After the COVID-19 pandemic hit and racial tensions escalated nationwide, white women began using the term “Karen” to refer to those attempting to socially police their communities.
At first glance, these entitled Karens may appear like harmless little jokes, but their behavior often has serious repercussions. And in 2020, those repercussions have led to legal troubles for some of these entitled Karens.
SoHo Karen
Karen’s name may be a playful nod to New York City’s Soho neighborhood, but her actions have been nothing short of shocking. She has earned herself an undeserved reputation as an anti-Semite who has done some very bad things to people in the area and her actions have become the subject of much discussion and disagreement.
Karen made headlines in December 2020 at the Arlo Hotel when she falsely accused and attacked the son of African-American jazz musician Keyon Harrold Jr. Her attack was smug and aggressive, and video from the incident has gone viral online.
According to The Daily Mail UK, Karen was seen smiling and laughing during her confrontation with Harrold’s son in the lobby of a hotel. It was evident that Karen was not only racist but also criminal.
Her actions were deemed a hate crime and she is now facing charges for child endangerment, attempted assault, grand larceny and two counts of aggravated harassment. As part of the plea deal she will not serve any jail time but instead must live a “law-abiding life” for two years, continue therapy and adhere to all probation restrictions.
Once her sentence is served, she can withdraw her felony hate crime plea and re-plead for a misdemeanor charge. However, if she does not comply with her terms of release, she could face up to four years in prison.
In January 2019, Ponsetto was arrested in Los Angeles after an interview with Gayle King aired. In the segment, SoHo Karen expressed anger and was shushed by King while calling herself “super sweet”.
Since then, Ponsetto has encountered numerous legal troubles including multiple arrests in California and New York. She was charged with a hate crime earlier this year after falsely accusing and attacking the son of a Black musician in a Manhattan hotel’s lobby.
Last year, she was arrested in Bev Hills after refusing to leave a hotel after being cited for drunkenness and belligerent behavior. Though she was eventually cleared of all charges, her actions cemented her place as an international celebrity.
Bitsy Brennan
Karens are a type of middle-aged white woman who acts entitled and rude. They typically expect special treatment and possess an attitude of entitlement that stems from their belief in being right.
Her overinflated sense of self leaves her feeling dissatisfied with life and she tends to overreact when things don’t go her way. This behavior often manifests itself in inappropriate outbursts that don’t stem from a genuine desire to help others.
Karens often become victims of patriarchy. Feeling powerless, they turn to repression and rage when faced with discrimination or inequality. Unfortunately, this shortsighted selflessness comes back to bite them in the rear end.
She acts out of an increasing sense of entitlement, believing that she has earned more rights than other citizens due to her race or ethnicity, and holds onto the misguided idea that this privilege makes her superior to everyone else.
Therefore, she may engage in racist behaviors to defend herself and safeguard her own privilege. This could include claiming that she is the victim of racism, assigning blame for their own offenses, or engaging in other deceptive behaviors which could lead to police reports and legal problems.
Racial violence of this sort has serious repercussions for those involved, from wrongful termination and lawsuits to public embarrassment for those responsible.
Thankfully, a growing community is taking aim at these types of individuals by using basic names to call them out online. From Barbecue Becky to Permit Patty and Golf Cart Gail, these names serve as reminders of how racial profiling can occur in real life.
Recent evidence of this occurred in Nashville, Tennessee when a video surfaced of a mother-son duo harassing a Black man while he was checking out parking permits at a garage. The incident was caught on camera and Johnny Martinez, the father of one of the men involved, claimed they lunged at him and nearly punched him. The video quickly went viral and garnered media attention; although Martinez filed a report with police, they left before he could press charges.
Burger King
Have you ever ordered a Whopper from Burger King and been sent an empty receipt? You are likely not alone; their official email account accidentally sent out hundreds of blank receipts overnight into Tuesday morning, according to Nexstar.
According to The Verge, thousands of people have noticed the emails online and assumed they’d been scammed. Others believe Burger King sent them as part of a marketing campaign.
Karen’s behavior can be humorous, but it also carries serious racial overtones. She feels emboldened by her white privilege and attempts to use it against Black people by harassing or endangering them. Additionally, Karen has been known to falsely accuse innocent people of threatening her life or safety with false accusations.
In many instances, these incidents escalate into physical assaults and even deadly violence. In some instances, they’ve even led to arrests and a police investigation.
This type of behavior can be especially hazardous for the people involved and their families. If someone dies, it will have a devastating effect on all members of their circle of relatives and friends.
If this is happening in your community, take action and demand that local authorities intervene to put an end to it. A local ordinance is an ideal first step toward accomplishing this goal.
At present, several cities around America have passed laws to address Karen behavior. New York City for instance passed an ordinance making it illegal to threaten someone of color with violence or call police on them in an effort to intimidate them.
These laws are a positive step and could provide real benefit to both victims and society as a whole. But they must be accompanied by an unwavering commitment to punish Karen behavior and deter it in the future.
This type of behavior is the direct result of how white women have historically utilized their privilege and victimhood as weapons against people of color. It’s an evil that is far too widespread, and needs to be addressed.
Christopher Cukor
YouTube executive Christopher Cukor has become embroiled in a video that has gone viral, sparking fierce defense from the black man he called the police on last week. In the clip, a young boy begs his father not to call police on someone who had entered an apartment building in San Francisco without authorization.
Last week, Michel posted a video on Facebook which has since been viewed over one million times. This sparked an international uproar that caught the attention of both local and national news outlets as well as social media users alike.
Michael, an African American man, says the video was his way of expressing his frustration with Cukor. He claims Cukor had called the police on him because he believed Michel was trespassing on someone’s property while Michel insisted he was visiting a friend and had nothing to do with the apartment building.
While this may appear to be a benign situation, Cukor could face legal repercussions. Depending on the circumstances, this could constitute as either a hate crime or lead to public humiliation and the potential loss of his job.
One thing is certain: Cukor’s paranoia stems from his father’s 2012 murder by trespasser. While it is wrong that someone would feel threatened in this way, it’s understandable that he might be concerned about other people outside his apartment building.
This is an excellent illustration of why it’s essential to stay aware of your surroundings and don’t let emotions cloud your judgment. A quick glance down the hallway or glance at the doorway would reveal who’s there, whether they’re visiting a friend or trying to break in into your home.
However, Cukor may have developed a history of racial bigotry due to his father’s death, making him particularly sensitive to others who enter his apartment building without permission.
No doubt, calling the police on someone who appears to be black when you believe they are trespassing into or trying to break into your apartment complex or home is an extreme act of racism. It becomes even more hazardous if you have young children with you as Cukor did when he confronted Michel.
