Service Refused: Elon vs. Whoopi

If we could promote and support a better America, the kind we all say we want, the question I have is, “Are we able to raise our consciousness to a level capable of changing our collective behavior?” To do that, though, we need a baseline understanding of healthy, which is something I believe we innately share. Surely, some will be more homed in than others. But as embodiments of the human condition, somewhere within us, we all know good versus bad, love versus hate, dark versus light and sick versus healthy. We know it because we feel it.

Nothing has the power to entice thought better than a good example, but before jumping in, it’s important to note that this is not a policy change or political party conversation. This is a deep, reflective what’s-in-our-hearts conversation.

Example 1.

A man walks into a coffee shop wearing a MAGA hat and is refused service, informed by the Barista who said, “Sir, we reserve the right to refuse service to anyone.” Then the manager stepped in and told the man that they would be happy to serve him if he removed his hat. He calmy responded, “Very well.” He then left quietly, with the hat on his head and without a coffee in his hand.

Example 2.

A woman walks into a 146-year-old New York bakery to place a large order of deserts. She was told that they were having some mechanical issues with their boiler/oven and therefore, unable to commit to filling the large order that had been requested. The woman, a celebrity, inferred from that that she was being refused service due to her politics, and proceeded to go on national television accusing the bakery of discriminating against her personally because of her views. A major, national and ridiculous brouhaha ensued.

As it turns out, in the California coffee shop, the guy wearing the MAGA hat was Elon Musk. He returned the next day impressed by the business’ commitment to sustainability and feeling curious about its relationship to their advertised position that they, Welcome Everyone, which was emblazoned on the wall at the entrance. Especially, since he was, in fact, not welcome. The next day he met with his team to talk about this small, independent coffee shop. Fast forward, he ended up investing in the business, engaging with the manager/owner and flipping the entire situation on its head. It’s a shining example of how elevating behavior has the power to produce something so much bigger and better than the results spawned by prejudice. The whole story spelled out is definitely worth watching here on YouTube.

The woman, on the other hand, who drew her own conclusions out of thin air and bashed the bakery who had given a legit, feasible and reasonable explanation was Whoopi Goldberg lobbing her accusations on The View.  Whoopi still maintains that she is right. No apology. No effort to have a conversation. Just straight up gaslighting. This one you may have heard about. It was all over the news.

Ironically, of the two, Elon was the only one who was actually “refused service.” And, of the two situations, and between the four parties, healthy versus unhealthy emerges with crystalline clarity.

Elon didn’t throw a tantrum and remind everyone that he is the richest man in the world, which one would think might inspire a server to be nice. The fact is, they didn’t recognize him. So, there’s that. Instead, he walked away. Quiet, mature and graceful.

The coffee shop, on the other hand, established themselves as hypocrites. Rarely can anyone expect a healthy situation to result when words contradict actions. Saying one thing and doing the opposite is a kind of bait-n-switch that reveals deficiencies in wholeness of thought. It's confusing, misleading, thoughtless.

With the bakery, the tables flip. It’s Whoopi, the customer, who lay bare her dysfunction when she claimed to be a victim of discrimination with no basis whatsoever. By way of sheer assumption, she publicly shamed people working at the bakery with a tale of self-imposed, attention-seeking persecution. What a major, major departure from Elon.

The employees and owners of the bakery were innocent bystanders. Nothing to evaluate there. They did nothing other than try to set expectations and provide the service on which they have built their 100 year-plus reputation. That this turned into the spectacle that it did is just beyond stupid.

Really, all the barista had to do was say, “Sounds like a great idea. I’m all for making America Great Again too.” Not literally, of course. She didn’t need to actually say it, but with a heart in the right place, she could have thought it. I’m mean really, it wasn’t a marriage proposal. At the level of buying a coffee or a doughnut, it shouldn’t matter how we make “great,” great. As a starting place, it should just matter that we agree on wanting better than what we have.

All Whoopi had to do was keep her mouth shut.

All we humans have to do is not act like neanderthals toward one another. Every time we have the consciousness of mind – and heart - to do that, we get healthier, together, and we also make America Great Again.