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EXPERT OPINION JULY 20, 2020 ¦ 41

professional, single woman as how it’s important to speak up
basket case), my mailbox has because “the ‘Karens’ are in need
been brimming with readers’ of a voice of empowerment.” She
comments. She’s turned into a “The ‘Karens’ are in added, “trying to knock the ‘Ka-
Rorschach test, revealing our need of a voice of rens’ down a few pegs in status

dark thoughts, fears and desires empowerment,” one by playing the shame game is of-

about womanhood, racism and reader suggested, joining fensive to Anglo women.”
birdwatching. How does one begin to parse
And here’s what some read- others who defended the those comments? Is this reader

ers are telling me: Amy Cooper white woman charged suggesting that the fight for
is not the wrongdoer. She’s the equality is a white woman’s
victim—and a feminist heroine with a misdemeanor after cause or that she’s insulted that
to boot! calling police on a Black all uppity white women are re-

birdwatcher.

Who would have thunk that? duced to a “Karen” caricature?
Before we go there, let me say Another reader focused on
this: Most readers agree that she Amy Cooper as feminist: “Amy
acted reprehensibly. Many were also troubled that Cooper was acting in defiance of a man who felt
the white women in my post were more concerned he could tell her what to do, and she wasn’t going
about their own victim status than the tragic his- to be put in her place.”
tory of racism. “The white women you give as Then, there were a few comments that carried
examples don’t see the crazy—and frankly danger- racist undertones, such as this: “If the man were
ous—irony of whining about unfair groupings by white and she called the police on him, he would
race and gender,” wrote a Black female lawyer. have been roundly condemned and perhaps even
But at least a quarter of the readers’ messages charged with sexual assault. But the man was Black
I got also defended Amy Cooper—to varying de- and she was white. The color of his skin automati-
grees. Several women told me she was rightfully cally granted him the victim status, even if facts
scared of Christian Cooper because she found spoke to the contrary. That is what really needs to
herself alone in the woodsy part of the park with be talked about.”
a strange man. What’s more, he pulled out dog And, yes, this reader lamented that we are all
treats that could have been poisoned. (Apparently, too focused on race.
there’s often tension between birdwatchers and My favorite of the bunch, though, was the read-
dog owners, and birders deploy treats to get own- er who put the blame on birdwatchers. “I believe
ers to leash their dogs.) this was an overstep of a birding groupie against
“She called the police to scare him because she unleashed dogs in the ramble. So erase her last
was scared,” said one reader. Though this reader act and it’s a stupid fight between birders and dog
agrees Amy Cooper “went racist,” she added that owners.”
“he was more threatening.” All things considered, it’s easier to make the
Then there was this: “I am writing this letter in birders the culprit.
support of Amy Cooper. I do not believe that Amy Email: [email protected]. Twitter: @lawcareerist ¦
filed a farce police report, as I believe that Amy
was being antagonized, provoked and bullied by Vivia Chen is a senior columnist at The Ameri-
Christian Cooper.” This reader goes on to say that can Lawyer and the creator of The Careerist
she’s concerned about female suppression and blog.

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