DC Metro's 'chief experience officer' apologizes after posting picture of a random commuter's groin to Twitter, complaining about 'manspreading'



A top D.C. Metro official apologized Tuesday for posting an image of a commuter's groin to social media and complaining of so-called manspreading.

Sarah Meyer, who previously worked as chief customer officer at the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, went to work for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority as chief customer experience officer in April.

The WMATA faces many problems, some of which Meyer — who purportedly seeks to fight for "better trains, buses and public infrastructure" — could possibly raise awareness about.

According to Metro Transit Police, there have been 104 aggravated assaults, 81 attempted motor vehicle thefts, 148 motor vehicle thefts, 3 burglaries, 171 acts of larceny, 4 rapes, 568 simple assaults, 40 molestations, 1,290 fare evasions, and 177 robberies so far this year, well over double the same number of crimes committed by this time last year.

Four murders had been committed on the system as of last week.

Ronald Moten, who has long worked for violence prevention in D.C., recently told the Washington Post that crimes committed on Metro buses and trains are "normal. It's part of the behavior."

Despite the severity of the issues now facing the Metro, Meyer apparently made tackling "manspreading" a priority.

Meyer posted to Twitter a now-deleted photo of a man wearing a tie, a blue shirt, and khaki pants, presumably on his way to or from work, seated on the Metro with a backpack between his legs, reported the Washington Examiner.

Meyer captioned her June 5 post, "DC, do we really need to do a manspreading campaign on our trains?! I thought we were above this."

This so-called manspreading incident does not qualify as one of the 11 indecent exposure events that have taken place on the Metro in the past month, which Meyer did not similarly condemn online.

Meyer was soon beset by criticism and questions over her post.

Conservative commentator Matt Walsh asked Meyer, "Why are you taking pictures of a stranger's crotch and posting it to social media?"

Free marketeer and American Commitment president Phil Kerpen deemed Meyer "a creeper."

One Twitter user noted that Meyer, tasked with encouraging people to ride the Metro more often, was instead ridiculing riders.

\u201cThis was the tweet\u201d
— Carlos (@Carlos) 1686068277

Following the backlash, Meyer wrote, "My apologies for this tweet. It was meant in jest, but I understand how it might have offended some. I will do better and keep focused on what matters, better service, communications and wayfinding."

Meyer did not delete the tweet, however. It was taken down Tuesday by Twitter, having violated the platform's terms of service.

Metro CEO Randy Clarke indicated at the time Meyer would "focus on improving the delivery of timely and accurate information to customers at every touchpoint, through signage, search results, apps, and digital wallets" as well as "work to help make the system simpler to plan and pay for trips, to find buses or trains, and by reassuring customers that they are being taken care of by an outstanding, customer-centric workforce," reported the New York Post.

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'Violence is a legitimate and appropriate response to oppression,' leftist video producer Carlos Maza declares



During remarks on Friday about the Supreme Court's decision to strike down Roe v. Wade, President Joe Biden called for any protests to be peaceful — but Carlos Maza responded to the president's comments by declaring that violence is a suitable reaction to oppression.

Maza, who describes himself on Patreon as "a writer and video producer creating videos about propaganda in media," tweeted, "Violence is a legitimate and appropriate response to oppression."

\u201cViolence is a legitimate and appropriate response to oppression.\u201d
— Carlos Maza (@Carlos Maza) 1656092822

Maza's tweet has already amassed more than 76,000 likes.

"The whole point of democratic governance is to create an alternative to violence. When the government is no longer democratic, you're supposed to go back to Plan A," he also tweeted.

"Fascists literally do not care how hard you vote. They are not trying to win elections. Violence is the only language they understand, and it's time we start speaking it," he wrote in another tweet.

Zach Weissmueller of Reason responded to Maza's post, noting that it is "Quite telling what gets removed from this platform and, by contrast, what not only lives but thrives on it."

Maza also shared a post that included a graphic with an arrow pointing from a Molotov cocktail toward the Supreme Court.

\u201cIn stardew valley\u201d
— Carlos Maza (@Carlos Maza) 1656096537

The high court's ruling represents a landmark victory for the pro-life movement, but Democrats have been decrying the decision, claiming that it marks a "dark day" for the country.

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, the 2016 Democratic presidential nominee who lost the election to Republican Donald Trump, claimed that the ruling "will live in infamy as a step backward for women's rights and human rights."

"People will die because of this decision," Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York claimed.

Democratic Rep. Shontel Brown of Ohio described the ruling "a clear attempt to unwind the clock on human rights progress."

Joy Reid says the world cares more about Ukraine because of, you guessed it, racism



MSNBC's Joy Reid argued on “The ReidOut” Monday that the only reason "the world" cares about the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine is because it's happening to a "white and largely Christian" nation.

"As the world watches the devastation unfold in Ukraine, nearly 4,000 miles away, another crisis is deepening that we don’t hear much about in the U.S., and that is the war in Yemen," Reid began the segment.

"The coverage of Ukraine has revealed a pretty radical disparity in how human Ukrainians look and feel to western media compared to their browner and blacker counterparts, with some reporters using very telling comparisons in their analyses of the war," she continued.

"Let’s face it. The world is paying attention because this is happening in Europe. If this was happening anywhere else, would we be seeing the same outpour of support and compassion? We don’t need to ask ourselves if our response would be the same if Russia unleashed their horror on a country that wasn’t white and largely Christian.”

Watch:


Joy Reid makes everything about race again...Claims people are more compassionate towards Ukraine because it\u2019s \u2018White And Christian\u2019pic.twitter.com/6y7Tsrtx4B
— Daily Caller (@Daily Caller) 1646743387


Over on Twitter, folks had a few suggestions for the MSNBC host:


Explain to me how anything happening in Yemen involves the possible use of tactical nuclear weapons. Yeah, that\u2019s the difference, Joy. WTFingF.
— Steve Fronabarger (@Steve Fronabarger) 1646756692


I was just thinking the same thing. Let me re-iterate that!
— SevenThousandIslands (@SevenThousandIslands) 1646756777


Keep on fueling the flames joy.
— corey eagan (@corey eagan) 1646758790


Her beloved Biden is now wanting to cut oil deals with Iran, who's backing that conflict she's talking about in Yemen. Hypocrisy..
— Carlos E. Torres (@Carlos E. Torres) 1646756629


How many of those other crises you mention is your network covering Joy? How many are you covering? Stop trying to divide people by race. It is not helpful.
— Deirdre Robinson (@Deirdre Robinson) 1646751290


What I have observed is that Reid and others like her are actively teaching racism in spite of so many in our country working to progress onward. Strange.
— Dada (@Dada) 1646754728


She's even free to go to Yemen and report. What is she waiting for? They don't have 5-star accommodations or limousine transportation?
— Scott Chastain (@Scott Chastain) 1646744205



After ruling out a gubernatorial bid, former NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio also says he will not run for Congress in the New York's 11th Congressional District



After announcing last month that he will not run for governor, former New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Tuesday that he will not run for U.S. Congress in the Empire State's 11th Congressional District.

"I’ve represented the neighborhoods of the 11th CD for years and I love the people who live here. It was gratifying to connect with community and elected leaders while I considered a run. I'm certain a progressive can win this seat and serve us in Washington," de Blasio tweeted.

"Back in January, I made a decision to focus on advocating for policies that would continue to drive down income inequality in New York - one of my proudest achievements. I'm going to stick with that decision - it was the right one then and it remains so," he added.

Back in January, I made a decision to focus on advocating for policies that would continue to drive down income inequality in New York - one of my proudest achievements. I'm going to stick with that decision - it was the right one then and it remains so (2/2)
— Bill de Blasio (@Bill de Blasio) 1644961978

During his tenure as mayor of the Big Apple, de Blasio mounted a presidential bid during the Democratic primary in 2019, but he eventually dropped out later that same year.

"If we all got a dollar for every announcement de Blasio has made that he is not running for something, income inequality would be solved," one person tweeted in response to the former mayor's announcement that he will not seek the congressional seat.

"I'm very glad to see this disgusting opportunist Bill de Blasio realize that he's totally unable to run for any political office because he is so thoroughly hated by everyone. This horrible man should NOT be allowed to have any future in politics," someone else tweeted.

If we all got a dollar for every announcement de Blasio has made that he is not running for something, income inequality would be solved.https://twitter.com/billdeblasio/status/1493704912902963209\u00a0\u2026
— Carlos Calzadilla (@Carlos Calzadilla) 1644963773


I'm very glad to see this disgusting opportunist Bill de Blasio realize that he's totally unable to run for any political office because he is so thoroughly hated by everyone. This horrible man should NOT be allowed to have any future in politics.https://twitter.com/BilldeBlasio/status/1493704912902963209\u00a0\u2026
— Ash J (@Ash J) 1644967988

Progressives kill Brooklyn project that would’ve created 20,000 jobs over gentrification concerns — and even the NYT pans them



A host of progressive politicians and community groups in Brooklyn recently killed a major business project that would have created as many as 20,000 jobs in the city at a time when it is struggling to regain its footing amid the coronavirus pandemic.

What are the details?

The project — approved by the city planning commission — which called for rezoning and expanding the Industry City complex on the Brooklyn waterfront in Sunset Park into a burgeoning retail space, was yanked this week amid a pressure campaign from the left.

Why were progressives so outraged over the job-creating project? Because it would have led to more "displacement and gentrification" among the working-class community, a group of 10 Democratic lawmakers, including members of Congress, argued in an opposition letter this week.

Even the New York Times took note of the unfortunate politics at play in a recent write-up on the news:

It was slated to be one of the biggest real estate projects in New York City in years, a major expansion of the Industry City complex on the Brooklyn waterfront that could have created as many as 20,000 jobs at a time when local unemployment has soared because of the pandemic.

But on Tuesday night, the project's owner canceled the expansion in the face of fierce opposition from left-leaning Democrats, ending the biggest clash over development in the city since the collapse of the Amazon deal in Queens last year, and highlighting the growing influence of the left in local politics.

What are they saying?

In a statement announcing the withdrawal of the application, Industry City CEO Andrew Kimball blamed "the current political environment and a lack of leadership" for the project's failure.

"Over and over, we have heard from key decision makers that while the substance of the project is strong, the politics of the moment do not allow them to support any private development project," Kimball said, according to the Gothamist. "Even the historic nature of our commitments — which significantly elevated the bar for future development projects — and a seven-year record of creating jobs and opportunity weren't enough to overcome purely political considerations."

"If a project like this can't succeed, it concerns me very much about the future of New York City — a place I've spent my whole life," Kimball added in an interview with the Times on Wednesday.

Far from concerned, Sunset Park Councilman Carlos Menchaca championed the project's defeat as "a win" for the community.

Industry City has withdrawn their application. A WIN FOR SUNSET PARK! People power has triumphed ✊🏾. Our work conti… https://t.co/p9f6rJcMm0
— Carlos Menchaca 萬齊家 (@Carlos Menchaca 萬齊家)1600865903.0

Menchaca had come out against the rezoning months ago and, on Tuesday, he was joined by other Democratic New York lawmakers, including Reps. Jerrold Nadler, Nydia Velázquez, Yvette Clark, and Hakeem Jeffries.

The group wrote in the opposition letter that the project "would further exacerbate real estate pressures, displacement, rising rents, and forever shift the nature of the waterfront away from one of the few remaining manufacturing hubs to commercial tourism and service economy."

Another city councilman, Eric Ulrich of Queens, disagreed. He told a Times reporter: "We are sending such a terrible message to the rest of the country that we're not open for business, and we're not open to economic development and new jobs."

He was even more straightforward on Twitter, writing, "NYC is going to s**t. God save us!"

Anything else?

New York City is projected to lose at least half a million jobs this year as a result of the coronavirus-related economic shutdowns, and the city's unemployment rate is currently 16%. It is estimated that low-income workers of color are being disproportionately affected by the downturn.

Yet even so, progressives in the city have proven themselves to be more concerned with gentrification than job creation.