via Flickr
The audacious tale of author Natasha Tines’ power and heady privilege coming back to bite her big time goes like this:
While riding on her morning commute, the novelist and social media strategist couldn’t believe her eyes.
A Black Washington, DC transit worker was eating breakfast on her train! How was Tines to respond to this harmless affront to WMATA’s policy?
After confronting the woman with all the entitlement she could muster, and the Black woman dismissing her with rightful yet calm indignation at not being left to nourish herself in peace, Tines whipped out her cellphone.
Now comes the part where you get what you get for going above and beyond to inflict harm on someone you don’t know, someone who isn’t doing a thing to you and deserved better, Natasha.
Tines took a photo of the employee and complained directly to the official WMATA Twitter account, hoping to get the woman in trouble with zero thought to how such actions might jeopardize the woman’s livelihood.
Thankfully, Black Twitter users took notice.
They not only called attention to Tines’ now deleted tweet but then contacted HER higher-ups (see how that works?). Tines’ first book deal was promptly terminated.
Let’s hope this starts a trend of consequences against those who would so carelessly jeopardize the wellbeing of a Black working class woman.