Karens are feeling unsecure and threatened amid furloughs, layoffs, lockdowns, and the return of Black Lives Matter.
They may feel entitled to demand something without questioning in a public place, such as charcoal grilling in parks or policing nonwhite people’s behavior. Or they could demand to speak directly to someone higher up in the chain of command who can give them what they desire.
1. Amy Cooper
Last May, New York City resident Amy Cooper became a viral video sensation when she called 911 to report an “African American man threatening my life” while walking her dog in Central Park. Her call went viral just one day before Black Lives Matter protests started sweeping across America following George Floyd’s tragic death by white police officer while unarmed.
On Tuesday, a New York judge dismissed Cooper’s charge after she completed a diversionary program that included education about racial equality and five therapy sessions, according to prosecutors. This outcome is common for first-time offenders facing misdemeanor charges, prosecutor Paul Illuzzi told reporters.
Prosecutors declined to release details of the case, but they noted it stemmed from a call in which Cooper made false allegations about Christian Cooper, 57 years old and not threatening her or her dog. This call was recorded on her smartphone and later, Illuzzi reported, Cooper falsely reported Christian had attempted to assault her.
The prosecution based its charges on a violation of state law that requires all victims to report incidents of assault or violence. It said it was a misdemeanor and Cooper could face up to one year in jail for this offense.
On February 2021, however, a judge agreed to an educational and counseling plan for Cooper to help her understand her racial bias and how it influences her actions. According to the therapist involved in the case, Cooper found these sessions “an eye-opening experience” where she gained new insights.
Many abolitionists praised the decision, noting it provided a framework for an anti-carceral future in which real justice isn’t dependent on existing prison systems. While it may seem impossible to break free of the widely held belief that justice equals existing law and prisons, abolitionists say reframe this belief in ways which better inform a movement for defunding police departments and abolishing justice systems altogether.
2. Dane Cook
Dane Cook enjoyed immense popularity during the 2000s, amassing millions of dollars and landing stand-up special after stand-up special. He charmed audiences and sold out Madison Square Garden multiple times, but not without controversy throughout his career.
As a teenager, Cook worked at a comic book shop in Boston before moving to Los Angeles where he performed stand-up comedy at The Laugh Factory. His career took off quickly as he appeared on shows such as Premium Blend and Comics Come Home, becoming one of the earliest comedians to gain popularity on Comedy Central – eventually hosting his own half-hour show for the cable network.
He has since sold out Madison Square Garden and made numerous television appearances. Additionally, he starred in several movies such as Mystery Men and A Night at the Museum. With an adoring fan base who follows him everywhere he goes, his latest album ISolated Incident has become Comedy Central’s highest-rated stand-up special.
Before Dane Cook became a household name, he faced an impending scandal that could have destroyed both his reputation and career. It turned out his brother Darryl McCauley had embezzled millions of dollars from him during his years as business manager.
McCauley’s crimes occurred over years in the 1990s and early 2000s, yet they weren’t discovered until Cook stumbled upon them. When he did, it transpired that his brother had been writing himself fake checks for years and embezzling money from him without ever being caught.
Once he discovered what had transpired, he promised his brother that they would never speak again. Fortunately, however, they were able to obtain all of their money back.
Darryl and his wife Erika’s story has become a cautionary tale on how to protect yourself from embezzlement, serving as an excellent reminder that it’s important to remain on guard against suspicious people around you. It would be wise to avoid anyone who requests payment on behalf of themselves or their businesses.
3. Trader Joe’s
Last summer, Amy Cooper was arrested for allegedly calling police on a black birdwatcher. Since then there have been many other instances of “Karens” being arrested for racism-related offenses. These include a California woman who stenciled “BLACK LIVES MATTER” in chalk on her property; and a New York City woman who allegedly called the cops on a Filipino man for stencilling “BLACK LIVES MATTER” onto his property.
Karens’ violent arrests have seen a steady increase in the past five years, regardless of the offense. This trend can largely be attributed to an increasing percentage of women being arrested for violence crimes within their population.
The rise in the percentage of women arrested for assault can be attributed to either offender-generated explanations, such as gender role changes, or policy-driven explanations such as increased racial profiling. Both theories have been challenged by feminist scholars for not taking into account that crime statistics are ultimately indicators of how people are perceived.
This article draws upon the research of Hindelang, Steffensmeier, and D’Alessio to examine robbery and larceny as examples of gender gap trends that remain relatively constant (Simon 1975). Additionally, it takes into account trends in other female violent crimes like assaults, stalkings, and home invasions as well.
These rising rates of violent crimes against women reflect an overall rise in the share of women being arrested for crime – an increase which has been more visible and reported than in past years. Unfortunately, this increased public awareness has resulted in more focus being put on their growing share of prison and jail population, rather than reflecting on their growing share of arrests.
Though the trend in violent crime against women is alarming, it should be remembered that the increase in women in prison and jail populations has not yet translated to an increase in gender gaps when it comes to crime rates. Instead, agencies have shown little willingness to use other approaches other than arrests to reduce their dependency on arrests.
4. Black Lives Matter
In 2013, Black Lives Matter (BLM) was formed to combat racism and anti-Black violence, particularly police brutality. BLM has taken many forms such as political action, letter-writing campaigns, and nonviolent protests.
The movement has blossomed into an international social movement with various goals and objectives. It strives to address issues such as police brutality and for-profit jails in Black communities, with guiding principles like improving school experiences for students of color, defunding the police, and decreasing mass incarceration through prisons or other forms of mass incarceration.
However, it’s essential to remember that while these goals are admirable, they do not address the reality that police continue to kill people of color regardless of whether they were arrested for violent crime or not. These deaths continue to receive national attention and the Black Lives Matter movement has worked to raise awareness about these cases and the harm they have caused their victims.
One recent example is the tragic case of George Floyd, a Black man killed by police in May 2020 after being put on his kneel down by a white police officer in Minneapolis. Floyd’s death and that of two other African American men followed soon after led to widespread protests across cities across America.
Contrary to other forms of social activism, the Black Lives Matter movement has not achieved much political success; however, its protests have been an effective weapon in the fight against racial injustice and police brutality on an unprecedented scale in America.
According to current estimates, more than six million people have taken part in Black Lives Matter protests since its founding. This number far surpasses the three to five million participants that took part in last year’s Women’s March.
Though there can never be sure, the fact that Black Lives Matter has gained such a large following in such a short amount of time suggests the protests have been successful and have had an impact on public perception about police officers’ interactions with communities. This is significant as police are the only institution with such power over public policy decisions; accountability must therefore be held against those responsible for such misdeeds.
