Posted on 10/07/2017 2:14:34 PM PDT by TigerClaws
DETROIT (WJBK) - Fired before he officially started.
Last Monday, 41-year-old Robert Pattison went to introduce himself to his fellow firefighters at Engine 55 at Joy and Southfield in Detroit.
Second Battallion Chief Shawn McCarty calls it a tradition for firefighters.
by Taboola Sponsored Links Ad Content U.S. Trust: The Growth of Wind Power & Its Economic Affects From U.S. Trust The States Most Affected by Rising Sea Levels Zillow "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."
photo And Pattison, a probationary firefighter, decided to bring a watermelon wrapped in a pink ribbon.
We're told some African-American firefighters were instantly offended since 90 percent of the people who work 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."
FOX 2: "Is it racially insensitive to bring a watermelon into a fire house?"
"To some people," McCarty said.
FOX 2 spoke to Pattison by phone who claims it was not a joke - and he did not mean to offend his fellow firefighters. But he clearly did.
Fire Commissioner Eric Jones says the Fenton native was officially discharged.
In a statement Jones says: "There is zero tolerance for discriminatory behavior inside the Detroit Fire Department. On Saturday, Sept. 30, 2017, at Engine 55, a trial firefighter (probationary employee) engaged in unsatisfactory work behavior which was deemed offensive and racially insensitive to members of the Detroit Fire Department.
"After a thorough investigation, it was determined that the best course of action was to terminate the employment of this probationary employee."
In a world where racial tensions run high, some tell me the trial firefighter should have known better. Trout doesn't know if he meant anything by it - but feels it was a bad choice.
"For sure by far it was,"
The question is did DFD take it too far?
FOX 2: "Should he have lost his job over a watermelon?"
"I don't think so," McCarty said. "Between what he did and what was there are a few things that could have been done."
They weren’t being thin-skinned. They were protecting the brotherhood from gentrification.
Pretty clear ,, the “brothers” weren’t going to let a honkey into their club ,, gotta get the homeys hired in... first step ditch this intruder.
Is this some sort of joke? I love watermelon. What the Heck is wrong with bringing in Watermelon to work for everyone to enjoy.
Bring Saltines next time
I’m Irish too, I just had a 7 course meal, a six pack and a potato.
Was he wearing COTTON undershorts too?
I am glad we didn’t build watermelon statues around the country and name streets “Watermelon.” There would be carnage and cities burned to the ground.
Thus is not about delicacy. It’s about blacks claiming racism to get back at whites. These were not offended. They’re using this to be jerks.
Eating watermelon right now.
FU Detroit firemen Racists.
>I love watermelon and I am not black.
Every black or white person I know loves watermelon and fried chicken.
Who doesn’t like watermelon?
I want all the detroiters to tell us how much it’s changed
I love watermelon. Is there going to be a ban on watermelons, something like Prohibition?
He went thru all the training, learned how to save lives but they’re firing him because of what, without this crazy heightened ‘sensitivity,’ would be considered a kind gesture. Sue their sorry asses, and let the Chief be fired for stupidity.
In our country’s recent history we’ve celebrated diversity in our population as if it were a good thing. However, one look at world history will show you that no country with a diverse population of different races, languages, and religion has long survived.
Countries don’t naturally form with a diverse population, and when in the past they’ve occurred it’s usually been as a result of armed conquest. These unnaturally formed countries have either melded together into a single population made up of one mixed race with one language and one religion or they’ve come apart, and they’ve usually come apart with extreme violence.
The longer these diverse populations were forced to coexist with one another without mixing and becoming one, the more the hatred grew among them and the more violently they broke apart, but break apart they did, or genocide has settled the issue once and for all.
Watermelon, check.
A bucket of Fried Chicken, check.
A Carton of Kools, check.
A six pack of Colt 45, check.
Off to the Fire Station.
Watermelons are racist?? Jeez, sorry.. I guess I should not eat collard greens, watermelons, soul food, etc. because blacks will be offended? I guess eating curry would be insulting Indians?!?!
It’s called the union.I smell a lawsuit.
So are all the foods blacks eat now trigger foods?
I mean white people eat watermelon and all the foods blacks eat.
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