Update: Hmmm…A federal investigation was warranted when they thought white firefighters hung the noose and wrote the note. Does “hate crime hoax” fall under federal jurisdiction? Will Donald Maynard be brought up on federal charges? Poor, victimized, put-upon, stressed out black man. Probably not.
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This is sad.
Turns out that a black firefighter in Baltimore who said he found a noose and “threatening note” in the fire station last month planted both himself. (Source)
Why did he do it? Let’s speculate.
If you read this blog regularly, you may know that fire departments have been pressured to “revamp” employment tests because too many blacks and hispanics were failing them. Anyone with half a brain knows that “revamp” is a euphemism for “dumbed down.” For whatever reason, blacks as a group don’t perform as well as whites on tests that measure general intelligence (designated as g).
In order to narrow the test gap, the test’s g-load is reduced. The result? More blacks pass the test. I suspect that Donald Maynard, who admitted writing the threatening note (typo and all), was bitter about his own subpar job performance (which I inferred from the story) as a firefighter-paramedic apprentice. (Additionally, the city’s inspector general uncovered a cheating scandal. Five black firefighters cheated on a promotions exam. As expected, they cried, “Racism!” when they got caught.)
In a misguided effort to mask his incompetence and blow off steam about perceived racism and a sense of his own inferiority, Maynard planted the noose and note. He knew exactly what the reaction would be: a national outcry, followed by unrighteous indignation, preening, and prancing by various racial grievance groups, a federal investigation, and sympathy for himself and black co-workers.
Maynard’s heinous actions contributed to what I’m certain was existing racial tension. Stephan Fugate, head of the union, wants an apology from black mayor Sheila Dixon, the local NAACP, and a group representing black firefighters.
Good luck with all that. 
Here are my suggestions for reducing racial tension in fire departments:
1) I have no proof, but I doubt the new, dumbed down employment test adequately evaluates an applicant’s reading comprehension and reasoning ability. If the test is easier to pass, that means it’s been watered down. Go back to the old test, even if it means a workforce of fewer blacks. Minorities hired under the dumbed down standard will be perceived as…dumb. That’s just the way it is. I didn’t say it was fair. Black firefighters hired under the same standards as everyone else can be proud of their performance, which would reduce feelings of inferiority, and white firefighters will have more respect for them, reducing tension all around;
2) The next time someone reports seeing a noose hanging anywhere, treat the report with healthy skepticism. Don’t be intimidated by the NAACP or loud-mouth black politicians. Let that yappy dog bark its head off. Your fear gives it power. (This is good advice for anyone afraid of being called a racist. The dog’s bark is worse than its bite.)
What are your suggestions for reducing racial tension in the workplace?
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I enjoy seeing things like this (sarcasm).
I find it hypocritical to say the least that the NAACP cries “Freedom of expression” and “Freedom of Speech” when it’s something they don’t like being banned/stopped, but if someone does something they don’t like it’s “That’s RACIST!”.
A noose does not always mean a threat to blacks or anyone else. I find the knot to be cool and don’t even begin to think of it in any other way than that. However, if I put a noose in my car (hanging from my mirror), I’ll be arrested. Where’s the freedom of speech then?
For every one noose hung by a self-hating/racist black…there’s been a hundred hung by racist whites.
Hi, La Shawn!
Your two points above are perfectly rational, and mandatory, if we’re to stop this racial pigeonholing nonsense and just get on with things.
I particularly liked your comment about fairness. Life isn’t fair, never has been, never will be, despite every goofy law, policy, or social engineering experiment designed to make it fair.
In my business, we have no black employees. We also have no white employees, and no brown, yellow, red, or periwinkle employees. We are an equal opportunity employer, not an affirmative action employer. I’ll fire a black employee just as fast as I will a white one.
When race, gender, age, etc. are removed from the institutional channels of grievance-mongering, things run a lot smoother. And all our people, black, white, male, female, young, and old, like that. The ones who want grievance theater instead of merit-based employment are the ones who don’t stay long.
Lashawn:
I have a simple solution to this problem: read the Bible! It says clearly that those who peddle in false accusations should receive the same punishment as those who actually commit the crime. The man should be fired immediately, and it should be made clear that manufacturing a racial incident is as bad as a racial incident and it will be punished the same.
Richard
You’ve said it so many times, but it bears repeating. Racial tension in the workplace arises from one group being treated differently from another. Treat everyone the same all the time, apply the same standards to everyone all the time and the racial tensions go away (for the most part).
Contrary to their good intentions, these affirmative action/diversity/whatever-you-want-to-call-them policies (What’s in a name? That which we call feces by any other name would stink as bad) create far more racial tension than they cure.
hr
A noose is not indicitve of racism, thanks.
‘Union leaders also criticized the local chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and the Vulcan Blazers, a group that represents black firefighters, saying they, too, provoked racial tension by rushing to judgment.
“To put it mildly, this time we’re not going to let it go,” said Fugate. “The reaction from the NAACP, the mayor and the Vulcan Blazers was sickening, and we’re going to demand an apology.”‘
And as you say they’re probably not going to get one, especially considering the next quote:
‘”It really saddens us to hear that evidently things have reached a stage that even an African-American does an injustice to himself and his own people as a result of a negative culture in that department,” Cheatham [president of the NAACP's Baltimore chapter] said when asked to respond to the unions.’
I love this quote – now phony hate crimes perpatrated by black people are the fault of white people!
In my opnion it’s better that the union never get that apology. Because until they do, they’re going to both feel, and appear to many others, to be totally justified in ignoring anything the NAACP says from now on.
And the marginalization and eventual destruction of that organization is one of the best things that could happen to race relations in this country.
Have you seen this one yet? In Jena the NAACP was merely defending black people’s “civil right” to beat white people into uncousciousness. Here they’re defending their civil right to beat white people into permanent brain damage.
I used to think of the NAACP as just a mildly harmful scam that intimidated big corporations into giving them money by threatening them with bad press.
Then came their pro-prosecutorial-misconduct/get-Whitey line in the Duke Lacrosse Burning. Now the more I pay attention to them, the more they look like an actively dangerous hate group.
Sounds likes he should be the first person tried under Sharptons new “hate crime” iniative..
If the test is dumbed down, shouldn’t that cause the grades of the people who pass it now to go even higher? Perhaps someday we can just hire the best qualified people. Start at the top of the list and work your way down until you have filled all the open jobs. Seems simple to me.
Michael, I suspect the test results for minorities are calculated by a thumb-on-the-scale approach.
Richard, if the NAACP had any self-respect, they too would demand tarring and feathering the fraudsters as a matter of principle.
[head slap]
Oh wait, NAACP & principle = oxymoron.
I was very disappointed to learn that an African American would plant a noose, when we have been so denigrated throughout history and specifically with a noose in many instances. Great insight.
Read my thought provoking commentaries at Associated Content
http://www.associatedcontent.com/user/39089/janet_shan.html
Dumbing down the test will produce more white candidates along with the desired increase in minority candidates. Then you’re still stuck with lots of white candidates. What to do?
If they want to hire more minorities, they should just do it and quit pretending they’re being fair and impartial. Their pretense is worse than their being biased.
Treat everyone the same, which is to say, with fairness. Next, shut down Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson, Farrakhan, the NAACP, and any other idiot individual or organization that serves no constructive purpose in society. No more second chances for those who do nothing but stir the pot. Call racists on the carpet every single time they blunder, and make clear the obvious truth that blacks can be racist, TOO. Refusing to call a spade a spade is what allows this disingenuous crap to be perpetuated over decades and what affects society affects the individual and by extension, the workplace. Al and Jesse and Farrakhan would have disappeared long ago if no one in the media or in positions of power/authority gave them any attention. You asked about reducing racial tension in the workplace, but I think the solution begins with the larger society, which is why I bring up the subject of these race pimps once again. A general attitude shift is required before any specific action at work can have an impact. Just my opinion, but what do I know.
Just like the fraudulent DUKE RAPE CASE its another example of some bunch of minorties using fake crimes to get support from JESSIE JACKASSON and the NAACP this fire fighter should canned or charged with making a fake crime report.
SkyePuppy–
They can’t do that unless they want lawsuits by white people. That won’t help soothe racial tensions, will it?
One problem is that the modern cult of the teenager discourages young people from being scholars. It isn’t considered hip to do well at academics. That has to change, and soon, and it’s we grownups who must make it change. But there aren’t many grownups of any color any more. . .
As reported in the Baltimore media, Black and white individuals cheated on the test.
If people complain that a hanging noose doesn’t merit a hate crime, neither can the hoax be called a hate crime. I find this point funny, as in ironic. About 2 or 3 weeks ago, Sharpton was in D.C. for a march decrying the federal government not classifying hanging nooses as a hate crime. Now those really against hate crime legislation, seem to be saying the hoax should be considered a hate crime.
You gotta love it.
“Now those really against hate crime legislation, seem to be saying the hoax should be considered a hate crime.You gotta love it.”
No. What we are saying is that, if you have a hate crime in one direction, you must have it in the other. This does not negate the fact that many believe that there is no such thing as a hate crime.
I, for one, will always be against the very concept of thought crimes. It is plainly absurd.
However, if you are going to hold both individuals and the groups surrounding that individual accountable for hanging a noose, it is obvious you must hold equally accountable the person who attempts to fake that event.
In fact, I would argue that it is possible that the black who does this should be held accountable to a greater degree. That faker is trying to send a message with his planted noose every bit as much as the white person who leaves a noose. That makes them equal.
What makes his ‘crime’ worse, however, is the consequences he imposes on the innocent. He is trying to frame them for something they did not do, which could effect both the innocent individual and the innocent group: criminal charges, civil charges, being ostrasized, re-education camp (yes, that is my euphemism goofy ‘classes’ employers force us to attend) the costs of running the re-education camp in money, time, boredom, etc.
So, if there is hypocracy here, I would definitely say it belongs to those who think there SHOULD be hate (thought) crimes, but only for the right kind of people.
AND…..please ’scuse my typos/spelling erros. Sorry about that.
The person in question is being fired for an “UNRELATED” issue! So if it wasn’t the “UNRELATED” issue, he wouldn’t have been fired for the noose incident. So I guess moral of this story is pretty clear in the city of Baltimore. A black person can get away with manipulating and stirring racial tensions for personal means. Mayor Sheila Dixon owes the Union an apology, but I won’t hold my breath. Thank goodness I didn’t vote for her. So this crappy city gets what it deserves when it comes to a sorry excuse of leadership.
I agree with this blog. To ‘dumb down’ a test so that minorities can pass is a slap in the face to ALL minorities. The sad part about this is they don’t even know it.
What these ‘dumbing down’ incidents do is make the whites superior to the black folks. And isn’t that the type of attitude REAL black leaders from the old days tried to quell??
I have been thinking for some months now that some of these nooses were planted by black folks themselves just to start trouble.
Turns out I was right. It is sickening and an embarassment to black folks everywhere.
katrina “I agree with this blog. To ‘dumb down’ a test so that minorities can pass is a slap in the face to ALL minorities. The sad part about this is they don’t even know it.”
Great point katrina. This is the darkside of trying to mandate “racial quotas”. It sacrifices “quality” for “quanity”. If a person couldn’t pass the test regardless of race, he or she shouldn’t be a fireperson. The idea is to have the “Best of the Best”. When the bar is set low, the end result will be low. The idiots in City Hall haven’t figured that one out yet and I doubt they ever will.
I grew up in Denver, Colorado. In the “Old West”, nooses are what cattle rustlers and other criminals had to look forward to. When I was a kid (the 60’s) there was a fascination with nooses because of the association with “Frontier Justice”. Now the social activists want to erase my memories and replace them with their approved version of reality. I wish these people would focus on a brighter future rather than dredging up demons from the past.
WBAL-11 television news reported that Marvin “Doc” Cheetum, the Baltimore NAACP president, apologized to the firemen at the firehouse and he did it in person.
darkstar,
A public charge of racism demands a public apology. Doc Cheatem (sic) should apologise to all the citizens of Baltimore for his actions of inflaming racial tensions and fostering racial animosity toward whites.
What the fire fighter did was what many people do of every color, draw attention away from thier own flaws and short comings and focus on those who seem to be doing better then they are. Screwed up human nature.
Wow! Where to start?! Talk about a Pandora’s Box!
First, La Shawn, I’m so glad you’ve said this stuff, because as a white male, I can’t (not and be heard). On the testing: EEOC standards/guidelines/case law say that a test which yields an imbalance along racial lines must be “job-related” (and if the employer can establish that, the imbalance is permissible). (I don’t want to overload the La Shawn server, so more on this at my Dooz-O-Sphere blog)
Once the testing is job-related, let the qualified get the jobs, as you and many of your readers have said. (Mr. or Ms. Activist, if you’re needing to be rescued from a burning building, do you want to see the best possible firefighters or a “correct” racial representation chosen by Affirmative Action?)
(Just a thought: Affirmative Action is racist in that it deprives the minority person of achieving on his own merit, of truly succeeding. If he makes it, he and everyone else gives the credit to AA.)
RedBeard: Right On! To the thinking employer, there are only two kinds of people in this world, good workers and unsatisfactory workers. Period. (More)
Chris V and others: I am SO TIRED of “groups”. I believe there is nothing more racist and segregating than “multiculturalism”, which is taking us two giant steps backward, back to stereotyping, labeling by race, and dividing us into “us” and “them”. I believe this is the root of rising racial incidents on the most “liberal’ college campuses.
And BTW, I don’t think it’s a coincidence that there’s a rising hatred of whites in the ghetto. You hear the rhetoric long enough (and have “issues” of your own, e.g. lack of skills, lack of responsibility, lack of respect for authority [as you've suggested, La Shawn and Kimberly]), you begin to believe that you have cause to hate.
(No room here to react to Oprah and Obama, and politics of race generally. See for more verbosity on that.)
Stacey: Yes, I too just can’t comprehend “hate crimes” as a legal definition. If you murder someone, can you do it without hate? If you hate for reasons other than race is it not still hate? If you vandalize someone’s (or “nobody’s”) property, is that not a product of hate of some kind? If you commit an armed robbery, is it a hate crime, or only if the victim is “a protected minority”? Where do we place gang conflict? Okay, Supreme Court, that’s your assignment for the next decade–or century!
And finally, a word or three to the various “advocates”: Ladies and gentlemen, PLEASE don’t keep telling “your people” they have rights and entitlements when you got where you are by (weird but true) actually working for it. PLEASE don’t keep telling “your people” that they’re victims of discrimination when you know full well that you achieved despite REAL racism, the likes of which just don’t exist anymore, not even in Jena (where back in your youth the black kids would have been strung up for merely going under the whites’ tree and nothing would ever have been said about it). You’re not advocates, you’re inciters.
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