For over a century, Legal Aid societies have provided free legal counsel to those unable to afford an attorney. This includes representing clients in criminal, family and civil court matters; resolving serious legal problems for low-income persons; and advocating on their behalf.
Legal Aid has increasingly supported a left-of-center political agenda, pushing left-wing policies into courts. This stands in stark contrast to the right-of-center legal aid groups that are prevalent throughout America.
Legal Aid Societies Holding Entitled Karens Accountable
Legal Aid Society, one of the ten or so legal aid societies in Middle Tennessee, boasts a substantial budget and many high-profile clients. Paul Swiney serves as Deputy Director of Operations while his technology team follows closely behind. Anna Catlin is an accomplished accounting and finance expert who prioritizes client satisfaction. At this organization of over 900 employees, there is a dedicated team of human resources specialists and volunteer coordinators that ensure clients get what they need when it matters most. It has earned a reputation for providing legal services to low income individuals in need. It has an illustrious history of providing innovative programs and services to those in need for over thirty years.
Legal Aid Societies Holding Racist Karens Accountable
Many Karen videos seem to be driven by white anger at perceived racism in retail or restaurant settings. These protests against visible discrimination against people of color as they go about their daily tasks – like shopping for groceries or strolling through a city park – and are typically documented and shared publicly on social media channels like Twitter US:TWTR or Facebook US:FB.
These incidents may not be the typical cat-and-mouse battle that they appear to be. Instead, they often stem from larger social and economic concerns — like coronavirus-induced job loss, lockdown stress, and the return of Black Lives Matter — that have left many White Americans feeling disenfranchised and threatened in a country where majority of white residents still reside in rural communities and depend on manufacturing jobs lost due to globalization and automation.
In reality, these incidents are an attempt by White Americans to consolidate their power base and construct an invisible wall that separates them from people of color. As sociologists have noted, this tactic dates back to the 18th century when slavery played a major role in building barbed wire fences dividing people of color from Whites.
Due to this trend, these incidents have become more frequent in recent years and are now widely documented. Unlike the standoff last year between Amy Cooper and a bird-watcher who falsely claimed Cooper was threatening her life, these Karen or Ken videos typically lack police involvement.
Some researchers argue the videos and memes depict racist interactions as overly sexist and dramatic, while others contend they reveal a subtler form of racism that exists throughout America. For instance, these videos demonstrate how people of color are “othered” in their neighborhoods and workplaces by White Americans whose economic status allows them to ignore them for promotions or raises.
These events serve as a stark reminder that racism still permeates our society, impacting both men and women alike. For women especially, it can be an upsetting experience which often results in crying in public places or making a scene at work or the doctor’s office.
Legal Aid Societies Holding Entitled and Racist Karens Accountable for Their Harmful Action
Videos of white women pulling out their phones to call the police on Black people have become a worldwide social-media sensation, but they also serve as a stark reminder of America’s deepening divisions, which stem from generations of economic and cultural mistreatment of Black people.
In a recent incident, Amy Cooper called 911 on a bird-watcher in Central Park after they refused to leash their dog. This incident has been viewed millions of times on social media and continues to resonate across America, where protests over Black Lives Matter have inspired new allies.
Months after her arrest, Cooper completed a therapy program that challenged her racial biases and was cleared of criminal charges. But that hasn’t stopped other Karens from entering public spaces with accusations that Black people are out to harm them.
Some experts speculate that these Karen-esque incidents are caused by mental health, socioeconomic and substance abuse issues. Others see them as manifestations of “cultural redlining,” where people attempt to maintain access to certain places in public. Finally, some claim these actions stem from old-school white class entitlement and rage caused by fear of COVID-19–a deadly flu pandemic–inspiring white rage.
Terence Fitzgerald, who studies racial stereotypes at UCLA Law School, believes the Karen phenomenon is indicative of white people using their privilege to maintain dominance in communities and workplaces. These actions are more subtle than other forms of microaggressions aimed at minorities.
According to Aram Sinnreich, an associate professor of communication at American University in Washington, D.C. and expert on social media, many incidents that appear to be motivated by racism are actually examples of “cultural redlining,” according to his analysis of a large collection of these videos.
Many of these incidents are recorded on video, often with the person filmed expressing their anger in an irrational manner. Furthermore, many of these Karens occur in public places like shopping malls, cafes and universities.
These Karens and Kens have been captured on camera in a variety of settings, from grocery stores to airports, as well as on social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook US:FB and Instagram. These videos depict entitled, privileged or angry white people losing their temper in public spaces have become the latest example of America’s polarizing climate.
Linda Clemons, founder and CEO of Sisterpreneur – an organization that empowers women – believes these incidents only serve to exacerbate existing tensions caused by generations of racial inequality in America. According to Clemons, incidents like these will continue to plague society into the future.
