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Unofficial NYPD Message Board's Racist Reactions To West Indian Day Parade
By
Christopher Robbins
Published Sep 4, 2012
Modified Sep 4, 2012
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Tien Mao / Gothamist
By
Christopher Robbins
Published Sep 4, 2012
Modified Sep 4, 2012
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Seventeen NYPD officers recently faced disciplinary actions for making racist Facebook comments about last year's West Indian Day Parade, and this week's NYPD Confidential column focuses on anti-Semitic slurs—slung on cop message board Thee Rant—that were directed at former NYPD officer Fishel Litzman, who was dismissed last year. After this year's parade and the violence that followed, the comments on Thee Rant, a commenting board for former and current NYPD personnel, remain offensive: "Still think 'scheduled riot' isn't appropriate in these circumstances?" one comment reads. Another: "Best to not rile up the savages, payback is tough."
Much of the discussion centers around the Daily News' coverage of the violence after the parade, as it originally classified a shooting in which the victims received non-fatal wounds as "minor." (The Daily News has changed the wording of the report to read "nonfatal.") "Wow, they are catching a cop attitude there bigtime!," commenter lawmanbrooklyn wrote.
Seriously, the coverage has really changed since people of color (WHITE!) started moving into the 77 near Grand Army Plaza. For years, they would report what a great parade it was. But as soon as the sweepers past, the shots would start to fly. The detail would be dismissed, and the 77 and 71 sectors would be left to handle the aftermath.
But suddenly, Muffy and Biffy have moved in and the press has taken notice of the bloodshed. Just like they notice the violence at the McCarren Park pool, even thought it was the norm at city pools for 3 decades, at least.
Commenter TrueBlue added:
Where I live, two people shot is a major incident. In Crown Heights they're just Casualties of The Cause and it doesn't matter to the MSM. But get a bit "verbally ugly" on Thee Rant...and that really matters to them. What a fvckin joke it all is.
"Verbally ugly" is an apt description of the Thee Rant commenters on Levitt's piece. "Hey Lizard, stop being a whiney yid. (no offense to my Jewish brothers and sisters-This yid asked for it)," one wrote. User HAPD is worse:
Lenny was banned from The Puzzle Palace due to his bathroom habits. He never picked up the seat and often he failed to use a courtesy flush, but in those instances where he did courtesy flush, he failed to wipe his hanging testicles which were swamped by feces laden water. …Your being watched everywhere Lenny. Everywhere you go. Everywhere. Now go out and report on all those Savages on the parade route. Yes, Lenny they are savages. Imagine yourself in the movie ZULU. You are surrounded, with sh*t water laced balls & skivvies. Think that unpleasant fact might save your arse when with the savages? Think again as they turn you into Gordon in the Sudan.
We've reached out to Levitt for comment but he may be justifiably refusing to dignify those words with a response.
[UPDATE] Levitt writes via email that he hasn't read the comments made about him in Thee Rant. "I never read Thee Rant. Somebody sent the anti-Semitic comments to me." Levitt adds, "I'm generally a free-speech guy. Let them rant all they want." Even as they ominously begin talking about the town his donation P.O. Box is located, Greenwich, Connecticut? "Maybe they want to contribute."
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Christopher Robbins
Christopher Robbins is a New York City reporter covering transportation, affordable housing, local politics, and criminal justice. His work has also appeared in New York Magazine, The Village Voice and The New York Times. Chris is a graduate of Patrick Henry High School in Roanoke, Virginia, and enjoys biking to Fort Tilden in the summertime.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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