By Gabe Bullard
Filed Thursday, October 18, 2007 at 10:26 AM
The group Citizens To Support Fire Chief George is doing just that. The group is asking people to 'Come by the thousands' to City Hall this Sunday at 3:00 PM to show support for demoted Fire Chief Sherman George.
From the press release:Chief Sherman George, the City’s first and only African-American Fire Chief, has been unjustly removed from his position and publicly disrespected by Mayor Francis Slay. This is an insult and disregard to the entire St. Louis Community. These, and other actions by the Mayor, have created deep division.
Featured guests at the rally include: State Representative Jamilah Nasheed, Bishop Willie Ellis, Bishop Alphonso Scott, Reverend Tommie Pierson, Bishop B.T. Rice, Reverend Douglas Parham, Don Fitz, Bill Ramsey and Zaki Baruti.
35 Comments:
I heard this was also an effort to start a recall on Slay. Any word on that?
10/18/2007 10:51 AM
This is a Slay Recall Effort according to the St. Louis American. Please change the story because it is more than a rally to support George.
10/18/2007 10:59 AM
Is MCU endorsing a recall effort on Slay? Their president is quoted, with the MCU name attached to him, calling for Slay's removal.
If so, MCU certainly is getting active, eh?
10/18/2007 11:14 AM
The insult to the entire City was when Chief George refused to make the promotions!!!
Other than community appearances, what has he done?
10/18/2007 11:16 AM
If Slay is recalled, and George "wins", what does that say to the firefighters and others in the St. Louis community who support Slay?
10/18/2007 11:20 AM
It says they are in the minority and the majority has had it with the few elite getting all the breaks. Time to wake up, Slay! Lots of people out here not happy with you, and you can surround yourself with supporters and pretend we aren't here, but we are.
10/18/2007 11:35 AM
Yeah...WE HATE PROGRESS AND WE HATE WHITE PEOPLE AND YOU HAVE TO LISTEN TO US!!!!!
I am happy they let Nasheed out of the nut house for the rally. (Must be tought to fit this in her schedule between her acting gigs.)
10/18/2007 2:01 PM
If Harmon fired George would anyone have cared?
10/18/2007 2:02 PM
Anony 2:01,
I am anony 11:35, and I happen to be white. Nice try.
10/18/2007 2:08 PM
Whats really interesting is that if this group goes after slay and loses, then they will become even more irrelevant than they already are.....and slay will be that much more powerful!! Think about it!
10/18/2007 3:12 PM
Once again,
Black man fires white man for insubordination and everyone says, no problem.
Black man fires black man for insubordination and people call him racist slurs and say he must be doing because a white man said so.
White man fires black man for insubordination and people scream racism.
I don't get it. All people should be held to the same standards regardless of skin tone.
Sounds like the racists are the ones screaming racism.
(By the way, I'm of Persian desent.)
10/18/2007 5:47 PM
White folks in this town just don't get it..I'm sure everybody remember when there was alot of discussions about the New Stadium before it was built..Black folks, White folks..some of everybody spoke out against Slay using city funds to help build those rich folks their stadium..Hmmm it seemed at that moment both races were on the same page...But now look at it...Frances Slay just kicked the black fire chief in the butt knowing dayum well the city charter gives the fire chief sole authority to promote..but Slay said..the hell with the city charter I want his azz out..I really believe that these cats in room 200 think that they are kings and can't nobody tell them chit...Slay acts as though he appointed himself as mayor..Look around poor white folks..he don't give a dayum about yall either..how many of you can afford to stay in those condos..and lofts that are springing up downtown..But I understand when it comes to an issue involving a black person in a position of authority..Most whites in this town will think that he is wrong if the post dispatch say he is wrong. When it comes to us..whites folks stand together no matter what...Look at the board of alderman..those white folks know about the city charter but nooooo..they aint saying chit..only the black alderman spoke out against this injustice by the Slay administration..well the beat goes on in St. Louis and this is still the most segregated town in the nation...thank you Mayor Slay.....oh by the way ..Mr. Slay you sure you are not a republican......
10/18/2007 8:55 PM
There are plenty of white people in this town who are with you and are upset with Slay, but comments like that above aren't winning you any converts, and are likely to turn away those of us who agree with you.
If my house is on fire, I don't want Slay showing up, I want George or another fireman who knows what the heck he or she is doing to fight a fire. Slay needs to learn to respect the knowledge of others, rather than thinking he knows everything. A true leader can do that.
10/18/2007 9:27 PM
Uh, good luck on your recall effort there, Malcolm. Yeah, it should work, well except it might be a little tough getting all those "valid" signatures. Oh, in every ward in the city??? Better grab your dead voter list you used a few years ago, you're gonna need it.
Sherman who? Oh you mean the guy that ruined the Fire Department. Nah, I think I'll stay home Sunday and watch the Rams lose.
10/18/2007 11:06 PM
Did someone say that there are plenty of white people that feel the same way as black people do about the fire chief situation..(oh really) where the hell are they..this coming sunday in front of city hall I will bet that there will be well over 99.9 percent black folks there...now if you say that 1 percent is more than 99.9 percent something is wrong with your figures...out of all the protesting that went on over the last few weeks at city hall I bet you can count the white folks on one hand that participated in that protest..matter of fact these are not the ones the guy may not be referring too..More so the ones that don't say snything when they see injustice upon black folks...Why don't they say anything..maybe because white folks in general do not support black issues...not in this town...
10/18/2007 11:37 PM
Recall will be entertaining. Wonder if Slay thought it would get to this point when he started his attacks on black people years ago. First, Darlene Green along with Sherman George, who don't forget Irene Smith. Then he appointed Veronica O'Brien and gave her no support. When she said hey what's going on he black balled her. Don't forget the many blacks he fired after his second election. From watching all his attacks it looks like Green and O'Brien did the best job of down sizing his ego. O'Brien killed him at the polls and now it looks like George will finish him off.
Hang in there Slay you have a battle ahead of you.
10/19/2007 12:34 AM
Ha, if the Pee Pee Queen is our rallying cry then I fear we are in for another 8 years of Slay.
I don't like him but one, my City is cleaner. Two, my City is safer. And three my property is actually worth something. I don't like the man but until someone better comes along I ain't signing no recall.
10/19/2007 1:38 AM
I have never heard how the tests were discriminatory. Would someone please explain this?
10/19/2007 7:59 AM
To 7:59, George has not said that the tests were discriminatory, only that they were not good tests for the jobs at hand.
A federal court disagreed with George, and we are where we are. I am sympathetic to Slay's position on an intellectual level. Political? Yes, but less so.
10/19/2007 9:03 AM
yOU SHOULD WATCH WHAT YOU SAY. PEE PEE QUEEN? Slay is the one that made this a national isssue. He did this to go after her but it only hurt him and the city. When people outside of the city think of this incident they think of SLAYcas the leader. People like you are the problem with the city. You have little minds. Slay did this to himself.
Go back to your school board blogs.
Geroge should unite with O'Brien and Green and they could take on any issue.
10/19/2007 10:29 AM
Verily, I say unto you, it is easier for a bloated loft dweller bristling with shameless opulence to pass through the eye of a needle in his BMW than for a crew of dimwitted malcontents to recall the Mightie Slaybelle! Forsooth, I say unto you, you are more likely to see residents of St. Louis Hills Estates hollerin like James Brown and doin the funky chicken on their rooftops than the Mightie Slaybelle landing on the ass of his pants in front of City Hall. Verily, he beeth juiced in and there's no "recalling" that. As long as the city's fortunes are improving and this town stays on a roll, you can bet we'll have Slaybelle In Control! It will remain thus until he voluntarily quits the stage, probably to become a judge. Until then, get used to his face in the place.
10/19/2007 10:40 AM
"Pee Pee Queen" that's funny.
She was and still is a joke. I think old politicians tell holloween stories about Irene to scare the young politicians.
This blog is funny.
Admit it, Pee Pee Queen is really a great name.
10/19/2007 11:12 AM
Didn't say the white people are only upset about George. The schools, ball stadium with tax dollars, and Forest Park mess have plenty of white people upset though. You are right there won't be too many white people Sunday, probably. They don't know about it. Mainstream "white" media isn't going to tell them, and not too many white people on this blog or reading the American.
And why would they come to a place that will have people like you who are just going to call us racist no matter what we do? We don't have to go to a rally, we can still vote against Slay when the time comes.
10/19/2007 11:38 AM
I posted the question about the tests being discriminatory. If the tests were not discriminatory, how did this become a racial issue? Chief George did not agree with the tests. The judge overruled him. Chief George did not go along with the court order and so he was demoted. Where did race become an issue in this process?
10/19/2007 11:41 AM
Let me get this straight. If you promote an African-American in this country there is a binding rule by the African-American community that he/she cannot be fired for any reason and if they are fired for insubordination, failure to work, or any other issue, that there must be a white person to blame and rally against. Sherman George took a gamble by not following the orders of his boss and lost that bet.
The reason this country is getting left behind in the world is that we can't take responsibility for ourselves. We must find someone else and sue them.
10/19/2007 12:01 PM
Race will always be a problem throughout the world. What frightens me more than anything else is the way people are responding to an issue that offers no solutions.Laws were passed to protect people from overt behavior which involves torts, workplace discrimination and other hate crimes. However, you can't change peoples perceptions or attitudes. Ethically, I believe the real problems in the St. Louis African -American community is the absence of good paying labor or industrial occupations. I'm telling you the kettle is boiling! Black people are going to over-heat.The mayor has suggestted that we increase sales taxes to raise the police pay. Why?St.Louis ranks in the top ten as one of the most violent cities in America. You receive pay raises as a result of good performance. The number of Police Officers have increased downtown because of the expanding loft district. What about the elderly and working class people who pay their taxes in Walnut Park? No improvement!! Just a lot of talk by political officials who continue to make deals at the expense of long time city residences. Grassroots organization is part of the solution, but you require maximum participation! Your ordinary working black family doesn't want to have their neighborhood overrun by crime. The media isn't a good friend of african descendents. The media dosn't portray video of black people painting their houses and mowing their lawns and helping their children with homework. Francis Slay has always shown his disdain for African Americans dating back to when he was an alderman..remember? His first order of business upon becoming mayor was to eliminate Sharon Tyus..remember? He succeeded by supporting redistricting her ward. Nooses,Klansmen,Gang Members and Cops don't scare me. It's easy to eradicate these idiots. There are Black Revolutionist amoung the population but our focus is all economics. We'll die for what we believe. Ironically, America continues to worry about foreign terrorist. Protect your children and your property. Remember all white folks are not your enemy. Your biggest enemy is Uncle Sam!!! He's rewarded for his crime. Stop feeding into all the stuff you see in the news. I'll never allow a police to break my daughters wrist or spray her with mace.We take that personal.Eye for an Eye!
Black people concentrate on themselves. Watch how you spend your money.How many black businesses do you support. The Christian Devil has you all confused. Stop eating out the white mans hand. Things will be alright but I believe a revolution in this country is on the horizon. Put down the alcohol and stop wasting your money on stupid stuff.
WAKE UP!!!!.....Salaam!..Nat Turner
10/19/2007 6:00 PM
An glowing example of a former Liz Brown racist on Antonio's popular "black blog"!
10/20/2007 9:57 AM
The Post did an in-depth story a while back about the urine incident. It was actually pretty good and explained a lot. Ms. Smith will never be able to shake the stigma attached (which is a shame), but she did the right thing.
Yes, I agree, "Pee Pee Queen" IS a great name.
10/20/2007 12:32 PM
Anonymous wrote:
"His first order of business upon becoming mayor was to eliminate Sharon Tyus..remember? He succeeded by supporting redistricting her ward."
If this is an example the Mayor's disdain for black people, what are we to make of the black people who supported moving Tyus's ward to the south side, like new Aldermanic President Lewis Reed?
Even if one concedes that Tyus was neutralized by design, maybe the reason(s) for it had nothing to do with her race. Maybe she made powerful enemies, black and white, for reasons that had nothing to do with her color.
10/21/2007 1:26 PM
As has Slay. It's not a race issue with him. He's treated anyone who isn't part of his circle as irrelevant. If his opponents want to unseat him, they are going to have to be able to work together, and that means the race issue takes a backseat to the larger issue of Slay's inability to bring this city together. That issue connects people of all colors, and one color alone won't be able to unseat this guy.
10/21/2007 6:55 PM
Anonymous said...
I posted the question about the tests being discriminatory. If the tests were not discriminatory, how did this become a racial issue? Chief George did not agree with the tests. The judge overruled him. Chief George did not go along with the court order and so he was demoted. Where did race become an issue in this process?
10/19/2007 11:41 AM
I will tell you what my understanding is, and will be glad to have someone correct me if I am wrong.
The action to change the tests from what they were before was a questionable action, but it was not an illegal one, and was upheld by the court. Some say the change was made for racial reasons, but there is no absolute proof.
The lack of action by George to promote people was a questionable lack of action, but not an illegal one, and an area of decision making which was George's to decide, not subject to being a decision which could be transferred to the Mayor. You can look at who was finally promoted and decide whether you think there was a racial aspect.
I feel pretty sure about the test selection being legal---I am less sure about where George's right to refuse promotions stopped, and Mayor Slay's right to demand them began.
10/21/2007 7:39 PM
There were several shootings in my heighborhood this week and more than I can count this summer.
A very good and decent man was strangled by two youths recently.
No preachers stood in front of city hall or marched down my street for these issues.
10/21/2007 9:17 PM
Did you offer to pay them? I understand they will do stuff for money.
10/21/2007 9:22 PM
I attended the protest/recall rally today at city hall and was really impressed with the overwhelming support by the people..the steps of city hall was packed..excellent speakers..I checked out the newscast on channel 4 today..and would you believe...The news anchor reported that there were a few dozen of people there..reminds me of the million man march when Dan Rather reported a few hundred thousand in attendance when there were well over a million..the amazing thing about the press is this...The start of the news report on the march was a lie..and guess what..People who was not there would agree with the news anchor rather than knowing the truth about how many was there...For the wise guy that wrote about a shooting in his neighborhood and wondered why there wasn't anything said about it..You dayum fool had you been at the rally you would have heard the speakers mention about the issues of crime in our neighborhoods..and while you at it..ask the chief of police when will there be two man patrol vehicles on the city streets..It was nice to see The Honorable Darlene Green in attendance this afternoon...I really hope that this recall is successful..People please do not give up this fight ..the powers that be are just sitting and waiting for us to stop fighting and give up...Slay feel as though he will get the last laugh when this is all over with...peace out....
10/22/2007 12:02 AM
without white folks, there is no recall. and if the blacks keep blaming Slay for all their problems and do not begin to accept some responsibility, they will never have the whites support a recall. to white folks now, they look like a bunch of crybabies.
10/22/2007 3:55 PM
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