Hitting the Politically Correct Lottery
By Jennifer SolisCongratulations to firefighter Tennie Pierce, the latest winner of the politically correct lottery, as well as City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo, for not having the courage to fight such a ridiculous claim.
The $2.7-million of Los Angeles taxpayers’ money, which could have bought considerable equipment to save the lives of those engaged in this most dangerous of professions, will instead be squandered in the retribution for a harmless practical joke. It also opens the door wider for similar frivolous claims in the future.
Pierce, a six foot, five inch, star volleyball player for his Westchester fire station, liked to call himself “the Big Dog,” and continually chided his fellow players to “feed the Big Dog,” so he could spike the ball.
One of his fellow firemen, jokingly took it literally and added some real dog food to Pierce’s spaghetti dinner two years ago. The two fire captains at the firehouse were also in on the prank.
Practical jokes such as this are a common, and necessary form of diversion for those engaged in one of the most hazardous professions. The stress of such a job is a continuous drain on both emotions and physical health. The pranks are also a bonding exercise for those who must put their lives in the hands of their buddies.
The fact that Pierce was African American had nothing to do with the prank, but a “smart” lawyer wasted no time in making a case for racial discrimination. When the incident was reported to the Fire Department administration, there was the necessary investigation which ended up suspending the two captains for a month without pay.
It didn’t take long before there was a claim, preceding a lawsuit, demanding millions for mental distress and misconduct. Of course, those who were in on the practical joke were not sued – it was the deep pockets of the City of Los Angeles which made a more attractive target.
When the recommendation of the City Attorney was handed to the City Council last Wednesday, only Councilman Dennis Zine had the courage to cast a vote against wwhat he called “absolutely ridiculous.” The 33-year veteran of the city’s police pointed out that the prank had not resulted in any physical or mental harm, and was typical of his own career experience.
College fraternities engage in far worse hazing of their brothers. The members of a fire station are like an extended family. Most people play pranks on those they like and admire. Pierce himself was known as one of the most engaged jokesters at his fire station.
Pierce will retire next April as part of the settlement. Will there be the usual testimonial dinner, honoring a comrade for years of service? Probably not. Instead, he will leave his honored profession in disgrace – a Judas to his fellow firemen, and money-grubbing leech on the taxpayers of Los Angeles who won’t forget this egregious waste of funds the next time the department needs equipment or a deserved raise in pay.
Well done, Tennie. I hope you enjoy your windfall.
Labels: rocky delgadillo
Posted by Anonymous @ 11/10/2006 08:57:00 PM
24 Comments:
Bravo, Jennifer Solis. This really needed to be said - and loudly! Thank you.
"SPIRIT BUNNY OF REASON", ooopppss
don't sue me!!! Anyways, great post Jennifer, Zuma Dogg had called me about the exchange between "JOHN AND KEN" with "BITTER BERNIE". CLOWNCILMAN PARKS was being raked over the coal for his vote on this giveaway. He fanilly got so "BITTER" that he hung up on the KFI DUO. It is nice to see a young person like yourself who can see the truth through the P.C. Haze of distortion.
Tennie Pierce's side:
http://www.dailybreeze.com/news/articles/4618621.html
IT shouldn't surprise anyone how this clowncil voted. Just look at the stupidity they have brought to a chambers that was once respected. There is no leadership, no guts, no honor and no respect for these clowns. The only reason they got term limits extended is because they lied, cheated, were sneaky and out right mislead the voters and took money from special interests. But hey most of these clowncil members are parents and that should scare the hell out of everyone. Imagine what they are teaching their children if they behave this way in their political lives???> Shameful!!!!
This could start a rather lucrative cottage industry for attorneys.
Fellow workers take turns playing pranks on each other so, one by one, they can collect enough money from the city to retire early and never have to work again.
P.S. How much did they pay for the kid who stole the car and got shot when he wouldn't stop for the police? If I recall correctly, I think dog food pays better than bullets!
Jennifer,
You have acquired a new fan in CD14.
Love,
Me
PAY PER VIEW EVENT
CITY TV 35
Zuma Dogg will eat two scoops of dog(g) food during his 2 minute Public Comment time for $2.7 million.
This is a great ongoing "archive" on this whole LAFD mess, from the release of Laura Chick'a audit to the present.
The evidence mounts.
WHEN will the Mayor replace Fire Chief Bamattre and his sidekick Andy Fox with leaders who solve problems instead of complicate them?
http://www.firecareers.com/viewmessages.cfm?Forum=11&Topic=6908
Will the taxpayers have a SAY on this before payout?
NO HUEVOS AT CITY HALL.
NO HUEVOS.
Another view:
http://losangeles.injuryboard.com/general-personal-injury/fire-dept-pays-27-million-to-settle-dog-food-dinner-discrimination-case.php
Walter the clowncil members paid Devin Brown's mother $1.5 million. Even though the kid was doped out on marijuana, was out at 4am and she didn't have a clue where he was even though he was only 14 yrs. and he used a deadly weapon (a car) to try and back up into an officer. They also settled with Stanley Miller another convicted suspect. Thank you clowncil for starting a trend where criminals are now being paid off with our tax dollars. The fireman used the race card as all blacks do and got money because he knew how dumb our clowncil members are.
Now lets see here...
10 years ago - because of similar serious problems at the LAFD - the City Personnel Dept. audited the LAFD at the recommendation of the City Council.
Fire Chief Manning resigned and Bamattre was appointed Fire Chief and instructed to implement the audit recommendations.
10 years later, two audits (another Personnel Dept. audit and the City Controller's audit) found that Bamattre failed in his responsibility to successfully implement the recommendations of the previous audit, and that the problems still exist.
Millions of dollars of taxpayer money are now being paid to employees.
Taxpayers - be alert here.
Who has the Fire Chief been accountable to these past 10 years?
How did the Manager of the City Personnel Department follow-up on her FIRST audit, ten years ago?
How did the City Council follow-up on the FIRST audit, ten years ago?
ALL EYES SHOULD NOW BE LOOKING AT THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, THE MANAGER OF THE CITY PERSONNEL DEPARTMENT, AND THE MAYOR.
It's clear Bamattre must go.
But so should the Manager of the City's Personnel Department.
And taxpayers - you oversee the City Council members and the Mayor who ultimately oversee the Fire Chief.
Let's talk with our votes next time.
Okay Mayor, what are you going to do NEXT?
Okay City Council, what are YOU going to do NEXT, other than continue to pay out millions of dollars more?
Bamattre should have solved all these problems IN HOUSE when he had the chance.
HINT: How about giving the LAFD employees and LACITY taxpayers a break...
Hold Bamattre accountable and give the guy the boot.
Jennifer Solis:
Are you a spokesperson for the LAFD (or maybe a personal friend of Fire Chief Bamattre or his minions Chief Andy Fox, Chief Mario Rueda or Chief Emile Mack)?
The reason I ask is because Bamattre's spokespersons are notorious for misrepresenting the facts and leaving out important information from their statements.
And it seems so do you.
For example, you said:
"those who were in on the practical joke were not sued."
Not true, Jen.
I suggest that you re-read the LA Times article by Sandy Banks, November 9, 2006, that says:
"In addition to the three firefighters, the lawsuit named the city as a defendant because the fire captains allegedly allowed a hostile workplace to exist in violation of department policies forbidding harassment. The two captains were given one month off without pay as punishment. Arevalo was ordered off work for three days without pay. As part of the settlement, they were dismissed from the lawsuit, so they are not liable financially."
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-dogfood9nov09,1,4660029.story?coll=la-headlines-california
Do you want to retract your false statement?
(By the way, Jen. For the record, who DOES sign your paycheck?)
Ms. Solis:
What do you have to say about the case of the black female LAFD firefighter who once discovered at her firehouse that someone had her replaced her mouthwash with urine, etc., etc., and the firefighters who filed a lawsuit with her claiming they were retaliated against by the LAFD for speaking up for her?
Better yet, let's hear what a jury has to say.
Jennifer,
Just read your Tennie Pierce posting. Such insight for someone only twenty!
Now for some “context” on the settlement not covered in TV blurbs or on KFI. We’ll start with the press release from Mr. Pierce’s lawyers. You were probably too busy scanning Alpo photos onto your blog to actually do some “reporting,” so here goes:
It turns out a few months prior to the dog-food incident, one of the “participants” directed some particularly nasty language towards another black firefighter. Use your imagination here. As a Latina, Jennifer, I’m sure you’ve had a few racist words thrown your way. Make you feel all gooey inside? Here’s where the whole “context” thing starts to take shape. Maybe that firefighter with the big vocabulary didn’t like black folks to start with.
So one day Tennie Pierce comes in from a long shift, he sits down to eat, and suddenly all his co-workers are laughing at him. Oh, and at the time, Pierce just happens to be the only black working at the station.
Jump back to 1994.
Ring a bell, Jennifer? Granted, you were eight at the time and there were Beanie Babies to consider, but that was the year the LA City Council released an audit citing – among other things - racism and sexism running rampant on the LAFD. Pretty much you name the “ism” and the Department had it covered.
There was outrage, a call for reform, promises of swift and thorough changes by the Department. And then something like eleven years passed.
This past January yet another audit report was released on the LAFD. In it, City Controller Laura Chick basically said nothing had changed and all those pesky little “isms” still remained. Boring stuff, really, unless of course you’re a fireman. Also included in the report was the statistic that 87% of African-American respondents had either “experienced or had direct knowledge of racial discrimination on the job.” Now sure, Jennifer, that number sounds high. But the other way to look at it, I suppose, is that 13% of blacks didn’t have an issue, and we’ve got to start somewhere, right?
Point three: the LAFD found that the participants and supervisors engaged in a “collective attempt” to cover-up the dog-food incident. Kind of a biggie, that one, so I’ll say it once more with feeling: the LA Fire Department came to that conclusion, Jennifer, not the LA City Council. Notice the distinction? City Council, elected by the taxpayers, merely acted on the facts that were presented to them.
Lastly, there’s the notion of the incident’s long-term effects on Mr. Pierce - and its aftermath - and the pattern of destructive behavior within the LAFD that fostered them.
Dennis Zine, the Council’s lone dissenter, states that there is no visible damage to Tennie Pierce, no physical harm we can see. I’ll admit a lost limb or lazy eye is much easier to quantify in terms of dollars and cents than, say, psychological damage. But does Zine have a point here? He did serve thirty-plus years on the LAPD, an institution long-noted for its sensitivity and valor. There are hours of video footage to prove it.
Instead, let’s consult someone in the medical field. I know, I know, that darn “context” word again.
Sure, we could cite the UCSC professor’s testimony on the “prank’s” long-term psychological harm. We could delve into the history of racism, bring up slavery, and how really really inconvenient the idea of integration was – and still is – to some people in this country.
Seriously, though. Yaaaaawn! Why not ask you, Jennifer? You’re the one studying Developmental Psychology. Surely you’ve heard of PTSD. Wait, you’re not a Tom Cruise fan, are you? Anyway, experts like you apply it to all sorts of charming situations: women mistaken for punching bags, ungrateful war vets, whiners toiling under touchy-feely bosses.
And so assuming a person is blessed enough to fit into one of these or maybe a few hundred other categories, how exactly would that toxicity manifest itself? Internally, I mean. Forget the easy-out of a limp or stuttering or a wheelchair.
Would it keep you up at night? When you do sleep, would it give you nightmares? Make you short with people? Less trusting? Someone who grew up here in LA and dreamed of becoming a firefighter so he could actually make a difference in the world and suddenly now that same man – all six-foot-five of him, the former football star – he hates to leave the house?
Imagine for a moment co-workers barking at you. Over and over again, day after day. To your face, behind you back, in front of supervisors, even. Supervisors that play along with the “joke” and prefer to sweep the whole thing under the rug. It’s all there in the testimony, Jennifer.
This is all fun and games, right? Get a sense of humor. So you find the occasional can of dog-food in the back of your truck. So what if people bring the incident up in front of your twelve-year-old daughter and she wonders why they call you “Dog-food Boy.” Can’t you take a joke? You’re a firefighter, you’re a hero. Relax. Trust these guys, they’re your brothers.
It’s not like your life is in their hands.
John McDonald
john@mesafurnishings.com
Jennifer,
Just read your Tennie Pierce posting. Such insight for someone only twenty!
Now for some “context” on the settlement not covered in TV blurbs or on KFI. We’ll start with the press release from Mr. Pierce’s lawyers. You were probably too busy scanning Alpo photos onto your blog to actually do some “reporting,” so here goes:
It turns out a few months prior to the dog-food incident, one of the “participants” directed some particularly nasty language towards another black firefighter. Use your imagination here. As a Latina, Jennifer, I’m sure you’ve had a few racist words thrown your way. Make you feel all gooey inside? Here’s where the whole “context” thing starts to take shape. Maybe that firefighter with the big vocabulary didn’t like black folks to start with.
So one day Tennie Pierce comes in from a long shift, he sits down to eat, and suddenly all his co-workers are laughing at him. Oh, and at the time, Pierce just happens to be the only black working at the station.
Jump back to 1994.
Ring a bell, Jennifer? Granted, you were eight at the time and there were Beanie Babies to consider, but that was the year the LA City Council released an audit citing – among other things - racism and sexism running rampant on the LAFD. Pretty much you name the “ism” and the Department had it covered.
There was outrage, a call for reform, promises of swift and thorough changes by the Department. And then something like eleven years passed.
This past January yet another audit report was released on the LAFD. In it, City Controller Laura Chick basically said nothing had changed and all those pesky little “isms” still remained. Boring stuff, really, unless of course you’re a fireman. Also included in the report was the statistic that 87% of African-American respondents had either “experienced or had direct knowledge of racial discrimination on the job.” Now sure, Jennifer, that number sounds high. But the other way to look at it, I suppose, is that 13% of blacks didn’t have an issue, and we’ve got to start somewhere, right?
Point three: the LAFD found that the participants and supervisors engaged in a “collective attempt” to cover-up the dog-food incident. Kind of a biggie, that one, so I’ll say it once more with feeling: the LA Fire Department came to that conclusion, Jennifer, not the LA City Council. Notice the distinction? City Council, elected by the taxpayers, merely acted on the facts that were presented to them.
Lastly, there’s the notion of the incident’s long-term effects on Mr. Pierce - and its aftermath - and the pattern of destructive behavior within the LAFD that fostered them.
Dennis Zine, the Council’s lone dissenter, states that there is no visible damage to Tennie Pierce, no physical harm we can see. I’ll admit a lost limb or lazy eye is much easier to quantify in terms of dollars and cents than, say, psychological damage. But does Zine have a point here? He did serve thirty-plus years on the LAPD, an institution long-noted for its sensitivity and valor. There are hours of video footage to prove it.
Instead, let’s consult someone in the medical field. I know, I know, that darn “context” word again.
Sure, we could cite the UCSC professor’s testimony on the “prank’s” long-term psychological harm. We could delve into the history of racism, bring up slavery, and how really really inconvenient the idea of integration was – and still is – to some people in this country.
Seriously, though. Yaaaaawn! Why not ask you, Jennifer? You’re the one studying Developmental Psychology. Surely you’ve heard of PTSD. Wait, you’re not a Tom Cruise fan, are you? Anyway, experts like you apply it to all sorts of charming situations: women mistaken for punching bags, ungrateful war vets, whiners toiling under touchy-feely bosses.
And so assuming a person is blessed enough to fit into one of these or maybe a few hundred other categories, how exactly would that toxicity manifest itself? Internally, I mean. Forget the easy-out of a limp or stuttering or a wheelchair.
Would it keep you up at night? When you do sleep, would it give you nightmares? Make you short with people? Less trusting? Someone who grew up here in LA and dreamed of becoming a firefighter so he could actually make a difference in the world and suddenly now that same man – all six-foot-five of him, the former football star – he hates to leave the house?
Imagine for a moment co-workers barking at you. Over and over again, day after day. To your face, behind you back, in front of supervisors, even. Supervisors that play along with the “joke” and prefer to sweep the whole thing under the rug. It’s all there in the testimony, Jennifer.
This is all fun and games, right? Get a sense of humor. So you find the occasional can of dog-food in the back of your truck. So what if people bring the incident up in front of your twelve-year-old daughter and she wonders why they call you “Dog-food Boy.” Can’t you take a joke? You’re a firefighter, you’re a hero. Relax. Trust these guys, they’re your brothers.
It’s not like your life is in their hands.
John McDonald
john@mesafurnishings.com
Jennifer is 100% right on target and John McDonald is full of it. I was extremely impressed with her sharp perception and ability to articulate the truth. If you read carefully of McDonald's criticism of Jennifer, all he really does is talk about how Tennie Pierce's feelings may have been hurt. Big deal for a 6 ft, 5 in. firefighter! Is that worth $2.7 million of taxpayer funds?
As far as the references to the audits and reports, many of the so called facts remain in dispute to this day. Those who don't actually know what occurs behind closed fire station doors ahould not be so quick to attack, using questionable reports as the basis of their attacks.
jennifer,
thanks for the reply. i'm actually stunned by it; mainly the fact that you were more than willing to put such ignorance into writing.
1) basically you're saying that because most people you've heard from think Tennie's case is a farce, it must be true.
2) you base your opinion, in part, on rumors you heard about his wife.
3) you mention some sort of code amongst firefighters and policeman, much like in the armed forces. are you familar with harrassment law? apparently in your world racism and discrimination and - what else? - sexual misconduct are fair game, superceded by "brotherhood?"
once again, being 20, i'll assume you've never had a real job in a professional workplace. school doesn't count. school is not the real world.
i'd read again my letter again. then check the editorial section of the times tomorrow. another trial is set to start tomorrow, with yet another scheduled shortly after that. look into the 3 other LAFD cases that have settled in the past few months. do some research into capt. alicia mathis and her complaints. are you familiar with rampart, jennifer? ask you mom and dad about that old chestnut.
for whatever reason, you've been given a soapbox. don't abuse it. and please don't try to hide behind the fact that because you don't consider yourself a reporter - we agree whole-heartedly on that point, by the way - it automatically absolves you of seeking out the truth.
john mcdonald
PS to the general public: note my name above. my real name, along with a link to where a thoughtful person could actually find me if they really wanted to carry on some intelligent discourse. in a city as big as LA, it's amazing to find out that so many of us have so much in common - well, at least we seem to share the same name: "anonymous."
really, why put yourself out there when you can hide behind that?
and as to the poster who mentioned the "disputed" facts: they're actually on the record, friend. if you'd like a copy of some of them, feel free to contact me.
to quote chief bamattre - and this is a quote, folks, which means the man actually said this re: the audits - "we support their findings entirely..."
all this stuff is real, gang.
please check out the editorial in the LA times today. another trial against the LAFD starts this morning, with yet another set to start shortly after that. three others have settled in the past few months.
i'm really easy to find.
or, i suppose, you can keeping drinking the kool-aid from jennifer from solis based on rumors and a "brotherhood."
sorry, jen, you're thinking of "the da vinci code."
Hi Jen:
You write: "The bottom line here is that at least 90-percent of the people who have learned about the settlement are mad at Tennie. My column was a mirror of that anger, and I am convinced that playing the race card in this matter is inappropriate."
Could you give us your supporting data for that 90% statistic?
Gee John; You seem to believe everything you read in the news media and "offical" reports prepared by elected officials. That's very nice. I'm glad you feel that gives you credibility on history of interpersonal relationships within the LAFD. As for me, I've had an association with the LAFD for over 4 decades and know what really goes on in the fire stations. I'm not a firefighter, but I have spent many, many hours in fire stations and have very strong social relationships with an awful lot of firefighters of all ranks. I too, have been subjected to firehouse pranks, and know first hand what is in a firefighters heart and mind without having to read a newspaper or report. I can tell you once again, that Jennifer is dead on and you are so very wrong. Flame me if you want, but I'll be smiling, because I know the truth. Unlike you and Jennifer, I have lived through it.
As for Chief Bamattre endorsing the audit, ask anyone within or outside the LAFD who personally knows him about their trust or confidence in him. Then you'll understand why you shot yourself in the foot by using him as a point in your argument.
All of you who support poor ol Tennie Pierce humiliated sole. Think twice, This Man is had his share of evil doings in a fire station I know I was there when he shoved a popsicle up a Hispanic Firefighters rectum as a prank!This member suffered ten times more anguish than Tennie will ever know for eating dog food. This member did not sue Tennie or the fire department let alone pull the race card. Tennie I hope you choke on your 2.7 million dollar can of dog food! still active LAFD
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