You may have encountered the internet term for entitled, middle-aged white women often guilty of racist and COVID denial: “Karen.” Karens are well known for claiming they felt threatened before calling police on Black people.
This practice has led to a series of racially motivated phone calls to police officers that target black people. These incidents sparked a national conversation on race, and some states have passed laws protecting those who are victims of unlawful harassment.
1. Pennsylvania’s “Karen’s Law”
In Pennsylvania, a law has been passed that shields those from unlawful harassment by entitled Karens due to false accusations. This protection is known as “Karen’s Law.”
This law was created to combat the rising problem of entitled Karens, racist women who use white supremacy against Black people with little regard for other’s safety or dignity. These individuals can be found everywhere from large box stores to parks and even online.
They can often be seen on the sidewalk, calling police on young children and making false accusations about Black protestors in the streets. These women must be stopped immediately; their presence poses a significant danger and must be eradicated from our society.
This law was passed to prevent entitled Karens from unlawfully contact people during peaceful demonstrations. For instance, David Elmendorf – former owner of Bumpy’s Polar Freeze in Schenectady, New York – was recently fined $4,500 for illegally threatening Black Lives Matter protesters.
Karen’s Law is named in honor of Karen Widdoss-Milewski, a survivor who endured sexual abuse as a child and physical abuse throughout her teen years. Her story has been featured on the syndicated television show Crime Watch Daily and she recently joined other supporters at a rally to support the law.
This law is of paramount importance and should be applauded for safeguarding those who are victims of this horrific practice. It has also been supported by organizations like Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape, Radar Project, and Every Great Reason Foundation.
State senator John Sabatina (D-Philadelphia) spearheaded the movement for Karen’s Law, named in honor of local survivor Karen Widdoss-Milewski. With his support, this bill has now become law.
Recently signed into law by Governor Wolf, the law will limit how often parole reapplications can be denied for sexually violent predators. This is an important step towards preventing further sexual violence against victims of violent crime.
The law will also guarantee that the Department of Corrections does not allow prisoners to reapply for parole without evidence of a change in behavior or mental condition, and it provides them with more resources to cope with the repercussions of their crimes. It has already received bipartisan support in the Senate and is supported by groups such as Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape, Radar Project, and Woman Organized Against Rape.
2. New York’s “Caution Against Racially Exploitative Non-Emergencies” Act
Laws Protecting Victims of Entitled Karens
New York’s “Caution Against Racially Exploitative Non-Emergencies” Act was passed to safeguard those harassed unlawfully by entitled Karens due to unfounded accusations. This type of harassment can result in physical and psychological abuse, intimidation, threats, violence, assaults, stalking behavior and even death.
The act prohibits anyone from reporting a nonemergency incident to 911 or other emergency services unless there is an immediate and present danger of bodily harm. Furthermore, it disallows reporting about protected classes like racial minorities and LGBTQ individuals using emergency services.
It is commendable that laws have been put in place to safeguard those who suffer from harassment of this sort, yet they do not solve the underlying issue of race-based discrimination in the workplace or elsewhere.
For instance, each year more than 6.5 million undocumented workers suffer wage theft and over 85 percent of foreign-born Latino men face sexual harassment at work. These issues not only impact employees but also society as a whole.
Thankfully, the city is taking action to combat these problems. According to CCHR spokesperson Alicia McCauley, officials at their agency have been actively combatting discriminatory incidents for some time now.
McCauley states that the agency’s efforts are directed at increasing awareness about CCHR and City Human Rights Law protections, training city workers, and working closely with organizations serving black communities to combat discrimination.
Furthermore, the city maintains a special account exclusively for anti-bias education programs and activities. These funds cannot be used for any other purpose.
It is significant that the city is taking action not just against those who have been discriminated against, but also those organizations responsible for promoting and enforcing discriminatory policies. The aim is to prevent similar incidents from reoccurring and educate everyone on how to avoid them.
3. California’s “Karen’s Law”
The Karen slur has become a common term to describe entitled middle-class white women who use their privilege against those of color and often speak down to them. There have been numerous instances across America in which this phrase has been employed, such as when an entitled Karen told a Native American to “go back to Mexico”.
This racist and unjustified behavior puts Black lives at risk every day, even on a small scale. Additionally, it has led to calls for laws protecting those who become victims of entitled Karens or Kens who act in such ways.
Over the past several years, a series of racist phone calls to police officers has made the Karen slur a contentious issue. Perhaps most infamous among these incidents was when a white woman called police on a Black man for asking her dog to be put down in Central Park; video footage of this encounter went viral, showing Amy Cooper as an example of an entitled Karen who acts in an unjust manner.
Although many Karen slurs have been captured on video, there still remain those who commit racist and discriminatory actions against Black people. That is why it is necessary to take action against entitled Karens and Kens who commit such offenses.
California has passed a law that bans false or racially biased 911 calls. Dubbed “Karen’s Law,” this measure was inspired by the video of a white woman calling police on an African American man while bird-watching in Central Park in New York City’s Central Park in June this year.
Last month, San Francisco Board of Supervisors member Shamann Walton introduced the CAREN (Caution Against Racially Exploitative Non-Emergencies) Act in order to combat these sexist and racist 911 calls. This law seeks to shield those harassed by entitled Karens due to unfounded accusations.
4. New Jersey’s “Karen’s Law”
New Jersey has passed a variety of laws designed to safeguard those who are subjected to unlawful harassment by entitled Karens due to unfounded accusations. These statutes typically include provisions for police to report these individuals to authorities in order to prevent further abuse.
In some cases, these laws have gone so far as to require the arrest and indictment of criminals in order for them to face accountability for their actions. In some instances, these measures have even become legal intrusions on police department powers such as investigating crimes and making arrests.
For instance, Newark has a law that makes it illegal to sell ice cream after 6 p.m. without a doctor’s note. While this requirement may seem reasonable to some people, others are uncertain why they should need one in the first place.
Another law requires police officers to inquire if an individual has any drugs on them before arresting them. This baffling law has been around for decades, yet it continues to be enforced today, leaving me wondering why police officers can’t do their job more quickly as expected.
New Jersey has a law that makes it illegal to carry a handgun in public, which violates the 2nd Amendment’s prohibition against “infringing upon citizens in any manner.” This restriction on gun rights clearly violates citizens’ rights to self-protection and equal access to firearms.
Additionally, there is a bizarre law in Newark which forbids selling bottled water after six p.m. without an appropriate permit. This ban has been in place for years but continues to be enforced today – including when an eight year old black girl was recently arrested for selling bottles of water to raise money for her trip to Disneyland.
Further, a law has been passed that makes it illegal to wear a bullet proof vest while killing someone or even trying to kill yourself. This is an unusual law I’ve never come across elsewhere in America.
