A Colorado waitress reacted to customers leaving an unsatisfactory tip by fantasizing on social media about killing Mexicans in a "purge" -- and then she lost her job.
Megan Olson, who goes by the name "megatron" on Twitter, posted the violent message referring to to movie "The Purge: Election Year" earlier this month on her personal account, reported KMGH-TV.
"If we had a real life purge I would kill as many Mexicans as I could in one night," Olson tweeted, followed by the hashtag "learn how to tip you f*cking twat."
Other social media users brought the tweet to her employer's attention by posting screen captures of the message on the Facebook page managed by Texas Roadhouse in Greeley.
"A violent and racist employee is very bad for business," one Facebook user said. "Please send her packin'."
A company spokesman said the restaurant's manager reacted immediately after learning about Olson's comments.
"Our managing partner was actually mowing his lawn when he was alerted," said company spokesman Travis Doster. "He immediately rushed to the restaurant, met with the employee who posted this disgusting tweet and she was terminated."
Olson apologized on her Facebook page and promised she would never say something like that again.
"I wrote hurtful, inconsiderate, insensitive and careless words and I understand the amount of people I have offended by that," she posted. "There are no excuses for what I have done. I sincerely, from the bottom of my heart, apologize to everyone for my momentary lack of judgment. I want you all to know that I do not actually feel this way."
One activist said Olson's tweet was part of a growing trend of anti-Latino violence and rhetoric inspired by Donald Trump's presidential campaign.
“We have seen a fear-mongering campaign that has legitimized racist comments like this across all social media networks," said Maria Handley, executive director of Generation Latino. "This hateful racist comment from a Greeley waitress is not unique. We are seeing it acted out in public, at schools and in our neighborhoods. This vitriol and hate that we are seeing in our communities is real and the man leading that is running for president."
