Firefighter denounced by company after racist Facebook post

A Pennsylvania firefighter has been denounced by his fire company after he posted racist comments about a cereal mascot.

Justin Snyder, a firefighter with Speedwell Engine and Hose Company in Lebanon, made the comments Wednesday on his Facebook page. The Lebanon Daily News reported Snyder was reacting to a news story that Kellogg Co. would be redesigning its Corn Pops cereal box after receiving a complaint on Twitter that the art was racially insensitive.

The box showed cartoon Corn Pops hanging out in a mall. A Twitter user noted that the only brown Corn Pop depicted is working as a janitor scrubbing the floor.

Snyder wrote a number of racial epithets in his posting demeaning the person who complained on Twitter and also used expletives to express outrage at the change. He also degraded Kellogg's decision in the posting.

Speedwell Engine and Hose said last week that his comments do not represent the company and it is taking actions to address the matter.

The fire company said on Facebook it wants to "firmly assure you that our members' personal thoughts and beliefs do not reflect those of our company." It also apologized for "any negativity that this may have ensued."

A phone message seeking comment from Snyder wasn't immediately returned Monday.

___

Information from: Lebanon Daily News, http://www.ldnews.com