Brave and Heroic Firefighting Is Selfless and Multi-Racial - Term Paper Example

Running Head: BRAVE, HEROIC FIREFIGHTING IS SELFLESS, MULTI-RACIAL 1 Brave And Heroic Firefighting Is Selfless, It Is Multi-Racial Abstract Courageous and heroic firefighting is selfless and in no way selective. Such is the case of one of the most heroic, sacrificial and fateful events in the lives of the strong and brave firefighters who had perished fighting the inferno and protecting people during the infamous upheaval known worldwide as the 9-11 incident of New York many years ago. Given the same chance of a heroic call of duty, the ace firefighters of the New Haven Fire Department are capable and just as brave. As heroism dedicated to their own family and future comes into consideration, the firefighters had sought to be recognized through promotions into the next higher rank of Lieutenant and Lieutenants to Captains not only by way of the written tests for eligibility which in this case is the main bone of contention. What was supposed to be a non-issue in race had evolved into a discussion of numbers and demographics and the more contentious and repetitive debate on race and color, between the majority and the minority. Even AA or Affirmative Action, a program originally conceived to unite and enhance diversity in the workforce has become the subject of criticism in certain terms. The people are deserving of BHF – Brave and Heroic Firefighting. What are the palliatives? Its UID – Unity In Diversity and ACE for Acceptance and Coexistence as the antidotes to lessen the gap and arrest the growing menace and widespread issue of discrimination and racism for the benefit of all. Keywords: Brave and Heroic Firefighting, Unity In Diversity, Acceptance and Co-Existence BRAVE, HEROIC FIREFIGHTING IS SELFLESS, MULTI-RACIAL 3 Brave and Heroic Firefighting Is Selfless, It Is Multi-Racial Evidently, the real majority here is the whole population of New Haven, whose welfare and safety is being threatened by certain implications of demoralization and disunity in their ranks as emergency first responders. The case between a city and their racially diverse workforce involves a group of experienced firefighters applying for the next higher rank and took a strict and expensive process of eligibility exams and passed but the results were disregarded. The man behind the rejection for their new badge was their own Mayor John DeStefano of New Haven, who was accused of favoritism and acts of race-coding a job-related civil service eligibility tests and certain political stunts. DeStefano and his alleged political cronyism and of politicizing civil service laws with his cohorts were put on the spot soon as the group of White Hispanic firefighters numbering about twenty went from court to court questioning the denial of their promotion to lieutenants and captains and their well-deserved, long-awaited promotion given a contentious coding of race. The complainants, who underwent expensive and grueling phase-by-phase examinations accredited, programmed and funded no less by the city fought back with their complaint of reverse discrimination against a small group of disgruntled Black applicants who failed the tests and were the same group behind the raising of the issues of the lack of minority representation. The crux of the matter: In their Case Summary What Our Case Is About (newhaven20.com) the group of lieutenants, who had been deprived of promotion have strongly suggested of DeStefano as “He has been accused repeatedly (and sued multiple times) for violating the law in order to politicize the civil service and award jobs based on race and political cronyism.” The managerial implications are wide-ranging as the case threatens to impede services among first responders in this city of the American East Coast due to possible demoralization, low morale or even disenchantment. Political repercussions is also great and no matter how judicious and fast the final outcome will be in the treatment of the case by the BRAVE, HEROIC FIREFIGHTING IS SELFLESS, MULTI-RACIAL 4 Supreme Court, such an emerging condition has already created a division and animosity in the very core of an important frontline services involving the protection of residents. It had also generated discussions on the needs of instituting the demographics to the city’s workforce as a result of the case which had gained widespread media attention and the resulting public sympathy. Some have found a safe haven in AA or Affirmative Action, a policy defined as focusing on certain designated groups seeking for a redress against discrimination and bias through active measures in such particular fields of employment and education. Discrimination and racism is really one big global issue from the workplaces to the playing fields. In fact, the latest uproar on bias and racism has been raised ahead of one huge international event involving the logo and the year by which the gathering is slated to commence. Chase (2011) reports under the a headline “Iran threatens London boycott over ‘racist’ Olympic logo.” (yahoo.com) That is only a lifeless, innocent logo. To some extent, however, this issue is also another case of “numbers” where the logo London 2012 was seen to create an illusion that makes out the word zion, depending on how one interprets it. The latest news showed certain great implications, sensitivity and the encompassing nature on the issue of disunity, discrimination and racism. It extends globally even into such supposedly one great unifying event as the Olympics. BRAVE, HEROIC FIREFIGHTING IS SELFLESS, MULTI-RACIAL 5 There is a little known city, an hour’s flight southeast of Manila, The Philippines whose population is seven times greater than that of New Haven and you can fit in the whole state of Connecticut into the city by the bigness of its land area. Their much adored leader is persuasive and was highly credited for re-engineering peace and stability in the city by prioritizing a program of cooperation and security among its law enforcement agencies in terms of local subsidies. Rodrigo Duterte, who was mayor for almost two decades and after completing his second three, 3-year term had stooped down, back to his first political position and had promptly filed a law against discrimination ten months after his election as Vice-Mayor and presiding officer of the legislative Sangguniang Panlungsod (City Council). The vice-mayor takes into consideration the demographics of the city which is cosmopolitan in nature with the issue of discrimination getting public attention and discussions like never before. This, even as local and international migration of different dialects, nationalities and persuasions had registered remarkable increase over the years. The city is observing Fire Prevention Month this March and their firefighters and volunteer fire brigades are already busy with a series of fire incidents which recorded a number of deaths this week and the preceding months. Zaldivar (2011) reports “Duterte said some people will be irked with the proposed law wherein all people will be treated equally.” In this place which is ten thousand miles away from the racially-divergent states of the U.S. mainland, the people composed predominantly of Catholics and minority Christian sects and Islamic Muslims are in a mood for peaceful coexistence but just the same, they too love preferential treatment and consider it as one of the rewards of a successful life. BRAVE, HEROIC FIREFIGHTING IS SELFLESS, MULTI-RACIAL 6 Davao City has a population of 1.4 million ethnically-diverse people. Nevertheless, the area is considered as the melting pot of the south and has never encountered a case similar to that of the New Haven Fire Department as the filling up of vacancies and promotions of its law enforcement personnel is solely a discretion of the central office in Manila’s Philippine National Police and the Department of the Interior and Local Government. The case is different with the New Haven Fire Department where the mayor has great influence and control in the selection process through the Board of Fire Commissioners lead by a Black chairman whose group was naturally dragged into the ensuing controversy. Discussion No matter how diverse and politically-charged the situation, professionalism and high morale in the ranks is of utmost consideration. The city’s taxpayers deserve the finest, fittest and bravest of their firefighters, no less. Such should have been the marked criteria, setting aside race and colors or creed in deciding as to who are deserving and undeserving of a promotion. New Haven is a well-known city in the East Coast hosting major U.S. industries and its world-class standards in education provided by the famous Yale University. As such, the city and its leaders are expected to maintain standards befitting a place of known international repute. In no small measure can the principles of the greatest good for the greatest number be applied in threshing out matters as in the case of the New Haven firefighters. The people and not the top managers of the city, the decision makers and their influential cohorts, are always at the threshold of morally beneficial, sound and credibly acceptable management. In fact, all the men and women of the fire departments everywhere deserve our applause and support more than just encouraging to widen the gap and disparity generated by such sensitive BRAVE, HEROIC FIREFIGHTING IS SELFLESS, MULTI-RACIAL 7 and divisive issues of the demographics of race. New Haven which is one of the major centers of education and industry in America and an important port of refuge deserves no less. New Haven leaders would have fared better putting the welfare of the majority population and reasons above personal, political and ethnical considerations in the treatment of the aspirations of their own firefighters for career advancement. Are the leaders of the City themselves guilty of unreasonably acting to disregard the results of the exam based merely on the lack of minority representations to the next-rank promotions? Yes, in fact Mayor DeStefano, later on was himself flatly rejected by the Supreme Court and his own device proven to be erratic and erroneously disadvantageous to the well-being and safety of the people of New Haven, CT. Justice was finally served and the state magistrate’s rendering of a final decision upholding the rights of the firefighters to be promoted has its own beneficial effects, wide and with implications of far-reaching effects like peace and restoration. This is where the principles of utilitarianism can come into play, all-encompassing and boundless as it is. Even issues as diverse but divisive as ethnicity can find solace with the fact that unity in diversity is not a far-fetched idea. We can take examples by paraphrasing some words from David Hume, a man who lived eons of years ago. Known entirely in his life as a philosopher, essayist and historian, this 18th century sage had strongly suggested that in determining morality and resolving disputes either in philosophy or common life, in regards to the intricacies of duty, we must impartially establish the real interests of mankind. In the meantime, acceptance and coexistence in this presentation is just plain and simple adherence to the time-honored good neighbor policy. Writers and analysts of these terms of endearment popular during the cold war era had impressed upon us the great implications of mishandling questions of conflicting interests and ideas Cass (2010) writes, “The simple truth of the matter is people all over the globe are guilty of not practicing coexistence…quite possibly even you and I. BRAVE, HEROIC FIREFIGHTING IS SELFLESS, MULTI-RACIAL 8 References http://www.newhaven20.com/ Chase, Chris (2011). Iran threatens London boycott Iran over ‘racist’ Olympic logo. Fourth- Place Medal. Retrieved from http://sports.yahoo.com/olympics/blog/fourth_place_meda Zaldivar, Jade C. (2011). Anti-discrimination bid to irk many: vice mayor. Sun.Star Davao. Retrieved from http://www.sunstar.com.ph/davao/local-news/ anti-discrimination-bid-irk-many-vice-mayor Cass, Laura (2010). Coexistence. Articlesbase. Retrieved from http://www.articlesbase.com/philosophy-articles/coexistence-2303804.html Read More