Robert Frazier

[Kiwiology]

Sometimes silly statements can come back on us, or we look back on our past actions and statements with some regret after we have lived, matured and have been able to appreciate life from different viewpoints.

How very true, I look back on one or two things I did in days gone by and am sort of embarrassed for myself, if not down right ashamed

I have to wonder if the original starter of this thread regrets what he did to me and the other people he lied to, because now he has probably slunk off with his head between his legs feeling like a major dickhead

[chbare]

PM received. Can I go off on a big tangent with an anecdote?

When I was in Afghanistan, part of my duties involved repatriating people who were killed. It was not a pleasant job. One such job had me dealing with aide workers who were ambushed and executed. We were dealing with the situation during the worst time of the day for IED/VBID attacks and I was frustrated. I made a very stupid comment. I said that I "wish these granola, tree huggers wouldn't come to other countries and get themselves killed at my inconvenience." My ops manager quickly said to me, "maybe, but this world needs people like them, millions of people like them."

I was instantly ashamed and humiliated. I made a careless comment about a person who gave up their life trying to make a child's life better. I deeply regret making that comment to this day.

[Kiwiology]

Great example mate; I deeply, deeply regret one or two things I have done in my life, it has cost me more than I ever thought possible and it will be me who has to live with the consequences of my actions. While nothing terrible (not like I was Pol Pot's prodigy) it has cost me very, very deeply and put me back into a very dark, very nasty place I thought I'd escaped from.

Oh well, what would you expect from a funny talking Kiwi?

[mikemedic999]

See....we can all get along just fine .............

People say things they dont mean....i said something to a friend once and it cost me dear...i miss that friend dearly and despite me apologising we havent spokem since......

Now im off to do a 2pm-2am..gonna go save lives n all that shingdig.....

[paramedicmike]

Yes I am. And as I did apologize there. I will not here. Until you live in this region and see what I see dont even go there.

As CHBARE mentioned, you're assuming I don't, or have never, lived in the region. You also assume that I don't, or have never, encountered illegals in other areas. You also assume that these people who are tired, hungry and afraid of going back to their home country to face a variety of unpleasant ways to die will not go out of their way to ensure they are not caught by somebody who's only there to help.

Please. Save us all the "until you live/work/do what I do" line. You know nothing about me or any other member of this forum. You have no idea my background, experience, or life experiences.

Ive been called out. (By you and only you should memory serve me right.)Because it was in the wrong &*!$ing forum.

I called you out because your comments were stupid, insensitive, blatantly offensive and stupendously unprofessional. It wouldn't matter the forum in which you made them. I'd have called you out anywhere you posted that nonsense.

I was also not the only one to call you out over those particular comments.

And as Ive seen here there are unprofessional comments made by many users.Hell ever heard of chickenbreath, frequent flyer, stretcher fetcher, hose monkey. Three of the four listed are direct comments regarding other public safety professionals and could be a hell and a handbasket if caught uttering those words. And three of the four can be found on this website.

I think you'll find quite commonly that many derogatory terms are called out by those who utter them. Is every occasion caught? No. I can't ready every post. Neither can you or anyone else here. I did, however, read your post. It could not pass without comment.

Its not unprofessional if its not on the clock. Im on my own time I am being myself.

Unfortunately for you, this is not true. There are plenty of examples, many linked here on this site, of people who've been fired for off duty behaviour. They have sued for their jobs back and lost. Your employer, and any employer you will ever have, is free to place restrictions on their employees regarding behaviour on and off duty. If you want to keep the job you'll abide by those rules. This is a fact of life that it seems you have also yet to learn.

The only people Im rascist towards for the record are ignorant people that do not wish to learn from their mistakes.

I missed this comment the first time I read through your post. I'm still unsure how to address this. At least you're honest about your prejudices. What's disturbing, however, is that you seem to think it's acceptable.

And if my employer should DARE fire me from a comment over this board I will sue their ass as their is nothing in company policy in regards to online chat rooms/forums. And easily win.

You will lose and case law is against you. There's a guy in Tennessee if I remember correctly who was fired for comments made on Facebook while he was off duty and at home. He lost his appeal and will not get his job back. There's another guy in GA who made one of those stupid lego man videos that were the rage several months ago. In the video, that he posted on line, he painted a local physician in very poor light. He was fired and will not be getting that job back.

I get that you're young. I get that, as a young person, you think that we can't possibly understand you or where you're coming from. Every young person feels that way at some point. Every young person forgets, or doesn't learn until much later, that many people feel the same way at some point in their life. Some young people are fortunate that they have others looking out for them to help guide them down the right path. Some young people are not bright enough to see that those people are there for them.

You made comments disparaging certain, specific groups of people. You then made jokes about killing another specific group of people. (Think about that for a minute. You made a joke about *killing* people. And you seriously think that's ok?) I will call you, and anybody else who makes those comments, out. And I will not seriously consider, not even for a second, the "live in my area and you'll think differently" argument.

Because I have lived in your area. I've done more things and been more places than you have. So don't think you know me or anyone else on this forum. Because you'll be wrong about that, too. Just like you're wrong about some of the things you've tried to pass off as jokes.

Edited February 28, 2012 by paramedicmike

[Kiwiology]

Now im off to do a 2pm-2am..gonna go save lives n all that shingdig.....

See....we can all get along just fine .............

Righto, so which of us is going to drive the big yellow box today?

Red base, November 100 available

[mikemedic999]

Yellow box?oh...u mean the truck....can i drive one?

[HERBIE1]

Not sure why, but I had passed on reading this thread. WOW. Talk about a major derail and right- and left- turn.

Amazing that this poser was caught here- I guess the online EMS world is smaller than I thought.

As for the derail with the illegals-

Since I have no real dog in this fight (and before someone gets their undies in a bunch about this silly little phrase, I do NOT advocate dog fighting, I think it's barbaric and disgusting, but I am making a point here) I will simply say this:

Although we all may be involved in EMS in some fashion, threads like this remind me of how different we really are.

In my area, a comment about picking off illegals would be taken exactly as it was intended- a rude, tasteless, and unPC JOKE. It would be looked at in the same light as a crude or off color joke about women's or men's body parts, the intelligence of a blonde, or a "you might be a redneck if...". NOBODY thinks the person who utters such a phrase/comment/joke really does shoot illegals as they cross the border, or REALLY thinks all blondes have lower IQ's than everyone else, or that all folks who live in rural areas or the Southern USA are not too bright, or that all Catholic priests are pedophiles. That's what often makes these comments so funny- they may make us uncomfortable, unPC, are ridiculous, exaggerations, and yes, stereotypes that are ripe for picking apart because they are so outrageous.

Is there a time and place for such humor? Yep, and I think most folks are able to figure that out. I'm all for elevating our status as a profession, but I fail to see how a few comments or jokes here somehow derails that pursuit. Should an EMS provider presenting a research paper at a conference start off his talk with a redneck joke, or tell a blonde joke? Of course not, and if someone doesn't realize that, they must be a blonde or a redneck...

My opinion-after 30 years in this business, some folks simply take themselves way too seriously and/or have a hyperinflated sense of self worth and self importance. In my experience, they are indeed the rare exception, as most people I know and have met possess similar laid back attitudes. When it comes time to work, they are all business and completely professional. Off the clock, between calls, amongst peers in private- that's another story.

Life is too short people- lighten up.

(Note- this is not directed at anyone in particular, just a general observation, and probably triggered by some recent interactions in my current position.)

[Eydawn]

Using anyone for target practice = poor taste. There, now I called you out too, lol.

Shamelessly redirecting to the new thread I created: http://www.emtcity.com/topic/21493-recognizing-your-own-bias/page__pid__276144#entry276144

Shall we let some of these other threads go back to their original course, and corral all the ethical, philosophical debate into one arena?

Wendy

CO EMT-B

[BillKaneEMT]

Using anyone for target practice = poor taste. There, now I called you out too, lol.

Shamelessly redirecting to the new thread I created: http://www.emtcity.c...144#entry276144

Shall we let some of these other threads go back to their original course, and corral all the ethical, philosophical debate into one arena?

Wendy

CO EMT-B

Sounds like a plan. This was a truly spectacular derailed thread here. It was a case of the train not just leaving the tracks but jumping off a bridge and falling through a wormhole to reappear in French Polynesia back in 8326 B.C. Please note, that was a joke. I was, in fact, taking the piss:) If you are a railroad employee, bridge engineer, particle physicist, French Polynesian, historian, or caveman/woman; please don't yell at me, I was only kidding!!! Honest! ;-D

Now where were we.... Oh yah. Darn you Robert Frazier!!!! How dare you try give us fake credentials! Want mine? EMT-B in the state of Indiana. That's all. My credentials are so tiny. I need to buy a porsche or something. Just so everyone is clear, I don't have room to let people stay with me but if anybody ends up in Northwest IN do let me know. We'll go grab a bite and a brew at least. Seriously, I'll pull a Shatner and find you a cheap, decent hotel but I have no space for houseguests. I do know the best bars and restaurants in the area though! Also the best place for karaoke and $2 you-call-its on Wednesdays. The piss, I can assure you, is not being taken regarding that!

Just an fyi, I now intend to use that phrase incessantly. It makes me grin and has now entered my regular vocab. Gonna spread it around to all my friends too. Kiwi, you ever show up here you'll know how to get in touch with me by following the trail of people using NZ phrases:P That goes for anyone else who appears in this region too. Or, y'know, send a PM first:)

edit: sp

Edited February 28, 2012 by BillKaneEMT