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Original post at theGrio.com
An investigation has been launched after a Miami-Dade firefighter posted some inflammatory remarks in the wake of Trayvon Martin’s death on his personal Facebook page.
The website, which is geared toward African-American issues, said someone with access to Beckmann’s Facebook page sent them a screen shot of his posting.
CBS4 called a number listed for Beckmann on Sunday said he didn’t like people calling his cell phone and ‘No Comment’.
David Ovalle at The Miami Herald:
Capt. Brian Beckmann’s post, published for the public Friday by the website theGrio.com, lambasts the prosecutor in the George Zimmerman case and suggests “urban youth” are the products of “failed, sh*tbag, ignorant, pathetic, welfare dependent excuses for parents.”
The Miami-Dade Fire Rescue told Joy-Ann Reid, managing editor of theGrio and a Miami Herald contributing columnist, it was investigating the captain’s online posting.
Beckmann, told the website in a Facebook message: “I am a private citizen and have the same right to freely express an opinion on any subject that anyone else does. I choose not to embellish or alter the facts as your employer chose to do.”
WTVJ:
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue released a statement saying the post is currently under investigation.
“The post on his personal Facebook page is being investigated by Miami-Dade Fire Rescue. The department’s only official Facebook page is: www.facebook.com/miamidadefirerescue.”
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Also on STATter911 …
- UPDATED: Miami-Dade Captain Brian Beckmann demoted to firefighter. Psychological eval ordered over Facebook rant on Trayvon Martin case. Mayor says ‘we are public servants 24/7′. – May 14, 2012
- Miami-Dade captain demoted over Facebook post testifies at arbitration hearing. Brian Beckmann stands by comment posted off-duty in Trayvon Martin case. – February 6, 2013
- Read Miami-Dade investigative report into Trayvon Martin case Facebook rant. Despite apology Captain Brian Beckmann demoted two ranks to firefighter. Read statements from union & mayor. – May 15, 2012
- Update on Miami-Dade confrontation video: Situation under review. No disciplinary action at this time. Department says they are allowed to secure landing zones. – March 23, 2013
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I believe the mistake made here was the Captain identifying himself as a fire department member/officer. Regardless of what disclaimer you put in the posting, you will be representing the department and you do not have the right to place the department in the story when it has no relationship to the incident. If he wants to express his opinion as a private citizen, leave your rank and department out of the post.
Boy, this is a thin line…he didn’t make a racial epithet, Thank goodness. But as North Chief says, he did identify himself as an officer in the FD.
Several of my coworkers and I are FB friends. We are all scrupulous about avoiding any kind of patient data out of fear of that 50,000$ HIPPA fine and the ole pink slip. And we have some stories….
I guess bottom line is a phrase another physician said to my husband about his work in the prison: “It won’t look good on paper”. It’s OK to say some things out loud to a friend in private, but once you put fingers to keyboard, watch out.
Freedom of speech…enough said. 1.) Why is this news? Are we not allowed to say things that others find disagreeable or offensive? 2.) Why is the fire dept investigating this? Did he make the post while on shift, does it matter if he did? This is just the media’s attempt to stir the pot a little more, keep this story hot so they can sell more advertising.
His statement is not only correct, but it does not identify any individual group or individual persons by race, color, creed, religion, or otherwise. “Urban youth” is a general term that describes ALL kids within inner city environments.
Nothing more than political correctness run amuck.
Kudos to someone willing to state the truth. Even if you disagree, it this what freedom of speech has come to? It’s OK to say what you want as long as you don’t offend any of the protected class in this country?
Well he is entitled to his opinion as anyone else, but no need to identify himself either as an officer or member of the fire department. The fire departments are probably the most respected of all the emergency workers and as private individuals I guess you can think or say what you feel, but as a member of a well loved and respected organisation, best not to contaminate the organisation with generalised oppinions. And finally, there is always two sides to every story so its never wise to comment withought knowing all the facts.
I actually don’t think he identified himself as an officer with Miami-Dade Fire Rescue. I think the news media is identifying him as such if you’re referring to the quote.
North Chief is right, firefighters, police officers and others do have a right to their opinions, but they do NOT have the right to use their official positions to bolster their opinions, to attempt to give those opinions a patina of official support, or to claim special expertise or privilege.
Strange how the people who seem to be shouting the loudest about Trayvon Martin’s failings are strangely silent about those of George Zimmerman.
I am seeing more and more racism and hatred from the emergency services… racist cops and firefighters, Oath Keepers, virulent tea partiers, birthers, etc. I think if I were a minority, I would find it very hard to believe that some of these responders really gave a damn about me.
Not that the problem is restricted to the emergency services, of course. Fox News and its affiliates, along with the rabid voices of right-wing talk radio (Limbaugh, Beck, et al) are spewing their vile ignorance across the length and breadth of this country. The right wingers have elevated rudeness, crudity, and hatred to what they consider “polite discourse.”
And CCFD, yes, it matters if he made his post on agency time. As a taxpayer, I would be furious about spending my hard-earned dollars so someone can do this, much the way you are disgusted by people criticizing him. BTW, were you on shift when you wrote this? If I were writing this on shift, would you want to be paying me for this? Or do only fundamentalist conservatives have freedom of speech in your version of America?
We, as civil servants (who are no longer civil, apparently) have an absolute right to our opinions. My opinion is that Captain Beckmann should be disciplined — perhaps even terminated — for exposing the fire service to shame and ridicule for his arrogant posting. “Failed, sh**bag, ignorant, pathetic” rednecks also cause a lot of problems.
And before we tar the media for “stirring the pot,” remember that Fox keeps stirring various pots like birtherism to sell their advertising. And they do it far more viciously — and with more mendacious falsehoods — than the so-called “librul main-stream media.”
Well said brother. Racism has always been apart of the fire service. It was white males for the longest time. People are just being more vocal about it now instead of just using institutionalized racism to keep non white males out of the service.
This is not what is at issue here this is just racial pandering. there are plenty of Blacks, Hispanics and yes even women in the fire service so pull your head out of your ass and look around before pulling the race crap.
Re-read what I said. It WAS like that for a long time. I know the fire service is diverse now and it’s great.
Wow somebody has an issue with free thinking individuals who have an opinion other than yours. You talk about all these people in your post but your just as bad what makes your pedastool so perfect? I as a responder may not like certain people for whatever reason thats my right but I do my job regardless of race, religion, sexual orientation etc.. I have many friends of different races, religions, sexual orientation etc..
This is priceless….
“Failed, sh**bag, ignorant, pathetic” rednecks also cause a lot of problems.” end quote..
Hmm so your against these people just like some people are against others guess the kettle is black isn’t there?
Just because your on the clock doesnt mean you give up your rights as a US citizen and ever consider someone used a personal device such as a cell phone to post said quote? In your version of america apparently civil servants give up their rights when they are hired this is highly incorrect they are asked to support and uphold the constitution.
As for the media lets think about this for a second…regardless if its NBC, ABC, CNN, Fox they all take stuff and blow it out of proportion because it gets higher ratings and causes issues so they have things to report about so regardless if the news is liberal or conservative sitting in the middle or part of an agenda it tends to cause issues because the news is suppose to be impartial and just report the news not let reporters or anchors use it to further their opinions or agendas.
I love how being a bigot makes you a “free thinker”
Antifa I am not a bigot I am the farthest from it I just do not appreciate certain people making issues out of non issues and then turning it into a racial thing. From what I see you are just as much a bigot as those rednecks and others you speak of so keep standing on that pedastool ill keep knocking you off till you get the point. Yeah the fire and emergency services are predominately white so what is the issue? if they are qualified and got hired whats the issue? Lets not talk about affirmative action and how it is racist based on the fact it makes companies hire solely based on race and race quotas and not qualifications and experience thus putting people and the public in danger due to these facts yeah lets blame the white redneck bigots for holding you down its just sad and pathetic. And before you start on the your a racist rant I feel coming I have family who is mixed black and mixed Asian and I have friends of pretty much every race color sexual orientation religion so go ahead call me a racist or a bigot and Ill call you what you are…a HYPOCRIT.
Mr618 I was not on shift when writting this reply. i can see your case if he is using city materials to write the post, but what if he is using his cell phone on his down time? I never said one group or the other has the right of free speech, if i did then in my version of America there would be no hate groups, ect.
Why should this person be punished for an opion that he made on his own personal FB page? Unless he was putting the post on the cities FB page then he should be able to post with no fear of lossing his job.
” for exposing the fire service to shame and ridicule for his arrogant posting. “Failed, sh**bag, ignorant, pathetic” rednecks also cause a lot of problems.”
And what is the difference in what the cpt said and what you are saying here? Should you be fired because you are posting on a fire blog site and putting shame to your dept by posting this? Which one are you, the pot or the kettle?
Mr618, you don’t think the more liberal media like MSNBC doesn’t do the same thing? I may or may not agree with Mr. Beckmann’s statement, but our Freedom of Speech allows him to voice his opinion. It amazes me how liberals are all about freedome of speech until it’s an opinion they don’t like.
For most of us, it’s not about his right to express himself. It’s the fact that he’s a public servant acting (or not acting) in life and death situations where people depend on him and his honor. I don’t see any commitment to “protect and serve” in someone who thinks that way because behavior follows thought. Very scary for the people he’s paid to serve.I
I WAS A HUGE FAN OF FIREFIGHTERS, BUT THIS HAS TO MAKE YOU WONDER ABOUT THE DECISIONS OF INDIVIDUAL HATERS IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENTS ALL OVER AMERICA. And when their buddies don’t get it and defend them, it compounds a new stereotype that now they all have to live with. So unfair to those who are true heroes.
Yikes !!!
Whether he has a legal right to post without interference from his employer is one aspect of this. Understanding that a few sentences on your Facebook page, with the right set of circumstances, can suddenly rocket around the world at the speed of light, impacting your reputation and the image of those around you is another important consideration.
Statter
Dave, just curious because you know me…if a FF has a Social Media acct that does not ID them as a member of the FD they work for “but everybody knows he is one” does that still make you a target if you post as a private citizen?
i hope not because its just my opinion that “words” in the absence of an illegal act or the commission of a crime are just words
I’d have to agree with the most of the above posts. He has identified himself and represents the department. Now the public knows there is a bigot(at least one publicly identified) that works for the department and that mistrust will carry on when the FD shows up for an emergency. There is already a mistrust of authority figures among the minority community and Miami has a history of racial tensions and this will only makes it worse.
Would I want this guy having my back in a dnagerous situation or even coming to my house to help me knowing how he fells…HELL TO DA NO.
Its a shame that in this day and age people still think like this. While I was never an “urban youth” we know its means BLACK. As a black man I was raised by a mother and father. My friends had two parents. And if they weren’t married they knew both parents.
It shows a hate of another race. Sure its protected by Freedom of speech but that doesn’t make it right. I hope he gets fired
Unbelievable he has an opinion and you literally want to go after him for it and say you wouldn’t want him to have your back that’s just sad and pathetic. Regardless of someones opinion or beliefs when the alarm sounds it is all left at the station because we are all part of a team but some people don’t understand that concept such as yourself. I guess in your world everyone has to be of the same opinion or they aren’t welcome I guarantee there are people you work with that have similar opinions but you don’t know it and never will because they are afraid due to the PC Police.
I think the point Mr. Moyer is making is that he is not sure Beckmann *would* have his back. I know if one of my fellow firefighters made such comments about German-Americans, I, as a German-American, could not be sure that Beckmann would be there for me if things went to hell. Beckmann’s comments imply that beliefs and opinions may not necessarily “be left at the station.”
Youranignorantmoron, based on your commentary, I wouldn’t want you anywhere near me at a fire scene, for you have implied that you wouldn’t lift a finger to save anyone — even a feloow firefighter (if you are, in fact, a FF) — if he or she didn’t agree with you 100%.
Considering your rant about Conservatives I’d be a little concerned about your actions should a fellow Firemen become injuried or trapped at a fire scene, since the majority of the Firemen I know are conservatives to begin with.
Mr618 well well well lets see… I am a firefighter have been for 15 years I currently hold the rank of Lieutenant. I do believe you are exactly what I chose as my screen name due to the fact that you seem to think that just because someone may have a differing opinion than you about another race etc that they will not have your back…well thats complete BS and you know it or maybe you don’t…I am an Irish-American or wait is it simply american? hmmmm yup we are Americans who are descendants of Germans and or Irish or Africans etc… I would have any firefighters back on a fire scene…even yours because I believe in brotherhood and backing up my fellow firefighters where I run we all understand we all have differing opinions on almost everything and we argue and debate stuff all the time but we together are a cohesive group that does the job effectively every time because we are a team and on the fire ground it doesn’t matter if your black, white, purple, gay, straight, transgender, or whatever because you are simply a firefighter in my eyes the politics can stay back at the fire house. And where have I implied that I wouldnt lift a finger to help anyone? thats why i do this so are you stupid? seriously pull your head out of your ass.
How does “Urban Youth” imply Black? I grew up in an Urban environment and I’m white… Does that mean I wasn’t an Urban Youth? Seems to me your quite the racist yourself.
Craig, everyone who does not agree with you is not racist
I have yet to meet anyone in the fire service who does not have opinions, often strong opinions, about the news of the day. Is that a crime? Is it a crime that this captain expressed his opinion? Why is this worthy of investigation?
Slow down and investigate folks, do your walk around and see what we have here. I just went to the C side at the Grio.com and the screen shot of Brian Beckmann’s facebook post does not have any info nor links to MDFD, i.e. nothing evident. As I stated in my reply to Dave a few minutes ago this is really an open and shut issue. He is in fact protected under free speech case law. See the facebook post here: http://www.thegrio.com/specials/trayvon-martin/miami-dade-fire-captain-on-zimmerman-charges-blame-shtbag-parents-of-our-urban-youth.php
Not promoting the site or anything just do an assessment folks see what is going on and check the facts before coming to conclusions.
This wont make any difference the PC Police have all the evidence they need to hang this guy out for this and its just sad and as you can see above its already opening up the racial divide issue we all apparently have.
gotta agree with you grady: my local paper said that what he said got reposted to facebook and since the screenshot says nothing about where he works, he cant be tagged for it. i may not agree with what he said, but he does have a right to say it. i have had it with the PC police
You are looking at a mobile screen capture of a FB post. I’m sure if you were to have looked at his Profile or About page, he would have listed his affiliation to the department, hence the issue. If his FB was scrubbed clean of affiliation to the department prior to posting, then yes, this is a sorta non issue. But he was identified as a member of the department, on FB or not, and that’s still a black eye for the department.
I tried to look up Captain Beckmann’s Facebook page to read his post for myself to see what context it was made in. I don’t believe he identified himself as a Fire Capt. for Miami Dade in the post. While we must always be aware that we represent the fire service, he is entitled to his opinion as long as he’s not stating that opinion in an official capacity. I tend to agree with CCFD above. The media frenzy was dieing down since the arrest of Mr. Zimmerman. They had to find something controversial related to this case to report on, Mr. Zimmerman’s choice of breakfast wasn’t garnering enough attention.
What you see in FD,PD and emergency services make you more in touch with REALITY than most out there. Play your PC bull excrement while black on black crime is epidemic to all major cities and surrounding areas. Make changes not your pathetic excuses which just lets the same old criminal behavior rule the streets. People of every color: Clean your own house first before throwing rocks at others!!!!
your all ignorant and think your oppinion is the right one. anyone who says they don’t have preconceived notions or people they don’t like are lying to themselfs. If you are a professional and really care about being a fireman you would give anyone 110% if they asked for your help no madder how you “feel” about them. If you can’t don’t be a fireman. Same goes for backing up your brother. there will be people from time to time you don’t care for or even like in your organization but you must still be willing to lay it ALL on the line to back them up!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smciRU0d38U summs it up!
Quit taking yourselfs soo seriously
i 100% disagree with what he wrote but I believe he has the right to post it without question.
Any conclusions to draw, from the first day’s discussion? I keep thinking about school teachers, and the repeated stories that I hear about them getting disciplined for, say, being seen or photographed drinking a beer away from work.
There are probably “teacher’s personal codes of conduct” out there that we would shake our heads about. But let’s apply that line of thinking to emergency services.
Are there personal behaviors that are (a.) perfectly legal but (b.) entirely problematic if announced or advertised to the world? I think we know the answer, and its compounded by the digital age.
Much like the reports from Key West the other week, and all the school kids behaving better during spring break. Why? Because they all feared Facebook photos and other postings would reveal their indulgent activities.
There are more eyes for the watching than ever before.
Good advice ovmjake. (Funny, funny episode).
Legeros the point is yes employers and schools are watching what people are doing outside of work and school and this is technically a civil rights violation because your only an employee on the clock and a student during school hours and functions. It is a sad and ridiculous day in our country when we have to be afraid of having a life outside of work or school for fear of saying or doing something wrong on PERSONAL time its just sick and needs to stop our employers and school administrators do not own us or control us they just employ or teach and need to know their place.
There’s an interesting postscript, or perhaps second chapter, to this story. Protests have been called (or even happened) by citizens demanding action or firing of this firefighting.
That seems like new twist to me, though maybe there are recent comparable examples.
How strong is solidarity for free speech, when you’re facing the physical presence of protestors?
I think about resources. Any employer (fire department or otherwise) must divert their energies to deal with bad press. What what’s the cost in man hours when the ante’s upped to include actual people in front of city hall?
Comes back to personal choice. Yes, you can speak your mind. But how will it affect your reputation, and that of your department. And then one further step, how much extra work will you create (and pull from more pressing needs) if your personal choice proves unwise?
Mind you, the core work won’t be affected. Nobody’s going to stop calling 911 when they have an emergency, because there’s an issue like this in the news. (It would have to be quite an issue, or of amazing magnitude, to override people’s reaching for the phone to dial 911…)
Just some Saturday thoughts for you…