The Issue: The FDNY’s recent class of probationary firefighters, who are the most diverse and the oldest.
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I wonder how these firefighters, provided they make it through the training, will be able to do the job in 20 years (“FDNY’s Old Flames” July 30).
The people of the city deserve a fire department that is made up of the most qualified firefighters, not those who got their jobs through a judge, who doesn’t have a clue.
If I was waiting in a room that was on fire for a ladder to be raised, I wouldn’t be looking at the age, gender or ethnicity of the firefighter. I would only hope that they were qualified to save me.Jerry Esposito
Southold
The current FDNY academy class has the highest percentage of minorities ever. This is attributed to a discrimination lawsuit filed against the Fire Department. The lawsuit concerned black and Hispanic applicants who took the 1999 and 2002 entry tests “but weren’t hired for a variety of reasons.”
This implies that racism may have played a role. The real reason is this: Those applicants — as well as white, Asian and others — did not score high enough on two open-book tests to be considered for employment.
The NYC civil-service system provides equal opportunity to all, but this is not enough for dangerous ideologues who see nothing but skin color and ignore equal treatment in favor of preferential treatment.
Quota hiring relies on lower standards and discriminatory treatment and creates resentment.
Those hired on a quota still have to meet the standards of the academy, but they get the chance to do so because of nothing but the color of their skin. This is true discrimination.Paul Mannix
President
Merit Matters
Staten Island