On Friday's Real Time with Bill Maher, the host read- and condemned- several tweets from conservatives vehemently criticizing Simon Biles for backing away from the Olympics. (We mustn't say "quit.") Enthusiastically agreeing, Virgin Islands Delegate for the House of Representatives, Democrat Stacey Plaskett, remarked (at 1:48 of the video) "my response to that is they can kiss my overworked black woman ass."
It's unclear what the Biles overblown controversy has to do specifically with Piskett's ass, but some individuals cannot resist the temptation to be vulgar on national television. It's unclear also what this has to do with race, given that there has been no indication that the overheated reaction to Biles' decision is related to race.
More interesting, however, is that the audience, understandably supportive of Biles, lustily applauded, probably (and hopefully) in the belief that Plaskett at that moment was supporting Biles.
Note that Biles, a House manager in the second impeachment of President Trump, did not say that the gymnast should have said "they can kiss my overworked black woman ass." Instead, she admonished "they can kiss my overworked black woman ass."
The delegate was not referring to the Olympian, but to herself as possessing an "overworked black ass."
Perhaps Plaskett was not suggesting that she's overworked because she's black or female. She certainly wasn't lamenting the plight of blue collar workers in the Virgin Islands who have to retire early because of the enormous strain of their labor. Nor was she thinking of the mother holding down two jobs while raising young children. Nor was she speaking of the retail employee in a tedious job, maybe working evenings and weekends earning minimum wage, nor the college student holding down a job while accumulating debt it may take a lifetime to pay back.
Stacey Plaskett was thinking of herself, probably claiming that she is working so hard as a member of the House of Representatives. Ethics official, who himself sympathizes with Simone Biles, sees the Washington, D.C. job differently:
Hey Congress, enjoy the vacay. Work is for jerks. Who cares if you failed to do your job for American familes by extending the eviction moratorum before skipping town. What matters is that you've got your shades and your sunblock. You're ready for Hot Congressional Rep. Summer.
— Walter Shaub (@waltshaub) July 31, 2021
They all begin vacation in a different location, for Plaskett at Studio 33 at Television City in Los Angeles. However, upon further review: maybe I'm wrong and the V.I. cannot do better than Stacey Plaskett. If she is only half as impressive and virtuous as she thinks she is, the Virgin Islands is very well represented, indeed
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