Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Two Miami TSA Agents Placed On Leave After Racist Display Found In Employee Area

Two Miami TSA Agents Placed On Leave After Racist Display Found In Employee Area
Joe Raedle/Staff/Getty Images

The TSA has placed two of its employees on leave after a racist display was discovered.

It was found in an employee only area by some coworkers.


Three TSA officers at the Miami International Airport found a decoration consisting of two stuffed gorillas hanging from a noose. They tried to report it to their manager.

The display in question was shared on Instagram.

The image was shared by the account "blackpeopleofthegram" who said their cousin took the picture.

blackpeopleofthegram/Instagram

People were horrified that someone would put together something like this.

blackpeopleofthegram/Instagram

When the employees who discovered the display tried to tell their manager, he "tried to downplay" the decoration saying, "it wasn't racist, it was just a joke".

From there, the employees reported the hanging stuffed animals to higher up supervisors and an internal investigation was launched. Two officers connected with the incident have been placed on leave.

Somehow, in the year 2019, this kind of behavior is unfortunately unsurprising.




Representative Michael McCaul, the chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security, sent a letter to the TSA asking them to make sure this is "promptly and thoroughly investigated".

Mississippi Rep. Bennie Thompson took issue with the manager who initially dismissed the employees' concerns. He wrote that this situation was ""unacceptable and leaves TSOs to work in an environment where they believe they are not supported or protected."

These kinds of displays are becoming shockingly common. Everywhere from Ohio County employees to Minneapolis Police officers have had racist displays and let go of the perpetrators.

It may seem like a joke to some, but it's not for those who are victims of racism every day.




The TSA released a statement saying the display was removed once reported and are investigating how this was allowed. In an email obtained by CNN, Darby Lajoye, an executive assistant administrator for the agency said:

"TSA has zero tolerance for acts like this. We have already ordered an independent investigation and all individuals potentially involved have been place on Administrative leave while the investigation is underway."

A similar display was discovered earlier this year at Eastern Michigan University. The person responsible was quickly caught and claimed it was part of a prank.

Racism is not funny.

Understanding why the "joke" isn't funny to others sets aside privilege for empathy. Deciding it is funny and others "just need to get over it" is a sign of privilege.

This shirt, available here, defines one form of privilege.

Amazon

More from Trending

Yassamin Ansari; Screenshot of Kellyanne Conway
Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images; Fox News

Dem Rep. Epically Shuts Down Kellyanne Conway's Claim Sydney Sweeney Ad Is Causing Liberal 'Panic'

Actor Sydney Sweeney recently faced backlash over her American Eagle ad campaign titled “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans.” The campaign plays on the words “jeans” and “genes,” which some critics claim alludes to eugenics—a theory widely discredited as scientifically inaccurate and ethically dangerous.

According to former presidential counselor Kellyanne Conway—who gave us the term "alternative facts"—the campaign has sparked "panic on the left."

Keep ReadingShow less
Lisa Kudrow in 'Death to 2020'
Netflix

Lisa Kudrow's Portrayal Of A MAGA Spokesperson Resurfaces—And It's Eerily Accurate

Actor Lisa Kudrow has gone viral after her performance in the Netflix mockumentary Death to 2020 as a truth-denying spokesperson for President Donald Trump went viral—prompting many to point out that her portrayal is still spot on.

The film, from the minds of Black Mirror creators Charlie Brooker and Annabel Jones, centers on a group of fictional characters reflecting on major U.S. and U.K. events of 2020, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the U.S. presidential election.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshot of Molly Martinez
RSBN

White House Reporter Reacts After Video Glitch Sparks Conspiracy Theory That She's A 'Lizard Person'

White House reporter Molly Martinez responded after a White House livestream glitched and caused her eyes to look completely white for a split-second—prompting conspiracy theorists to go wild and claim she is a "lizard person" who is secretly controlling the government.

Martinez, a Washington-based journalist for local TV chain Gray Television, appeared on camera June 19 in the White House press room, smiling at a friend. A glitch in the original footage made her eyes look entirely white—something conspiracy theorists seized on as “evidence” she’s a lizard person.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshot of Ben Ferguson and Abby Philip
CNN

Right-Wing Podcaster Blasted After Making Absurd Claim About Trump And Crime Rates In 2024

Conservative podcaster Ben Ferguson left hs fellow CNN panelists stunned after he made the bizarre claim that falling crime rates in 2024 were due to President Donald Trump's policies—even though Trump didn't begin his second term until January 2025.

Ferguson spoke after Trump—who presented fake crime statistics—announced his decision to federalize police in Washington, D.C., and deploy the National Guard in an effort to fight crime.

Keep ReadingShow less
A bride and a groom holding hands
man and woman holding hands focus photo

People Who Attended Multiple Weddings For The Same Person Describe The Differences

Weddings are a wonderful celebration of love and commitment.

That being said, all of us have likely been to a wedding where we have wondered "how long do you think it's going to last".

Keep ReadingShow less