Democratic Senate Candidate Confronted Over Offensive' Post About Black People: I Was Legitimately Curious'

"The first Reddit post I wanted to ask you about is from 2013. So, someone wrote on Reddit, What is one question you've always wanted to ask someone of another race? You responded, Why don't black people tip? I work as a bartender and it always amazes me how solid the stereotype is. Every now and again a black patron will leave a 15-20% tip, but usually it is between 0 and 5%. There has got to be a reason behind it. What is it?"

"I was legitimately asking the question. I mean, that was the point of the thread, was to ask a question. Amusingly enough, I remember this time when I first started bartending and then I had a conversation with a friend of mine who was Black, who was a bartender, who did a great job of walking me through structural injustice and feelings of lack of agency."

Graham Platner faced scrutiny after a 2013 Reddit post in which he asked, "Why don't black people tip?" He said he asked out of curiosity and not malice, explaining that the thread invited questions. Platner said a Black bartender friend later explained structural injustice and feelings of lack of agency, which provided context for observed tipping differences. He acknowledged regret for many old Reddit posts but maintained that the tipping question reflected curiosity and not intent to offend. He said he reread comments and received an answer soon afterward.

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