In a Crisis, Please Don’t Be the Red Robin Girl

Unless you’ve been living under a rock (in which case, great social distancing!), then you’re aware that we are currently in the midst of a pandemic. The novel coronavirus COVID-19 has spread to nearly every country, and over 6,000 people have died. Schools and businesses have closed down, people who can are working remotely, and governments across the globe are urging people to stay at home.

But none of that mattered to Katie Williams. The former Miss Nevada State and current candidate for Clark County School Board District B posted a tweet that went viral, where she defiantly bragged about eating a hamburger at restaurant chain Red Robin. Williams’ tweet was in response to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s plea for people to stay safe and practice social distancing.

Many took to social media to criticize Williams’ self-aggrandizing behavior:

Being 30 and eating at Red Robin may be the saddest flex of all time, but it’s indicative of a larger issue among conservatives in this country. Because for folks like Williams, “I do what I want” carries the same weight and importance as “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”.

Chalk it up to our country’s sense of “rugged individualism”, where the wants and desires of one person should be elevated above all government and authority, because the rules don’t apply to them. Blame propaganda machines like Fox News, which spew out misinformation that denies science and validates our worst impulses. This thinking culminated in the election of Donald Trump, a racist reality television show host who has no business running the country, and has made this pandemic exponentially worse by pretending it didn’t exist.

These people are cut from the same cloth. Trump, Williams, the Kent State gun girl, all share a belief that they are exceptional, that their wants matter more than the needs of society. Florida Representative Matt Gaetz wore a gas mask to mock fears of the virus. Days later, one of his constituents died from it.

Oklahoma governor Kevin Stitt tweeted a defiant post about eating at a crowded restaurant with his children. The tweet was roundly mocked, and he eventually deleted it.

Texas Senator Jon Cornyn tweeted a coronavirus joke as he was on his way home for a weekend recess. His fellow senator, Ted Cruz, is currently self isolating after coming into contact with an infected person at CPAC.

There’s standing up for what you believe in, and then there’s spreading a global pandemic to own the libs. Here’s the thing: COVID-19 exists whether you believe in it or not. People are dying and everyone is vulnerable. So stay inside, wash your hands, and don’t be an entitled asshat.

It’s not that hard, people. And for the love of God, don’t vote for Katie Williams for Nevada school board.

(image: JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images)

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Chelsea Steiner

Chelsea was born and raised in New Orleans, which explains her affinity for cheesy grits and Britney Spears. An pop culture journalist since 2012, her work has appeared on Autostraddle, AfterEllen, and more. Her beats include queer popular culture, film, television, republican clownery, and the unwavering belief that 'The Long Kiss Goodnight' is the greatest movie ever made. She currently resides in sunny Los Angeles, with her husband, 2 sons, and one poorly behaved rescue dog. She is a former roller derby girl and a black belt in Judo, so she is not to be trifled with. She loves the word “Jewess” and wishes more people used it to describe her.

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