Post by Blaque on Nov 29, 2006 10:26:40 GMT -5
Black L.A. firefighter recalls how he was served dog food
Tennie Pierce asks council to reinstate $2.7 million settlement
LOS ANGELES - A black firefighter who won a tentative $2.7 million settlement for being fed dog food by his co-workers urged the City Council on Tuesday to override the mayor's decision to veto the award after photographs surfaced showing the firefighter engaged in hazing.
Tennie Pierce filed a racial discrimination lawsuit after a group of firefighters served him spaghetti laced with dog food two years ago and heckled him for eating it. An internal investigation suggested the incident was a prank prompted by Pierce's reference to himself as "Big Dog."
During his impassioned plea Tuesday, the 6-foot-5-inch former firefighter paused several times to collect himself, his voice quivering with emotion.
"My mother worked three jobs to get me where I'm at today and at no time did my mother ever feed us dog food," he said. "No matter how tight, no matter how it hurt, she put in her time so we did not have to eat dog food. I took great offense when nine white members sat in the kitchen, watched me eat it and not one word was said."
Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa vetoed Pierce's settlement last week after photos posted on a Web site showed the firefighter participating in hazing.
The 15-member City Council delayed making a decision and was scheduled to reconsider the issue on Wednesday. It would take 10 votes to override the mayor's veto.
Geraldine R. Washington, president of the Los Angeles NAACP, told the council that the dog food had deeper racial implications and urged them to move forward with the settlement.
"We have always been looked upon as less than human and some would place their dogs ahead of us," Washington said. "Now for a white person or a group of whites to intentionally place dog food in the food of an African American and later taunt him about it reinforces negative, condescending attitudes of some that African Americans are less than human and dog food is OK for them to eat."
About a dozen others also spoke in support of Pierce. A statement from the Rev. Jesse Jackson was submitted, although he was not at Tuesday's meeting.
Council members, who have themselves received dog food from people angry over the proposed settlement, debated whether they should override the mayor's veto. Some said they didn't believe the incident was racially motivated and pointed to the photographs.
Others, including former Police Chief Bernard Parks, said it was important to approve the settlement.
"I think we owe it to him and his family. We owe it to him and his community," he said. "We owe it to people to understand if you're a city employee you cannot be taken advantage of."
Tennie Pierce asks council to reinstate $2.7 million settlement
LOS ANGELES - A black firefighter who won a tentative $2.7 million settlement for being fed dog food by his co-workers urged the City Council on Tuesday to override the mayor's decision to veto the award after photographs surfaced showing the firefighter engaged in hazing.
Tennie Pierce filed a racial discrimination lawsuit after a group of firefighters served him spaghetti laced with dog food two years ago and heckled him for eating it. An internal investigation suggested the incident was a prank prompted by Pierce's reference to himself as "Big Dog."
During his impassioned plea Tuesday, the 6-foot-5-inch former firefighter paused several times to collect himself, his voice quivering with emotion.
"My mother worked three jobs to get me where I'm at today and at no time did my mother ever feed us dog food," he said. "No matter how tight, no matter how it hurt, she put in her time so we did not have to eat dog food. I took great offense when nine white members sat in the kitchen, watched me eat it and not one word was said."
Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa vetoed Pierce's settlement last week after photos posted on a Web site showed the firefighter participating in hazing.
The 15-member City Council delayed making a decision and was scheduled to reconsider the issue on Wednesday. It would take 10 votes to override the mayor's veto.
Geraldine R. Washington, president of the Los Angeles NAACP, told the council that the dog food had deeper racial implications and urged them to move forward with the settlement.
"We have always been looked upon as less than human and some would place their dogs ahead of us," Washington said. "Now for a white person or a group of whites to intentionally place dog food in the food of an African American and later taunt him about it reinforces negative, condescending attitudes of some that African Americans are less than human and dog food is OK for them to eat."
About a dozen others also spoke in support of Pierce. A statement from the Rev. Jesse Jackson was submitted, although he was not at Tuesday's meeting.
Council members, who have themselves received dog food from people angry over the proposed settlement, debated whether they should override the mayor's veto. Some said they didn't believe the incident was racially motivated and pointed to the photographs.
Others, including former Police Chief Bernard Parks, said it was important to approve the settlement.
"I think we owe it to him and his family. We owe it to him and his community," he said. "We owe it to people to understand if you're a city employee you cannot be taken advantage of."