Founder of Fiddlehead, Melinda Byerley has issued an “apology” after going on a Twitter rant against Indian immigrants in the US a few days ago.
The Silicon Valley entrepreneur in her Twitter post on Friday ‘thanked’ the netizens for the honest feedback. She further apologized for her statements and for ‘taking too long to understand.’
Thank you for the honest feedback. I’m sorry for the hurt I caused, and that it took me so long to understand and respond. pic.twitter.com/ZDSNYq9mg0
— Melinda Byerley (@MJB_SF) November 11, 2021
Issuing a supposed apology, Byerley said that she has learnt from the episode and will hold herself to higher standards in the future ‘while remaining passionate and engaged in advocating for those with less privilege than many of us.’
Her definition of ‘less privilege’ remains unclear. Byerley also confessed that she was ‘quick with her words’ and that does not reflect her viewpoint on the larger issues of immigration.
Netizens say ‘not enough’
Byerley’s unclear apology has not gone down well with the netizens. A Twitter user Venkatesh said, “That was no ‘in the course of a heated discussion’. It was deliberately meant to hurt. Period.”
That was no ‘in the course of a heated discussion’. It was deliberately meant to hurt. Period. https://t.co/u09iO4OJbh
— Somalaram Venkatesh (@serioustaurean) November 12, 2021
“An apology is for public consumption, it will never remove the deep hatred and racist attitude of some,” pointed out another user.
An apology is for public consumption, it will never remove the deep hatred and racist attitude of some. https://t.co/dTCqeyCs9s
— चौकीदार for 2024 (@bhartendu2206) November 12, 2021
One Yash said, “You called Indian immigrants parasites, told them to go back to their country because their political views didn’t align with yours, pit Indian immigrants against other poc, and blamed them for the issues in USA. Your racism and xenophobia isn’t a “mistake”.
You called Indian immigrants parasites, told them to go back to their country because their political views didn’t align with yours, pit Indian immigrants against other poc, and blamed them for the issues in USA. Your racism and xenophobia isn’t a “mistake”. https://t.co/qi86rlAP8b
— Yash (@Adikdaivaseva) November 12, 2021
“And what are your values ? The ones that you posted?” questioned a user by the name Dev.
And what are your values ? The ones that you posted?
— dev (@devm_m) November 12, 2021
“You don’t want a lawsuits slapped on you. You are not sorry. A grown ass woman knows better,” remarked another.
You don’t want a lawsuits slapped on you. You are not sorry. A grown ass woman knows better. https://t.co/8NMaTK9i7f
— ?☠️Emersen”Has Sanity Come Back?” Lee☠️? (@EmersenLee) November 12, 2021
Byerley’s rant
In a long Twitter thread posted on November 09, Byerley asked the Indian-Americans in the silicon valley to ‘take money and leave the US.’
She further asked the ‘parasites’ to ‘go back to their apartheid/ caste systems’ and asked other states and countries to not let ‘these parasites gain a foothold.’
Byerley faced a severe backlash on social media for her absolute racist and dehumanizing rant.
