Don Roach: Tony Lepore Should Not Have Been Fired
Wednesday, November 25, 2015
Tony Lepore is getting a raw deal. He’s right to think that police leadership are acting cowardly (my word) by not inviting him back as the “Dancing Cop." GoLocal reported Tuesday that Lepore was informed he wasn’t going to return as the Dancing Cop in a meeting Tuesday morning.
According to Lepore the reasoning was this:
Their concern wasn`t about the street cop they were concerned about the the community leaders. They said their phones rang off the hooks the week of the boycott. It was of course the (sic) politicial community leaders.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTLet’s assume Lepore is correct in what was said to him. What that means is that the Providence Police backed down to “community leaders” who were upset that Lepore was upset about a Dunkin Donuts worker putting #BlackLivesMatter on a coffee cup.
Folks, this is where progress is destroyed when it comes to racism. I believe the Dunkin Donuts worker shouldn’t have been fired for speaking her mind. I also don’t believe Lepore should have lost his job for speaking out against what the Dunkin Donuts worker did.
Both, in my opinion, are part of what we need to have a real conversation about race. Think about it like this – if we refuse to allow people to say what they really think and feel about race, how in the world are we going to get rid of racism?
Stop trying to get people fired
Some of my friends are offended by those who say, “#AllLivesMatter” thinking that it belittles the #BlackLivesMatter movement. I agree that #AllLivesMatter misses the point of the BLM movement, but I am not personally offended by someone spouting the ALM message. Why? It’s all about dialogue. The reason we’re still talking about racism in 2015 is because we’re unwilling to have honest conversations about race and whenever people take a stand for what they believe is right but might not be politically correct, we call for them to lose their jobs.
Lepore wanted the Dunkin Donuts worker to lose her job and “community leaders” didn’t want Lepore to return because of his views on the BLM movement. Asinine is the only word that fits here because the only way for people to even begin to change is to be honest about where they are at today.
If we continue to lambaste people for saying what they think we’re going to create a society where people think and say different things but the reality will be that racism, at its core, will not be eradicated. I feel as though that last phrase could be spoken by Captain Obvious, but I’m very disappointed at the reaction people get when they say what they believe but it doesn’t fit within the mainstream feel-good thoughts of the day.
In my opinion, both the Dunkin Donuts worker and Lepore should have their jobs. I also believe each has the right to protest anything they deem worthy of protesting. It’s up to the rest of us to make our own decisions on where we stand on racism and its impact on society today. What we shouldn’t do but apparently always do is fall back on tired political correctness in hopes that if we remove people from their positions somehow we inch closer to removing racism from our lives.
An open invitation to Tony Lepore
We need to wake up and have honest conversations about this. In that spirit, I’d like to invite Lepore to a conversation (written though it may be) about his cause and #BlackLivesMatter. He seems to have some opinions on the subject and opinions I don’t share. But I think the best way to get to the “right” solution is through open dialogue. Oh, and if the Dunkin Donuts worker would like to get in on the dialogue, that’ll be great as well.
Let’s stop calling for people to get fired and starting calling people out to start the dialogue.
Don Roach is still a Young Republican. Please check out Don’s Facebook page.
Related Articles
- Providence’s Dancing Cop Leads the Harlem Shake at the Dorrance
- ‘Dancing Cop’ Returns for Holiday Season
- NEW: Providence’s Dancing Cop Calls for Dunkin’ Donuts Boycott
- Dunkin’ Donuts Protestors Lift Boycott, Petition Circulates to Stop Dancing Cop
- Providence’s Dancing Cop Denied Holiday Work Over #BlackLivesMatter Comments
- NEW: Providence’s Dancing Cop Gets Petition to Counter Opponents
- Elorza Fires Dancing Cop: Sides React
- Roach: When the Assembly Doesn’t Listen, Rhode Islanders Must Act
- Don Roach: Rhode Island, You Are To Blame
- Don Roach: As Davey Lopes Pool Reopens, Mayor Taveras Absent
- Don Roach: 5 Reasons Why… Oh Who Cares?!
- Don Roach: The Master Lever Has to Go
- Roach: 38 Studios Loan Debate at Heart of RI Gubernatorial Race
- Don Roach: I Hate Politician Adspam
- Don Roach: My Education Crusade - Finding the Secret Sauce
- Don Roach: When Rights Collide – Homosexuality and Religion
- Don Roach: Obama Loses Showdown with Putin
- Roach: My Education Crusade - Why Suspension Stats Don’t Matter
- Greco: Why I Disagree with Hinckley’s Approach to Economic Recovery
- Don Roach: Fung Team Must Recognize Block Campaign Growing Stronger
- Don Roach: When Will the Taveras and Raimondo Fireworks Begin?
- Don Roach: Let’s Give Raimondo’s Jobs Plan a Chance
- Don Roach: Grading Performances at the Democratic Debate
- Don Roach: Don’t Force Diversity on the Providence Police Department
- Don Roach: Voters, Not Legislators, Should Approve More RI Tolls
- Don Roach: Terrorists Win When We’re Afraid
- Don Roach: Donald Trump Thinks Syrian Refugees Plan to Coup America
- Don Roach: Tony Lepore Should Not Have Been Fired
