can this be?

Sounds like an on the spot made up number. If it was true I have great faith in Jesse Jackson trying to extort money from the situation.