Well guys, they threw momma from the train, no, they actually threw momma from the train… unbelievable.
Most of you by now have probably seen the videotape from this ugly and remarkable incident in Miami― which happened back in February but this past week, made national news ―where a white Metro-Dade Transit security guard roughly drags 82-year old Emma Anderson from a commuter train for the heinous crime of singing spirituals.
The elderly African-American woman was singing gospel hymns in her train seat when a transit security guard asked her to stop, contending she was being disruptive.
Then, it was ‘Lights, Camera, Action’ since, not surprisingly, someone clicked the camera on their cell phone and it was not a pretty sight. The security guard aggressively tugs at the bag Anderson clings to over the gasps of the passengers. The force of his actions causes the 82-year old woman to fall backwards near the platform amidst the shock and anger of the onlookers.
Anderson was subsequently taken to the hospital with a bruised hip and shoulder.
How sick is that? What in the world have we come to when an 82 year-old woman is treated this way for singing spirituals?
Now, I am fully aware there are rules in place in Miami-Dade County that actually prohibit singing, dancing or playing an instrument without a permit and I recognize that these policies are in place to minimize disruptions for all passengers.
However, these rules lose their value when they are enforced callously, unethically and without context and throwing an elderly woman off of a train for singing is not what most Americans would want to see their tax dollars supporting.
And regardless of the policy, this action was both unnecessary and flat out wrong. There’s a thing called human decency and this privately-contracted security guard from the company 50 State Security Services showed none.
Apparently, it’s not the first time, since the Huffington Post reported last week that Miami blogger Carlos Miller was allegedly assaulted by members of 50 State when he attempted to take video of the Metro-rail.
Miller has spoken out publicly against 50 State, criticizing their contract with Miami-Dade Transit and what he calls “their severe lack of training in how to adequately relate to the general public…” He’s filing suit against the security company.
We’re not going to stand for it either. You can email Miami Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez at Mayor@miamidade.gov or call him at 305-375-5071 to tell him the actions of security contractor, 50 State Security Services, are unacceptable.
I’ll close with this from writer, Mark Twain:
“Laws control the lesser man… Right conduct controls the greater one.”
