A Michigan firefighter was fired after calling a black woman the N-word and telling her “go back to the fields” on Facebook. Ryan Hudson of the Belding Fire Department used the racial slur while responding to the woman’s post about Colin Kaepernick and Black Lives Matter.
The woman, who did not want to be identified by local news, said she posted on Facebook agreeing with Kaepernick’s taking a knee during the national anthem to protest anti-black violence and inequality. She later commented “Black Lives Matter.” Hudson responded with a vulgar and offensive comment, saying “All lives matter. And if you think it’s just black lives kiss my ass bitch and go back to the fields that us in the north fought to free you from.” The woman took screenshots of the exchange.
“Basically I wrote ‘Black Lives Matter,’ and that’s when he spelled out in no uncertain terms, because he’s now claiming he was drunk. First he was hacked, now he’s drunk,” said the victim. The department’s fire chief said Hudson was fired out of concern that such racist views would affect his ability to do his job when lives are on the line.
Hudson did not respond to local media requests for comment.
H/T The Root