A train’s recent derailment in Philadelphia has led to five deaths and injuries to another 140 people, which has prompted many Twitter users to turn on one of the passengers over a “distasteful” tweet. Jennifer Kim, a violinist who performs professionally with the Washington National Opera Orchestra, used Twitter to publicly ask the company that operates the train, Amtrak, to return her violin – despite the company’s obvious more urgent problems.
The offending tweet, which has since been deleted, at @vinoviolin read: “thanks a lot for derailing my train. Can I please get my violin back from the 2nd car of train?” Another tweeter, @JacobMSchmitt, countered Kim with: “Because your violin is the highest priority for EMT’s and first responders right now”. A number of new Twitter accounts parodying Kim have also sprung up.
However, another Twitter user, @mamaswati, reasoned that “maybe tweeting Amtrak to get her violin out of the wreck was distasteful, but for the love of mercy people… give the girl a break.” Meanwhile, assessing the attacks on Kim, @KatMcKinley asked: “What kind of freaks are we?”
