Politics and Current
Black firefighter who later took his own life, had his food tampered with and had glass put in his shoes as he faced ruthless racial harassment at a fire station
Black firefighters in southwest England, who have suffered a long time of racist treatment, intimidation and hostility from their colleagues, received an apology from the fire chief this week following the publication of a shocking report into long-standing and systemic racism in the fire service.
An independent inquiry into allegations of racism at Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service, which began in 2023 and included interviews with 40 current and former staff, found clear patterns of institutional racism throughout the organization between 1991 and 2018. – reported the International Fire and Safety Journal.
This included cases where black firefighters found themselves in unsafe situations by other firefighters who also exposed them to racial harassment, racial slurs, and swastikas.
Among those notoriously abused was Avanos Biney, a black firefighter who served from 1998 to 2001 and who took his own life in 2017 at the age of 49.
The report found that Biney was considered competent and trustworthy by his superiors, who gave him high rankings and praise for his performances. However, his colleagues often made racist remarks in his presence and denigrated him and other black firefighters.
Another firefighter was handed an “equal opportunity” document and his response to Avanos was, “What a f***ing waste of time.”
The report also states that after the volleyball game, Biney discovered the N-word on his shirt and swastikas were placed in his belongings.
He was isolated and bullied, and his friends alternately ignored or looked at him. His food was tampered with, itching powder was placed in his utensils and bed, and glass was placed in his shoes.
The report found that Biney was also exposed to dangerous situations arranged by co-workers. On one occasion, when Biney was sent to a fully prolonged platform ladder that was not securely secured, other firefighters manipulated the ladder in order that it rocked and rotated, causing him distress.
Biney recorded the complete incident and said, “As you may see, that is their way of getting fun: rocking me back and forth. I’ve been here for about 10 minutes. This becomes quite boring and makes me feel somewhat sick.
Despite complaints to management and Fire Brigades Associationno motion was taken against those involved. Biney’s subsequent tribunal application alleging racial discrimination and victimization in 2002 was dismissed since it was submitted out of time.
Biney resigned and later worked for one more fire and rescue service in Jersey. He committed suicide in 2017 at the age of 49.
His family, who remember him as outgoing, generous, funny and selfless, demanded recognition of the institutionalized racism and other inappropriate behavior that contributed to his negative experiences at Gloucestershire Fire Service.
Biney’s nephew, Curtis Biney, who lived with him at the time of the violence while Avanos was employed by GFRS, he told the BBC“He was a victim of bullying and isolated from everyone else. People were doing things to his locker, people were saying things in front of him. Various things were said about him. In short, it all came down to a group of people who believed they could do these things without any reproach.”
Due to the shortage of accountability amongst top management, “this cannot be prevented,” he said. “You deal with it yourself, you stand up, go to work, do your thing and stay silent. It’s terrible.”
Curtis Biney said the investigation and report were “long overdue.”
An independent review by West Midlands Employers found that GFRS was institutionally racist between 1991 and 2018, however the service is no longer institutionally racist as a results of reforms implemented over the previous couple of years.
In addition to systemic racism and shocking incidents of racial discrimination over time, organizational failings identified in the report include leadership that prioritized operational competence over people management and social inclusion, a lack of psychological safety when raising concerns about inconsistent and ineffective grievance processes, and widespread historical misogyny , reported on Gloucestershire Live.
Fire Chief Mark Preece apologized on behalf of GFRS, saying he accepted the findings and committed to continuing to remodel the service.
“I want to apologize to our firefighters and past and present employees who have been victims of or witnessed terrible acts of discrimination, were made aware of wrongdoing, and tried to support the victims as best they could with little or no support,” he said.
“I fully accept the finding that the Service was institutionally racist between 1991 and 2018, which, combined with the lack of action by those leading GFRS during that time, made the lives of our black and minority ethnic firefighters unbearable. … I am not saying that racism, misogyny and bullying have been eradicated. There is still a lot to do.”
About Biney and other black and ethnic minority firefighters who have experienced discrimination, Preece said:
“I want to make it clear that they were not troublemakers, they were just trailblazers. The courage of those individuals and family members who have spoken out, past and present, is breaking down barriers and challenging ignorant, long-held views and stereotypes. Their commitment to making change for good must be recognized, and the legacy of anyone who relives trauma must be lasting and significant.”
According to the International Fire and Safety Journal, the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) said it will call for increased government motion and called for the establishment of a statutory advisory body to watch skilled standards across all fire and rescue services.
Describing the report as exposing “decades of appalling institutional racism”, Ben Selby, deputy secretary general of the FBU, accused fire service management of overlooking complaints and failing to guard black firefighters. He called on the service to “confront its history and take action to eradicate racism in all forms.”
Former GFRS fire chief Jon Hall told the BBC that he mentioned the concerns of black firefighters in 2013 when, after meeting with them, he discovered that no black firefighters had ever been promoted beyond their entry-level rank in the service. However, it took one other decade to resolve these systemic problems.
“This damning report underscores the scale of the problem, and fire commanders have had their heads in the sand for decades,” said Val Hampshire, FBU Southwest executive board member. She said collaboration between the fire service and the FBU is vital to achieving lasting impact in the fight against each racism and misogyny.
GFRS was covered by special measures regarding its performance and failure to handle diversity issues and promote a positive workplace culture in July 2022. In August 2023, the service announced that it had launched a latest workplace charter setting out the behavior, ethics and values of the service. It also committed to an independent review, reported the BBC.
These announcements followed independent report in 2022, which deemed the London Fire Brigade “institutionally misogynistic and racist” and report of the Inspectorate of Police and His Majesty’s Fire and Rescue Service in March 2023, which found “bullying, harassment and discrimination” across all fire and rescue services in England.
Politics and Current
Biden will meet with Trump over a White House tradition that Trump broke four years ago
President-elect Donald Trump, the forty seventh latest president of the United States of America, will meet with President Joe Biden within the Oval Office on Wednesday as a part of the tradition of a peaceful transition of power on the White House.
The peaceful transfer of power dates back to 1801, when the president of the outgoing administration transferred power to the brand new administration and the opposing political party. At that time, the nation’s second president, John Adams, peacefully handed over the presidency to Thomas Jefferson.
But on Wednesday morning, President Biden will offer Trump something he couldn’t afford after being elected in 2020: a meeting with the present president within the White House Oval Office.
This 12 months, then-President Trump falsely accused Democrats of stealing the presidential election from him so as to install former Vice President Biden because the forty sixth president of the United States.
Trump’s vice chairman, Mike Pence, selected to follow the Constitution and certify the outcomes of the 2020 election, declaring Biden the winner of the Electoral College – against Trump’s wishes. As a results of President Trump’s election lies, which included encouraging his voters to “fight like hell” or “they won’t have a country anymore,” a mob of Trump supporters attacked the Capitol constructing after attending Trump’s “Stop the Steal” conference. ” so January 6, 2021
For Trump, the tradition of outgoing and incoming presidents is ironic because, as president-elect, he needed to face then-President Barack Obama during his meeting within the Oval Office to rejoice the approaching peaceful transition. The meeting got here after Trump fiercely attacked Obama and his Democratic presidential opponent, Hillary Clinton, in 2016.
Trump and Obama met within the Oval Office on November 16, 2018. The two politicians had never met in person before, which was very true after the rancorous and racist presidential campaign.
To the dismay of Black Americans and Democrats, Trump softly launched his presidential bid based on the racist claim that Obama was not a U.S. citizen. In this fashion, based on critics, Trump desired to delegitimize Obama’s historic victory within the 2008 presidential election.
During the planned and expected meeting, Obama was then described as “presidential” and “professional,” putting aside his hatred of the campaign and meeting with Trump for about 90 minutes, well longer than the scheduled time. The discussion on the agenda included various topics intended to assist the brand new president achieve a peaceful transfer of power.
While President Biden is extending presidential courtesy to Trump’s latest but familiar White House transition team, sources say there may be bad blood there. Once again through the 2024 election cycle, Trump used racist and slander tactics against his Democratic opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris.
During his first appearance on the Oval with President Obama, next to whom a bronze bust of Martin Luther King Jr. stands on the best side of the hearth, Trump told the press within the room: “It was a meeting that was supposed to last maybe 10 or 15 minutes and we were just getting to know each other.” “.
The New York native continued: “We have never met. That’s why I have great respect for it.”
“The meeting lasted almost an hour and a half, and for my part it could have lasted for much longer. We really discussed a lot of various situations,” Trump said on the time.
Trump, clearly impressed and in need of help dealing with his latest job within the White House – which former first lady Michelle Obama famously described as a “dark job” when prodding him at this 12 months’s DNC conference – told reporters: “I’m looking forward to being with the president in the long run, including with an advisor.”
As Democrats and others attempt to shake off the collective depression attributable to Harris’ stunning loss to Trump, many are looking forward to what to anticipate from a second Trump administration.
In the 2024 presidential election, Trump won the favored vote and the Electoral College – the primary Republican to achieve this since 2004. Trump received barely more electoral votes than within the last election, giving him a bonus. But the primary obstacle for Democrats was voter turnout, as apathy among the many party appeared to rear its head.
Regardless of the end result, Johnson offered hope to the country, stating: “We have to keep pushing and hoping.”
Politics and Current
A Washington police officer who shot a black man with his hands in the air over a stop sign, then dragged his body and slammed it into the ground, remains on the force despite an $8 million payout to his family
The city of Lakewood, Washington, has reached an agreement with the family of a 26-year-old black man who was shot thrice by an officer who claimed he was acting in self-defense.
He said Joquin died on May 1, 2020, after Officer Michael Wiley stopped him for running a stop sign. The $8 million settlement announced last week is coming to an end federal civil rights lawsuit Joquin’s parents filed a criticism against the officer, who claimed their son had lunged for a gun lying on the floor of his vehicle.
According to the lawsuit, Wiley approached Joquin’s automobile with a gun drawn and told him, “Shut up or you’ll get shot.” The lawsuit states that Joquin, as Wiley requested, had his hands up when he was shot. After the shooting, Wiley allegedly pulled Joquin out of the automobile and “threw him to the ground.”
Wiley was involved in one other expensive suit v. Lakewood in 2017. He was one in every of three officers found by a jury answerable for the death of one other young black man, Leonard Thomas, for a record $15.1 million. A post-trial settlement was reached in exchange for $13 million and a promise not to appeal.
Thomas was holding his 4-year-old son when he was shot in the stomach by a Lakewood SWAT sniper. Wiley reportedly announced “Jackpot!” Testimony shows he spoke on the police radio after Thomas was shot and later praised his colleague for taking the “million-dollar f–king shot,” according to trial testimony. Thomas bled to death, begging cops not to take his boy.
Evidence from Thomas’ trial “revealed that Wiley was an exceptionally aggressive officer who had an insufficient understanding of the use of force, was willing to use weapons, explosives and unnecessary force, and who demonstrated a striking lack of concern for life,” Joquin filed the family’s lawsuit.
Wiley remains in service. Joquin’s lawsuit alleged that Lakewood police were “unreasonable and reckless” in continuing to employ him regardless that a jury in Thomas found that he had violated the victim’s civil rights.
A previous attempt to dismiss Joquin’s lawsuit was blocked by the US District Judge David Estudillo. Wiley, the judge wrote in his August order, had a “documented history of using force against people he helped detain.”
He said there was enough evidence for the jury to find that “Joquin did not engage in furtive or threatening behavior during the encounter.”
Dawn Kortner, Joquin’s mother, he said in a 2021 interview, she never believed Wiley’s account.
“I feel like it’s overkill,” Kortner said. “He took steps he shouldn’t have taken. I believe he was too aggressive and I would like him to be held accountable for what he did. He shouldn’t receive a pension and sit at home and enjoy his children when we will not enjoy Said.
Pierce County Prosecutor’s Office Attorney Mary Robnett declined to press charges against Wiley for Joquin’s death.
In a letter to Lakewood Police Chief Mike Zaro, Robnett cited Joquin’s “unpredictable and dangerous behavior” in running a stop sign in front of police on a busy road. She also concluded that bullet trajectory evidence showed that Joquin didn’t raise his hands when Wiley shot him.
Wiley was also cleared for internal examination.
In a statement, Lakewood officials said: “Any life cut short is a tragedy and we can only imagine the suffering and pain they experience. The decision to reach an agreement was made with the best outcome for all parties involved in mind.”
Politics and Current
Without Kamala Harris in the White House, Democrats are turning to Hakeem Jeffries
As Democrats proceed to lick their wounds following Kamala Harris’ stunning defeat to President-elect Donald Trump, all eyes are on Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), whose party in Congress has little likelihood of regaining the majority in the House of Representatives.
If Democrats manage to win the House, it’s going to give the party its only hope of slowing Trump’s agenda. Jeffries, a 54-year-old congressman from Brooklyn, New York, also became Speaker of the House, making history as the first African American to hold the position, just two steps of separation in the line of presidential succession.
As Donald Trump begins to appoint members of his second administration’s Cabinet to be tasked with implementing his agenda – which incorporates proposed mass deportations, the elimination of racial equity programs and big cuts in federal spending – Democrats’ ability to play defense will probably be crucial to mitigating this. , which they see as potentially critical blows to vulnerable communities.
Democrats view Jeffries, the current House minority leader, as a key leader of the party, especially if his caucus can gain a majority. This would involve the commission’s control – which incorporates significant subpoena power – and shaping the federal budget. At the very least, it might enable Democrats to force Republicans to make concessions where possible.
As a six-term congressman known for sticking to his word, Jeffries is a respected and admired politician in the Democratic Party.
Payne said Jeffries, who represents a “generational turn” in the party, “has shown that he is a truly gifted communicator and communicator.” He added: “He has some different skill sets that other Democrats may not be able to. And I think that’s something that Democrats will really benefit from.
Payne continued if elected Speaker of the House, “(Jeffries) will become the most important Democrat in the country with any power. She is essentially taking over the mantle that Nancy Pelosi took on when she was re-elevated to speaker during Trump’s first presidency.”
But Payne cautioned that even when Democrats manage to amass a razor-thin majority in the House, it’s going to still be an uphill battle.
He noted that the caucus will include many Democrats “from districts where Donald Trump is popular.” “You still have to hold together a club that will come under cross-pressure from Donald Trump, who is more popular than he was four and eight years ago.”
At this point, Plaskett noted that Democrats would want to take a leaf out of her book as a member of Congress representing a U.S. territory.
“I have limited voting rights, so I understand what it means to punch above your weight,” said Plaskett, who said that being a political minority in Congress requires “cooperating with members of the Democratic caucus, as well as the Republican caucus when it is advantageous to do so for the interests of (our) voters.”
Policy
Democrats also see an incredible opportunity to strengthen Black political power in Washington with the elevation of Hakeem Jeffries.
“Him coming out as a black man from Brooklyn and being a major foil for Donald Trump — I think that’s important at a time like this,” Payne said.
But Congressman Clyburn cautions that Jeffries must overcome a few of the challenges Harris faced as the first woman and first person of color to function vice chairman.
“It’s a big burden that needs a lot of help to carry,” said the lawmaker who served as House majority whip and deputy Democratic leader.
“Kamala Harris suffered for this reason. I took it upon myself to check many individuals who kept telling me that she wasn’t this and he or she wasn’t that, she didn’t do that and he or she didn’t try this,” he recalled. “I’d ask them what number of women have been vice presidents before? She took office two months before you criticized her conduct.
As the first speaker of the Black House, Clyburn had doubts that Jeffries could be “allowed to get his sea legs… to master this job from day one.”
Seawright, the Democratic strategist, said Jeffries won’t only be speaker of the House but additionally leader of the entire national party, which he believes must “rebound, learn and grow as the next election cycles approach” in 2025 and 2026. The role Jeffries will play will probably be crucial “whether we win a majority or not.”
After the devastating defeat in the 2024 election, Seawright said Jeffries and other Democratic Party leaders need to rethink their message to voters.
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