Shocking footage has gone viral this week that shows a white woman - or a "Karen," as the internet has christened her - calling the cops on a black man who asked her a simple question.
Viewers were outraged at the footage. Now this woman has been named and shamed - and she's facing serious consequences for her actions...
It's 2020, and racism is sadly still rife across our country,
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For centuries now, people of color have been hatefully discriminated against, and shockingly, it is still happening today.Admittedly, we have come a long way in the fight against this prejudice...
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More people than ever before are fighting for quality for all races and ethnicities... But that doesn't mean that racism still isn't happening.The most recent example of blatant racism has come from none other than New York's Central Park.
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Today, footage from the infamous park has emerged of a white woman calling the cops on a black man for the most ludicrous of reasons.The shocking video has spread like wildfire on Twitter...
@melodyMcooper Notice how her immediate response is to tell the cops an "African American" man is 'threatening' her… https://t.co/oT4z6vdzOa— Axel Folio, PhD, Merry Mary Marxist extraordinaire (@Axel Folio, PhD, Merry Mary Marxist extraordinaire)1590437203.0
And, as the footage gained viral fame...
@melodyMcooper Karen: “this African American is threatening me and my dog.” Also Karen: *proceeds to strangle her… https://t.co/dPl7osoipI— Behdad Sami (@Behdad Sami)1590438882.0
Now, what exactly is a Karen?
Well, the ever-so-accurate Urban Dictionary describes a Karen as a "mother of three. Blonde. Owns a Volvo. Annoying as hell. Wears acrylics 24/7. Currently at your workplace speaking to your manager."
But, for a little more generic description...
The Karen system https://t.co/md5nXQR2QV— its a me, barry bongss! (@its a me, barry bongss!)1590330081.0
Many people have now been identified as a "Karen"...
You can tell how Karen a Karen is by how she reacts to a Karen meme https://t.co/j6u7y8N3Z1— Spinelli ϟ (@Spinelli ϟ)1588157381.0
But, in this instance, there is nothing to laugh about.
via: Twitter
Melody Cooper took to Twitter to share the video of her brother, Christian Cooper, who was out bird watching at the time, being targetted by the aggravated white woman... And it was all over her dog being off the leash. She captioned the video, "Oh, when Karens take a walk with their dogs off leash in the famous Bramble in NY’s Central Park, where it is clearly posted on signs that dogs MUST be leashed at all times, and someone like my brother (an avid birder) politely asks her to put her dog on the leash."Christian had allegedly asked the woman to put her dog on its leash...
via: Twitter
And when she refused, Christian had offered the dog a treat. But, instead of cooperating or simply walking away, the woman, who has since been identified as Amy Cooper, went on the defense. She grabbed her dog by the collar and stormed towards Christian, asking him to stop recording her."Sir, I'm asking you to stop."
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Christian asks her to not come any closer but, clearly agitated, Amy continues to stride forward, all while dragging her dog by its collar. "I'm taking a picture and calling the cops."Despite her threats, Christian remains calm...
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And actually encourages her to call the cops.And, while still grabbing her dog by its collar...
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Amy says defiantly, "I'm going to tell them there's an African American man threatening my life."It is completely unbelievable.
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While standing further away with her dog struggling at her side, Amy goes on to talk to a 911 operator, saying confidently, "I'm sorry, I'm in the Bramble, and there's a man, an African American man, he's recording me and threatening me and my dog."Christian left before the cops arrived...
My brother & I are so grateful for your concern! He is fine and left to continue birding after she leashed the dog,… https://t.co/BUlLVXflAy— Melody Cooper (@Melody Cooper)1590459998.0
Many have expressed their relief for Christian...
@helchose @michaelharriot I like the part where the police didn't come and shoot or taze him or have him in cuffs i… https://t.co/emy1pc1W7H— Yvonne Left (@Yvonne Left)1590472775.0
And others are alarmed at how Amy literally strangles her dog by its collar.
The video just gets worse and worse the more you watch it.You can watch the footage for yourself here.
Oh, when Karens take a walk with their dogs off leash in the famous Bramble in NY’s Central Park, where it is clear… https://t.co/zFb3O0cClz— Melody Cooper (@Melody Cooper)1590426192.0
Has Amy Cooper faced any consequences for her actions?
via: Twitter
Well, the New York Post has reported that she has been placed on administrative leave by the investment company that employs her. “We take these matters very seriously, and we do not condone racism of any kind," read a statement from Franklin Templeton. “While we are in the process of investigating the situation, the employee involved has been put on administrative leave."And she has now come forward with an apology.
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In a telephone interview with NBC New York, she said: "I sincerely and humbly apologize to everyone, especially to that man, his family. It was unacceptable and I humbly and fully apologize to everyone who’s seen that video, everyone that’s been offended… Everyone who thinks of me in lower light and I understand why they do."She wants people to know that she isn't "a racist."
via: CNN
"I'm not a racist. I did not mean to harm that man in any way," she said, adding that she also didn't mean any harm to the African American community.She then spoke to CNN...
@CNN If it had been a black woman making the call she would have been in prison by now— Pat Shiels (@Pat Shiels)1590484358.0
She said that her "entire life has been destroyed" since the video was posted.
In response to an incident involving an employee on May 25th, Franklin Templeton issued the following statement. https://t.co/8f2lMwK0r5— Franklin Templeton (@Franklin Templeton)1590461004.0
When will this blatant discrimination end?
@melodyMcooper All jokes aside, this is literally why Emmitt Till and countless Black men have been killed. She sho… https://t.co/NHgZuJ00dr— Behdad Sami (@Behdad Sami)1590442606.0
As her place of employment has Tweeted that she has been fired thanks to this horrific video.
Following our internal review of the incident in Central Park yesterday, we have made the decision to terminate the… https://t.co/3GkCjsaYn7— Franklin Templeton (@Franklin Templeton)1590517491.0
And this isn't the only consequence of her actions.
@notcapnamerica Good. That poor pup was almost strangled to death. My God she is horrid.— Elizabeth Thorp (@Elizabeth Thorp)1590459651.0
After some viewers condemned her handling of the dog in the video...
I don’t feel bad for a woman who lost her job and dog because she tried to use her privilege to make a black man lose his life...— Karen Civil (@Karen Civil)1590507392.0