Saying the N-word is a major offense, and one would think people would know better than to use such a harmful slur. Unfortunately, some still can’t seem to hold back. A recent incident in Florida involving a Black teen brings this issue to light once again. TikToker @mon81968 uploaded a video showing two women confronting a man outside a Burger King in Crystal River, Florida. The man is allegedly a coworker or manager of the teen and reportedly used the N-word multiple times. The argument is difficult to follow at times, as all parties are talking over each other, but it appears that the employee did use the slur.
When confronted, the man attempted to defend himself by saying he used the N word. The women, clearly fed up, responded that it did not matter which version he used. He should not be saying it at all. At one point, the man claimed he did not call the Black teen the N-word.
The second half of the clip takes place inside the Florida Burger King. Another employee is heard telling someone, presumably the Black teen, not to come in and stating that she was fired. The video ends with an adult woman confronting the employee at the cashier and demanding accountability for the racist behavior and the unjust firing.
In the TikTok video description, TikToker @mon81968 explained that the 17-year-old Black teen had been working at the restaurant to save for her first car. While on the job, the teen was reportedly called the N-word repeatedly over the headset by her manager and another employee. Customers overheard the slurs and tried to step in, but the racist abuse continued. When the teen’s grandmother arrived to address the situation, the restaurant responded by firing the teen instead of the employees responsible for the slurs.
Now, TikToker @mon81968 is rallying support online, urging the internet to help defend the Black teen and demand justice from the Burger King branch in Florida. In the video description, they encouraged users to tag @BurgerKing and demand accountability.
Many TikTok users were quick to show support for the teen, condemning the actions of the manager and coworkers involved. One commenter wrote, “This is so disgusting. I can’t believe people are getting away with this again. It feels like the early 1900s all over again.”
Another user criticized the male employee’s defense as weak and unconvincing, saying, “As a white person, you don’t belong using either version of that word. Whether it ends with an ‘a’ or the hard ‘r,’ it is completely disrespectful, distasteful, and has no place in the workplace or anywhere else for that matter.”
