Free Republic

In Tuesday’s episode of “social justice gone awry,” Harvard Business Review complained about the lack of diversity in the firefighting business. “U.S. firefighters are overwhelmingly white and male. Here’s why that needs to change,” the publication said in a Tweet linking a to story. Harvard Business Review is complaining that only white men are interested in risking life and limb in service to their community. Of course, they did not frame their story that way because, as we know, white men are the devil in this culture war. “Many fire departments recognize that their lack of diversity as a problem...

Police investigating incident at North Austin station. Authorities are investigating an incident in which a recently promoted Austin firefighter found human excrement smeared on her locker at a Duval Road fire station. Firefighter Rebecca Farris discovered the waste when she showed up to work Dec. 21, about four months after being promoted to drive the fire engine at Station 25 in Northwest Austin, fire officials said Tuesday. Officials said she also found urine in a shampoo bottle. Assistant City Manager Mike McDonald said police investigators might require the 15 firefighters assigned to the station to provide DNA and fingerprint samples...

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...