Woman Who Slapped 'Karen' in Gas Station Doesn't Buy Mental Illness Excuse for Racism | 22 Words

Shocking footage went viral over the weekend showing a white woman - or a "Karen," as the internet has dubbed her, going on a racist rant inside a gas station, before being slapped in the face.

And now, the woman who stood up for herself has spoken out and she doesn't buy the "mental health" excuse that has been given...

It's 2020, and racism is sadly still rife across our country.

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...

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 a Phoneix gas station.

Over the weekend, footage emerged of a white woman going on a racist rant in the middle of the gas station, before getting slapped.

The shocking video has spread like wildfire on Twitter...

And people have been left completely horrified by the woman's disgraceful behavior.

And, as the footage gained viral fame...

People have taken to referring to the white woman as a "Karen" - which is a phrase that is often used as a joke.

But, in this instance, there is nothing to laugh about.

The video, which was initially posted to Facebook, sparked outrage online after the woman can be seen going on a disgusting racist rant in the middle of a Phoenix gas station.

But this time...

She didn't walk away clean as many of these people often do - she got a slap in the face - and the internet is thrilled about it.

The incident occurred in Arizona on Saturday last week...

And it kicked off when a middle-aged white woman stormed inside a gas station demanding to be helped after her pump outside was apparently not working.

Soon enough, an argument ensued between her and a younger woman who was getting served at the time.

But things quickly escalated.

The man recording the clip claims that he heard the woman tell the younger lady to "go back to her country."

Before telling the clerk behind the register not to serve her.

Things become more and more heated before the 2 women end up in a face to face confrontation.

As the women shout at each other, the "Karen" can be seen pushing the woman.

This, of course, led to the woman defending herself...

And she can be seen slapping the "Karen" across her face.

As the clip surfaced on social media, people were outraged over "Karen's" blatant racist behavior...

And of course, many felt that the slap in the face was something of a refreshing change compared to those who will often walk away scot-free.

Some think that one slap wasn't enough...

"She begged for it & she got it. She got off easy with that 1 slap though."

Reactions have been strong, to say the least.

The sheer nerve of these people to be so blatantly racist is completely beyond us.

Amid the backlash, her husband spoke out.

Bob Harrian appealed directly to Karina Rodriguez - the woman who slapped his wife, Tamara, during the gas station incident - during an interview with FOX10.

He offered a tearful apology for his wife's actions.

"I'm just so sorry that this happened. You never walked into that store thinking something like this was going to happen. I understand, and I'm sorry. I'm sorry for what she said."

He then went on to say mental illness is the reason why his wife behaved the way she did.

"I just have to tell you this - it's her mental illness. A year ago she would never have done, never have even thought of that."

He claims his wife's actions are the result of a break-in at their home last year...

And says she's developed paranoia and signs of fabrication - and hopes that the video will urge her to seek help.

But people on Twitter were not buying it.

Many didn't agree with the attempts to blame her racism on mental illness.

Many also raised this point.

Why wasn't his wife making the apology?

And now, the woman who slapped the "Karen" has broken her silence.

Karina Rodriguez spoke to TMZ about the shocking incident that was caught on camera.

She revealed that she considered calling the police.

But she decided not to because she was scared the police would racially profile her and blame her for the altercation.

She also revealed that she was hesitant to go public after finding out the woman had a lawyer husband.

However, as we saw before, he has made his stance on the situation very clear - he doesn't agree with his wife's actions.

But if there's one thing that she's not buying...

It's Tamara's mental health claims.

She is still waiting for a personal apology...

She explained that she doesn't believe being racist and being mentally ill have anything to do with each other, and she's willing to bet Tamara's racism dates back earlier than whatever she's been dealing with recently.

It's clear that this woman had racist beliefs from the get-go...

Karina then advised the "Karen" to immediately start working toward bettering herself if she wants a shot at redemption, but she's not holding her breath.

You can watch the full clip that sparked it all here:

When will this blatant discrimination end? For more on the disgraceful racism in our country, keep scrolling to read about the black man who was shot by a white police officer in his own home...