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White FDNY lieutenant, 9-11 hero sues department over racial discrimination

May 19, 2019 | | Print Article
(FILE PHOTO by public domain)

Contrary to what the far-left would have you believe, racism and discrimination can run in multiple directions. A white man might discriminate against a Chinese man. A Chinese man might discriminate against a black man. And, believe it or not, a black man might discriminate against a white man.

The possibilities are endless, sadly, as New York City Fire Department Lt. Daniel McWilliams knows all too well. On Friday he filed a federal discrimination suit alleging that he was discriminated against by the FDNY two years ago specifically because of his white skin complexion.

FYI, McWilliams is one of three FDNY firefighters famous for having hoisted the American flag back up at Ground Zero immediately following the Sept. 11 terror attacks:

Within the fire department, there’s a fraternal organization, the Vulcan Society, for black firefighters. On Nov. 19, 2017, the society held a memorial Mass for deceased members of the group. McWilliams had hoped to be a flag bearer at the ceremony, but his request was denied allegedly because of his race.

In a lawsuit filed Friday in federal court in Brooklyn, McWilliams cited a conversation that occurred between him and then-Vulcan Society president Regina Wilson just prior to the memorial mass.

“Lieutenant, I specifically requested an all-black color guard,” Wilson allegedly said to him.

“Are you removing me from the color guard because I am not black?” he reportedly replied.

“Yes I am,” she then confirmed.

The lawsuit claims that the “racially-charged exchanges” were overheard by McWilliams’ friends and colleagues, and that he wound up fleeing the scene “to save himself from further shame, humiliation and embarrassment.”

“As a result of the defendants’ conduct, [McWilliams] has suffered severe shame, emotional distress and damage to his reputation,” the lawsuit reads, according to the New York Daily News. “Defendant Wilson … intentionally, maliciously and publicly stripped the plaintiff of (his) prestigious honor … on account of his race.”

Does this not qualify as racial discrimination? Some argue that it certainly does:

Racism is racism indeed, and as noted by the social media users above, anti-white racism and discrimination, in particular, have been on the rise in the United States, in part because of the media.

Comprised almost entirely of Democrats, the mainstream media have spread the false narratives that anti-white racism doesn’t exist, that every white person possesses so-called “white privilege” and that it’s perfectly acceptable to discriminate against and speak negatively about white people.

Take a look at these headlines. They all originate with outlets that are considered by the establishment to be trustworthy and reputable — particularly in comparison to Fox News:

  • White Men Must be Stopped: The Very Future of Mankind Depends on It (Salon)
  • I Don’t Know What To Do With Good White People (Jezebel)
  • Ten Things White People Need To Stop Saying (HuffPost)
  • I Broke Up With Her Because She’s White (The New York Times)
  • How Should We Talk About White Men Today (The Washington Post)

Headlines such as these written about black people would never be tolerated.

Regarding McWilliams’ lawsuit, the Daily News notes that he’s seeking “a jury trial to set compensatory and punitive damages against the Vulcan Society, the FDNY, Wilson and the City of New York.”

The suit also claims that during an investigation performed by the FDNY’s Equal Employment Opportunity Office, Wilson asserted that she had the right to not only request black flag bearers for the memorial service, but to also boot any white firefighters who dared to attend the service.

The FDNY Bureau of Legal Affairs has reportedly argued against McWilliams by claiming that his removal was a non-discriminatory “subtle exclusion.” He, in turn, accused the department of “once again turning a blind eye to discrimination and creating a double-standard within the FDNY.”

HERE’S WHAT YOU’RE MISSING …

While Wilson, the Vulcan Society and the FDNY have all refused to comment on the pending lawsuit, the New York City Law Department did issue a statement to the Daily News.

“We will review the complaint once we are served and respond accordingly,” a spokesperson said.

While it’s unclear if McWilliams will win his suit, the FDNY is not new to legal controversy.  Earlier this year a man sued the department for allegedly discriminating against him in his effort to become a firefighter, even though he’d failed the physical exam multiple times.

And back in 2014, the department reached a $100 million settlement with the Vulcan Society after the black-only group accused it of racial discrimination, ironically enough …

HERE’S WHAT YOU’RE MISSING …

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Vivek Saxena
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