Anonymous
Post 05/12/2019 12:00     Subject: Author's book publication cancelled after a tweet reporting on a WMATA employee eating on the metro

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:So - a DC woman tweeted out a photo of a uniformed metro employee eating on the Metro, noting that Metro prohibits eating on the metro, and complaining about a metro employee violating the same rule metro employees ask riders to respect. The tweeter is Arab American and the metro employee she complained about is a black woman. Now her publisher and book distributor are cancelling her novel's publication as a result. (See Post article below: https://www.washingtonpost.com/transportation/2019/05/11/dc-pundit-shamed-metro-worker-eating-train-now-her-book-deal-is-jeopardy/?utm_term=.804898e5dbb8).

So, I agree her tweet was unnecessary and thoughtless: metro employees are low wage workers who get very short breaks, and this poor metro employee could now get fired.

But a) Metro does enforce its no eating policy, often in absurd and horrible ways, often against people of color, so is it really inherently horrendous for the tweeting author to highlight that this is a bit hypocritical? (see: https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/trafficandcommuting/metro-transit-police-arrest-teenager-for-carrying-chips-and-lollipop-into-station/2016/10/19/1360a014-9627-11e6-bb29-bf2701dbe0a3_story.html?utm_term=.fe6adc99091b)

And b) If she had instead posted a photo of a uniformed DC cop breaking a law that other people go to jail for breaking (maybe having an open container of alcohol, or peeing in an alley), would everyone be calling her a racist if the cop in her photo was African America - as opposed to thanking her for highlighting police hypocrisy?

And c) Her book was cancelled, WTF? Even if you think her tweet was completely thoughtless, should this really lead to her book being nixed?

I consider myself very much on the left and I think both commuters and metro employees should be able to eat on the metro without fear of arrest or discipline, and I also think low wage workers get a shitty deal, and low wage African American female workers get a particularly shitty deal. But I also think it's frightening that this tweeter's NOVEL has been cancelled because of a tweet that was, at worst, thoughtless, for which she has already apologized.

Am I missing something?



While we don’t want to jump on the race bandwagon, many Arabs are racist. They will often be obsequious to white people but dismissive or outright rude to black people. Is this writer racist? I don’t know. Would she have taken a picture of a white employee eating? I don’t know the answer to that either. I do have an issue with her publishing the employee’s picture. Regardless of the fact that she was breaking the rules, she doesn’t deserve to be shamed publicly. Metro has a system in place for complaints, and she should have gone that route.


See the bolded statement. That one gross generalization about an entire group negates the rest of your entire post. Too bad, because you had a point there when you say she should have filed a complaint rather than posting online. But blathering that "many Arabs are racist" is so vastly general and nasty that it paints you pretty poorly. Fill in any other group for "Arabs" there and it's an equally stupid generalization, and those kinds of blanket statements only make today's antagonistic environment worse, never better.


I’ve lived in the Middle East for 11 years, so I know a little more than you, and this is not some gross generalization. I’ve witnessed it, black Arabs have told me about their experiences, and other Arabs have discussed it with me. This is not ‘blathering’ but something that actually happens. I did not say all Arabs; I said many.
Anonymous
Post 05/12/2019 11:53     Subject: Author's book publication cancelled after a tweet reporting on a WMATA employee eating on the metro

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Also some clarification here:

The worker had an open plate of food on her lap. Correct?


Is an open plate somehow more offensive?


Yes. Much
Plate of food spilling everywhere/ stinking up the train
Vs
Granola bar


Exaggerate much


Yep, PP assumes spilling and that the food is stinky (a dog whistle for “ethnic” food) although we don’t have that info.
Anonymous
Post 05/12/2019 11:47     Subject: Author's book publication cancelled after a tweet reporting on a WMATA employee eating on the metro

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Also some clarification here:

The worker had an open plate of food on her lap. Correct?


Is an open plate somehow more offensive?


Yes. Much
Plate of food spilling everywhere/ stinking up the train
Vs
Granola bar


Exaggerate much
Anonymous
Post 05/12/2019 11:37     Subject: Author's book publication cancelled after a tweet reporting on a WMATA employee eating on the metro

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Who made her the Metro police?

What you’re missing is that black people cannot and do not do this stuff—acting as though they are the enforcement unit for shared public space. It’s entitled behavior.


I think the woman was wrong to confront the employee and to post the photo, but I disagree with you about black people being public enforcers. The only time I have been reprimanded for public breastfeeding was by a black woman. Black woman regularly chastise me for how I dress my kids (no coat! No hat! [It’s 75 degrees!]) A few days ago a black woman next to me at a redlight shouted at me for using my phone (to look at directions).

They may tell you to your face - but they are less likely to call the police on you or put your pic on social media.
Anonymous
Post 05/12/2019 11:30     Subject: Author's book publication cancelled after a tweet reporting on a WMATA employee eating on the metro

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I had a woman of color in a hijab cut me in line recently. Started to protest. Then realized I could end up as the next BBQ Becky. Just let her do it. On the one hand, NBD. On the other hand, does any impolite or rule breaking behavior get a pass now because, racism?

You are really stretching


+1 BBQBecky didn't get famous because she politely told someone to wait their turn. BBQBecky got famous becuase she leveraged the power of the state to harass Black men having a cook-out.



Do we know how BBQBecky got started?
We only saw the escalated part of that interaction.
We never get context, we just rush to judge.


Exactly this.


Not exactly this.

She saw a group of AA and decided to tell them they needed a permit. They told her to mind her business and her fragility couldn’t handle that. So she called the cops.
Anonymous
Post 05/12/2019 11:28     Subject: Author's book publication cancelled after a tweet reporting on a WMATA employee eating on the metro

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I had a woman of color in a hijab cut me in line recently. Started to protest. Then realized I could end up as the next BBQ Becky. Just let her do it. On the one hand, NBD. On the other hand, does any impolite or rule breaking behavior get a pass now because, racism?

You are really stretching


+1 BBQBecky didn't get famous because she politely told someone to wait their turn. BBQBecky got famous becuase she leveraged the power of the state to harass Black men having a cook-out.



Do we know how BBQBecky got started?
We only saw the escalated part of that interaction.
We never get context, we just rush to judge.


Exactly this.
Anonymous
Post 05/12/2019 11:27     Subject: Author's book publication cancelled after a tweet reporting on a WMATA employee eating on the metro

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I had a woman of color in a hijab cut me in line recently. Started to protest. Then realized I could end up as the next BBQ Becky. Just let her do it. On the one hand, NBD. On the other hand, does any impolite or rule breaking behavior get a pass now because, racism?

You are really stretching


+1 BBQBecky didn't get famous because she politely told someone to wait their turn. BBQBecky got famous becuase she leveraged the power of the state to harass Black men having a cook-out.



Do we know how BBQBecky got started?
We only saw the escalated part of that interaction.
We never get context, we just rush to judge.


We do know. BBQBecky got mad because Black men were existing in public, so she called 911. The thing that ALL of these stories have in common in white women calling the police as a first resort.
Anonymous
Post 05/12/2019 11:27     Subject: Author's book publication cancelled after a tweet reporting on a WMATA employee eating on the metro

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I had a woman of color in a hijab cut me in line recently. Started to protest. Then realized I could end up as the next BBQ Becky. Just let her do it. On the one hand, NBD. On the other hand, does any impolite or rule breaking behavior get a pass now because, racism?

You are really stretching


DP- nope it’s the same

No
No it’s not

And the reason it’s not the same it’s because you made up the whole thing you wanted to add religion and race because you’re oversensitive white supremacist leaning attitude is that Muslim people and people of color are now some kind of over protected class and white folks especially white men are getting The short end of the stick.
Boo-hoo for you.


Typical DCUM. If you don’t like what’s being said, state with utter certainty that the poster made it up. Great way to make your point.

Is your brain. Mode my point was the person who made up that scenario she totally made it up I’m quite certain of that .
And what is typical of DC USA is for folks like you and the previous poster, who could be one in the same, come on here whining about people of color and people of the Islamic faith and how they play the so-called race card, religion card, victim card and you have such cognitive dissonance you don’t realize that is exactly what you’re doing. You’re playing victim to those who really are victims of religious and racial inequality and oppression.
Your head is spun into such unbearable heights of anxiety and stress because you can no longer do and say things to other people that are in sensitive and delicate ugly just because they come to your mind you’re used to being able to do that in a free-for-all context in which nobody called you on your bull***
and now you don’t know what to do and how to act because people are calling you out.
grow up!


And....PP doubles down. Well done!

And no, as much as you wish it were true, PP and I are different posters. More than one person on this threads has an opinion different than yours. Shocking, I know.
Anonymous
Post 05/12/2019 11:25     Subject: Author's book publication cancelled after a tweet reporting on a WMATA employee eating on the metro

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I had a woman of color in a hijab cut me in line recently. Started to protest. Then realized I could end up as the next BBQ Becky. Just let her do it. On the one hand, NBD. On the other hand, does any impolite or rule breaking behavior get a pass now because, racism?

You are really stretching


DP- nope it’s the same


It’s totally the same. If PP had said something, what if a the line cutter caused a scene and a bystander recorded it? That could have then been posted and gone viral, with the same consequences. The reason iit didn’t happen is because PP decided to remain silent and let it slide.

So yes, it is the same.


No it’s not the same! Even in your example it isn’t the same. The woman acting crazy would be labeled as crazy not the person informing the woman she cut the line. You are clearly trying to push an agenda.
Anonymous
Post 05/12/2019 11:25     Subject: Author's book publication cancelled after a tweet reporting on a WMATA employee eating on the metro

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I had a woman of color in a hijab cut me in line recently. Started to protest. Then realized I could end up as the next BBQ Becky. Just let her do it. On the one hand, NBD. On the other hand, does any impolite or rule breaking behavior get a pass now because, racism?

You are really stretching


+1 BBQBecky didn't get famous because she politely told someone to wait their turn. BBQBecky got famous becuase she leveraged the power of the state to harass Black men having a cook-out.



Do we know how BBQBecky got started?
We only saw the escalated part of that interaction.
We never get context, we just rush to judge.
Anonymous
Post 05/12/2019 11:24     Subject: Author's book publication cancelled after a tweet reporting on a WMATA employee eating on the metro

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I had a woman of color in a hijab cut me in line recently. Started to protest. Then realized I could end up as the next BBQ Becky. Just let her do it. On the one hand, NBD. On the other hand, does any impolite or rule breaking behavior get a pass now because, racism?

You are really stretching


DP- nope it’s the same

No
No it’s not

And the reason it’s not the same it’s because you made up the whole thing you wanted to add religion and race because you’re oversensitive white supremacist leaning attitude is that Muslim people and people of color are now some kind of over protected class and white folks especially white men are getting The short end of the stick.
Boo-hoo for you.


Typical DCUM. If you don’t like what’s being said, state with utter certainty that the poster made it up. Great way to make your point.

Is your brain. Mode my point was the person who made up that scenario she totally made it up I’m quite certain of that .
And what is typical of DC USA is for folks like you and the previous poster, who could be one in the same, come on here whining about people of color and people of the Islamic faith and how they play the so-called race card, religion card, victim card and you have such cognitive dissonance you don’t realize that is exactly what you’re doing. You’re playing victim to those who really are victims of religious and racial inequality and oppression.
Your head is spun into such unbearable heights of anxiety and stress because you can no longer do and say things to other people that are in sensitive and delicate ugly just because they come to your mind you’re used to being able to do that in a free-for-all context in which nobody called you on your bull***
and now you don’t know what to do and how to act because people are calling you out.
grow up!
Anonymous
Post 05/12/2019 11:22     Subject: Author's book publication cancelled after a tweet reporting on a WMATA employee eating on the metro

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I had a woman of color in a hijab cut me in line recently. Started to protest. Then realized I could end up as the next BBQ Becky. Just let her do it. On the one hand, NBD. On the other hand, does any impolite or rule breaking behavior get a pass now because, racism?

You are really stretching


+1 BBQBecky didn't get famous because she politely told someone to wait their turn. BBQBecky got famous becuase she leveraged the power of the state to harass Black men having a cook-out.

Anonymous
Post 05/12/2019 11:21     Subject: Author's book publication cancelled after a tweet reporting on a WMATA employee eating on the metro

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I had a woman of color in a hijab cut me in line recently. Started to protest. Then realized I could end up as the next BBQ Becky. Just let her do it. On the one hand, NBD. On the other hand, does any impolite or rule breaking behavior get a pass now because, racism?

You are really stretching


DP- nope it’s the same


It’s totally the same. If PP had said something, what if a the line cutter caused a scene and a bystander recorded it? That could have then been posted and gone viral, with the same consequences. The reason iit didn’t happen is because PP decided to remain silent and let it slide.

So yes, it is the same.
Anonymous
Post 05/12/2019 11:20     Subject: Author's book publication cancelled after a tweet reporting on a WMATA employee eating on the metro

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I had a woman of color in a hijab cut me in line recently. Started to protest. Then realized I could end up as the next BBQ Becky. Just let her do it. On the one hand, NBD. On the other hand, does any impolite or rule breaking behavior get a pass now because, racism?

You are really stretching


DP- nope it’s the same


Here’s the difference: if you politely but firmly told her you were in line and could she move to the back, it wouldn’t be an issue. If you posted a pic of her on social media along with a rude, shaming message, that would be considered race-driven, because honestly, it’s just not that big of a deal.

A normal person with zero racial motivation (even if it was subconscious) just wouldn’t do what this writer did. If she were truly concerned about a breach in rules, there were much better ways to address it than the way she chose. I don’t necessarily think she needs to lose her book deal over it, but she SHOULD be called out.


+1
Anonymous
Post 05/12/2019 11:19     Subject: Author's book publication cancelled after a tweet reporting on a WMATA employee eating on the metro

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I had a woman of color in a hijab cut me in line recently. Started to protest. Then realized I could end up as the next BBQ Becky. Just let her do it. On the one hand, NBD. On the other hand, does any impolite or rule breaking behavior get a pass now because, racism?

You are really stretching


DP- nope it’s the same

No
No it’s not

And the reason it’s not the same it’s because you made up the whole thing you wanted to add religion and race because you’re oversensitive white supremacist leaning attitude is that Muslim people and people of color are now some kind of over protected class and white folks especially white men are getting The short end of the stick.
Boo-hoo for you.


Typical DCUM. If you don’t like what’s being said, state with utter certainty that the poster made it up. Great way to make your point.