A video featuring a Black hotel employee calmly telling a racist woman to find somewhere else to stay is going viral and inspiring people on Twitter to use similar tactics for combatting racism.
The video, shared by user @craignofridayy on Sunday evening, has received more than 2 million views and around 70,000 retweets by the time of writing.
I called a FUCKIN NIGGER at work… this how it played out 😂 #KillEmWithKindness pic.twitter.com/2Mftkj2eOg
— NOFRIDAYY (@NoFridayy) June 3, 2019
The name, time, or location of the hotel where the incident reportedly took place was not immediately clear, and the user did not respond to the Daily Dot’s request for comment.
In the video, the user is seen having what appears to be a follow-up conversation after the woman, not seen in the video, called him a “fucking [N-word]” over the phone.
“I need to stay here, my mother died,” the woman is heard saying.
“I understand that, but you called me a fucking [N-word],” the man says calmly.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” the woman says.
“No, you weren’t sorry when you said it on the phone,” he says.
The woman’s response is inaudible, but she appears to be trying to justify her action and keeps repeating, “I’m sorry.”
“In the climate that we live in today, in today’s society,” the man says while she repeats her apology. “I understand that, but it’s above me now.”
As she tries to explain that her other family members are staying at this facility, he refers her to the Best Western next door, all the while repeating with fantastic calmness, “It’s above me.”
People on the internet are feeling the zen and totally polite way to diss a racist in such situations.
https://twitter.com/itsa_talia/status/1135458963439390720
Next time I’m getting ready to fight somebody, I’m just gonna keep resignedly saying “I’m sorry, but it’s above me”
— omniboi (@omniboi) June 3, 2019
Some couldn’t help notice the tables being turned.
“This is like the reverse of the ‘yeah but I still gotta call the cops though’ and I’m SCREAMING,” one user wrote.
https://twitter.com/bbgrlnams/status/1135409231618871296
https://twitter.com/ShereseLee/status/1135505552618995712
This is the “cops have been called” face that yt ppl make…
— Destiny’s Problem Child (@JeSuisAParis) June 3, 2019
At one point in the minute-long video, another woman is heard entering the scenario, likely the first woman’s daughter. The daughter’s lack of apology or shock at hearing the accusation from the employee caught many people’s attention.
That daughter didn’t sound very surprised or disgusted in her mother’s choice of words. “But she apologized!” But she said it. I bet it’s the first time their weaponized white lady tears didn’t work 😂
— Heather Hughson 🇺🇦 (@HNHughson) June 3, 2019
https://twitter.com/AjBtSai/status/1135406155348480000
Nor did she apologize like omg not that my mom would ever say or do something like that but I’d be mortified
— 𝓐𝓾𝓽𝓾𝓶𝓷 🇵🇸🇨🇩🇸🇩 (@autumndaze_8) June 3, 2019
The man’s relentless politeness in the video reaches a level of condescending calm that gave many people inspiration for how to speak to someone you can’t afford to yell at but also want to dismiss. Memes cropped up with #ItsAboveMe.
Last day of school.
— βank$y (@Papa_Macc) June 3, 2019
Principal: I need you to _____________.#ItsAboveMe pic.twitter.com/Xram5of1rQ
https://twitter.com/IAMMVTT/status/1135559226636558336
https://twitter.com/Tamberlands/status/1135556749883248640
There’s a Best Western next door.#ItsAboveMe https://t.co/AHkifH8cwU
— [Redacted] (@ellementality) June 3, 2019
https://twitter.com/Music_LessThan3/status/1135564954004873216
Tuh!
— Kia (@Lovelakexo) June 3, 2019
Students who played all year and come for extra credit to bump their final grade up 10 points
Teacher — #ItsAboveMe https://t.co/gY8VzPD7pv
People are ready for the merchandise with the catchphrase.
make some #ItsAboveMe shirts.
— Deets (@ScottieBeam) June 3, 2019
Bruh, put #itsaboveme on a shirt and I will buy that ish. Made my day😂
— Southwest of the Chi 🇺🇲 (@mechie2709) June 3, 2019
Beyond all the internet hype, there is a lesson for people of color on how to address such situations.
“The best thing about this is I don’t see anyone tell him he should have had compassion because she was grieving,” one woman wrote. “Are we finally learning to stop prioritizing [white people’s] pain over ours??”
The best thing about this is I don’t see anyone telling him he should have had compassion because she was grieving
— screen name redacted. investigation pending (@sofreenyla) June 3, 2019
Are we finally learning to stop prioritizing their pain over ours??#ItsAboveMe I don’t GAF what you going through
Kindly direct them to the Best Western pic.twitter.com/cOJG3HbXO9
Honestly, the way you handled this was 👌🏼 no unnecessary attitude or tone. Just straight to the point and killed them back with kindness. Good for you! Also, I’m stealing your words #itsaboveme 😂
— Jas (@__slaygod) June 3, 2019
If you’re not prepared to handle the repercussions of your words… then don’t say them 🤷🏽♀️ #ItsAboveMe
— Renee (@thats_so_renee) June 3, 2019
No aggression, just knowledge: largest factor of why we can’t shake the stain/virus of racism is exactly because it’s ALWAYS Black people’s burden to educate/rise above. We can’t own that work. It’s not our water to carry. As long as we carry it, White people will never own it.
— Truth-Be-Told 🐝#KHive (@DropnJewels) June 3, 2019
According to follow-up tweets from the user who posted the video, the woman eventually relocated to the Best Western next door. The user said the woman’s family members stayed at the facility in question and “had an attitude.”
READ MORE:
- Report: Trans asylum seeker dies after being held in ICE custody
- Racist Airbnb host refers to Black guests as ‘monkeys’ in viral video
- Catholic Bishop gets roasted for hypocritical anti-LGBTQ, Pride Month tweet
Got five minutes? We’d love to hear from you. Help shape our journalism and be entered to win an Amazon gift card by filling out our 2019 reader survey.
