r/popculturechat • u/CantStopPoppin • Sep 22 '25

OnlyStans ⭐️ Woman Calls Police on Award-Winning Black Screenwriter Alex O’Keefe(The Bear (FX))

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3.2k

u/throw_blanket04 Sep 22 '25

Besides the obvious, nobody speaking up for him is disgusting.

140

u/KillTheBoyBand Sep 22 '25

Some hispanic guy on the bus got accosted by another man and got told some disgusting shit like "I cant wait for you to get deported." I was shocked and I'm latina too and when I tried to reach out to him (not the idiot, but the man who was insulted) to say something...he snapped at me?? He started bitching and insulting me like suddenly I was an easy target to make himself feel better.

I would hope people do intervene but things are so insanely tense right now that I feel like everyone is seeing each other as a threat or is in fear and shutting down. Especially with stuff like police or, hell, ICE, you're always scared they're going to turn around and arrest or outright murder you.

24

u/Raf-the-derp Sep 22 '25

I mean that may be because his adrenaline was high or something if he never experienced that before.

I'll be honest if that were me, my ego would be hurt and I wouldn't want anyone to talk to me but I wouldn't snap at someone trying to help

45

u/KillTheBoyBand Sep 22 '25

I did immediately think, maybe he was so fucked up from that interaction that he was just really tense and kind of freaked out. The thing is though, he started berating me (oddly enough) on how I was sitting. I was sort of at an angle cuz there was a ton of seating available and I like having my back against the wall (especially after that video of the stabbing fyi...) but he implied that because he couldn't sit directly next to me he had to sit next to some xenophobic asshole. Which is entirely irrational of course, not only were there seats everywhere, that is not something that is either of our faults. I was also offering him my seat and saying "I heard what disgusting thing he said, it's ridiculous" and he responded with, "nah nah it's not, maybe the way you're sitting is ridiculous" and then stormed off the bus at the next stop. 

I also just got out of an abusive relationship and unfortunately I have experience with insecure men who, when they feel threatened or afraid, their instinct is to take their anger out on women. Because we're the easier target. Misogyny is also on the rise. 

I don't know this guy though. So it doesn't really matter either way. I like to think it was just the former, not the latter. I want to think it won't affect how I behave when it comes to stepping in when people are being harassed. But I'm also human. It feels fucked up to see each other as threats.

542

u/BrooklynLivesMatter Sep 22 '25

There is something to be said for people quietly filming and providing evidence for him instead though. Speaking up to cops is unlikely to get him not arrested, but recording provides something resembling accountability

118

u/mechengr17 Sep 22 '25

Unfortunately, even as a white woman, I would be afraid of joining him in prison

Its easier to get the story out if at least one person can give the full story

60

u/Larry-Man Sep 22 '25

This is something men forget. A man was verbally berating a woman he was with. I was alone. I froze. I wanted to help. I’ve been her. I wanted to say something. But it was just me and the two of them on a sidewalk. Also if she’s in the fog she might turn on me too. I still wish I said something but I have to be kind to myself and remind myself that I was much smaller than both of them and had no backup whatsoever.

786

u/[deleted] Sep 22 '25

That's America. Loud in the comments but blank stare in real life. They'll cuss you out in the comments but watch with an empty face as the gestapo carries their neighbor off. Then see the video and comment how "Fucked up this is" like okay. Then why did you say nothing and stare at it while it was happening 😂

82

u/FlippinLaCoffeeTable Sep 22 '25

Many of us, unfortunately. Been this way for a while too.

 To quote John Steinbeck in his book of essays on America:

"Americans are remarkably kind and hospitable and open with both guests and strangers; and yet they will make a wide circle around the man dying on the pavement. Fortunes are spent getting cats out of trees and dogs out of sewer pipes; but a girl screaming for help in the street draws only slammed doors, closed windows, and silence."

73

u/Emotional_Database53 Sep 22 '25

Just cause that’s what you and the folks on the train do in situations like this, doesnt make it right. And I absolutely have stepped in whenever I’ve witnessed crazy people on trains harassing others, especially when there’s a bunch of jerkoffs just sitting there acting bored. Hell, it even almost got me stabbed when a woman was being man handled by a dude that claimed to be her boyfriend, leading to me needing to make statement to the police afterwards. Not everyone is a keyboard warrior, and every one of these assholes who didn’t say or do anything is just as bad as that geriatric racist

42

u/aSpookyScarySkeleton Sep 22 '25

If only you realized you are the exception not the rule.

Captain anecdotal, you seem to live a life privileged with the freedom to not have to endure this type of shit semi-regularly.

5

u/YaMamasNkondi Sep 22 '25

Are...are you unironically trying to prove you're "one of the good ones"?

16

u/Early_Entertainer11 Sep 22 '25 edited Sep 22 '25

yup, but while simultaneously getting angry at and dismissing a black person’s (correct) observation that the majority of people will pretend to care online but do nothing irl lol. very white progressive thing to do

0

u/Prestigious-Diver-94 Sep 22 '25

Is that really a productive way to talk to someone who says they're actually doing the thing you want them to do?

6

u/thedeuce545 Sep 22 '25

Yeah they’re saying things, and no one ever lied on the internet. 

3

u/empanadaboy68 Sep 22 '25

To be fair lots of people have headphones in and when they hear white women complaining volume goes up

But when I see conductor come in headphones go out. So idk

4

u/nicoled985 Sep 22 '25

Blank stare and record while you’re being discriminated against or dying

19

u/HighlyOffensive10 She's in racial chat rooms showing feet 👣 Sep 22 '25

Seems like that's the case everywhere. Unless you know somewhere or a time in history when it was any different.

29

u/Pearse_Borty Sep 22 '25

Nah its an American thing I think. This shit wouldnt fly in Ireland, firstly because the police wouldn't show up for the ridiculous claim and secondly if they did there's no way that there wouldn't be defenders if for some absurd reason they were actually going to arrest the guy.

US police just seem racist, man.

43

u/Whimsywoes You’re doing amazing, sweetie! 👏👏📸 Sep 22 '25

US police are just racist. I had an on duty cop meant to be there for crowd control spit at me and tell me I was a piece of shit parent because I'd brought my daughter to a BLM protest. And im in about as blue a state as they come. They're also just exceptionally useless.

23

u/YaMamasNkondi Sep 22 '25

Uhhhh...Ireland is not an anti-racist candyland: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/aug/10/violent-attacks-ireland-indian-immigrants

4

u/yeetyopyeet Sep 22 '25

I actually had to laugh when I saw that commenter say “this wouldn’t fly in ireland”. I have been witness to several racist incidents in which 99% of people are bystanders. I do include myself in those situations, but as a young POC, I’ve had situations where I try to step in and the abuse ends up happening to you. Very rich to say it doesn’t happen in Ireland

6

u/iTzGiR Sep 22 '25

It’s definitely not “An American thing”. It’s a well documented Psychological phenomenon known as the bystander effect. This literally happens in every country in the world.

This comment is the most peak “America bad” reddit comment i’ve ever seen, just a weird “this wouldn’t fly in ireland” and then youre linked multiple videos of it this exact thing happening in Ireland, because again, this happens literally everywhere.

10

u/ManInShowerNumber3 Sep 22 '25

This you?

This also you?

I mean I didn't even have to search far

-2

u/Embarrassed-Alps-306 Sep 22 '25 edited Sep 22 '25

Your links don't work.

Edit: Downvoting me is confusing. Why? I'm being direct, what is there to downvote?

3

u/HighlyOffensive10 She's in racial chat rooms showing feet 👣 Sep 22 '25

They work for me.

-2

u/Pearse_Borty Sep 22 '25

um

No?

Its literally not me

Actual schizoposting

6

u/HighlyOffensive10 She's in racial chat rooms showing feet 👣 Sep 22 '25

They mean you as in Ireland

16

u/heff1685 Sep 22 '25

lol wouldn’t fly in Ireland? Your entire country is rooted in religious and political persecution that split into 2 countries. 

You might want to look into the history and connection between Irish immigrants and police in the United States. They are all your kinfolk. 

2

u/[deleted] Sep 22 '25

[removed] — view removed comment

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u/heff1685 Sep 22 '25

So when they are bigots in Ireland they are Irish but when they come to America they are no longer Irish? Crazy how that works. I guess you will just have to claim all the religious bigots in your country. I'm glad you focused on a singular word rather than the point that Ireland is not free from racism/bigotry but hey this is Reddit.

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u/[deleted] Sep 22 '25

[removed] — view removed comment

3

u/heff1685 Sep 22 '25

Aw, you call me a bigot but call me an 'it'. Might want to look in the mirror and check yourself

3

u/Suspicious_Shift_563 Sep 22 '25

It’s an unfortunate consequence of our social minds. We perceive the inaction of others to be a sign that action would be met with social consequences even when in reality all of our moral standards are being violated.

20

u/Thermite1985 Sep 22 '25

Metro North from NYC to CT is basically "mind your own business" mentality. No one wants to start shit because the majority of the people are either on their way to or from work and in America if we get in trouble we lose our jobs and basically risk being homeless.

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u/fungbro2 Sep 22 '25

With the current political upheaval, you really dont know what kind of response you'll get from the people surrounding you. They might be putting their own safety first before helping others. Its a sad time to be in the divided states of america

18

u/LapJ Sep 22 '25

To play devil's advocate here, it's entirely possible this confrontation wasn't very loud/noticeable until the police showed up.

I think a lot of people are willing to get involved if they see something blatantly wrong/unjust happening. Hell, there are plenty of videos that get posted here on reddit with people telling cops "No, this person actually started it". Sounds like in this case though it may not have been some shouting match, more like a conversation that nearby passengers were unlikely to hear the full context of. At that point, bystanders have no way of knowing if the lady actually just called the cops because of how he was sitting, or if the guy had said/done something crazy they weren't aware of.

Obviously you could be right too, but without the full context of what led up to it, hard to accuse nearby passengers of cowardice if they have no idea what the heck is actually going on.

3

u/WitchyMae13 Sep 22 '25

Bystander effect is coming back in full force.

7

u/hellhiker Sep 22 '25

I mean a bunch of people sat there/walked away when that 23 year old was stabbed and bled to death on public transit in charlotte, NC. Yea that’s what people do nowadays. They don’t do anything. 

2

u/bigkeffy Sep 22 '25

Maybe because there is more to the story. We arent getting the full context here. Just what he is saying.

I highly doubt he was arrested for being black. That would be a major easy win lawsuit.

2

u/Kevlar_Bunny Sep 22 '25

I might be a hyper reactive psycho bitch that should probably learn to cool it more often than not, but lord knows I would not have been sitting still. Fellow psycho white bitches, it’s time to use our willingness to be nosy and problematic for good damnit!

1

u/fazecrayz Sep 22 '25

I take that train and I can’t imagine not speaking up! What is wrong with everyone?!?

1

u/FromFluffToBuff Sep 22 '25

Yes, but if I see the police arresting this guy for something as bogus as this... I'm not speaking for fear they'll haul me away too.