Last week, Instinct reported on a racist tirade by a gay New Yorker aimed at his Lyft driver.
Robert Ortiz, a gay, Trump-supporter saw his 16 minute racist rant go viral after he called Brooklyn Lyft driver Shawn Pepas Lettman the n-word because Lettman wouldn’t play the music Ortiz wanted to hear.
In the video, Ortiz is seen calling the police and announcing he won’t leave the car until he receives a refund for his $8.01 ride.
Ortiz’s new internet fame led to his dismissal from his job at a local health care clinic.
Now, he’s speaking to the local press saying he’s not a racist and he was just really, really drunk when he went off on Lettman.
“At the end of the day, my actions were unjustifiable,” Ortiz tells PIX11 News. “There’s nothing that I can say behind that to say ‘But this.’ I was drinking. A lot of the stuff that I said I didn’t even remember until the next day.”
“That’s not how I was raised to treat people.,” he continues. “I grew up in the projects, so I just wanna make sure that people understand that I’m not racist – I’m Puerto Rican, I’m from the Bronx, I’m gay.”
But he does still believe he and his friends were “treated differently” by Lettman.
“Like, we know discrimination, you smell it in the air,” he says. “You just know when someone’s uncomfortable with you.”
Ortiz says that since the video went viral he’s received countless threats and hate messages.
At this point Ortiz says he wants to move on from the sad debacle. “I just want to go on with my life. I’m not racist, my actions were completely wrong. I wouldn’t want anyone to speak to the way that I spoke to him.”
He concludes with a straight up apology: “The only thing that I can say is that I’m sorry.”
Watch the report from PIX 11 News below.
“I was drinking”, and we hold
"I was drinking", and we hold people who were drinking accountable for their actions… mainly because it shows who you REALLY are. You just played the non-apology 'I'm the victim' card as well… yes, you really are a piss poor example of a human being. I hope the video stays viral and eventually you revisit your behavior and sit the fuck down.
Oh, so he doesn’t remember
Oh, so he doesn’t remember what he said, but he remembers what the driver said about the radio and the “smell” in the air. Then he says he is not a racist and didn’t intent to behave like that, but still excuses himself and says he could smell the racism in the air, oh fuck you, you were drunk so you couldn’t control yourself but you were sober enough to interpret the words and smell the racism. Maybe they’ll give you a job in the airport for the narcotics area instead of a dog they’ll put you to sniff that shit. He’s not a racist but he acted according to “the way he felt in that moment”, oh then you are racism only part time. Now you can be full time racist at home.
I heard you saying bullshit of all kind to that guy, while you are the not racist one, and he was just there sitting patiently listening to your shit, oh but he was a discriminating one. Believe me, if he was as you may think she would have smacked your shitty face the second you put your damn phone in his face. This video showed the world who was who.
Now, fuck you and good luck with your job research.
Complete and utter BS. I
Complete and utter BS. I drink everyday and i don't act this way. I am so sick and tried of people going off and speaking their mind, then the minute that their are held to their words now they're drunk. Complete BS. Then to say your gay and discriminated against. Then have the nevre tobe a trump supporter. Okay let's see if trump gets you your job back. I'm gay and i have to live my life to the fullest. I have to make a way for myself not excuses.
He is a Racist because
He is a Racist because intoxicated individuals show who they truly are.
Racist thoughts are just as bad if not worst than Racist Actions because actions are the result of thoughts.
Racist thoughts are just as
Racist thoughts are just as bad as racist actions ?? So you think Ortiz should be in prison right now along with the Brooklyn guy who physically assaulted three white men last month for racial reasons ?
For all of you Social Justice
For all of you Social Justice Warriors out there, let me just say I hope that none of you ever do something stupid while drunk and it gets videoed and ruins your life. The man is human, he was drunk and he said stupid shit. This does not justify your hatred, retaliation and attempts to ruin the rest of his life. Your intolerance is just the flips side of the coin to his racism. You are no better than he is at this point. This post from Facebook says it quite well:
Farewell to another "Friend" online. We had so much in common but we ran up against that insurmountable mountain of "I'm Opinionated". For those who don't know what this mountain is. It's code for, I value my opinion over all else. It allows me to always be right. Never allows me to walk in another person's shoes and keeps me safely in my bubble at all times. It allows me to be a social justice warrior righting all wrongs and ruining the lives of others over their stupid mistakes because god knows I've never made a stupid mistake in my life. Why should others be allowed to work and live in peace when they've done something stupid?
What it fails to do is allow me to see it for what it is. It's the flip side of the coin of racism that I claim to despise. It's brother to the intolerance I fight in those who live differently than I do. It keeps me in my own little box too frightened to step out and see the world around me. Having opinions isn't a bad thing. Letting them keep you from hearing the opinions of others however is stifling your growth as a human being. Go in peace online "Friend". May life be good to you always.
He remembers the stereo !!
He remembers the stereo !! But not what he said
I hope goes to rehab for his
I hope goes to rehab for his problem…voting for trump.
It’s over. Nobody was killed.
It's over. Nobody was killed. F–k off you hateful queens.
You are calling the wrong
You are calling the wrong people hateful jerk. Why not call the racist who is blaming alcohol for his racism. Even the dumbest person on earth knows that being drunk does not turn you into a racist. It just makes you come out of your racist closet to be bold with it. He was just a racist who was drunk.Plain and simple. And now he is an unemployed sober racist aoloLYING. Like they usually do. SAVE YOUR RHETORIC.
Who cares ? It’s none of your
Who cares ? It's none of your business. Other drivers in NYC have gotten shot in the back of the head…THAT'S a big deal.
Kevin Raphael has been
Kevin Raphael has been arrested, so there's that.
And you’re basically laughing
And you're basically laughing about people with AIDS, as if you aren't as sick, or sicker, than any racist.
Also, in Brooklyn recently, a
Also, in Brooklyn recently, a guy (Kevin Raphael) was arrested for what looked like a gaybashing, but it turned out he'd assaulted one white gay and two white straight men. His statement was "I'm going to kill every white" and other variations of that. Note how you didn't consider that a racist travesty. In fact it made you dance and prance with joy, no doubt.
Shawn Pepas Lettman posted a
Shawn Pepas Lettman posted a video stating that Ortiz should be left alone. But Ortiz tried to get in front of the story when it had long passed him and comes off looking pathetic.
He put his pride on blast and
He put his pride on blast and failed…. you couldnt remember what was said until the nxt day but you remember tht yall were going back and forth about a radio… Your consequence is deserved…
Guess what Princess, you’ve
Guess what Princess, you've managed to trash gays and Puerto Ricans in one fell swoop. Sober up you entitled little troll. The Lyft driver wasn't obligated to play music for any of the passengers. You may think you are Little Miss All That, but I'm here to tell you, YOU. ARE. NOT.
Drinking lowers your
Drinking lowers your inhibitions. It removes the filters and makes you more of who you are. This guy revealed himself to be a racist asshole.
Any poster here laughing
Any poster here laughing about Ortiz looking like he has AIDS is really more evil than he is.
You were drunk and don’t
You were drunk and don't remember what you said, but, remember what you were feeling, which made you carry on? Thing, don't try it, pay this public shame just like that driver paid you dust during your rant.
Man fuck ur apology
Man fuck ur apology
He open up the can racist now
He open up the can racist now live with it that's the way he really feels. Do you know what blood is running through your vains
Fuck him. A gay trump
Fuck him. A gay trump supporter is exactly what the lgbtq community needs to make us look bad.
He looks like his nasty ass
He looks like his nasty ass has AIDS anyway. He'll be dead in 24 weeks.
You’re an idiot STFU
You're an idiot STFU
I don’t understand why Ortiz
I don't understand why Ortiz would hook up with MAGAY.
He knew exactly what he was
He knew exactly what he was saying and doing. He lost his job and now he wants to apologize.
This guy knew EXACTLY what he
This guy knew EXACTLY what he was saying & he was saying it with conviction & he still has the mind to talk about discrimination BUT….BUT….BUT…. You got outed & fired that's the ONLY reason why you're trying to make it right , but it's obvious you're not sincere.
Not excusableÂ
Not excusable
What you say and do when you
What you say and do when you're drunk is just the truth and real you that you try and hold back when you ain't. Yes you are a racist and that was a weak ass apology.
He apologized. No one was
He apologized. No one was hurt. Good luck going on with your life, Robert. BUT, you might need some treatment for meth or alcohol abuse…only you know.
Excuses! A drunk man speaks
Excuses! A drunk man speaks sober words you clown! You can't remember anything from the night before but you can remember how you were feeling, I smell BS! You made the bed you lie in it..
Apology not accepted. Bye
Apology not accepted. Bye Bitch.
She has AIDS too.. what a
She has AIDS too.. what a useless illegal whose back is wet.
I doubt hes a trump supporter
I doubt hes a trump supporter.. Yeah he said it..stop drinking if you used that as an excuse.. I'm gay and Puerto Rican..i have been drunk on Uber.. I have never spoken to a driver like this..you give us a bad name..you fucked up girl.. Eat it now..
What a tool, sorry but saying
What a tool, sorry but saying your were drunk doesn't make it okay to be a racist POS Queeny little bitch. I guarantee you that this is normal behavior for him but he got caught and then gives a fake ass apology and blames it on the alcohol. He should get together with Rosanne Barr since she said Ambien made her racist, they can do public service commercials on how alcohol and Ambien make you racist.
He was the soberest sounding
He was the soberest sounding drunk I’ve ever heard.
A drunk man’s words are a
A drunk man's words are a sober man's thoughts…
You are racist or you wouldn
You are racist or you wouldn't have said what you said
He is a big PEN-DE-HOE!
He is a big PEN-DE-HOE!
Gives a bad name to PR which his president didn't care to help during the last hurricane disaster.
This guy takes no
This guy takes no responsibility for his actions. Saying he was drunk is bs! He is just insecure about who he is period. Personally, I think this guy should have to pay for the loss of time and money the driver incurred and repay all of the people that step up on GoFundMe and some time in jail just to make sure he learns a lesson. There is no excuse for people behaving like this !!!
Don’t blame it on the alcohol
Don't blame it on the alcohol…
I can get over someone being
I can get over someone being a gay conservative. I don't get it but I can accept it. I just can not however, get over anyone, let alone a gay person being a Trump supporter. I don't care how attractive, funny, intelligent you are. Hit the road.
I’m a Trump supporter, and
I'm a Trump supporter, and born in NYC, and I got more class than this guy. I'm a good happy guy when drunk.
Probably has that Jekyll and
Probably has that Jekyll and Hyde thing certain drunks get. He's not a Trump-supporter either. He thought that would get him a quicker response.