According to CNN, the newly elected sheriff of Rock Ridge, er, Jonesboro, GA, has abused his authority by firing 27 employees unfairly due to their race. They’re white, he’s black. According to the story, Sheriff Victor Hill “called 27 employees into his office, stripped them of their badges, fired them, and had rooftop snipers stand guard as they were escorted out the door.”
Now it’s possible that thy firings might have been justified, but the racial overtones are disturbing.
I’ve hear of affirmative action but goddamn…
I guess I’d have to hear more about it. Perhaps there was some widespread corruption and he was just cleaning house. If he’s firing them just because they’re white he’s obviously in serious violation of civil rights laws but he may have just cause for each and every firing. I don’t think we have enough info yet. I find it hard to believe it’s just blatant racism with nothing else behind it. If that is the case then this sheriff is an idiot, of course, and he would only be hurting the cause of black people.
Somehow, I doubt you would be this understanding if it was a white sheriff firing all his black employees, Diogenes.
I want to say that there has to be more to the story, since this is so blatantly racist. Then I remember that people are stupid and hateful and it all makes sense again.
Well, Sheriff Hill is going to be in trouble when Hedley Lamarr hears about this.
I’m not being understanding, I’m saying I want more info. If the races were reversed my reaction would be the same, basically because I have a hard time believing that anyone in a politically vulnerable position would be that fucking stupid. I have no problem believing that a black sheriff could hate whitey but does he have no sense of self-preservation at all? It seems like there has to be more to it or else the guy is committing career suicide his first day on the job.
gobear, the linked article does not say this. It says only that the four “top employees” were white.
Fair enough. Here’s something that could have more to it:
Of course, one hopes Hill has evidence or something backing him up that corruption is going on in the department.
Good point. Strike that part of the OP.
It’s a little hard to work out exactly what’s going on down there, but part of the issue looks to be a post-election “restructuring,” i.e., getting rid of your political opponents and their cronies, in order to make way for your political friends and their cronies. It’s made more racially charged by the fact that the recently-elected sheriff, district attorney, and county commissioner are the first blacks to hold those positions since Reconstruction.
It does appear that not all the fired workers were white, according to this story:
And, according to this story (may require registration) the sheriff has been ordered by a judge to rehire the sacked workers. The issue of law appears to be whether the employees are civil service people (who would be outside the sheriff’s control), or whether they in fact fall under his authority in terms of their employment.
Gee Diogenes which is it, can we question judges decisions or do we need to take our “questions outside and pound them up (our) ass(es)”?
Though it looks like race wasn’t a factor in the firing, I still find it rather disturbing that the new sheriff’s first act appears to be a major purge of the folks already there. Either there’s some serious corruption going on, or Sheriff Hill has some major paranoia goin’ on.
This is a problem I’ve seen in too many sheriff’s departments. Since Sheriff is almost universally an elected office you get political cronyism pretty hardcore.
The problem is political spoils hurt the public if it involves dismissing seasoned law enforcement officers simply so that newly elected Sheriff Doe can appoint his biggest financial supporter’s grandson to the department.
I agree. I Google-Newsed pretty hardcore looking for further evidence of racism.
Nowthen, the debate as it appears to me:
Is political cronyism tantamount to racism, when the cronies are invariably the “other color”?
What would constitute evidence of racism? Does the man have to tattoo “I hate honkies” on his forehead?
No, but one would think firing 27 of only one race or the other would be pretty suspicious. So far we only know that the top 4 were white.
Maybe 99% were white in the first place.
I am totally getting that tatoo! Thanks, Lib! 
Or the Sheriff could be getting rid of some deeply entrenched crooks in his department, & the crooks are media-savvy enough to try & play the TV card.
Don’t rule that out.
Gotta side with DtC on this. Either the guy has some really good and demonstrable reason to fire them…or he really likes lawyers and wants to be with as many as possible for his entire term and far, far beyond.
Then sniper on the roof mean he either expected the fired employees to become violent, or he’s batshit insane.
Too soon to tell yet.
Well it’s obvious that this can’t be racism, since it was just some white folks that got screwed over. But come on, who wants to bet $10.00 that Clayton County is going to see a spot of the ‘White Flight’?