Once again, Keith Olbermann covered the aftermath of the Cranick family's tragic loss of their home. Jonathan Turley was brought in to discuss the legal issues behind the subscription based fire service in Obion County.
For those who commented on my diary Monday that the firefighters were being unfairly targeted in this case, the International Association of Firefighters (PDF) has issued a statement condemning the actions of the South Fulton Fire Department.
Fire Fighters Condemn South Fulton’s Decision to Let Home Burn
Washington, DC –International Association of Fire Fighters General President Harold Schaitberger today issued the following statement on the September 29 fire in Obion County, Tennessee:
"The decision by the South Fulton Fire Department to allow a family’s home to burn to the ground was incredibly irresponsible. This tragic loss of property was completely avoidable. Because of South Fulton’s pay-to-play policy, fire fighters were ordered to stand and watch a family lose its home.
"Everyone deserves fire protection because providing public safety is among a municipality’s highest priorities."
"Instead, South Fulton wants to charge citizens outside the city for fire protection. We condemn South Fulton’s ill-advised, unsafe policy. Professional, career fire fighters shouldn’t be forced to check a list
before running out the door to see which homeowners have paid up. They get in their trucks and go."
As I've said before, if you are comfortable with your opinions matching those of Glenn Beck and Jonah Goldberg then more power to you. I for one will stand with the victims of this travesty and the many voices of compassion by condemning the cruel inaction of the South Fulton City Manager and Fire Chief.
Jonathan Turley has more.
Transcript here.
My favorite quote...
But the thing that I find most worrisome there is the corrosive effect on the professionalism of these firefighters. Some firefighters, obviously, were just following orders and they were very upset about this. But to turn firefighters into this type of menace, I mean, because they‘re there not as part of the solution but now part of the problem, and you‘re really basing a whole moral judgment on the failure to pay a contract.
And for those conservatives that are saying, well, you should let the house burn, the question is: where‘s the moral dimension here? You know, whether this was legal or not, it was facially immoral. I mean, any citizen, not just a firefighter, who sees a house burning has a moral obligation to try to do something about it other than use them as an example for contract negotiations.
As a former firefighter and Coast Guard member, this whole terrible event has really hit on something that is literally an instinctive reaction in me and other "rescuer personalities" that tend to populate the life-saving professions. I simply cannot fathom how a human being could stand by with the means to help and choose not to act. It is a completely alien mindset to me. That is why I've continued to post diaries all week about it.
Thank you once again for everyone who has helped bring this story to the forefront here.