# White Police Lieutenant Awarded $1.35 Million In Racial Discrimination Lawsuit **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 30, 2014, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-police-lieutenant-awarded-1-35-million-in-racial-discrimination-lawsuit/689636 "2014-05-30T16:23:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-police-lieutenant-awarded-1-35-million-in-racial-discrimination-lawsuit/689636/1 "2014-05-30T16:23:37Z")
> **[White Police Lieutenant Awarded $1.35 Million In Racial Discrimination Lawsuit](https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/white-police-lieutenant-awarded-1-35-million-in-racial-discrimination-lawsuit/)** > > Lt. Christopher Barrella, who is white, had accused the village of awarding the police chief's job to a Hispanic officer with few qualifications and a lower test score. A Long Island police lieutenant has been awarded $1.35 million in his racial discrimination lawsuit against the village of Freeport. Lt. Christopher Barrella, who is white, had accused the village of awarding the police chief’s job to a Hispanic officer with few qualifications and a lower test score. I guess there is the proof that you can be black (the mayor against whom the suit was filed) and racist. I wonder if this case’s success will encourage others to file similar suits. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-police-lieutenant-awarded-1-35-million-in-racial-discrimination-lawsuit/689636/2 "2014-05-30T16:25:54Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > [White Police Lieutenant Awarded $1.35 Million In Racial Discrimination Lawsuit - CBS New York](http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2014/05/30/white-police-lieutenant-awarded-1-35-million-in-racial-discrimination-lawsuit/) > > A Long Island police lieutenant has been awarded $1.35 million in his racial discrimination lawsuit against the village of Freeport. > > Lt. Christopher Barrella, who is white, had accused the village of awarding the police chief’s job to a Hispanic officer with few qualifications and a lower test score. > > I guess there is the proof that you can be black (the mayor against whom the suit was filed) and racist. I wonder if this case’s success will encourage others to file similar suits. I don’t think that proves the mayor was “racist.” Maybe it supports the proposition he made a mistake, or something similar. ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-police-lieutenant-awarded-1-35-million-in-racial-discrimination-lawsuit/689636/3 "2014-05-30T16:27:58Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > I don’t think that proves the mayor was “racist.” Maybe it supports the proposition he made a mistake, or something similar. He lost in a racial discrimination suit. That’s about as close to proof of racism as it gets. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-police-lieutenant-awarded-1-35-million-in-racial-discrimination-lawsuit/689636/4 "2014-05-30T16:33:31Z")
At long last, proof that black people are The Real Racists. Or something. It’s either that or **Terr** is using a single case to argue against a position very few people hold in the first place. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-police-lieutenant-awarded-1-35-million-in-racial-discrimination-lawsuit/689636/5 "2014-05-30T16:51:35Z")
This sort of thing is hardly new news. Around here there have been successful suits by police, firemen, librarians, teachers, etc. There’s usually a major one ever year. The library one is amazing. They didn’t stop discriminating and the boss was quite overt! The taxpayers were footing the bill and the boss was an appointed position. She didn’t care as long as she saw fewer “white faces”. ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-police-lieutenant-awarded-1-35-million-in-racial-discrimination-lawsuit/689636/6 "2014-05-30T16:55:56Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > This sort of thing is hardly new news. > > Around here there have been successful suits by police, firemen, librarians, teachers, etc. There’s usually a major one ever year. > > The library one is amazing. They didn’t stop discriminating and the boss was quite overt! The taxpayers were footing the bill and the boss was an appointed position. She didn’t care as long as she saw fewer “white faces”. Stop that. Marley23 already told you, it’s just a single case! ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-police-lieutenant-awarded-1-35-million-in-racial-discrimination-lawsuit/689636/7 "2014-05-30T17:01:23Z")
No, it’s totally different if there are half a dozen or a dozen, I guess. Is there no one out there who will save the white race? ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-police-lieutenant-awarded-1-35-million-in-racial-discrimination-lawsuit/689636/8 "2014-05-30T17:11:20Z")
Who ever believed that racism was always one-sided? ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-police-lieutenant-awarded-1-35-million-in-racial-discrimination-lawsuit/689636/9 "2014-05-30T17:18:12Z")
> [@PunditLisa](#): > > Who ever believed that racism was always one-sided? There are some people who argue that while anybody can be bigoted, racism by definition requires a power structure and a history - and prejudice directed against white people doesn’t have that. I don’t think I agree, but in any event it’s a view held by a very small number of people. Having triumphantly knocked down this man of straw with his example of a thing that happened one time, **Terr** is no doubt headed for even greater victories. ---
**Author:** ![Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jimmy_Chitwood)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-police-lieutenant-awarded-1-35-million-in-racial-discrimination-lawsuit/689636/10 "2014-05-30T18:14:48Z")
I’m sure now that this, the first lawsuit ever filed by a white person, has been successful, all the other victims will be more willing to come forward. I hear so little about discrimination against whites that I actually forgot white people existed. ---
**Author:** ![Ruken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f475e1/32.png) [@Ruken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruken)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-police-lieutenant-awarded-1-35-million-in-racial-discrimination-lawsuit/689636/11 "2014-05-30T18:33:54Z")
There was a case with the New Haven fire department a few years back that might be relevant here. ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-police-lieutenant-awarded-1-35-million-in-racial-discrimination-lawsuit/689636/12 "2014-05-30T18:51:18Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > There are some people who argue that while anybody can be bigoted, racism by definition requires a power structure and a history - and prejudice directed against white people doesn’t have that. I don’t think I agree, but in any event it’s a view held by a very small number of people. Having triumphantly knocked down this man of straw with his example of a thing that happened one time, **Terr** is no doubt headed for even greater victories. I’ve encountered this argument before. Usually, the person advancing this position will be non-white, and will be trying to excuse (or at least downplay) a bigoted attitude against whites. ---
**Author:** ![jimbuff314](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c57346/32.png) [@jimbuff314](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jimbuff314)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-police-lieutenant-awarded-1-35-million-in-racial-discrimination-lawsuit/689636/13 "2014-05-30T19:19:53Z")
> [@Jimmy\_Chitwood](#): > > I’m sure now that this, the first lawsuit ever filed by a white person, has been successful, **all the other victims will be more willing to come forward**. I hear so little about discrimination against whites that I actually forgot white people existed. [bolding added] Class action! C’mon, television-advertising-attorneys, leap in here. (_If you are white and feel like you have been discriminated against by someone/situation not white in nature or aspect, call us. It could be as simple as that 5th day of May or as complicated as that 4th Thursday of November. Call our office. We’re here for you. Terms and conditions may apply._) ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-police-lieutenant-awarded-1-35-million-in-racial-discrimination-lawsuit/689636/14 "2014-05-30T19:21:18Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > [White Police Lieutenant Awarded $1.35 Million In Racial Discrimination Lawsuit - CBS New York](http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2014/05/30/white-police-lieutenant-awarded-1-35-million-in-racial-discrimination-lawsuit/) Unfortunately, IME many people really believe that whites cannot be the target of racism. ---
**Author:** ![blindboyard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blindboyard/32/2833_2.png) [@blindboyard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blindboyard)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-police-lieutenant-awarded-1-35-million-in-racial-discrimination-lawsuit/689636/15 "2014-05-30T20:03:45Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > There are some people who argue that while anybody can be bigoted, racism by definition requires a power structure and a history - and prejudice directed against white people doesn’t have that. I don’t think I agree, but in any event it’s a view held by a very small number of people. Having triumphantly knocked down this man of straw with his example of a thing that happened one time, **Terr** is no doubt headed for even greater victories. There is a power structure, that of an employer practicing racial discrimination. The idea that a white person denied a job because of his race is in some position of power over a black man keeping him unemployed, or a latin taking the job in his place, is absurd. People of any race can be victims of racism, and can suffer tortious damages as a result. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-police-lieutenant-awarded-1-35-million-in-racial-discrimination-lawsuit/689636/16 "2014-05-30T20:16:12Z")
> [@blindboyard](#): > > There is a power structure, that of an employer practicing racial discrimination. They’re not talking about an individual employer. They’re talking about the makeup of a society. > [@](#): > > The idea that a white person denied a job because of his race is in some position of power over a black man keeping him unemployed, or a latin taking the job in his place, is absurd. Nobody said that. ---
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-police-lieutenant-awarded-1-35-million-in-racial-discrimination-lawsuit/689636/17 "2014-05-30T23:20:33Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > [White Police Lieutenant Awarded $1.35 Million In Racial Discrimination Lawsuit - CBS New York](http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2014/05/30/white-police-lieutenant-awarded-1-35-million-in-racial-discrimination-lawsuit/) > > A Long Island police lieutenant has been awarded $1.35 million in his racial discrimination lawsuit against the village of Freeport. > > Lt. Christopher Barrella, who is white, had accused the village of awarding the police chief’s job to a Hispanic officer with few qualifications and a lower test score. > > I guess there is the proof that you can be black (the mayor against whom the suit was filed) and racist. I wonder if this case’s success will encourage others to file similar suits. It would, but, there are so many people who consider themselves the true defenders of persecuted races that they will torment Barrella, or anybody that defends him, until the facts of the matter are entirely forgotten. They will start to pick at the jury, judge, even the state (witness Florida) until the issue becomes anything but the issue that went to trial. ---
**Author:** ![Onomatopoeia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/onomatopoeia/32/4145_2.png) [@Onomatopoeia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Onomatopoeia)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-police-lieutenant-awarded-1-35-million-in-racial-discrimination-lawsuit/689636/18 "2014-05-30T23:53:08Z")
> [@Diceman](#): > > I’ve encountered this argument before. Usually, the person advancing this position will be non-white, and will be trying to excuse (or at least downplay) a bigoted attitude against whites. Usually? Really? That means more than 50 percent of the time. I suppose you have a cite to back up this assertion? ---
**Author:** ![blindboyard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blindboyard/32/2833_2.png) [@blindboyard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blindboyard)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2014, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-police-lieutenant-awarded-1-35-million-in-racial-discrimination-lawsuit/689636/19 "2014-05-31T07:13:56Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > They’re not talking about an individual employer. They’re talking about the makeup of a society. All employers are in a position of power in our society. Not over the idle rich, I suppose, but certainly over anyone coming to them as a supplicant looking for work, be they black or white, male or female, gay or straight. > [@](#): > > Nobody said that. Nobody in this thread said that, that was the position alluded to. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2014, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-police-lieutenant-awarded-1-35-million-in-racial-discrimination-lawsuit/689636/20 "2014-05-31T14:32:28Z")
> [@Onomatopoeia](#): > > Usually? Really? That means more than 50 percent of the time. I suppose you have a cite to back up this assertion? How does one cite a personal observance? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-police-lieutenant-awarded-1-35-million-in-racial-discrimination-lawsuit/689636.md?page=2)