As stated above, is it racist if this person has a “zany” sense of humor and does this to everybody? We don’t really know the answer to that question. If the Native American lady was indeed singled out, I’m completely prepared to agree that the TSA agent is a racist. Since we don’t have that proof, I’m not comfortable attaching a permanent label to somebody trying to instill a little fun into their meaningless existence on this rock.
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Wow. I just did an interview with Tara back in October. It speaks volumes about her kindness that she didn’t want the TSA agent fired or fined, but I’m surprised the agent didn’t think before acting or speaking. That was some thin ice there, ignorance or not. I doubt it would have happened so casually to a young child so why it seemed for a full grown woman I have no idea.
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Yeah, if you yell “fuck off ni**er” at everyone, it’s still racist.
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There’s a lot to unpack here, but just the officer’s choice that it was a good idea to have “fun” on shift, is enough for a full stop. This is not a training issue. Its a firing offense. Anything less signals loud and clear to other officers that its okay as long as you dont get caught at it.
Fuck, who am I kidding. This was never about safety of passengers, its always been about putting civilians in their place.
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Your grandma dealing with that is not some kind of counter of racism existing in America.
Racism is not just putting on a KKK hood, it’s an entire mindset that afflicts many Americans who don’t see themselves as racist. Our entire society is drenched in it, and it shapes our actions on a daily basis, like it or not.
So you’re saying that the actual experiences of the Native American woman are entirely irrelevant, all that matters is how the TSA agent FELT? Again, why do you think you’re in a position to decide what this woman experienced? What makes you better at understanding HER life and what happens to her?
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I’m not saying it was appropriate. I’m also not comfortable passing judgment when I don’t have the whole story. Where did I say that she singled out minorities at BBQs and yee-hawed their braids?
Nobody in this thread can prove that this incident solely happened because the victim was of a different ethnicity. If that was the case, fire her ass. What I’m suggesting is this sounds like somebody trying to have a little bit of fun in a shitty job and not realizing the importance of the hairstyle.
If my hypothetical is correct, the faux pas is explained, and the lady doesn’t give a shit, then I will agree to bash them for their cultural insensitivity.
You have a very narrow and very telling definition of racism.
You obviously have the whole system working in your favor if that’s what it takes for you to recognize when racism happens.
I hope you don’t take your privileged life for granted.
Your charitable hypothetical on the one hand forgives a public servant’s ignorance of pretty common knowledge while on the other hand gives evidence that they’d be even less qualified to do the job in general.
Congratulations, apologist.
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Steve Hofstetter is the bomb.
Well, not the bomb. Somewhere between the bomb and a bottle of water or a regular-sized toothpaste.
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Then it’s more than likely someone else would have complained already, because this is an absolutely shitty thing to do to anyone. It’s humiliating, and anyone with even a smidgen of a sense of deceny wouldn’t even dream of doing it to a stranger at work.
But “interestingly” the only complaint we have heard of involves a person that garbage like this regard as easy target…
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I’m not saying that at all. I completely agree that she has every right to be offended. What I’m suggesting is that there’s a possibility that this wasn’t motivated by race and the frontline TSA agent didn’t have an understanding of the spiritual connection with the lady’s braids. Is ignorance OK? It’s not great but if you learn from it and correct yourself than I think that makes you a better person. It’s like how a lot of people don’t know saying they “got gyped” is a racist phrase. The measure of the person is if you inform them of it and they either stop or continue.
I’ve said multiple times that if the TSA agent singled out the Native American lady in question, fuck her, fire her, blast her.
Liz Lemon’s has some seething in it:
But my go-to for this childish kind of behavior is:
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Totally get that. I’m not excusing the agent for not understanding boundaries in an already highly stressful situation.
You sure sound like you’re fishing for excuses, though.
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Do I need to ask, “No shit?” here?
You are absolutely apologizing on behalf of a bad actor no matter how their action were motivated.
You ought to withhold your own apologies if you care to actually look even handed.
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I’m coming from a place of ignorance and don’t feel comfortable joining the mob and labeling somebody.
Like I’ve said sooooo many times in this thread, just a few more pieces of information and I’ll be in the front of the line with a pitchfork.
Yep; it sure a/f is.
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Understanding the boundaries in a highly stressful situation is what a TSA agent’s job is supposed to be.
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I absolutely agree. I’m not dismissing that fact. There should never be any hands on in that role unless there is a definite reason for it and even then I have major questions about the “definite reason” because “random” searches are rarely random.
The part of the equation you seem to be missing is that intent doesn’t matter.
How hard is it to understand that a racist act can be done without conscious racist intent?
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