New York is again proving that it is the East-Coast location where common sense dies. Last week, Attorney General Letitia James gave a speech at a New York Fire Department promotion ceremony. James had been invited to speak at the event, which was held to honor The Rev. Pamela Holmes, the department's second female chaplain and the first black woman to hold that title.
Before she even took the stage, some of the firefighters started voicing their displeasure with her decision involving the Donald Trump case.
As they chanted, "Trump, Trump, Trump," James asked for quiet. "First...” James said, trying to begin her remarks before pausing for the booing to subside. “Simmer down. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for getting it out of your system."
But they hadn’t, and the crowd then erupted into cheers for the former president who has been the target of the radical leftist lawmaker. However, this display by the firefighters of their First Amendment rights seemed to hurt the feelings of the snowflakes in the upper echelon of the NYFD.
Remember, the left is easily offended by everything, so at a ceremony where a black female was being promoted, their wokeness was on high alert from the get-go, which means that their delicate sensibilities were particularly offended by the chanting of Trump’s name.
The left places great weight on feelings above everything else—common sense, constitutional rights, science, biology, law, logic... everything. That's why, after James’s speech, with their immature feelings bruised, they threw logic, law, and constitutional rights to the wind.
Unbelievably, FDNY Chief of Department John Hodgens sent an email to department leaders warning of an impending investigation by the Bureau of Investigation and Trials (BITS) into the booing and “Trump” chants directed at James. In true SS style, Hodgens urged those involved to come forward voluntarily to avoid being pursued by the department which is currently reviewing video footage of the entire ceremony.
Hodges wrote to FDNY chiefs, "BITS is investigating this, so they will figure out who the members are. I recommend they come forward. I have been told by the commissioner it will be better for them if they come forward and we don't have to hunt them down."
Hunt them down?
The deputy chiefs shall direct the captain of the company to make a list of those who come forward and send it directly to FDNY operations. I realize members might not come forward, but they should know that there is clear video of the entire incident, and they will be contacted by BITS if they don't.
The Uniformed Fire Officers Association (UFOA) also warned its members on Saturday of the plan, noting how the department was in "possession of video footage of the event. As part of this discussion, questions may be asked to specific UFOA members over their actions or their recollections."
Translation: The department is looking for squealers and rats, which can only breed division and resentment within the department over nothing more than the chanting of a name, which was well within the constitutional rights of those who participated.
The left is the perfect combination of pettiness, ignorance, and vengefulness, and they are demonstrating all of those traits with their handling of this situation. These are grown men and women who put their lives on the line, and this group of whiners is trying to make examples of them for doing nothing wrong.
One Brooklyn firefighter told the New York Post that the heckling was directly related to the lawsuit, which he claimed was nothing more than a “witch hunt.”
She has no problem, bragging that she convicted Trump, so this is how hard-working New Yorkers, who put their life on the line, feel about her actions.
Another FDNY firefighter blasted the chief's response as being heavy-handed. "It was a political stunt for the city to have the AG there. When it backfired, they sent their fascist pit bulls after guys for exercising their First Amendment rights. Most were off-duty and not in FDNY uniform,” he told the New York Post.
The UFOA warned its members about the investigation, advising them to comply with FDNY regulations while offering legal representation if needed. However, the FDNY has not given specific reasons for pursuing those involved or identified any potential violations.
That’s the tricky part for these fascists; firefighters have a constitutional right to express their opinions and cannot be penalized for exercising their First Amendment rights, so bringing up legal representation for booing someone is beyond the pale. That said, if these liberals are desperate to hear a legal opinion, Alan Dershowitz gave one to the New York Post that they should pay attention to.
Firefighters have an absolute constitutional right to boo the attorney general, and the government has no power to punish them for it. So, efforts to get the names of the booers is an effort by the government to kill free speech and is unconstitutional.
The left thinks that rules and laws don’t apply to them. They think that anyone who doesn’t bow to their whims deserves to be punished. I wonder if James’ opinion would change if her house were on fire and the only firefighters on duty were those who had booed her decision on Trump. Would she respect their First Amendment rights then, or would she rather they waited to respond until they had legal counsel accompany them?
Of course, the firefighters would never even think of hesitating; they have more integrity than that. Too bad James, Hodgens, and the rest of their comrades can’t say the same thing.
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