Friday, July 03, 2009

you know there is one forgotten firefighter


in the new haven firefighter's lawsuit. i didn't know about lt. vargas until i just read this. either way or any way you look at it, he has one wicked tough road to follow. it appears he is following his heart and mind which is all fine by me (my position on the lawsuit, which of course i've stated before is, GO FOR IT. i would fight discrimination, racial or ANY kind with all i have. however, i also want those that deserve the job to GET the job. if a test is stilted one way, it certainly would be unfair and should be tossed out. if a test is fair and only a few pass, well then they should indeed get the rewards. i haven't seen the test, i don't know what it contains. )



For Hispanic Firefighter in New Haven Bias Suit, Awkward Position but Firm Resolve
By A. G. SULZBERGER
NEW HAVEN — The two dozen firefighters who packed into Humphrey’s East Restaurant were celebrating a coming marriage, drinking and jawboning in the boisterous style of large men with risky jobs, but Lt. Ben Vargas spent the evening trying to escape the tension surrounding his presence.

During a trip to the bathroom, he found himself facing another man. Without warning, the first punch landed. When Lieutenant Vargas awoke, bloodied and splayed on the grimy floor, he was taken to the hospital.

Lieutenant Vargas believes the attack, five years ago, was orchestrated by a black firefighter in retaliation for his having joined a racial discrimination lawsuit against the city over its tossing out of an exam for promotion that few minority firefighters passed. (No arrests were made in the attack, and the black firefighter vigorously denies having been involved.)..............


pic: Christopher Capozziello for The New York Times
Lt. Ben Vargas, with 17 white firefighters, won a case before the Supreme Court contending that New Haven had shown discrimination by throwing out a test for promotion.

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