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Police presence inside a showing of ‘The Butler’ causes outrage
MSNBC's The Grio ^ | August 18, 2013 | Joy-Ann Reid

Posted on 08/18/2013 2:20:34 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet

Washington D.C. woman says a weekend trip to see the movie, “The Butler” was marred by the presence of police inside the theater.

Tiffany Flowers says she and her boyfriend, Alan Hanson, were attending a screening of the Lee Daniels film at the Regal Cinemas Majestic Stadium 20 theater in Silver Spring, Maryland Saturday, when the experience turned sour. She said that after waiting in line and having their tickets double validated, with the second ticket taker just ten feet from the first employee to tear their stubs, she and Hanson approached the theater entrance, only to find a police officer directing people’s movements.

Flowers told theGrio the officer “herded everybody to the right, and then around the corner there’s another police officer, then we round the corner and there’s a third police officer.”

She said the uniformed police who remained inside the theater throughout the show were not in uniform, but dressed in all black with their badges exposed, and wearing bullet-proof vests, and that she later learned they were contracted by the Montgomery County Police Department. The Department did not have a spokesman available on Sunday.

And she said the crowd inside the theater was anything but rowdy.

“I’m 35 [years old] and Alan is 38,” she said. “There was not anyone there who would make you think there would be a possible disturbance.”

Flowers said that she was “seething” over the police presence throughout the film, but didn’t immediately say anything to theater personnel. “You don’t want to play the ‘black card,’ so to speak, and you almost don’t want to feel what you’re feeling, but then everyone around me was talking about feeling racially profiled and saying we don’t need the cops [in order] to see an Oprah flick....

(Excerpt) Read more at thegrio.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; News/Current Events; US: Maryland
KEYWORDS: hollywood; maryland; oprah; oprahlies; policeatthemovies; profiling; thebutler; unusualcoppresence
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
“As for Flowers, who works as a union organizer, she has vowed not to let the matter drop, noting the swift response on social media. She made it clear that she wants Regal to respond.

“If this was an isolated incident and it didn’t speak to the core of what people are feeling in the post Trayvon [Martin] era it wouldn’t be a problem,” she said. “But we’re constantly being treated as second-class citizens and we’re sick of it.”

UPDATE: Russ Nunley, a spokesman for Regal Cinemas, emailed theGrio the following statement Sunday afternoon:

Regal Entertainment Group routinely employs security personnel to ensure the safety all of our guests and staff. When a theatre experiences sold out showings of any feature, security will assist with crowd control and guest assistance throughout the facility, including auditoriums.

This weekend our Majestic theatre experienced a tremendous guest response to the feature the ‘Lee Daniels’ The Butler’ such that additional showtimes were added to meet our guests demands.

At no time did local management receive any guest complaints or concerns about our security or staff, who worked diligently to meet all of our guests needs.

To the extent any guests were dissapointed with their experience, we welcome the opportunity to address their concerns and provide them the best entertainment experience possible in their future visits to our theatres. [sic]

The theater was doing crowd control for a sold-out film, and the complainer was doing her job as a “union organizer” and general agitator.

41 posted on 08/18/2013 3:19:54 PM PDT by VanShuyten ("a shadow...draped nobly in the folds of a gorgeous eloquence.")
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Absolutely which is why Oprah has been spewing all this racist crap with these interviews she’s been doing. What’s the most outrageous racist thing she could possibly say? Comparing Trayvon Martin to Emmett Till which is exactly what she did. This is liberals for you though, just absolutely pathetic pieces of pig vomit all of them.


42 posted on 08/18/2013 3:27:29 PM PDT by GrandJediMasterYoda (Someday our schools will teach the difference between "lose" and "loose")
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To: fella

We have a relative who is an LEO there and you are correct, I don’t wonder.


43 posted on 08/18/2013 3:29:49 PM PDT by rhubarbk (It's official, I'm suffering from Obama fatigue!)
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To: dfwgator

I back your prediction and it will be spoken about before the awards to subtly push whoever in that direction and then scream if all didn’t succumb to their wants and ‘rights’ because of ‘those racists’.


44 posted on 08/18/2013 3:31:47 PM PDT by presently no screen name
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To: gitmo
Stay home. It’ll be out on DVD soon.
Probably by the end of the week . . .
45 posted on 08/18/2013 3:34:08 PM PDT by rhubarbk (It's official, I'm suffering from Obama fatigue!)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

The desk Sgt. was two weeks from retirement and didn’t appreciate his duty that evening at the initial screening of ‘The Butler.’ His job was to direct VIPs to the special mezzanine seating area, after they presented a gold tickrt, and other patrons to the regular seats.
He wouldn’t know Oprah Winfrey if she wore a flashing name-tag.
After seating most of the theater and the show about to begin, in swans a dumpy, older black woman with a large retinue.
A man in Thousand dollar suit tells Sarge that they are the producers’ party and they have reserved most of the mezzanine level. The problem is, they don’t have their Willy Wonka tickets. So the suit and Sarge talk it over for several minutes. The previews are rolling, you can hear them.

Finally the short, dumpy black woman walks up to the sergeant and says, “You don’t have a clue as to who I am, do you.” Sarge replies, “No I don’t. Ma’am. Show me your gold ticket and you can pass.”
The woman says, “I am Oprah Winfrey. I made this movie.
I have a mezzanine seat!
Now, I’ve been dealing with guys like you all my life.
Now, let me pass or I’ll have your badge!”

Sarge thinks about this and says, “Lady, I don’t care if you got brass tits.
No tickee, no laundry.”


46 posted on 08/18/2013 3:36:38 PM PDT by tumblindice (America's founding fathers: All armed conservatives.)
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To: Ann Archy

Exactly.


47 posted on 08/18/2013 3:44:48 PM PDT by windcliff
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To: publius911

Probably oprah herself!

False Flag operations are ALWAYS good for publicity!


48 posted on 08/18/2013 3:52:14 PM PDT by left that other site (You Shall Know the Truth, and the Truth Shall Set You Free...John 8:32)
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To: tumblindice

LMAO..... and applauding!!


49 posted on 08/18/2013 5:19:47 PM PDT by Gator113
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To: tumblindice

LMAO..... and applauding!!


50 posted on 08/18/2013 5:19:51 PM PDT by Gator113
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

And she said the crowd inside the theater was anything but rowdy.

Perhaps this is because of the police presence?


51 posted on 08/18/2013 5:35:47 PM PDT by rfreedom4u (I have a copy of the Constitution! And I'm not afraid to use it!)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Young black men: 3% of the population. 50% of the murders.


52 posted on 08/18/2013 6:02:40 PM PDT by stinkerpot65 (Global warming is a Marxist lie.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet; Abundy; Albion Wilde; AlwaysFree; AnnaSASsyFR; bayliving; BFM; Bigg Red; ...

Maryland “Freak State” PING!


53 posted on 08/18/2013 7:50:58 PM PDT by Tolerance Sucks Rocks (Major brain damage at UMES, but no property damage (bullet-proof whiteboards)!)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet; Abundy; Albion Wilde; AlwaysFree; AnnaSASsyFR; bayliving; BFM; Bigg Red; ...

Maryland “Freak State” PING!


54 posted on 08/18/2013 7:51:02 PM PDT by Tolerance Sucks Rocks (Major brain damage at UMES, but no property damage!)
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To: mylife

I sure get tired of hearing from the church of perpetual offense and racist....


55 posted on 08/19/2013 12:38:28 AM PDT by goat granny
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To: sakic
I saw it. I also predict it won’t get a nomination.

Doesn't matter how bad it is, it'll win all sorts of awards. Only racists would not vote it as the winner, and no one wants to be a racist.

56 posted on 08/19/2013 1:33:42 AM PDT by Cementjungle
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

OK, I have to ask.

Were the Police, (I assume they were all Creepy Ass Crackers BTW), wearing Obama Masks?

My second question is this, why did they get out of the Truck?


57 posted on 08/19/2013 1:40:16 AM PDT by Kickass Conservative (Liberal Democrats are Communists. RINO Republicans are Communist Sympathizers.)
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To: Cementjungle

It might get a few minor nominations, but it will probably get shut out of the majors. Whittaker has a shot at a nomination, which he does not deserve. Great actor, but this ie claptrap.

One thing I will guarantee is that Cate Blanchett wins Best Actress for Blue Jasmine and Woody deserves a director nomination and possible win. His best since Crimes and Misdemeanors.


58 posted on 08/21/2013 3:48:18 AM PDT by sakic
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