Son of NYC Fire Chief Resigns, Apologizes for Offensive Tweets

The son of New York City's fire commissioner resigned from the FDNY shortly after he apologized for posting offensive messages on Twitter, the mayor said Monday.
 
Joseph Cassano, 23, was employed as an EMT with the fire department.
 
According to The New York Post, he tweeted a slew of derogatory statements about Jews, blacks and the poor.
 
The Vulcan Society, a fraternal organization of black firefighters in the FDNY, said in a statement Cassano was "right to step down."
 
"If anyone at the FDNY doesn't like serving New York's diverse population, there are thousands of qualified minority candidates who would be happy to do so," said Vulcan Society President John Coombs. 
 
Cassano issued a statement early Monday saying he regretted "posting some comments that were offensive, especially since I enjoy my job and treat every patient with great care and respect."
 
His father, Salvatore Cassano, said in a statement after his son quit the FDNY that he was "extremely disappointed in the comments posted online" by his son.
 
The comments, the commissioner said, "do not reflect the values -- including a respect for all people -- that are held by me, my family and the FDNY," he said.
 
The Post said the younger Cassano's offensive statements included a derogatory term to describe blacks, and a tweet stating he liked Jews about as much as Hitler did.
 
Copyright AP - Associated Press
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