Question: Even if America was a racist nation, why in 2007 would the powers that be keep Blacks from doing a job where they are paid to run into burning buildings with no guarantee of survival?
Apparently there are folks out there who still believe that the grand conspiracy to wipe out Black Americans is to keep us away from jobs that would speed up the process. Take for example, this group of protesters in St. Louis:
Slay’s opponents unite for recall
By Michele Munz
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
ST. LOUIS — Critics of Mayor Francis Slay on Sunday announced a campaign to force a recall vote against the mayor using the combined efforts of groups angered by City Hall’s handling of everything from lead abatement programs to downtown redevelopment.
The campaign was prompted by the demotion of Fire Chief Sherman George, the city’s first African-American fire chief, over his refusal to promote firefighters using a 2004 test that he said was inadequate. In a lawsuit filed by African-American firefighters, a federal judge ruled that the test was fair.
George has since resigned from the department. (more…)
Apparently the mayor was under pressure to promote Blacks in higher positions within the fire department, but George refused to make a decision based solely on race.
“Tension between Slay and George has been fermenting for years. The current dispute stems from a 2004 federal suit alleging that tests to determine candidates for the ranks of captain and battalion chief were biased against African-Americans.
After a prolonged court battle, a judge in May ruled against the firefighters who filed the suit. But the chief refused to promote anyone, despite pressure from the mayor’s office.
George emphasized Thursday that race was never the reason he did not promote. Rather, George has questioned the effectiveness of the promotional exams, saying they lacked field simulation exercises or other means to evaluate participants under stress.
George, who became fire chief in 1999, ignored a Sept. 14 deadline to promote and was dropped one rank to deputy chief.” (source)
What makes this story interesting is that here you have a White mayor who is being pressured to promote more Blacks within the fire department and a Black fire chief who refuses to make race a factor with promotions.
Does a picture of a dog chasing its tail come to mind?
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