FBI: Stuffed monkey was “hung,” but not “hanging”
In response to our story today, local FBI chief John V. Gillies provided a briefing this afternoon on the inquiry into the stuffed toy monkey found hanging inside a city firehouse earlier this month.
Most of what he said was already in the ink edition, but there were a few new details — including an appearance by the monkey itself.
Gillies, who chose his words carefully, said there was no racial motivation behind the incident, and that it had nothing to do with other events in the department — an allusion to the tension surrounding the ouster of former Fire Chief Sherman George.
âThis was an innocent thing,” Gillies said. âNot even a prank.”
Gillies said the monkey was recovered at a fire scene, and placed in different locations inside Engine House No. 13, in the city’s Hamilton Heights neighborhood.
The last firefighter to touch it apparently found the doll hanging by its waist from a strap on a coat rack. He removed it from the rack, thinking it might have belonged to someone. When he realized the doll had no specific owner, he put the monkey back — this time, for âmere convenience,” hanging it by the neck from a Velcro strap.
A few days later, the next shift of firefighters came on duty — which included several African-Americans — and saw the monkey in its new position. Controversy soon followed.
Gillies said the firefighter who draped the monkey by its neck is âvery remorseful” for the uproar it caused.
There was âno racial bias whatsoever” attached to the incident, Gillies said, and no ânoose” either.
The monkey âwas hung,” Gilles said. âBut it wasn’t hanging.”
Finally, after about 25 minutes of questioning, Gillies provided the stuffed toy at the center of this flap.
The weathered doll, which had been seized by the FBI as evidence, seemed to be of the Curious George variety.
Laid on the desk of the FBI conference room, it looked tattered and perhaps even a little forlorn, but, otherwise in pretty good shape — considering, of course, what it’s been through.
Anyone who followed this issue in the news knew damn good and well it wasn’t a racially motivated act!
The only racial motivation is when the “black community leaders” go after a white mayor for demoting a black fire chief for insubordination.
No word, I see, on the box of crackers that were found hanging in another firehouse.
Anyone want to try to guess exactly whether or not THAT act was racially motivated?
Of course it was! But nobody will suffer for it, because blacks, by definition, can’t be racists!
How idiotic that the FBI has to be called in over something like this, but we don’t have enough manpower to stop the flood of illegal immigrants. Thanks, Rev. Jackson.
Oh great. Now the monkey was really “hung.”
Yet another stereotype.
My kid’s stuffed monkey is outraged. All the stuffed animals in his room are organizing a riot.
Seriously, why does everything have to be about race? What’s with these insecure black folks? We’re in an age where racism is at a low, yet people still want to stir the pot to try to keep it alive. I had a homeless person acuse me of being racist because I wouldn’t give him money. I said, I won’t give you money not because you are black, but because you are a stupid lazy homeless person.
The so-called black “leaders” are the only ones I know stirring the racism pot these days.
Sure, you have your handful of rednecks and kids out there who do stupid crap to get a headline, but when you want true separation of the races being promoted, look no further than B.T Rice and Earl Nance here in St. Louis.
Listen to everyone of you above. You sound just like Satan’s little operatives.
Are you too blind to recognize it. Or, do you recognize it, but have no shame concerning it?
America is in a very sick state, aren’t we?
To all of you who think that racism is not here anymore, you’re fooling yourself. We as african americans deal with it everyday. I am educated and still have to deal with peolple like you all who believe we are lazy. Most of the homeless people (not all) have some problem obtaining a job. If they were fairly treated, maybe they could get to work and not ask for money on the street. If everyone would treat others as they wanted to be treated, we wouldn’t have that problem. Many whites think that all blacks are the same and that is not true, just as all whites are not the same. You have whites that act just as bad as blacks or worse. I don’t have a problem with people who treat everyone equally, not by the color of their skin. If we all remember the “GOLDEN RULE” to treat others as we wantto be treated this world would be much better.
D. Walker, don’t get all high and mighty about this issue.
Nobody in here denies that racism is alive and well in St. Louis — it’s just that too many (I’m guessing this includes you) deny that it is fueled by racist remarks and actions from these so-called black “leaders” in the community.
We all want the golden rule applied fairly. But when you have organizations band together to recall Mayor Slay for demoting a black fire chief for insubordination (when these same organizations wouldn’t have done a damn thing if the chief had been white), and then someone hanging a box of crackers in a firehouse, it is time for everybody to realize that it is a two-way street.
A sick state? Speak for yourself, D. Walker. Most of us recognize that there are a LOT of good people in our communities of all different backgrounds, nationalities and race.
Do you?