Free Republic

The chaplain to the Parisian fire brigade has been hailed as a hero after it was revealed he led efforts to save the priceless holy relics and art stored inside Notre-Dame Cathedral. The story of Father Jean-Marc Fournier was reported by Christian journalist of French Catholic Television station KTOTV, who revealed the chaplain went into the burning cathedral to retrieve relics and art before they could be damaged by fire and falling debris. Reports state the priest formed a human chain to carry the items away from danger. Following up that report, the Katholiek Nieuwsblad states Fr. Fournier has a...

The judicial keelhauling of New York's Bravest continues apace. Federal Judge Nicholas Garaufis -- without a shred of evidence that the FDNY had discriminated against minority applicants -- last week imposed strict racial hiring quotas on the department. For every five new hires, Garaufis ordered, the department must reserve two spots for black applicants and one for Hispanic applicants -- until precisely 293 minority firefighters have been hired. He also ruled that fully 7,400 minority applicants who took the FDNY entrance exam in 1999 and 2002 could claim monetary damages from the city. It's a ruling as absurd as it...

Our Best and Bravest A young Marine officer talks about Fallujah By John Hillen February 28, 2005, 8:47 a.m. I went to a presentation by a young Marine infantry lieutenant last week about the platoon he led in the assault on the insurgents in Fallujah a few months ago. It was fascinating stuff for us military types — acronyms were being slung with abandon. Some points were particularly worth noting and sharing: * The intensity of combat in Fallujah: Of the 46 Marines in this lieutenant's platoon, 20 were evacuated for wounds during the three days of fighting and only...