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]

Did he die because of a fatal heart attack? The excellent video that was filmed from inside the towers did not indicate his fate.

No, he was killed by falling debris as he admistered last rites to another fireman in the plaza between the towers (long before they actually collapsed).

[Clemenza]

Its incredible how while it is increasingly rare to see white guys involved in blue collar occupations in NYC, the FDNY and NYPD still draw heavily from white Catholics who "tawk like dis." I think the reason is that LEOs and firemen tend to be raised in a culture of informal networks/family ties that encourages them to follow in dad's/granddad's footsteps. They truly are a culture apart, but that seems to have served us well over the years.

[presidio9]

I think the reason is that LEOs and firemen tend to be raised in a culture of informal networks/family ties that encourages them to follow in dad's/granddad's footsteps. They truly are a culture apart, but that seems to have served us well over the years.

Which is why I get annoyed whenever I hear a liberal politician tug at voters heartstrings with the old "We are not paying our brave firefighters what they deserve" routine. Do firemen earn every penny they get? I think so. But do to cultural irregularities, we have never had anything like a shortage of appilicants.

[livius]

Judge wasn't gay. St. Francis of Assisi, the church to which he was attached, has a big gay outreach program. He - and most of the rest of the priests there - worked in this program.

I went to confession to him once (after a rather long spell of no confessions and some truly bizarre happenings), and he was very kind - and completely orthodox.

[Ohioan]

If my place is burning down, I don't give a damn if the firefighters are PC or not. What matters is if the fire is out, and everybody is safe.

You are right. But if we must profile, the non-PC type is more apt to be effective in a situation that calls for rapid, rational responses, than some neurotic who is trying to be PC. The Leftists will keep this up until the worm completely turns, and those who worry about how everything that comes out of their mouth might sound to other Leftists will be out of work.

And we are not treated, above, to information on what the supposedly Gay firefighter did to make everyone in the Fire House aware of his deficiency. I doubt if the others were conducting any sort of witch hunt. But I will defer to more information.

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