Mel Thompson, a black, active-retired member of the Derby fire department claims that he responded to a local fire on Monday morning and was “ostracized and ignored” by some firefighters on account of his race. He said that he asked other firefighters how he could help and was continuously ignored and that fire comissioner Kelly Curtis even took a picture of him, which Thompson says was “clearly an attempt at intimidation.”

Thompson became the first black member of the department when he joined 25 years ago. He admitted that it had been ”years” since he responded to a fire. Derby firefighters are given “active-retired” status when they don’t respond to a certain amount of fires per year. This is where the plot thickens. Curtis said “I haven’t seen him at a fire since I was chief in 1996 and wasn’t sure of his status.” He claims he took the picture because he wasn’t sure if Thompson was still an active fire department member and wanted to clarify his status with the department. He says Thompson’s race was never an issue.

So this is a very interesting issue. If Thompson was right and Curtis was in fact discriminating him on account of his race, then Curtis should definiately be punished. Not letting a legitimate member of the department participate in extingishing a fire, especially on account of race, is terrible. However, if Curtis actually took those actions against Thompson because he questioned his status in the department, I completely understand, especially if Thompson had not responded to a fire for many years. You don’t want strangers lurking around the scene of a fire.

Only Thompson and Curtis know who’s right and who’s wrong. I would hope they work it out.

I thought it was interesting how Louis Hughes described meeting relatives of his old master at the hotel in Milwalkee. I wouldn’t have expected them to be so cordial to him.

It was interesting to read how fondly Annie Burton remembered her “happy, carefree, childhood days” and how the black kids and white kids played together and had lots of fun.

I have never really read that moch about slave auctions. Therefore, I found Louisa Picquet’s account of the auction in which her family was sold very interesting. It made me aware of what degrading experience it must have been to be stripped and examined by possible buyers, like animals. Also, what a heartbreaking experience it must have been to have your family split up. The way she described her mother kneeling down and praying for her daughter was very moving. I can’t imagine how hard it would be to be separated from your from you child of your parents forever.

The John Jacobs narrative was published in London as part of a book called “The Leisure Home”. Apparently people in England, as well as the United States found these narratives interesting.

If, in fact, what the women say is right, that is a disgrace. There is absolutely no reason why people sholud be denied access to a public park on account of their race. The Greenwich Parks are supposed to provide enjoyment for all Greenwich residents. Actually, as a result of another controversy regarding the Greenwich Parks that happened a few years ago, they are public property. The only thing necessary for entrance is a beach card, which brings up another issue.

According to the man who was working the gatehouse at the time, none of the women were carrying beach cards. If that is true, then the women were wrong. Everyone knows you need a beach card to get into Tod’s Point, and to use your race as an excuse is terrible. Unfortunately, the only people who know what actually happened is the three women and the man who was at the gatehouse. Until then, it is impossible to decide who was right and who was wrong.