Posted on 10/08/2017 7:14:13 PM PDT by Lera
A Detroit firefighter was fired before he officially began his first day on the job for bringing a watermelon to work.
Robert Pattison, 41, introduced himself to his fellow firefighters at Engine 55 at the corner of Joy and Southfield in Detroit by bringing a welcome gift, WJBK reported.
Second Battalion Chief Shawn McCarty calls this welcome gift “a tradition” for Engine 55’s firefighters.
“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.”
Pattison, who was a probationary firefighter, decided to stand out from the crowd and bring a watermelon with a pink bow on top.
Some black firefighters were reportedly offended by Pattison’s gesture since 90 percent of the firefighters 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.”
McCarty said that some people at the firehouse claim it is “racially insensitive” to bring a watermelon to a firehouse.
Pattison argued that he did not bring in the watermelon as a joke and had no intention of offending his colleagues.
(Excerpt) Read more at breitbart.com ...
Maybe we should not bomb Pyong Yang after all... the hysteionics in this country are enough to deal with
“I’m very concerned that single payer health care might turn out like public education has. How is it that watermelons have become symbols of racism.”
What do watermelons have to do with single payer and public education?
.
Sue Detroit? He won’t get anything.
They barely have enough money to pay for the fuel for the department.
If you can find it, watch the documentary “Burn”
Whites still live in Detroit? Why? They must be gluttons for punishment.
The Obama/Holder insanity continues.
This is just ridiculous. How can watermelon be offensive?
Or banned watermelon.
” How is it that watermelons have become symbols of racism.”
Because a watermelon can be classified within the everything group
You can bet your sweet ass I wouldn’t wear 100% cotton undershorts if I worked for the loony Detroit “fire department”.
What was his intent? The PINK ribbon is suspicious and very odd, unless HE is a homosexual. I would like to hear more before trashing the abrupt firing.
I wonder if they were offended enough to not eat the watermelon.
People have absolutely lost it! What if he brought a pot of spaghetti or a pot of stew? Dumbass people!
I’m white, and I’d be put out if there were no watermelon at the summer party!
This is insane! Any firefighter who unravels over seeing watermelon is not qualified for the job.
I don’t know about nuts but bananas are right out!
Me either. I never understood how watermelon and fried chicken became racial indicators in the first place. I am white and I like both (as do millions of other non-black people).
You can do a web search for all the ads from a century back featuring African-Americans and watermelons.
[[How is it that watermelons have become symbols of racism.]]
It’s really rather idiotic- Black folks apparently think they are the only ones who eat watermelons on hot days- and evidently think that if a cracker brings a watermelon- He must be making fun of them
on the flip side though- maybe the department will fire all black folks who eat ‘white folk’s food’ whatever the h e double hockey sticks that is
I like watermelon. What’s the beef?
Sounds like those black firefighters need to get some big boy panties and let go of the stereotyping.
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