Wvc Seniors Enjoy Mixed Success In Indoor All-star Games

2 Men Hurt In Attack At W-b Group Home

Sunday, February 08, 1998 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 3A 





Putting a spin on racism &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Why stop now? &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; So what if an arbitrator has ruled that Wilkes-Barre officials erred in the
level of punishment they dished out to firefighters Gary Guesto and Alan &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Klapat? &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Just because they teased co-worker Robert Harris? &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Is it really sufficient to return to them thousands of dollars in back pay
as well as the perks that went with the job? &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Maybe Guesto and Klapat should file their own civil rights lawsuits against
the city. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Maybe these public servants should even ask for the right to rehang their
controversial artwork- hang it high in the city garage where Robert Harris has
to see it every day at work. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 So what if their fun illustration compares African-American Harris to a
monkey? &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 What ever happened to the First Amendment? What ever happened to freedom of
speech? Whatever happened to white power? &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Did anybody ever think that the reason the city Fire Department works as
well as it does is because it's segregated? Since they don't employ blacks or
women firefighters, they never had an internal problem with stuff like this
before. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Now, though, Harris (an outsider who works in another city department) is
suing, the NAACP is belly-aching, the media is in a feeding frenzy and reverse
racists in the administration are socking it to these poor white men. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Right? &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 I don't think so. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Allow me to apologize for having just sounded like a guest preacher giving
the Sunday sermon at the Aryan Church of the High Skinhead. I'm sorry if I
gave pause to any reader, especially Harris, who has enough on his mind
without wondering if I finally joined the crowd that wouldn't have minded if
the firefighters had hung poor Harris, not just his photo, in the city garage. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 But my rantings are very close to the official position the Wilkes-Barre
Fire Department union takes in the brief its Philadelphia lawyer filed on
behalf of Guesto and Klapat. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The guy who prepared this review will never lack work. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The new-and-improved, kinder, gentler Klan could use his spin in its public
relations department. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Calling city officials who opposed the bigotry of Guesto and Klapat the
real racists, the lawyer mocks decency and common sense. Calling the community
reaction "politically correct," the lawyer basks in predictable conservatism. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Labeling officials who "fanned the flames of prejudice" as the real
hate-mongers just because they announced that the culprits who hung the
pictures would be fired, the lawyer ought to be ashamed of himself. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 No doubt, he earned his money. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Guesto and Klapat weren't fired. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 They're back. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 With white power on their side. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Many sad ironies exist here, most of which are ignored by people on both
sides in a city wracked with racial insensitivities. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 After asking the mayor not to fire Guesto and Klapat, Harris got a lawyer
who notified the city of Harris' intent to sue. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 I'm all for the lawsuit. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Courtrooms often provide the only way to change behavior and right wrongs. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 City officials said Friday they have not received details of Harris'
lawsuit but expect the city as well as the two firefighters to be named as
defendants. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 If that happens, and if the case does go to court and testimony begins, the
city and the two firefighters might end up on the same side of the courtroom. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Strange, huh? &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 After Mayor Tom McGroarty told the world that Guesto and

Putting A Spin On Racism 
Why Stop Now? 
So What If An Arbitrator Has Ruled That Wilkes-barre Officials Erred In The 
Level Of Punishment They Dished Out To Firefighters Gary Guesto And Alan 
Klapat? 
Just Because They Teased Co-worker Robert Harris? 
Is It Really Sufficient To Return To Them Thousands Of Dollars In Back Pay As