Detroit firefighter fired for bringing watermelon to station

a reply to: MountainLaurel

No kidding..
I grew up with 2 of them cali guys 👍👍
We be in our 40's late version now.

Bring in the young guns👍😊

I totally understand why the employer didn't want to hire this guy.
I mean, it's allright to make racial jokes and pander to stereotypes when you know the people you are joking with.
But doing so on your first day of work to people you don't know will just bring you in trouble.
You don't run around and tell "your mom is so fat" jokes to random people you don't know either.
Btw I'm sure this guy is not a racist, but not so bright either

a reply to: seasonal

i would hate to be reliant on a fire rescue crew that cannot handle free watermelons

originally posted by: ErrorErrorError
I totally understand why the employer didn't want to hire this guy.
I mean, it's allright to make racial jokes and pander to stereotypes when you know the people you are joking with.
But doing so on your first day of work to people you don't know will just bring you in trouble.
You don't run around and tell "your mom is so fat" jokes to random people you don't know either.
Btw I'm sure this guy is not a racist, but not so bright either

So...everybody in the country is automatically supposed to know that watermelon is some kind of...I dunno...racist signal or something? I sure had no idea, until I read this, that watermelon is somehow "offensive." And I still don't understand why.

a reply to: riiverare grown in Africa

yeah, good point...it's possible that younger people would have no idea about the watermelon stereotype associated with black people.

IDK why it's offensive exactly ? Someone earlier said watermelons are grown in Africa , I just always heard watermelon is a favorite food for black people...have no clue why that's offensive??

originally posted by: riiver

originally posted by: ErrorErrorError
I totally understand why the employer didn't want to hire this guy.
I mean, it's allright to make racial jokes and pander to stereotypes when you know the people you are joking with.
But doing so on your first day of work to people you don't know will just bring you in trouble.
You don't run around and tell "your mom is so fat" jokes to random people you don't know either.
Btw I'm sure this guy is not a racist, but not so bright either

So...everybody in the country is automatically supposed to know that watermelon is some kind of...I dunno...racist signal or something? I sure had no idea, until I read this, that watermelon is somehow "offensive." And I still don't understand why.

Its not racially offensive, its just stereotyping when its best/worst (depending on what you find is funny)
I'm not even american and i know all the jokes about black people and watermelons.
This guy clearly knew it because he even put a bowtie on it for crying out loud.
Other than that,im pretty sure the black firefighters enjoyed the watermelon anyways (see what i did there ? )

a reply to: ErrorErrorError

lol...it looked like one of those stick-on gift bows to me, not a bow-tie....but anyways..

originally posted by: riiver

originally posted by: ErrorErrorError
I totally understand why the employer didn't want to hire this guy.
I mean, it's allright to make racial jokes and pander to stereotypes when you know the people you are joking with.
But doing so on your first day of work to people you don't know will just bring you in trouble.
You don't run around and tell "your mom is so fat" jokes to random people you don't know either.
Btw I'm sure this guy is not a racist, but not so bright either

So...everybody in the country is automatically supposed to know that watermelon is some kind of...I dunno...racist signal or something? I sure had no idea, until I read this, that watermelon is somehow "offensive." And I still don't understand why.

I'd post a meme to sum it all up with one image, but I'm afraid I'll get banned.

I know... sad right?

Just google wowda melm.

originally posted by: IgnoranceIsntBlisss
a reply to: carewemust

If the companies to do business elsewhere in the state have to cover any request from Detroit then the sate residents (Michiganders) with their huge state tax rate already are paying for that pitfall, expecting that insurers adjust that across the rest of the portfolio.

Michigan's 6% sales tax is a bargain, compared to the 10.25% in Chicago.

I think black slaves harvested watermelons, and to be honest I think this recruit was rather insensitive to a group of 90% black ?.. firefighters , that he did not know. I think the guy thought he was being funny, but really he was being insensitive.

originally posted by: Sheye
I think black slaves harvested watermelons, and to be honest I think this recruit was rather insensitive to a group of 90% black ?.. firefighters , that he did not know. I think the guy thought he was being funny, but really he was being insensitive.

Maybe the pink bow was his way of telling them he's gay and they were the ones being insensitive and discriminating.

originally posted by: Bone75

originally posted by: riiver

originally posted by: ErrorErrorError
I totally understand why the employer didn't want to hire this guy.
I mean, it's allright to make racial jokes and pander to stereotypes when you know the people you are joking with.
But doing so on your first day of work to people you don't know will just bring you in trouble.
You don't run around and tell "your mom is so fat" jokes to random people you don't know either.
Btw I'm sure this guy is not a racist, but not so bright either

So...everybody in the country is automatically supposed to know that watermelon is some kind of...I dunno...racist signal or something? I sure had no idea, until I read this, that watermelon is somehow "offensive." And I still don't understand why.

I'd post a meme to sum it all up with one image, but I'm afraid I'll get banned.

I know... sad right?

Just google wowda melm.

In 1994, a fellow manager drew a (bad) picture of me holding a watermelon and sporting a huge toothy smile. He pinned it to the bulletin board. The big boss made Mike apologize, and asked me if I wanted him fired on the spot. I waited until Mike welled up with tears, and said, "Nah...he's a good guy. None of us are perfect."

a reply to: carewemust

I'm talking about state income taxes.


a reply to: Sheye

What didnt slaves harvest?

Watermelon the species originates in Africa.

originally posted by: MountainLaurel
a reply to: riiverare grown in Africa

yeah, good point...it's possible that younger people would have no idea about the watermelon stereotype associated with black people.

IDK why it's offensive exactly ? Someone earlier said watermelons are grown in Africa , I just always heard watermelon is a favorite food for black people...have no clue why that's offensive??

Well, here's one take on it:
How Watermelons Became a Racist Trope

originally posted by: ErrorErrorError

Its not racially offensive, its just stereotyping when its best/worst (depending on what you find is funny)
I'm not even american and i know all the jokes about black people and watermelons.
This guy clearly knew it because he even put a bowtie on it for crying out loud.
Other than that,im pretty sure the black firefighters enjoyed the watermelon anyways (see what i did there ? )

Well you're more "in the know" than I am, I guess. I've never heard a joke about black people and watermelons. And nope, if there was sarcasm or a hidden message, I missed it.

a reply to: Sheye


So the guy should have googled "foods you should never serve black people" or something before he chose what to bring? I'm confused. I mean, assuming that he didn't realize it would be offensive for whatever reason it's offensive.

one has to wonder how many of these " offended " people were wearing cotton ?

originally posted by: riiver
a reply to: Sheye


So the guy should have googled "foods you should never serve black people" or something before he chose what to bring? I'm confused. I mean, assuming that he didn't realize it would be offensive for whatever reason it's offensive.

I can't imagine the guy not knowing it could be seen as offensive. If he wanted healthy , bring in a veggie tray. But a watermelon wrapped in a pink ribbon to boot ? Something smells fishy. He got fired for a reason, but I think they should have given him a suspension.

a reply to: Greven

Wow, I had no idea how "deep" this whole watermelon issue was back in the day. Thankfully those nasty cartoons are long gone, I don't remember them in my lifetime.

Ok Ok, From someone who has No idea what you people ( as in You People are talking about,

Could someone please explain to all us Non Americans, what this whole "Fire Fighters not liking watermelons", is all about?

This is obviously another "American" thing.

Thanks.