# A White Woman Has Apologized After Calling Police On A Black Man And Saying 'there's An African Amer



## Leeda.the.Paladin

A white woman has apologized for calling police on a black man in Central Park on Monday, after the two argued about her unleashed dog.

Amy Cooper told CNN she wanted to "publicly apologize to everyone."
"I'm not a racist. I did not mean to harm that man in any way," she said, adding that she also didn't mean any harm to the African American community.
She was walking her dog Monday while Christian Cooper was bird watching at a wooded area of Central Park called the Ramble.


Amy Cooper and Christian Cooper are not related.
They both told CNN the dispute began because Amy Cooper's dog was not on a leash. Dogs are supposed to be leashed at all times in the Ramble, according to the park's website.
The dog has been surrendered to the shelter he was adopted from days earlier while the dispute is addressed, according to a Facebook post from Abandoned Angels Cocker Spaniel Rescue, Inc.

"The dog is now in our rescue's care and he is safe and in good health," the post said.
Christian Cooper recorded video of part of their encounter and posted it on Facebook, where it has since been shared more than 2,000 times.

"I'm taking a picture and calling the cops," Amy Cooper is heard saying in the video. "I'm going to tell them there's an African American man threatening my life."


The New York Police Department told CNN when officers responded, neither Christian Cooper nor Amy Cooper were present. No arrests or summonses were made, according to NYPD.

"I think I was just scared," Amy Cooper said. "When you're alone in the Ramble, you don't know what's happening. It's not excusable, it's not defensible."

She told CNN that since the video was posted, her "entire life is being destroyed right now."
She has been placed on administrative leave by her employer, investment company Franklin Templeton.

"We take these matters very seriously, and we do not condone racism of any kind. While we are in the process of investigating the situation, the employee involved has been put on administrative leave," the company's statement read.


The incident is being pointed to as another example of white people calling the police on African Americans for mundane things.
"I videotaped it because I thought it was important to document things," Christian Cooper said. "Unfortunately we live in an era with things like Ahmaud Arbery, where black men are seen as targets. This woman thought she could exploit that to her advantage, and I wasn't having it."

Asked if he'd accept her apology, Christian Cooper told CNN he would "if it's genuine and if she plans on keeping her dog on a leash in the Ramble going forward, then we have no issues with each other."

*What led up to the video?*
The incident began between 7:30 a.m. and 8 a.m. Monday morning, both parties told CNN Monday.

Christian Cooper, who described himself as an avid bird watcher, was out birding in the Ramble. The area is a "a major birding hotspot. It's on the Atlantic flyway," he said.
That's when he says he saw a dog off its leash.

"That's important to us birders because we know that dogs won't be off leash at all and we can go there to see the ground-dwelling birds," Christian Cooper said. "People spend a lot of money and time planting in those areas as well. Nothing grows in a dog run for a reason."




Racially biased 911 calls are a huge problem. This isn't a solution
*Amy Cooper tells CNN she was walking her unleashed dog, knowing that it was against the rules.*

"He was running in an open field. This man, he was bird watching. He came out of the bush," she said, adding that Christian Cooper was screaming at her.

Christian Cooper says the dog was "tearing through the plantings," and he told Amy Cooper the dog needed to be on a leash. He says he was not screaming at Amy Cooper, and "was actually pretty calm."

The two went back-and-forth about the dog leash. Christian Cooper, according to his Facebook post, then told the Amy Cooper: "Look, if you're going to do what you want, I'm going to do what I want, but you're not going to like it."

"I didn't know what that meant. When you're alone in a wooded area, that's absolutely terrifying right?" Amy Cooper said.

That's when Christian Cooper says he pulled out dog treats. He told CNN he keeps dog treats with him to get dog owners to put their dogs on leashes. Christian Cooper said dog owners, in his experience, hate it when a stranger feeds their dog treats and immediately restrain their dogs afterwards.

Amy Cooper says he was throwing them at her dog, Christian Cooper says he never threw any treats.

And that's when he started recording the incident, Christian Cooper said on Facebook.
*What happened in the video?*
The video begins with Amy Cooper pulling her dog by the collar and telling Christian Cooper to stop recording.
"Please don't come close to me," Christian Cooper says, as she approaches
"Sir, I'm asking you to stop recording me," Amy Cooper says.
He asks her again not to come close.
That's when Amy Cooper says she's going to call the police.
"I'm going to tell them there's an African American man threatening my life," she says.




How 911 calls on blacks are a new twist on something old: white flight
"Please tell them whatever you like," Christian Cooper says.
The video shows Amy Cooper on her phone.
"There's a man, African American, he has a bicycle helmet," she says. "He is recording me and threatening me and my dog."
While she's on the phone, her dog appears to be straining and trying to get free while she tries to restrain it. 
"I'm being threatened by a man in the Ramble," she continues in an audibly distraught voice . "Please send the cops immediately!"
The video ends with Christian Cooper saying "Thank You."


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## Leeda.the.Paladin

She thought she would scare him by telling him that she was going to tell the police it was an *African* *aAmerican* man. Disgusting.

I’m glad she’s in trouble with her job and lost her dog. Now she needs to go to jail for filing a false report.


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## FoxxyLocs

I love how their apologies always include that they aren’t racist and they didn’t mean it, when they clearly are racist and did mean exactly what they said. And she’s still lying saying he was screaming at her and throwing treats at her dog. I hope she gets fired.


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## awhyley

Leeda.the.Paladin said:


> I’m glad she’s in trouble with her job and lost her dog. Now she needs to go to jail for filing a false report.



The WW never want to be checked.  I hope there's a fine too for walking her dog in the wrong area.  She knew he was recording, what did she think would happen?  Just glad that man is safe.



FoxxyLocs said:


> I hope she gets fired.



Doubt it.  The company released a statement that she's been placed on admin leave, so you know what that means.  She'll be back in office by the end of lockdown.
(or work from home indefinitely)

[eta: Actually, I stand corrected.  She works(ed) as VP & Head of Investment Solutions at Franklin Templeton.  She's going down.  Too high profile to ignore.  Franklin Templeton's website crashed yesterday evening.  Very bad press for them.]  

Link: https://heavy.com/news/2020/05/amy-cooper-video-new-york/


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## Peppermynt

And she was basically choking the haylle out of that poor spaniel. I hope she never gets that dog back.


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## awhyley

Peppermynt said:


> And she was basically choking the haylle out of that poor spaniel. I hope she never gets that dog back.



In the link above, it was noted that Ms. Cooper operated an Instagram for the dog, and that there were quite a few "incidents" posted on there.


(eta: ) Tweet won't load, but it's in the link above.  Cooper has now made the insta private.


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## SoniT

She could have gotten that man killed by the police with her lies.


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## Kanky

She will be fired. Even if her employer could overlook her attempt to use the cops as hit men white folks will never forgive her for choking that poor dog.


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## Leeda.the.Paladin

awhyley said:


> In the link above, it was noted that Ms. Cooper operated an Instagram for the dog, and that there were quite a few "incidents" posted on there.
> 
> 
> (eta: ) Tweet won't load, but it's in the link above.  Cooper has now made the insta private.


She seems like she likes attention. I’ve noticed a lot of people who run these pet accounts use the animal to garner sympathy and attention. They will often place these animals in precarious situations. 

she probably had a story all planned about the monster negro who attacked them inthe parj


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## Transformer

Kanky said:


> She will be fired. Even if her employer could overlook her attempt to use the cops as hit men white folks will never forgive her for choking that poor dog.



correct.  Her transgression is not reporting a BIG Black Man, it’s strangling the dog.  Christian is a Harvard graduate with an impressive work history, but that doesn’t get you anything in America.


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## Crackers Phinn

I'm not even an animal person and I was like  at how she was dragging that dog.  Somebody posted photos from the dog's instagram and it's had several  "accidents" and folks were talking about how the owner probably has Munchausen by proxy.

As for the incident, if Christian Cooper can be that quick to forgive Miss Anne considering she was literally setting him up for death by cop and was gloating about doing it then ain't no need for me to be upset.   His wife/gf prolly look just like her.

As far as both Christian and me are concerned, the real victim is the dog, who got enough sense NOT to forgive her .   I bet you if she showed up at the kennel, that dog ain't go be in no kind of hurry to go nowhere with her.

Dog 1
Black man -∞


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## FelaShrine

Interesting no where does it say that he forgave her

https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2020/05/26/...can-trnd/index.html?__twitter_impression=true

Anyway dude is a total bird loving nerd, while she decided to go off the rails


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## Theresamonet

Crackers Phinn said:


> I'm not even an animal person and I was like  at how she was dragging that dog.  Somebody posted photos from the dog's instagram and it's had several  "accidents" and folks were talking about how the owner probably has Munchausen by proxy.
> 
> As for the incident, if Christian Cooper can be that quick to forgive Miss Anne considering she was literally setting him up for death by cop and was gloating about doing it then ain't no need for me to be upset.   His wife/gf prolly look just like her.
> 
> As far as both Christian and me are concerned, the real victim is the dog, who got enough sense NOT to forgive her .   I bet you if she showed up at the kennel, that dog ain't go be in no kind of hurry to go nowhere with her.
> 
> Dog 1
> Black man -∞



Right? Im like... As long as she keeps her dog on a leash from now on, y’all ain’t got a problem?? So... her trying to set you up to be gunned down in your favorite bird watching spot is no big deal??????


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## meka72




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## ScorpioBeauty09

meka72 said:


>


That's how racism needs to be handled: job loss, arrest etc. Make it cost to be racist.


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## Crackers Phinn

_*"Asked if he'd accept her apology, Christian Cooper told CNN he would "if it's genuine and if she plans on keeping her dog on a leash in the Ramble going forward, then we have no issues with each other."*_

From the OP.


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## Crackers Phinn

Theresamonet said:


> Right? Im like... As long as she keeps her dog on a leash from now on, y’all ain’t got ain’t got a problem?? So... her trying to set you up to be gunned down in your favorite bird watching spot is no big deal??????


Girl, it's whatevs!  If he ain't got no problem.  I ain't got one.


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## Reinventing21

His response does not sound like he is actually forgiving her in that annoying way some people do to so call forgive others for monstrous acts.

I think his public answer is good because he gets his point across without sounding hostile which further emphasizes that how out of line she was.

He clearly knows what's up based on his decision to record.


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## FelaShrine

Reinventing21 said:


> *His response does not sound like he is actually forgiving her* in that annoying way some people do to so call forgive others for monstrous acts.
> 
> I think his public answer is good because he gets his point across without sounding hostile which further emphasizes that how out of line she was.
> 
> He clearly knows what's up based on his decision to record.



Exactly doesnt sound forgiving at all else a simple 'Yes I do" would have been it instead of the torpsy turvy PC answer.

Anyway the real good news is


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## Reinventing21

To me,  that part about "then we would have no issues" does not suggest to me he's going to high five her next time they cross paths. It sounds he is politely asserting that she stay in her lane and leave him the #&% alone.


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## CarefreeinChicago

Glad she was fired


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## lesedi

Vile.


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## Crackers Phinn

meka72 said:


>


This is what not accepting an apology looks like.  

Crystal clear with no debate of  interpretation needed.

Franklin'nem was like "WE GOT ISSUES WITH MISS ANNE!"


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## Aicer

Dang she lost a dog and a job in one day


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## Prudent1

I am so sick of this mess!!! This was a part of a larger group of video footage the Times and others published on people like Cornerstore Caroline  and Key fob Kelly being filmed during this pandemic as they falsely accused black people of all kinds of wrong-doing  . God only knows how many people have already died or been incarcerated because of this foolishness. I am so glad to see white people come forward and tell the truth like the ones at that Starbucks and the one lady who refused to leave the soccer game when the police were called on the dad who was speaking to his son or the black babysitter in GA where a woman approached his car and demanded to know why the kids were in his car. It is refreshing to know that while so many feel entitled there are others who unashamedly public support minorities and refuse to turn a blind eye to racism.


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## january noir

FelaShrine said:


> Interesting no where does it say that he forgave her
> 
> https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2020/05/26/...can-trnd/index.html?__twitter_impression=true
> 
> Anyway dude is a total bird loving nerd, while she decided to go off the rails


Me and Christian would be friends.   I used to birdwatch when I was a kid; I had all kinds of bird guides and everything.  Though I stopped as I grew up, I never stopped loving seeing different birds and recognizing the bird families they belonged to.   Where I live my backyard is full of trees and in the early morning, cardinals, blue jays and robin red breasts flit from tree to tree.  They are so beautiful and puts me in a happy mood when I see the bright red of the cardinals and blue of the jays.  I’m a nature lover!


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## Kanky

Now they are trying to ban her from the park. 

*“The Central Park Civic Association condemns this behavior and is calling on Mayor [Bill] de Blasio to impose a lifetime ban on this lady for her deliberate, racial misleading of law enforcement and violating behavioral guidelines set so that all can enjoy our city’s most famous park,” Fischer said.*


https://nypost.com/2020/05/26/civic-association-calls-on-de-blasio-to-ban-central-park-karen/


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## ScorpioBeauty09

Kanky said:


> Now they are trying to ban her from the park.
> 
> *“The Central Park Civic Association condemns this behavior and is calling on Mayor [Bill] de Blasio to impose a lifetime ban on this lady for her deliberate, racial misleading of law enforcement and violating behavioral guidelines set so that all can enjoy our city’s most famous park,” Fischer said.*
> 
> 
> https://nypost.com/2020/05/26/civic-association-calls-on-de-blasio-to-ban-central-park-karen/


It's petty but I'm with it.


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## Prudent1

january noir said:


> Me and Christian would be friends.   I used to birdwatch when I was a kid; I had all kinds of bird guides and everything.  Though I stopped as I grew up, I never stopped loving seeing different birds and recognizing the bird families they belonged to.   Where I live my backyard is full of trees and in the early morning, cardinals, blue jays and robin red breasts flit from tree to tree.  They are so beautiful and puts me in a happy mood when I see the bright red of the cardinals and blue of the jays.  *I’m a nature lover!*


Side note- I am a nature lover too!! But I prefer raptors..


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## january noir

Prudent1 said:


> Side note- I am a nature lover too!! But I prefer raptors..


OMG!  LOL!


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## Transformer

This incident was Flag up the flagpole signaling that this lady can't be trusted with a position of authority or management.  This means that she will LIE about a business deal, on other employees, or retaliate against management claiming some sort of harassment. 

I keep telling y'all White Women Are Not To Be Believed.  Full Disclosure--Bill Cosby is wrongly incarcerated.


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## january noir

Transformer said:


> This incident was Flag up the flagpole signaling that this lady can't be trusted with a position of authority or management.  This means that she will LIE about a business deal, on other employees, or retaliate against management claiming some sort of harassment.
> 
> I keep telling y'all White Women Are Not To Be Believe.  Full Disclosure--Bill Cosby is wrongly incarcerated.



I was with you until you said Uncle Bill is wrongly incarcerated.


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## naturalgyrl5199

What tickled me is you can tell he is an AVID bird watcher.

I dont know too many black people who complain about dogs.."Tearing up the plantings!" (ooohhh shakes fist in disgust)
"If she gonna proceed I'm gonna proceed to do what I want"...then he had doggy treats on hand....because this is clearly a thing--and he knows dewhites dont like "others" feeding their animals(Do you know how I chuckled?)

And she definitely is off her rocker. I cringed when I saw how she treated that doc. I'll bet my lunch money that doggy suffered under her care.

Then I chuckled bc she is like "my life is destroyed."
Maam---this man could have been killed. Like what? 
Since the outcome was acceptable...I really got a chuckle out of this man....If his GF or wife looks like her...its really even more hilarious if you think about it.


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## Transformer

january noir said:


> I was with you until you said Uncle Bill is wrongly incarcerated.



Not to derail--I understand your position.  But those women knew what time it was and I felt the case was more about that dreams not coming true than outright rape.  Then to have him declared at age 80 as a Violent Sexual Predator in my opinion is too much.


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## FoxxyLocs

meka72 said:


>



Oooh I love this song! Let's hear it again.


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## msbettyboop

Kanky said:


> Now they are trying to ban her from the park.
> 
> *“The Central Park Civic Association condemns this behavior and is calling on Mayor [Bill] de Blasio to impose a lifetime ban on this lady for her deliberate, racial misleading of law enforcement and violating behavioral guidelines set so that all can enjoy our city’s most famous park,” Fischer said.*
> 
> 
> https://nypost.com/2020/05/26/civic-association-calls-on-de-blasio-to-ban-central-park-karen/



Lawd, this is petty 100!


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## msbettyboop

I watched that video this morning when I saw Emmet Till trending on Twitter. It was anxiety-inducing. The confidence with which she yelled she was going to tell the police an African American man is after her while she's being recorded tells you all you need to know about Karen and her white privilege.

And the dog choking! I'm not a dog person but my God, that dog was fighting to breathe on that collar.

She's lost the dog, and she's been fired and the park association has gone full petty and if you type her name on Google, all this comes up. I guess it's a good day.


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## awhyley

meka72 said:


>



Late to the party, but







So she's out of a job, no dog, closed down SM accounts and banned from the park too?
I hope Karen's everywhere learn from this.



Transformer said:


> This incident was Flag up the flagpole signaling that this lady can't be trusted with a position of authority or management.  This means that she will LIE about a business deal, on other employees, or retaliate against management claiming some sort of harassment.



Yep, her credibility is shot.



january noir said:


> I was with you until you said Uncle Bill is wrongly incarcerated.



Yeah, that came out of left field.


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## Lute

msbettyboop said:


> Lawd, this is petty 100!



nah.. petty is her losing her residence, leave NY, pay this man restitution.. hit her hard enough that her own descendants and relatives will think twice of falsely accusing someone.


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## NaturalRox

meka72 said:


>


I LOVE how they didn't even say/write her name - talk about distancing with a quickness!  "...the employee..."   She got the wrong one that day! 

And I'm SO glad that he recorded this - this saved his life.


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## awhyley

NaturalRox said:


> I LOVE how they didn't even say/write her name - talk about distancing with a quickness!  "...the employee..."   She got the wrong one that day!
> 
> *And I'm SO glad that he recorded this - this saved his life*.



And glad that his sister posted it too, because it appears that he was willing to let this go.  Yay Melody!


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## NaturalRox

awhyley said:


> And glad that his sister posted it, because it appears that he was willing to let this go.  Yay Melody!


Too right @awhyley !


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## Transformer




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## Transformer

I hate to be Debbie Downer but Christian probably needs to be careful.  White men will create a situation to defend Karen's (Amy's) honor.


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## Transformer

The only thing Christian has going for him in this situation is that she choked a dog.


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## niknakmac

Her behavior was disgusting.  I'm here for all of the consequences.  I'm sick of the entitlement.


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## meka72

january noir said:


> Me and Christian would be friends.   I used to birdwatch when I was a kid; I had all kinds of bird guides and everything.  Though I stopped as I grew up, I never stopped loving seeing different birds and recognizing the bird families they belonged to.   Where I live my backyard is full of trees and in the early morning, cardinals, blue jays and robin red breasts flit from tree to tree.  They are so beautiful and puts me in a happy mood when I see the bright red of the cardinals and blue of the jays.  I’m a nature lover!


A blue jay lives in a tree outside my bedroom!


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## Dposh167

good. She ruined her own life.


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## january noir

meka72 said:


> A blue jay lives in a tree outside my bedroom!


Enjoy him (or her)! - can you tell the sex?  The males are much larger than females.


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## ThirdEyeBeauty

Transformer said:


> I hate to be Debbie Downer but Christian probably needs to be careful.  White men will create a situation to defend Karen's (Amy's) honor.


Very true.  What is their equivalent name?


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## Lylddlebit

I am so glad the world is starting to see the evil and malice in people like her.  How effortlessly some  lie, deceive and try to ruin the lives of others simply because they believe they can get away with it.  Disgusting.


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## weaveadiva

The way she wailed at the end makes my stomach turn. It's like she just pressed a button and turned that voice on. She legit sounded like this man had a gun to her head. It makes my arm hair stand.


Leeda.the.Paladin said:


> Asked if he'd accept her apology, Christian Cooper told CNN he would "if it's genuine and if she plans on keeping her dog on a leash in the Ramble going forward, then we have no issues with each other."


Just once I want someone to be like, "Nah. I'm good."


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## chocolat79

SoniT said:


> She could have gotten that man killed by the police with her lies.


Make no mistake, that was absolutely her intention.


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## chocolat79

I love how her apology and explanation of the incident both are contradictory to her actions. 

"I was just scared.  It was terrifying". Yet,  the NORMAL human response to both of those is to get away from the terror, NOT
arguing back and forth about putting her dog on a leash or putting your finger in someone's face.  

She's a disgusting human being and I bet to her losing her dog was worse than the backlash from the video.  She's probably losing more friends over how she treated that dog than how she treated that man.

She's trash.  I hope if she has kids they feel it too. Sorry kiddos.  Gotta learn early so you don't become like your trash mama.


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## Leeda.the.Paladin

I think his response to her apology was fine. It was a reminder that none of that would’ve happened if not for her actions. Makes him look all the better. He never said anything was ok or that he forgave her.


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## Leeda.the.Paladin

His interview with npr 


NPR's Ailsa Chang talks with Christian Cooper, an avid birder who asked a woman to leash her dog, which led to a verbal altercation he caught on tape.

AILSA CHANG, HOST: 

Christian Cooper, a black man, was out birdwatching in Central Park this weekend, and he asked a white woman to put her dog on a leash. And then he shot a video of the dog owner threatening to call the police on him.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

AMY COOPER: Sir, I'm asking you to stop.

CHRISTIAN COOPER: Please don't come close to me.

A COOPER: Sir, I'm asking you to stop recording me.

C COOPER: Please don't come close to me.

A COOPER: Please take your phone off of me.

C COOPER: Please don't come close to me.

A COOPER: Then I'm taking your picture and calling the cops.

C COOPER: Please call the cops. Please call the cops.

A COOPER: I'm going to tell them there's an African American man threatening my life.

C COOPER: Please tell them whatever you like.

CHANG: Well, Christian Cooper joins me now.

Welcome to ALL THINGS CONSIDERED.

C COOPER: Thanks.

CHANG: So can you just start out by telling me what exactly happened just before that tape we heard, when you came upon this woman and her dog was off-leash? Just describe the scene for me.

C COOPER: The vast majority of the park, you can have your dog off-leash until 9 a.m. But in very specific areas - protected areas of the park which are important areas for wildlife; for example, the Ramble, where I was birding and where a lot of people go to bird specifically for that reason - because...

CHANG: Right.

C COOPER: ...It is a protected area...

CHANG: Yeah.

C COOPER: Dogs have to be on the leash at all times. So this dog was tearing through the underbrush. And, you know, I said, ma'am, dogs on the Ramble have to be on the leash at all times. The sign is right there. She was standing right next to the sign. And, you know, she said, oh, well, the dog runs are closed, and he needs his exercise. And I said, well, that's just great, but all you to do is take him across the drive to this other part of Central Park outside of the Ramble, and you can let him run off the leash to your heart's content until 9 a.m. No, no, no. That's too dangerous. And I'm like, OK. And basically, it sort of devolved from there and went back and forth.

CHANG: Well, at this point, according to your Facebook post, didn't you say something like, look; if you're going to do...

C COOPER: Yeah.

CHANG: ...What you want, I'm going to do what I want, but you're not going to like it? That's - I'm reading directly from your Facebook post.

C COOPER: Yes. Exactly. Yeah. I basically told her, look. If you're going to do what you want, I'm going to do what I want. And then at that point, I pulled out a bag of treats that I carry - dog treats.

CHANG: And why do you carry dog treats while you're out birding?

C COOPER: Because when I'm out birding - exactly. Why would I, a non-dog walker, carry dog treats? Because over the years, that has proven the most effective way to get a recalcitrant dog owner to put their dog on the leash because they don't like it when a stranger feeds their dog treats.

CHANG: Well, since this all happened, the woman at the center of this - she's been identified as Amy Cooper. She has said that she - I'm going to quote her here - that she, quote, "did not mean to harm that man in any way," that man being you. And she said that she is not a racist. How do you respond to her?

C COOPER: I can't tell you whether or not she's a racist. I can tell you what she did in that moment, and it was a moment of, you know, stress and of confrontation and of, you know, probably spectacularly poor judgment. But in that moment, what she did was definitely racist. Now, should she be defined by that, you know, couple-of-seconds moment? I can't answer that. I think that's really up to her and what she does going forward.

CHANG: So you've been a birdwatcher for many years, I understand. And I'm curious. As you're moving through public spaces like Central Park, do you have sort of an additional layer of awareness around you because you are a black man, moving through the park as a black man, even though all you're curious about at that point is watching birds?

C COOPER: Yeah, 100%. Yes. It has occurred to me many times that I, as an African American, crouching down and peering through a shrub with a metal object in my hand will be perceived by authorities likely completely differently than a white birder doing exactly the same thing when we're both trying to do the same thing, which is see that rare bird that's, you know, hidden in that shrub or whatever.

CHANG: Yeah. Yeah.

C COOPER: You know, the simple fact of my skin color means that I run the risk of being perceived as a menace or a threat despite the fact that I'm doing the exact same thing as anybody else in that park.

CHANG: Christian Cooper, thank you very much for your time tonight.

C COOPER: No problem. Thank you.

CHANG: And NPR has reached out to Amy Cooper for comment. We have not heard back.


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## naturalgyrl5199

I appreciate his calm attitude about the situation. He did what was right and she got what she was looking for. Attention.
He doesn't have to be as vocal as we are to the situation, even though its clear he's highly aware. I'm glad he recognized that she did a very racist thing. 
When black people are calm, white people DO NOT LIKE IT. That is a SUPER great defense in situations like this. Because part of the trap-setting depends on us freaking out in the moment.  Same for the Fed-Ex guy....and the Delivery Guy....He could also go on a tirade on his SM....but its okay that he didn't. The pulse of today allows SM to do it for him. We don't NEED him to have our type of outrage about it either, because him reporting it might save another black man. Meanwhile...I guarantee he may experience this again in his lifetime. Our job here is done. Really. 
All that's left now is to put this in our back pocket and never forget.


----------



## Leeda.the.Paladin

Just saw on the news that she’s receiving death threats. Probably mostly because of the dog :/


----------



## Crackers Phinn

Transformer said:


> This incident was Flag up the flagpole signaling that this lady can't be trusted with a position of authority or management.  This means that she will LIE about a business deal, on other employees, or retaliate against management claiming some sort of harassment.
> 
> I keep telling y'all White Women Are Not To Be Believe.  Full Disclosure--Bill Cosby is wrongly incarcerated.


You think that Bill Cosby didn't know that even "consensual" messing with white women was a one way ticket to some kind of court case or death? Bill Cosby was a product of Jim Crow.  That ninja felt the fear and did it anyway with his eyes wide open, so he exactly where he intended to be.  I'm saying that as somebody who still doesn't believe all 50 kazillion accusations.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
C COOPER: I can't tell you whether or not she's a racist. I can tell you what she did in that moment, and it was a moment of, you know, stress and of confrontation and of, you know, probably spectacularly poor judgment. But in that moment, what she did was definitely racist. Now, should she be defined by that, you know, couple-of-seconds moment? I can't answer that. I think that's really up to her and what she does going forward.


She literally tried to have you murdered, sir.


----------



## nubiangoddess3

Crackers Phinn said:


> You think that Bill Cosby didn't know that even "consensual" messing with white women was a one way ticket to some kind of court case or death? Bill Cosby was a product of Jim Crow.  That ninja felt the fear and did it anyway with his eyes wide open, so he exactly where he intended to be.  I'm saying that as somebody who still doesn't believe all 50 kazillion accusations.
> 
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> C COOPER: I can't tell you whether or not she's a racist. I can tell you what she did in that moment, and it was a moment of, you know, stress and of confrontation and of, you know, probably spectacularly poor judgment. But in that moment, what she did was definitely racist. Now, should she be defined by that, you know, couple-of-seconds moment? I can't answer that. I think that's really up to her and what she does going forward.
> 
> 
> She literally tried to have you murdered, sir.



C. Cooper wants you guys to leave racist Karen alone.  He has put on the cape to protect Karen.
How sweet of him...

https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/27/us/amy-cooper-central-park-call-police-trnd/index.html


----------



## Kanky

nubiangoddess3 said:


> C. Cooper wants you guys to leave racist Karen along.  He has put on the cape to protect Karen.
> How sweet of him...
> 
> https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/27/us/amy-cooper-central-park-call-police-trnd/index.html




First he kills any debate about whether or not she is a racist in her heart and focuses on her racist actions. White people love to switch the debate from actions to whether or not someone is really a hateful racist deep inside because of course you can't prove that one way or other. 

*"I think her apology is sincere," Cooper told CNN's Don Lemon Tuesday night. "I'm not sure that in that apology she recognizes that while she may not be or consider herself a racist, that particular act was definitely racist."
"And the fact that that was her recourse at that moment -- granted, it was a stressful situation, a sudden situation -- you know, maybe a moment of spectacularly poor judgment. But she went there and had this racist act that she did."*

He is actually better at dealing with the media than the average person. He reminded everyone that she was racist and tried to have him killed while making sure that the backlash doesn't fall on him.

*I am told there has been death threats and that is wholly inappropriate and abhorrent and should stop immediately," Christian Cooper said. 
"I find it strange that people who were upset that ... that she tried to bring death by cop down on my head, would then turn around and try to put death threats on her head. Where is the logic in that?" he said. "Where does that make any kind of sense?"
*
 A reminder that she earned those death threats and every bit of misery that she is dealing with.


----------



## Dposh167

it wasn't a stressful situation sir. That's the whole friggin point. Dang....we can't let her suffer for 48 hours before the captain save a racists swoop in


----------



## awhyley

Dposh167 said:


> it wasn't a stressful situation sir. That's the whole friggin point. Dang....we can't let her suffer for 48 hours before the captain save a racists swoop in



Surprised it only took 48 hours, but she fired, so we over it.


----------



## RoundEyedGirl504

His response is why I stay quiet when there's a social media storm about a racist white person. Folks can't even get on the same page about what constitutes a racist, no need for me to raise my pressure.


----------



## Transformer

He thinks too much of himself.  It’s about the dog and that Karen’s deceitfulness has been exposed to the world lessening the credibility of Karens everywhere.


----------



## LdyKamz

So what y'all want him to do? Say "yeah that b is a racist b, no I don't forgive her and I'm glad she's getting everything raining on her head" ??? He's still a black man that has to move in a certain way. For a board who knows we can't move in the world the same way white people do, we sure do seem to forget that in situations like this. This black man doesn't have the luxury to say exactly what he wants about that racist witch. He's doing a good enough job sidestepping the questions they're asking him while still holding her accountable for what she's done. His response that if she keeps her dog on the leash then he don't have no problem with her only means he didn't care about her one way or the other.


----------



## Black Ambrosia

Kanky said:


> *"I find it strange that people who were upset that ... that she tried to bring death by cop down on my head, would then turn around and try to put death threats on her head. Where is the logic in that?" he said. "Where does that make any kind of sense?"*


I just want to know if he believes the outrage is really over her treatment of him or the dog. They’re ok giving her death threats because she mistreated the dog not because she lied on him.


----------



## chocolat79

@Crackers Phinn called it! Nothing to see here folks. We've seen this before.  I'm going to see what DH and DS are up to. Insert that Jerry Seinfeld gif where he waves his hands and gets up from his seat (I don't know how to post gifs still,  lol).


----------



## chocolat79

Crackers Phinn said:


> You think that Bill Cosby didn't know that even "consensual" messing with white women was a one way ticket to some kind of court case or death? Bill Cosby was a product of Jim Crow.  That ninja felt the fear and did it anyway with his eyes wide open, so he exactly where he intended to be.  I'm saying that as somebody who still doesn't believe all 50 kazillion accusations.
> 
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> C COOPER: I can't tell you whether or not she's a racist. I can tell you what she did in that moment, and it was a moment of, you know, stress and of confrontation and of, you know, probably spectacularly poor judgment. But in that moment, what she did was definitely racist. Now, should she be defined by that, you know, couple-of-seconds moment? I can't answer that. I think that's really up to her and what she does going forward.
> 
> 
> She literally tried to have you murdered, sir.


You called it. The end.

This is why there will be more Ahmaud Arbery and George Floyd's.... because when a BM DOES make it out alive from a racist encounter, particularly with a WW, they want to " help" them out when they get EVERYTHING they deserve.... so she effectively tried to have you murdered by cops and when that doesn't happen and the odds are in your favor for once, you decide that death THREATS are too much for her? Ok sir. Next time,  don't bother recording.

And while I was typing, this came to me.  BM want WM held accountable for killing/ being discriminatory against them,  but not WW. Got it.  Whoever said that his wife or GF is 6F, is probably right.  Won't be giving this story no more energy.


----------



## Crackers Phinn

LdyKamz said:


> *So what y'all want him to do? Say "yeah that b is a racist b, no I don't forgive her and I'm glad she's getting everything raining on her head" ???* He's still a black that has to move in a certain way. For a board who knows we can't move in the world the same way white people do, we sure do seem to forget that in situations like this. This black man doesn't have the luxury to say exactly what he wants about that racist witch. He's doing a good enough job sidestepping the questions they're asking him while still holding her accountable for what she's done. His response that if she keeps her dog on the leash then he don't have no problem with her only means he didn't care about her one way or the other.


My edits in red and no cuss words were necessary.


*"I think her apology is insincere," Cooper told CNN's Don Lemon Tuesday night. "I'm not sure that in that apology she recognizes that while she may not be or consider herself a racist, that particular act was definitely racist."
"And the fact that that was her** recourse at that moment -- granted, it was a stressful situation, a sudden situation -- you know, maybe a moment of** spectacularly poor judgment. But she went there and had this racist act that she did."*


*I am told there has(ve) been death threats   and that is wholly inappropriate and abhorrent and should stop immediately," Christian Cooper said.
"I find it strange that people who were upset that ... that she tried to bring death by cop down on my head, would then turn around and try to put death threats on her head. Where is the logic in that?" he said. "Where does that make any kind of sense?"*


----------



## UmSumayyah

LdyKamz said:


> So what y'all want him to do? Say "yeah that b is a racist b, no I don't forgive her and I'm glad she's getting everything raining on her head" ??? He's still a black man that has to move in a certain way. For a board who knows we can't move in the world the same way white people do, we sure do seem to forget that in situations like this. This black man doesn't have the luxury to say exactly what he wants about that racist witch. He's doing a good enough job sidestepping the questions they're asking him while still holding her accountable for what she's done. His response that if she keeps her dog on the leash then he don't have no problem with her only means he didn't care about her one way or the other.


I don't have a problem with his response, I'm sure he did what was in his best interest.

I think it would be prudent for all the people who were jumping up and down hollering and insulting this woman, laughing at her just desserts with their faces and real names all on social media, to show that same reserve.   They should also consider how they have to move and save their figurative and literal  marching sneakers for power walking to fitness.


----------



## LdyKamz

Crackers Phinn said:


> My edits in red and no cuss words were necessary.
> 
> 
> *"I think her apology is insincere," Cooper told CNN's Don Lemon Tuesday night. "I'm not sure that in that apology she recognizes that while she may not be or consider herself a racist, that particular act was definitely racist."
> "And the fact that that was her** recourse at that moment -- granted, it was a stressful situation, a sudden situation -- you know, maybe a moment of** spectacularly poor judgment. But she went there and had this racist act that she did."*
> 
> 
> *I am told there has(ve) been death threats   and that is wholly inappropriate and abhorrent and should stop immediately," Christian Cooper said.
> "I find it strange that people who were upset that ... that she tried to bring death by cop down on my head, would then turn around and try to put death threats on her head. Where is the logic in that?" he said. "Where does that make any kind of sense?"*


 I agree with the edits in your last paragraph he could have kept all that (unless of course he was asked how he felt about that, then I can see his response being what it was) But the stuff you crossed out in the first paragraph are directly addressing things she said in her apology. While she doesn't think she's racist what she did was. Yeah she might have felt scared but her recourse was in poor judgment. He didn't just add that stuff just because. He's addressing her apology.


----------



## Transformer

Part of an article in Slate

“In short, white women have become accustomed to asserting power over men, especially black men, through policing. That’s why Amy’s decision to call the police, even though it was she who broke the park rules, was sadly unsurprising. Her entitlement is all too familiar. The media has been saturated with images of similar entitlement and rage in recent weeks, as throngs of predominantly white Americans protest COVID-19 business closures and demand their states resume business as usual, knowing that black lives disproportionately hang in the balance. These white protesters, who know they have the privilege to be armed and intimidating without facing police violence, are rejecting a shared responsibility for safe public spaces. Christian Cooper’s offense was to insist that Amy Cooper, too, had a responsibility to protect a shared public space. Amy’s response demonstrated that public safety is not shared by all.”


----------



## Chromia

She has great acting skills with that frightened & panicked voice at the end.  She sounded like someone broke into her home or carjacked her.



meka72 said:


>


This is great for anyone she bullied, manipulated, lied to or lied about at work.  Imagine her as your boss.



Transformer said:


> This incident was Flag up the flagpole signaling that this lady can't be trusted with a position of authority or management.  This means that she will LIE about a business deal, on other employees, or retaliate against management claiming some sort of harassment.


I'm glad that everyone at her former job can see her true colors now.  Sometimes HR and management are in denial about people like this.  I'm sure she was a workplace bully.


----------



## nubiangoddess3

chocolat79 said:


> You called it. The end.
> 
> This is why there will be more Ahmaud Arbery and George Floyd's.... because when a BM DOES make it out alive from a racist encounter, particularly with a WW, they want to " help" them out when they get EVERYTHING they deserve.... so she effectively tried to have you murdered by cops and when that doesn't happen and the odds are in your favor for once, you decide that death THREATS are too much for her? Ok sir. Next time,  don't bother recording.
> 
> And while I was typing, this came to me.  BM want WM held accountable for killing/ being discriminatory against them,  but not WW. Got it.  Whoever said that his wife or GF is 6F, is probably right.  Won't be giving this story no more energy.



I think C Cooper is gay. Either way his partner is probably white.


----------



## cocosweet

Dposh167 said:


> it wasn't a stressful situation sir. That's the whole friggin point. Dang....we can't let her suffer for 48 hours before the captain save a racists swoop in


WW have a pathological need to be comforted at all times and too many of us have a pathological need to provide it.


----------



## sheanu

ThirdEyeBeauty said:


> Very true.  What is their equivalent name?


I nominate Chad. Idk if this is a thing though...


----------



## naturalgyrl5199

awhyley said:


> Surprised it only took 48 hours, but she fired, *so we over it.*


For this situation, mission complete. She is fired...and that was the preferred outcome to start.



RoundEyedGirl504 said:


> His response is why I stay quiet when there's a social media storm about a racist white person. Folks can't even get on the same page about what constitutes a racist, *no need for me to raise my pressure.*



We can keep the important points (Her Karening and weaponizing 911 is how we get executions like that of Emmitt Till and George Floyd....) and leave the rest. Either way its frustrating and overwhelming to be made to feel like we have to defend an apologist because a possibly WW-preferring black man was a victim of racism. He deserves to have his story told as well. Its sad to have to negotiate so many levels of frustration, regard, anger, etc.... I'm not willing to throw his response away as being overly forgiving. What you tell an interviewer is all we have to go on as far as how you feel. Cause we don't know if he was being nice and fronting, then went home and kicked something. Because many men ARE apologetic for WW all the time. Which hearkens to the fact that I believe many BM are willingly and sadly, unwillingly obtuse about the fact that they have been brainwashed. BM have always been made to feel like WW are some kind of prize.

At the same time, Crackers isn't delusional...or seeing things... You have to be crazy if you don't think she gets the big picture.


----------



## naturalgyrl5199

sheanu said:


> I nominate Chad. Idk if this is a thing though...


I had BRAD in my mind. Or Tom.


----------



## kcbelle925

I've been seeing Kyle but I'm all for chad too!.



sheanu said:


> I nominate Chad. Idk if this is a thing though...


----------



## naturalgyrl5199

Chromia said:


> She has great acting skills with that frightened & panicked voice at the end.  She sounded like someone broke into her home or carjacked her.
> 
> 
> This is great for anyone she bullied, manipulated, lied to or lied about at work. * Imagine her as your boss.*
> 
> 
> I'm glad that everyone at her former job can see her true colors now. * Sometimes HR and management are in denial about people like this.*  I'm sure she was a workplace bully.


My brother in law is a late 40's man who is over 6'6"...truly a gentle giant....dark skinned, and very muscular. He is working with a male Karen who tried to get several staff including a younger white guy who befriended him to lie, sign an affidavit saying he was verbally abusive to him and was "getting aggressive." He didnt even tell them he had it on tape. The male Karen was upset my BIL called into question the fact that when they got a new upper level boss, he was giving male Karen more overtime when before it was spread out evenly amongst the staff. So while feeling betrayed...he is smart, video taped it, went to HR, spoke to others, and learned "friend", male Karen and boss had several complaints and write ups. Then he got a black female boss to replace the bad boss. Now old friend wants BIL as his ally again (cause his time is coming). Point being...someone who was a friend and confidant betrayed him outright and did a Karen on him. Of course my BIL has never had any reprimands or write ups. Only commendations, raises, productivity awards. It got to the right level of personnel and someone was like....nah. But they literally used his black body and deep voice and decision to not take it lightly against him.
Male Karens at work are about as bad as the womenz.


----------



## tibb1908

Y’all are on it in here. This man has really irked me with defending this lady and this is why black men have to fend for themselves. We could be having a different conversation in this thread had he not recorded this incident. Does he not realize this? All the black people who have been convicted and killed because of white peoples lies and all that he can see is the perpetrators pain instead of the past victims.How do you respond to someone like this? I am disappointed in his response to say the least. How does he not understand that this is not just about him?

He could have I accepted her apology and address her comments based on her interview. All the extra commentary is disappointing.


----------



## Kanky

Amy Cooper is racist _and_ a crazy stalker. I am not surprised. She was really good at faking distress in her phone call. 

https://nypost.com/2020/05/28/amy-cooper-once-slammed-friend-for-voting-for-obama/


----------



## Chromia

naturalgyrl5199 said:


> My brother in law is a late 40's man who is over 6'6"...truly a gentle giant....dark skinned, and very muscular. He is working with a male Karen who tried to get several staff including a younger white guy who befriended him to lie, sign an affidavit saying he was verbally abusive to him and was "getting aggressive." He didnt even tell them he had it on tape. The male Karen was upset my BIL called into question the fact that when they got a new upper level boss, he was giving male Karen more overtime when before it was spread out evenly amongst the staff. So while feeling betrayed...he is smart, video taped it, went to HR, spoke to others, and learned "friend", male Karen and boss had several complaints and write ups. Then he got a black female boss to replace the bad boss. Now old friend wants BIL as his ally again (cause his time is coming). Point being...someone who was a friend and confidant betrayed him outright and did a Karen on him. Of course my BIL has never had any reprimands or write ups. Only commendations, raises, productivity awards. It got to the right level of personnel and someone was like....nah. But they literally used his black body and deep voice and decision to not take it lightly against him.
> Male Karens at work are about as bad as the womenz.


Good for your BIL for getting that on video and having victory in the end.  Bullies cannot stand it when someone questions something that's wrong.


----------



## Chromia

Kanky said:


> Amy Cooper is racist _and_ a crazy stalker. I am not surprised. She was really good at faking distress in her phone call.
> 
> https://nypost.com/2020/05/28/amy-cooper-once-slammed-friend-for-voting-for-obama/


Sounds like she has symptoms of all of the Cluster B personality disorders. Antisocial, narcissistic, borderline, and histrionic.


----------



## LdyKamz

Kanky said:


> Amy Cooper is racist _and_ a crazy stalker. I am not surprised. She was really good at faking distress in her phone call.
> 
> https://nypost.com/2020/05/28/amy-cooper-once-slammed-friend-for-voting-for-obama/


She legit tried to sue a guy because he didn't want to date her, not caring that she had not one shred of evidence to support a blatant lie she made up out of thin air. You are right, none of this is surprising. She's insane.


----------



## sheanu

kcbelle925 said:


> I've been seeing Kyle but I'm all for chad too!.





naturalgyrl5199 said:


> I had BRAD in my mind. Or Tom.




Perhaps this story provides ample suggestions?


----------



## Transformer

Kanky said:


> Amy Cooper is racist _and_ a crazy stalker. I am not surprised. She was really good at faking distress in her phone call.
> 
> https://nypost.com/2020/05/28/amy-cooper-once-slammed-friend-for-voting-for-obama/



Again, this demonstrates why I dont believe white women in their assault cases.

Cooper eventually filed a lawsuit, which has since been dismissed, against Priest back in 2015 alleging he was an ex-boyfriend who bilked her out of $65,000 after an alleged torrid love affair with her and two other women. 

Priest said the allegations were a “complete fabrication,” his relationship with Cooper was never more than platonic and the lawsuit *was a retaliatory fantasy cooked up by her to get back at him for not returning her affections. *

“It caused me to lose my job, it was a difficult situation and unjustly alienated me from friends and family,” Priest said.


----------



## cocosweet

sheanu said:


> Perhaps this story provides ample suggestions?


I’m torn between Chad and Todd.


----------



## LdyKamz

sheanu said:


> Perhaps this story provides ample suggestions?


I just don't understand stuff like this and then in their apology the first thing these people say is they aren't racist. Dude, do you know the meaning of the word? Because the fact that you think these black men, who are absolutely none of your concern, have to answer to you in any way is part of it! Even if they didn't belong there those guys were not bothering him. He messed with them first then gonna call them aggressive. People like this always wanna be in your face and then say we're aggressive and they fear their safety when we tell them the back the f up!


----------



## Ganjababy

*How Karen became a meme, and what real-life Karens think about it*

Karen Sun is a far cry from the "Karen" meme that has spread widely over social media in recent years.

Aside from a shared first name, Sun -- a 23-year-old Chinese-American -- doesn't exactly match the stereotype of a middle-aged, middle class white woman who, to use Sun's words, acts like she "can get whatever she wants."

But Sun, who has spent years working in the fast food industry, has encountered their fair share of "Karens."

And many have. A "Karen" is generally defined as someone who throws a tantrum at a Starbucks. Who asks to speak to the manager over the slightest inconvenience. Who uses tears to get what she wants. It's also someone who calls the police on black people for, say, asking that they leash their dog in Central Park.

The term has people divided. Some have said it's sexist. Others say it's a placeholder for speaking about the casual racism and privilege exhibited by some white women.

But where do these terms come from, and what do they represent? And what does it mean for people of color, people like Sun, who find themselves sharing a name with this stereotype?
*
HOW THE TERM "KAREN" GOT STARTED*

Though these names have recently become popularized, thanks to the cultural force of Black Twitter, these names aren't anything new.

It's not just "Karen," of course. There are also names like "Becky," which has also come to symbolize a certain stereotype of whiteness. And Susan. And Chad.

André Brock is an associate professor at Georgia Tech, and he's spent years studying the intersections of race and digital culture.

Modern iterations of these names come from entertainment, he said. Even comedian Dane Cook, in a bit from 2005, used "Karen" as the butt of a joke, as a placeholder for the friend no one actually liked.

*Brock also referenced Sir Mix-A-Lot's hit song from 1992, "Baby Got Back" as an example. The intro to the song famously begins with a reference to an unknown "Becky," insulting an unnamed Black woman: "Oh, my God, Becky, look at her butt. It is so big. She looks like one of those rap guys' girlfriends."

And who could forget Beyoncé's iconic "You better call Becky with the good hair" line from her album "Lemonade" in 2016?

But the history goes back even further. Black folks, he said, have also had names for white people who wanted to be in charge but didn't actually have any control over them.

Miss Ann is one example, from the time of slavery. It was a name Black slaves would use specifically to refer to white women who wanted to exert power over them -- power that they didn't actually have, Brock said.*

So though the names have changed now -- we've largely replaced "Miss Ann" with "Becky" and "Karen" -- the idea behind the names is still the same.

The pattern of using these basic names has continued. In 2018, after a white woman called the police on a group of Black folks barbecuing in a public park, the term "BBQ Becky" was coined. In 2020, when Amy Cooper called the police on a black man in Central Park who asked her to put her dog on a leash, the phrase "Karen" abounded on social media.

"It's always about the gaze," Brock explained. "And the desire to control what's in the gaze."
*
In other words? It's about a desire by some white women to exert control over black folks -- just as it was during slave times, just as it was in 1992 and just as it persists today, he said.*

Names like Karen, or Becky? It's an act of resistance by Black folks, Brock said. It puts a name to the behavior and acts as a way to gain solidarity over an injustice, maybe laugh about it and go about your day.

*WHAT A "KAREN" SYMBOLIZES*

For the term "Karen," part of its appeal is that this name exists, for the most part, in antiquity. And in that respect, it a potent moniker for someone decidedly out-of-touch.

Just look at baby name data from the Office of Social Security. Between 1951 and 1968, the name "Karen" saw its peak -- sitting pretty in the top 10 for the most popular baby name in the US.

But in 2018, the most recent year available, "Karen" was ranked at 635th in most popular names, quite the fall from grace.

"Karen is a name no one would name their kid anymore," Lisa Nakamura, the director of the Digital Studies Institute at the University of Michigan, said bluntly.

So the use of a name like "Karen," Nakamura explained, is part of locating someone, and their actions, in a regressive time period.

The phenomenon is exhibited by the "BBQ Becky" incident back in 2018, the viral video showing how a white woman called the police on a group of black people barbecuing in a public park, claiming they were breaking the law. In the beginning of the video, the woman asserts herself, but by the end, when the police come, she bursts into tears, saying, "I am being harassed."
*
White women -- "Karens" specifically -- are able to garner sympathy for displaying their fragility, Brock explained, taking away from the focus that they did something wrong and would be called out for it.*

"They're getting away with a behavior that no one else would," he explained.

*HOW KARENS FEEL ABOUT THE TERM*

So how do actual people named Karen feel about this?

Sun told CNN no one has ever seriously called them a "Karen." Sure it comes up, they said, and sometimes they use it jokingly. But they don't think it's a slur at all.

"There's no real systemic oppression there," they said. "It won't prevent you from getting married, or getting health care, you're just acting entitled and rude and that's why you're getting called a 'Karen.'"

Still, Sun noted that having the name Karen has had some impact on the way they navigate the world, at least the way they choose when to speak up.

Karen Shim, a 23-year-old based in Philadelphia, has had a similar feeling.

Though she knows any memes or comments aren't directed at her specifically, she said it can still feel a little personal -- if only because it's her name.

Now, Shim said she might be less comfortable speaking up in certain situations, out of fear that someone might, even jokingly, poke fun at her "Karen" move.

But Shim, who is Korean and Chinese, also said her name isn't the first thing people would probably judge her by -- that would be her race, she said.

Sun agreed.

"There's already a way I move in the world, as someone who is queer and not white," they said. "Even with the name association, it adds another layer, but I'm not necessarily defined by that layer."

Karen Chen, a 20-year-old based in North Carolina, told CNN that though the association of her name with the stereotype makes her slightly uncomfortable, she said she's fine with its use.

"I know that obviously it's just a name, and this is in no way representative of me and how people think I am," she said.

More than the name itself, what actually bothers Chen are the implications of the actions of a "Karen," and how the use of their privilege can come at the cost of marginalized groups.

Brock, though notably not named Karen, summed it up like this: "If you get offended by an archetype, that says more about your insecurities being a liberal ally, than it does about the people who use that word to describe an unjust situation."

In other words, you can be a Karen without being a "Karen."
https://apple.news/AiCuf2rZlT9OYpFKbPcgQ9A


----------



## ThirdEyeBeauty

Is _Matthew_ an ally?


----------



## Transformer




----------



## Kanky

Transformer said:


> View attachment 460059


They gave her the dog back btw.


----------



## Transformer

Kanky said:


> They gave her the dog back btw.



Well doggy is on his own.  She has issues.  Anyone read on how she stalked an lied on a guy that didn’t want to date her,  She made his life hell.


----------



## Kanky

There may be an Amy Cooper law.  


ALBANY — Gov. Andrew Cuomo wants state lawmakers to pass a bill next week making it a hate crime when 911 callers make a false accusation based on race, gender or religion.

The legislation, first introduced in 2018 and carried by Assemblyman Felix Ortiz (D-Brooklyn), was rejuvenated last month by a now-viral incident in Central Park showing Amy Cooper, a white woman, calling the cops on a black manafter a harmless dispute over her dog.

“We’ve seen 911 calls which are race-based, false calls. A false 911 call based on race should be classified as a hate crime in the state of New York,” Cuomo said during his now-daily briefing in Albany Friday.

He’s added it to a list of law enforcement reform policies he’s supporting when the Legislature returns to session in Albany Monday.

https://nypost.com/2020/06/05/cuomo...ccusation-bill/amp/?__twitter_impression=true


----------



## awhyley

Transformer said:


> Well doggy is on his own.  She has issues.  *Anyone read on how she stalked an lied on a guy that didn’t want to date her,*  She made his life hell.



Link pls?  I'd like to research the matter.


----------



## Ganjababy

It’s up thread. 





awhyley said:


> Link pls?  I'd like to research the matter.


----------



## Transformer

awhyley said:


> Link pls?  I'd like to research the matter.



https://nypost.com/2020/05/28/amy-cooper-once-slammed-friend-for-voting-for-obama/

A white dog-walker, who called 911 on a black manwhen he asked her to leash her cocker spaniel in Central Park, allegedly stalked a former love interest and chided him for voting for President Barack Obama, The Post has learned.

Martin Priest, a former friend of Amy Cooper who’s known her since 2003, claimed that when he told her he voted for Obama, the first black president of the United States, she slammed his decision, saying she couldn’t “believe” it.

Priest claimed the asset manager developed romantic feelings for him and began “stalking” and “harassing” him when those feelings went unrequited, leading him to report her to the police twice, once in New Jersey and once in New York City. The Post confirmed that reports were made in both jurisdictions.

“The longer I avoided her, the angrier she got,” Priest alleged. 

The Post has made multiple attempts to contact Cooper about these allegations, including calling her, asking her doorman to relay a message and leaving messages for her previously retained attorneys. All requests have gone unanswered. 

Cooper rose to international infamy Monday when she was caught on camera telling Christian Cooper, a black birdwatcher, she was going to tell the police an African American man was “threatening my life” after he asked her to leash her dog inside the Central Park Ramble. 

The move, which earned her the moniker “Central Park Karen,” was lambasted as blatant racism by Mayor Bill de Blasio and is under investigation by the city’s Commission on Human Rights. 

Amy Cooper eventually filed a lawsuit, which has since been dismissed, against Priest back in 2015 alleging he was an ex-boyfriend who bilked her out of $65,000 after an alleged torrid love affair with her and two other women. 

Priest said the allegations were a “complete fabrication,” his relationship with Cooper was never more than platonic and the lawsuit was a retaliatory fantasy cooked up by her to get back at him for not returning her affections.

“It caused me to lose my job, it was a difficult situation and unjustly alienated me from friends and family,” Priest said.

Priest’s Garden City attorney Christopher Bechtle, who represented him when Cooper sued, called Cooper’s allegations “bizarre and wildly untrue.”

In February 2013, Priest called the Ridgewood Police Department to report Cooper for harassment but did not end up signing the complaint, according to records and Priest. No arrests or charges were filed, police said. 

The NYPD confirmed there was another police report Priest filed against Cooper for harassment on June 8, 2014, after she allegedly came to his home, repeatedly rang the doorbell and asked to enter the location, and sent a series of text messages, the NYPD told The Post.

The Queens District Attorney’s Office did not have records for the case and police said no arrests or charges were filed. 

Priest characterized his former friendship with Cooper as a never-ending “cycle of drama.”

When Priest saw Cooper in the now-viral video showing her threatening to call the police on Christian Cooper (no relation), he said, he wasn’t surprised. 

“I feel very badly for Mr. Cooper,” Priest said.


----------



## TrulyBlessed




----------



## Lita

I can’t wait for Gov.Cuomo to pass this bill & it will be named after her & she still needs to be charged.


----------



## Leeda.the.Paladin

Waiting to hear about the dogs next “accident “


----------



## cocosweet

TrulyBlessed said:


>


There needs to be mandatory minimum jail time and a fine and the fine needs to be punitive enough to make the average person think twice about calling their state sponsored goon squad.


----------



## meka72

*How 2 Lives Collided in Central Park, Rattling the Nation*
The inside story of the black birder and the white woman who called the police on him. Their encounter stirred wrenching conversations about racism and white privilege.








Credit...Brittainy Newman/The New York Times; Alison Faircloth



By Sarah Maslin Nir


June 14, 2020
Leer en español
Christian Cooper began his Memorial Day like most of his May mornings, searching for Blackburnian warblers, scarlet tanagers and other songbirds that wing their way into Central Park.

In his Lower East Side apartment, Mr. Cooper, 57, slung on his prize possession, his Swarovski binoculars — a pricey 50th birthday present from his late father. Leaving his boyfriend asleep in bed, he biked three miles away, to the semi-wild section of the park, the Ramble.

Around the same time, Amy Cooper, 40, who is not related to Christian Cooper, left her apartment on the Upper West Side at the edge of the Hudson River. She was with her dog, Henry, a blond cocker spaniel she had rescued and whose romps around the city she chronicled on a dedicated Instagram account.

It was in the Ramble that the two Coopers’ lives collided, an encounter that was brief but would reverberate in New York City and beyond, stirring anguished conversations about racism and hypocrisy in one of the nation’s most progressive cities.


Only a few hours later, George Floyd would be killed in Minneapolis when a police officer pinned Mr. Floyd’s neck under his knee. The two Memorial Day incidents captured on video two facets of entrenched racism black people experience: one the horrors of police brutality, the other the routine humiliations and threats in daily life.

Just before 8 a.m., Mr. Cooper was startled from his quiet birding by Ms. Cooper, who was loudly calling after her dog, he said. He asked her to leash Henry, as the park rules required. She refused.



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Subscribe to The Times

They exchanged words, and as he recorded on his phone, she threatened to report that “an African-American man is threatening my life,” a false accusation. Then as Mr. Cooper continued to film, she called 911.

The video clip shows that before and during the 911 call, she referred to Mr. Cooper as “African-American,” three times. Mr. Cooper’s sister later posted the clip to Twitter, where it has been viewed more than 40 million times.

Their lives have gone in drastically different directions since then. Amy Cooper was fired from her high-level finance job, she temporarily surrendered her dog and has been vilified as the embodiment of racism and white privilege. Christian Cooper has appeared on “The View” and has become such a celebrated figure that a congressional candidate in the Bronx publicized Mr. Cooper’s endorsement.

His experience has also been highlighted by prominent black politicians, from former President Barack Obama to the city’s public advocate, Jumaane Williams, during the protests over Mr. Floyd’s death.

Mr. Cooper said the encounter touched a nerve and evoked a long history of racism. “It’s not about her,” he said in an interview.

“What she did was tap into a deep vein of racial bias,” Mr. Cooper added. “And it is that deep vein of racial bias that keeps cropping up that led to much more serious events and much more serious repercussions than my little dust-up with Amy Cooper — the murder of George Floyd, the murder of Ahmaud Arbery,and before that Amadou Diallo and Patrick Dorismond and Eric Garner and Tamir Rice.”

Before that day, Mr. Cooper and Ms. Cooper were both successful professionals with prestigious degrees and a love of animals, which drew them to that haven in the city, Central Park. But a deeper look at their lives shows that their encounter was to some extent a telling reflection of their personalities.

Mr. Cooper warmly embraces serious nerdiness, memorizing bird song and learning bits of the Klingon language from Star Trek. But he also has an activist’s bent, bristling at society’s injustices.

He once set up his own nonprofit group to help elect Democrats, and he used his love of comic books to break barriers by creating one of the first gay Star Trek characters.

Among Central Park’s birders, he is considered to be a mentor — even to those who disapprove of his preferred tactic to protect the birds’ sanctuary: He deploys treats to tempt unleashed dogs so that their owners tether them. (During the Central Park encounter, he pulled out one such treat for Ms. Cooper’s dog.)


Ms. Cooper, an immigrant from Canada, can be sensitive and caring, according to her friends, but also seems to have a more contentious side. Neighbors said she had a tendency to get into personal disputes.

Her personal life once spilled into court. A few years ago, according to a lawsuit she filed, she had become involved with a married man and had lent him $65,000. When he did not leave his wife for her, she filed the suit in Manhattan to get back the money, before settling.


Though Ms. Cooper issued an apology to Mr. Cooper after their encounter, she has not since spoken publicly. The authorities are reviewing whether she can be charged with filing a false police report.

Ms. Cooper did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

“I reacted emotionally and made false assumptions about his intentions when, in fact, I was the one who was acting inappropriately by not having my dog on a leash,” she wrote in her apology.

“I am well aware of the pain that misassumptions and insensitive statements about race cause,” she said. “I would never have imagined that I would be involved in the type of incident that occurred.”

Since the video of their encounter went viral, Mr. Cooper has expressed some ambivalence about what has happened to Ms. Cooper’s life.

“I’m not excusing the racism, but I don’t know if her life needed to be torn apart,” he said a day after the video went viral.

“There are certain dark societal impulses that she, as a white woman, facing in a conflict with a black man, that she thought she could marshal to her advantage,” Mr. Cooper said. “She went there.”

*The dog walker*







Ms. Cooper’s building on the Upper West Side was once known as Trump Place, but the name was removed in a symbolic action against the president by liberal residents.

Around the building, Ms. Cooper was known for her attachment to her cocker spaniel, Henry. She was described as a constant presence on morning walks and at doggy birthday parties.

“From what I saw, she was very devoted to her animals,” said Maria Meade, 60, who lives in a nearby building. “The only thing I’ll tell you is she never spoke directly to a person. She always spoke through her dog, and in a baby voice. It was really bizarre.”

It is not possible to determine to what extent recollections of Ms. Cooper’s behavior are now shaded by news of her encounter in Central Park. Still, some residents said they held her at arm’s length because of what they described as her combative behavior with other dog walkers and the building staff.

Another neighbor, Marisol De Leon, 40, said Ms. Cooper frequently walked Henry unleashed, and became irate when told not to. “There was a sense of entitlement,” Ms. De Leon said.

Alison Faircloth, 37, a neighbor and dog owner, recalled that last winter, she came upon Ms. Cooper on the verge of tears outside the building’s lobby. A doorman had cursed at her for no reason, Ms. Cooper told her. Ms. Cooper vowed to get the doorman fired, Ms. Faircloth said.

But when Ms. Faircloth asked the doorman what had happened, he told her that Ms. Cooper had complained about a broken elevator, then cursed at him after she barged into a security booth and had to be removed by a guard.


“There’s always a narrative from her about someone who has done her wrong,” Ms. Faircloth said.

The building’s management declined to comment.

Before arriving in New York Ms. Cooper lived in Ontario, where she attended the University of Waterloo. She obtained a master’s degree at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, according to her résumé.

She has worked at Lehman Brothers, Citigroup and A.I.G., according to her résumé. She spent the past five years at Franklin Templeton, rising to become a vice president of insurance portfolio management, making investments for insurance companies.
*
It was on that corporate ladder that she met Martin Priest, a married colleague at Lehman Brothers, where, her résumé said, she worked from 2005 to 2008.

In a lawsuit filed in 2015, when she was no longer dating Mr. Priest, Ms. Cooper sought repayment of $65,000. She said she had given him the money to help speed his divorce and pay another woman he was involved with to abort her pregnancy, according to court records.

In the lawsuit, Ms. Cooper said Mr. Priest preyed on her emotions to get the money, promising it would help them to be together.

Instead, she said she discovered that his wife, Tianna, whom he was divorcing, was pregnant — and Mr. Priest was planning to marry a third woman, who was also pregnant, the lawsuit said.

“She was naïve, devastated, heartbroken,” said a person involved in the case, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the settlement is private.

In an interview, Mr. Priest denied that he’d had a romantic relationship with Ms. Cooper, though he admitted to borrowing the money. He called her a “stalker” who fictionalized their relationship, then erupted when it did not go her way.

In an unusual twist, since the lawsuit, Ms. Cooper has developed a close friendship with Tianna Priest, who is now divorced from Martin Priest, after Ms. Cooper exposed his infidelity to her. Ms. Cooper and Ms. Priest now spend holidays together.

Ms. Priest declined to comment on the Central Park encounter, but praised Ms. Cooper’s professionalism.


“Work, work, work, work, work — she’s a workaholic,” Ms. Priest said. “She loves numbers, so she gets it and she’s good at it.”

To Ms. Priest’s family, Ms. Cooper is a hero, who saved Ms. Priest from a toxic marriage, said Tom Selby, Ms. Priest’s father. He blamed his former son-in-law: “Amy is just another one of his victims,” Mr. Selby said.*

A day after the video went viral, internet commenters noted that the Instagram account dedicated to Henry documented injuries that the dog had suffered. That evening, under pressure, Ms. Cooper returned the dog to Abandoned Angels Cocker Spaniel Rescue.

On June 3, the organization said it had given Henry back to Ms. Cooper at her request after its veterinarian found that the dog was in good health.

*The bird-watcher*


On a family road trip when he was 11 years old, Christian Cooper was given a copy of “The Birds of North America” to keep him entertained. By the end of the excursion in a Volkswagen bus with his sister, Melody, and their parents, two schoolteachers from Long Island, he had memorized the entire text, he said, and was identifying the birds that flew by.

He was equally enthralled by comic books, which he parlayed into a career after he graduated from Harvard with a degree in political science.

“‘The X-Men’ was a perfect parable for the gay experience,” he told Wired Magazine in an interview in 1998. “The X-Men looked like everyone else, but they learned a deep secret in adolescence that made them different.”

In the late 1980s, Mr. Cooper served on the board of directors of GLAAD, formerly the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, and set up his own political action committee to support Democrats for the New York Senate, according to a biography on “Gay USA,” a televised news show about gay issues, which Mr. Cooper occasionally hosts.

In 1998 he launched “Queer Nation,” a pioneering gay web comic that envisioned L.G.B.T.Q. superheroes fighting the scourge of a right-wing world order. It was partly inspired by his parents, he told Wired, who were active in the civil rights movement.

Mr. Cooper is now a senior editor at Health Science Communications, a public relations agency for the health care industry. But his résumé does not diminish the universality to his experience as a black man, some have pointed out.

“I have no doubt that if the police had showed up in the Ramble, a wooded area of the park where Chris had gone bird watching, my brother’s Ivy League degree and impressive résumé would not have protected him,” his sister, Melody, wrote in an Op-Ed in The New York Times on May 31.

In a series of posts, Marie Javins, a former colleague, tried to make sense of what happened.

“If you’d asked me ‘What do you think Christian would be famous for,’ I’d have guessed for something he’d written, a science-fiction book or maybe the Star Trek comic he used to write where he introduced the first gay character in the history of Star Trek,” she wrote.

She said she never would have expected it would be because a white woman “used the term ‘African-American man’ as a weapon.”

*The Ramble*






Image




Credit...Brittainy Newman/The New York Times
Above all, the constants in Mr. Cooper’s life have been the thrushes, sparrows and swallows of Central Park.

Just beside the 79th Street Transverse, the semi-wild part of the park called the Ramble is a haven this time of year for migrating birds.

There, special rules to protect them — including that dogs be leashed at all times — often render it a microcosm of the city’s tensions: between nature and urban life; between solitude and socializing.

Mr. Cooper is a well-known presence there, a mentor to neophyte birders who carries gravitas as a member of the board of the New York City Audubon Society.

“He has a method of dealing with dogs. He’ll say, ‘Can you please leash your dog?’ and if they refuse he starts giving the dogs treats,” said Zach McDargh, 29, a research scientist. “Dog owners hate that.”

At about 8 a.m. on Memorial Day, as Henry bounded through the Ramble, and his owner refused to leash him as was required and as she was asked, Mr. Cooper fished in his pockets for those treats.

“Look, if you’re going to do what you want, I’m going to do what I want, but you’re not going to like it,” he recalled saying, in his Facebook post about the incident, before he took out his phone to film the scofflaw behavior.

The video recorded Ms. Cooper as she lunged at him, then threatened to call 911 and claimed that he was threatening her life.

Officers responded to a report of an assault that never happened. The police later characterized it as a “verbal dispute.”

“I was conscious of the fact I was now a target of the cops, and by target, I don’t mean that they are going to necessarily kill me,” Mr. Cooper said later. “That’s never a comfortable feeling when you’re black and under suspicion.”

That morning, aware that the police would most likely be arriving shortly, Mr. Cooper recalled his next steps clearly.

He picked back up his Swarovski binoculars that hung around his neck and continued to look for splashes of feathers atop the London plane trees.

“I was adamant about that,” Mr. Cooper said. “I birded my way out as I normally do.”


----------



## meka72

I usually put articles under a “Spoiler” but Amy’s tea was too hot to hide lol


----------



## Reinventing21

@meka72   That tea was good! But the best part of that article for me ended up being about the background of Mr. Cooper, the birdman! I love his story!


----------



## Kanky

@ them putting all of her pitiful business in the NYTimes.  I told y'all that white people would never forgive Amy Cooper for what she did to that dog.  

Chris Cooper was right to keep it classy and shady. He came out of this looking fantastic and the whole thing started when he tried to feed a racist white woman's dog in the park. If he'd gone too hard then people would've tried to protect the evil white woman. Instead she is fired, banned from the park, has a law against racism named after her, and is being made fun of in the NYT.


----------



## msbettyboop

TrulyBlessed said:


>



The bill is gonna be named after her??? . Lady, you need to move states or just return to Canada. What a legacy..


----------



## Ganjababy

Is she originally from Canada? We don’t want her over here. 





msbettyboop said:


> The bill is gonna be named after her??? . Lady, you need to move states or just return to Canada. What a legacy..


----------



## naturalgyrl5199

She gone have to change her ENTIRE NAME. 

Amy Cooper's law needs to pass. STAT.


----------



## nyeredzi

Actually, the guy crazy dog lady "stalked" admits to borrowing 65k from her (who has that kind of money to lend?) and doesn't say he paid it back. I bet he's shady too.


----------



## Miss_Luna

She is constantly losing so I'm not even mad. I'd prefer if the law was called "Birdman's Law". We don't want anything to commemorate this person, it might be distorted in history, like they usually do with everything. 

I wonder how she gets all these high-profile jobs when she's clearly emotionally unstable.


----------



## weaveadiva

.




.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/06/nyregion/amy-cooper-false-report-charge.html


----------



## Ganjababy

Good


----------



## msbettyboop

weaveadiva said:


> .
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .
> https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/06/nyregion/amy-cooper-false-report-charge.html



Don't start none, won't be none....


----------



## Lylddlebit

This course of action I necessary and long past due.  We gotta stop letting toxic systemic abuse ride.  If he wants to forgive her as a person fine but the system needs to go ahead and execute punishment on the issue itself and make appropriate precedents. 



weaveadiva said:


> .
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .
> https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/06/nyregion/amy-cooper-false-report-charge.html


----------



## Everything Zen

Where’s da mug shot?


----------



## Shimmie

Everything Zen said:


> Where’s da mug shot?


  at the meme ^^^ Hilarious


----------



## Shimmie

Lylddlebit said:


> This course of action I necessary and long past due.  We gotta stop letting toxic systemic abuse ride.  If he wants to forgive her as a person fine but the system needs to go ahead and execute punishment on the issue itself and make appropriate precedents.


I agree; legal retribution is necessary and long overdue, otherwise it will continue.   People need to know their crimes have consequences with a high price tag.


----------



## weaveadiva

From the article:

_Mr. Cooper, who has expressed deep ambivalence about the severity of the public response to Ms. Cooper’s actions, said on Monday that he “had zero involvement” in the district attorney’s case against her. 

Asked to comment on the pending charge, he said, “I have no reaction.”_


Deep ambivalence though? I love it


----------



## vevster

*Bird watcher says he won’t cooperate in Manhattan DA’s prosecution of dog walker caught on video ranting the Black man was ‘threatening’ her life*

*Central Park Karen’s reportedly getting a break.

Christian Cooper, an avid bird watcher whose viral video showed a frantic dog-walking white woman calling 911 to complain that he was “an African American man threatening my life,” says he wants no part in her prosecution.

*


----------



## SoniT

So Christian is going to let this "Karen" get away with using her privilege as a white woman to put his life in danger? OK. If the police had come, this could have gone all the way left.


----------



## Everything Zen

What was the point him filming it and now doing the whole talk show circuit and getting all his shine- you know what never mind. Just when we were finally about to set precedent for the first time in centuries against the countless times that this has happened and this  “activist” in name only is standing in the way of justice for all of us. He needs to be fined too for wasting everyone’s time and energy.


----------



## CurlyNiquee

https://nypost.com/2020/07/07/birdwatcher-not-cooperating-with-probe-into-central-park-karen/


----------



## cocosweet

Are you flipping kidding me right now?!


----------



## cocosweet

Everything Zen said:


> What was the point him filming it and now doing the whole talk show circuit and getting all his shine- you know what never mind. Just when we were finally about to set precedent for the first time in centuries against the countless times that this has happened and this  “activist” in name only is standing in the way of justice for all of us. He needs to be fined too for wasting everyone’s time and energy.


Fined and flogged. He should still get that butt whoopin' Karen was trying to to get for him..._for the culture._


----------



## JadeFox

This why they feel like they can get away with this crap. All this hype and nothing.... we stay forgiving these bigots.


----------



## Everything Zen

Oh well- I’m pretty sure his life is about to be ruined too. Christian Cooper fails to realize that this incident is bigger than himself and happened the morning before George Floyd died. This is a zeitgeist (Some are calling our American Spring) but honestly the world is watching and this is a tipping point that he can’t stop.


----------



## Kanky

Chris Cooper is better at this than most and we need to learn from his example. Here is what he said to the NYTimes:  

*“On the one hand, she’s already paid a steep price,” Mr. Cooper said in a statement on Tuesday. “That’s not enough of a deterrent to others? Bringing her more misery just seems like piling on.” But he added that he understood there was a greater principle at stake and that this should be defended. “So if the DA feels the need to pursue charges, he should pursue charges. But he can do that without me.”
*
Amy Cooper will be prosecuted. Her crime is on camera and recorded on the 911 call. It doesn’t do him any good to cheerlead as her life is ruined, when Amy Cooper will get what she deserves either way.

People really need to learn the art of subtlety and to take yes for an answer. When you are getting what you want and your enemy is getting what they deserve then you only make yourself look bad by calling for blood. If he’d said that he was glad that she was being prosecuted and that he was looking forward to testifying and hoping that she gets jail time then he would be in the bullseye as people look to defend the racist white woman. Instead he reminded people that she should be prosecuted on principle even though she’d already suffered and stepped out of the line of fire.


----------



## Everything Zen

^^^ I don’t have a problem with this. The articles were making it sound like he was actively getting in the way of the pursuit of justice.


----------



## Crackers Phinn

Kanky said:


> Chris Cooper is better at this than most and we need to learn from his example. Here is what he said to the NYTimes:
> 
> *“On the one hand, she’s already paid a steep price,” Mr. Cooper said in a statement on Tuesday. “That’s not enough of a deterrent to others? Bringing her more misery just seems like piling on.” But he added that he understood there was a greater principle at stake and that this should be defended. “So if the DA feels the need to pursue charges, he should pursue charges. But he can do that without me.”
> *
> Amy Cooper will be prosecuted. Her crime is on camera and recorded on the 911 call. It doesn’t do him any good to cheerlead as her life is ruined, when Amy Cooper will get what she deserves either way.
> 
> People really need to learn the art of subtlety and to take yes for an answer. When you are getting what you want and your enemy is getting what they deserve then you only make yourself look bad by calling for blood. If he’d said that he was glad that she was being prosecuted and that he was looking forward to testifying and hoping that she gets jail time then he would be in the bullseye as people look to defend the racist white woman. Instead he reminded people that she should be prosecuted on principle even though she’d already suffered and stepped out of the line of fire.


It's not calling for blood to cooperate with the DA.  Nobody's asking him to holler from the roof to kill the cracka b.  He was wronged. Go through the legal process of wronged people.   Amy Cooper invoked her privilege to attempt to murder him by cop.  Christian Cooper and his above it all nonsense reinforces that the price Amy Cooper paid so far (public shame and loss of income) is of greater value than the potential loss of his own life.  That's what black life not mattering really means.  Mark my words, if Amy Cooper can recover from the dog abuse stigma, she will be on the same black mocking trajectory as a George Zimmerman in a few years.   She can't run from her name but she can find a fan base that will help her unlike the fool whose talking about she's paid a steep price.


----------



## Kanky

Crackers Phinn said:


> It's not calling for blood to cooperate with the DA.  Nobody's asking him to holler from the roof to kill the cracka b.  He was wronged. Go through the legal process of wronged people.   Amy Cooper invoked her privilege to attempt to murder him by cop.  Christian Cooper and his above it all nonsense reinforces that the price Amy Cooper paid so far (public shame and loss of income) is of greater value than the potential loss of his own life.  That's what black life not mattering really means.  Mark my words, if Amy Cooper can recover from the dog abuse stigma, she will be on the same black mocking trajectory as a George Zimmerman in a few years.   She can't run from her name but she can find a fan base that will help her unlike the fool whose talking about she's paid a steep price.



The black mocking folks and Amy Cooper's attorney are already claiming that he threatened her when he said "You won't like what happens next," and tried to feed her dog. He is probably trying to avoid blowback. I don't see what participating further does for him if she is prosecuted anyway? How does he benefit? 

The threat to black lives is a police force that commits assault and murder all willy nilly. The police showing up shouldn't be a potential death sentence or lead to people spending tens of thousands of dollars to fight false charges or be convicted of crimes that they didn't commit. Amy Cooper and her privilege are part of the problem, and I am glad that she will be prosecuted. I think that they should add hate crime charges. Still until the police department is fixed then every white person in America has the power of life or death over black people. All they have to do is call the police and lie.


----------



## Leeda.the.Paladin

Seriously?? Dude, I took up for you earlier but if you don’t cooperate...!

It’s no longer about him. This case represents something bigger than the way he feels.


----------



## rabs77

I wasn’t surprised when I read this this morning, but only because the discussion in this thread prepared me for it.. *smh* Black men don’t learn.


----------



## fluffyforever

I get why he isn’t pushing it further. 

I don’t know his job- but I’m assuming he still has to work for his money and might have white bosses and coworkers that he has to deal with. He has to look out for his coins and not step on toes at work. 

Can you imagine that if he came out swinging- talking about how this woman who already lost her job and respect needs to serve the maximum prison sentence because she is an evil racist that some of his white coworkers might think he is going too far? They might see him different and affect his work environment? So many white people don’t even see the problem with what she did in the first place and if he continued to drag her in public, he can start looking like the bad guy. 

I agree with his approach. Let the law handle it. It’s all on tape. They have his interviews. They don’t need him in court. Yes the issue is bigger than him, but it’s not his job to become one of the faces of it if he doesn’t want to.


----------



## Crackers Phinn

*What Christian Cooper’s Lack of Cooperation with DA’s Office May Mean for Criminal Case Against Amy Cooper*
Jul 8th, 2020, 1:40 pm


The woman who went viral for calling police on a Black man in Central Park months ago was subjected to international scorn and immediately lost her job. Her former employer suggested when announcing the firing that she had committed a racist act. On top of that, *Amy Cooper* now faces a criminal charge in Manhattan for falsely reporting an incident, even though the man she allegedly victimized has not and apparently won’t be cooperating with prosecutors.

*Christian Cooper* told the _New York Times_ in a statement on Tuesday that he believes Amy Cooper has already paid a “steep price.” Mr. Cooper said that if Manhattan District Attorney* Cy Vance* wants to pursue charges against Ms. Cooper, Vance can to do so without his cooperation.

“On the one hand, *she’s already paid a steep price. *That’s not enough of a deterrent to others? Bringing her more misery just seems like piling on,” he said. “So if the DA feels the need to pursue charges, he should pursue charges. But he can do that without me.”

Criminal defense attorney and former New York City homicide prosecutor *Julie Rendelman* told Law&Crime that the DA “may not actually need Mr. Cooper’s testimony in order to effectively prosecute Amy Cooper.”

“After all, they have the 911 call that contains the alleged false reporting, and they have video that was taken contemporaneously with the actual incident that led to the charges,” Rendelman said. “The prosecutor can subpoena Mr. Cooper for a potential trial if they believe they need Mr. Cooper to authenticate the video and give background to the incident, but they would probably be able to work around that.”

*“In the end,” Rendelman said, “the district attorney could take into account Mr. Cooper’s opinions about this prosecution in formulating an appropriate resolution to this matter.”*

Vance announced the prosecution against Cooper on Monday.

“Today, our Office initiated a prosecution of Amy Cooper for Falsely Reporting an Incident in the Third Degree,” he said in a statement. “Our office will provide the public with additional information as the case proceeds. At this time I would like to encourage anyone who has been the target of false reporting to contact our Office. We are strongly committed to holding perpetrators of this conduct accountable.”

Class A misdemeanors like this one are punishable by up to one year in jail or three years probation–and/or a $1,000 fine.

Law&Crime previously noted that Cooper could be charged with this crime. But many of those arguing against the charges have said that the Amy Cooper case shouldn’t be used as a vehicle to promote the carceral state and overcriminalization. Others have wondered what took DA Vance so long to file charges.

Cooper’s defense attorney *Robert Barnes* (who has penned columns for Law&Crime in the past) said that his client will be acquitted of the charge.

“When all the facts are known, Amy Cooper will be found not guilty of the single misdemeanor charge she faces,” Barnes told CNN. “Based on a misunderstood 60 seconds of video, she lost her job, her home and her reputation.”

Barnes also told the cable news network that “criminalized, cancel culture” and prosecutions of “alleged ‘wrong think'” cannot be the new normal.

“Public shaming, lost employment, denied benefits & now prison time for a mis-perceived, momentary alleged ‘wrong think’? For words said in a sixty second interaction where even the alleged victim calls this reaction way excessive? This criminalized, cancel culture is cancerous & precarious,” he said. “That is why acquitting Amy Cooper is important.”


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## Everything Zen

Amy Cooper didn’t care when she was on film and neither did Derek Chauvin so...


----------



## Kanky

fluffyforever said:


> I get why he isn’t pushing it further.
> 
> I don’t know his job- but I’m assuming he still has to work for his money and might have white bosses and coworkers that he has to deal with. He has to look out for his coins and not step on toes at work.
> 
> Can you imagine that if he came out swinging- talking about how this woman who already lost her job and respect needs to serve the maximum prison sentence because she is an evil racist that some of his white coworkers might think he is going too far? They might see him different and affect his work environment? So many white people don’t even see the problem with what she did in the first place and if he continued to drag her in public, he can start looking like the bad guy.
> 
> I agree with his approach. Let the law handle it. It’s all on tape. They have his interviews. They don’t need him in court. Yes the issue is bigger than him, but it’s not his job to become one of the faces of it if he doesn’t want to.



I think that people want him to fight for black people as a group and are less concerned about whatever personal consequences he may face. Activists don't usually live long happy lives. Rosa Parks died poor in the hood after living on DeWhiteman's charity. I can understand him wanting to move on with his life.


----------



## Kanky

Crackers Phinn said:


> *What Christian Cooper’s Lack of Cooperation with DA’s Office May Mean for Criminal Case Against Amy Cooper*
> Jul 8th, 2020, 1:40 pm
> 
> 
> The woman who went viral for calling police on a Black man in Central Park months ago was subjected to international scorn and immediately lost her job. Her former employer suggested when announcing the firing that she had committed a racist act. On top of that, *Amy Cooper* now faces a criminal charge in Manhattan for falsely reporting an incident, even though the man she allegedly victimized has not and apparently won’t be cooperating with prosecutors.
> 
> *Christian Cooper* told the _New York Times_ in a statement on Tuesday that he believes Amy Cooper has already paid a “steep price.” Mr. Cooper said that if Manhattan District Attorney* Cy Vance* wants to pursue charges against Ms. Cooper, Vance can to do so without his cooperation.
> 
> “On the one hand, *she’s already paid a steep price. *That’s not enough of a deterrent to others? Bringing her more misery just seems like piling on,” he said. “So if the DA feels the need to pursue charges, he should pursue charges. But he can do that without me.”
> 
> Criminal defense attorney and former New York City homicide prosecutor *Julie Rendelman* told Law&Crime that the DA “may not actually need Mr. Cooper’s testimony in order to effectively prosecute Amy Cooper.”
> 
> “After all, they have the 911 call that contains the alleged false reporting, and they have video that was taken contemporaneously with the actual incident that led to the charges,” Rendelman said. “The prosecutor can subpoena Mr. Cooper for a potential trial if they believe they need Mr. Cooper to authenticate the video and give background to the incident, but they would probably be able to work around that.”
> 
> *“In the end,” Rendelman said, “the district attorney could take into account Mr. Cooper’s opinions about this prosecution in formulating an appropriate resolution to this matter.”*
> 
> Vance announced the prosecution against Cooper on Monday.
> 
> “Today, our Office initiated a prosecution of Amy Cooper for Falsely Reporting an Incident in the Third Degree,” he said in a statement. “Our office will provide the public with additional information as the case proceeds. At this time I would like to encourage anyone who has been the target of false reporting to contact our Office. We are strongly committed to holding perpetrators of this conduct accountable.”
> 
> Class A misdemeanors like this one are punishable by up to one year in jail or three years probation–and/or a $1,000 fine.
> 
> Law&Crime previously noted that Cooper could be charged with this crime. But many of those arguing against the charges have said that the Amy Cooper case shouldn’t be used as a vehicle to promote the carceral state and overcriminalization. Others have wondered what took DA Vance so long to file charges.
> 
> Cooper’s defense attorney *Robert Barnes* (who has penned columns for Law&Crime in the past) said that his client will be acquitted of the charge.
> 
> “When all the facts are known, Amy Cooper will be found not guilty of the single misdemeanor charge she faces,” Barnes told CNN. “Based on a misunderstood 60 seconds of video, she lost her job, her home and her reputation.”
> 
> Barnes also told the cable news network that “criminalized, cancel culture” and prosecutions of “alleged ‘wrong think'” cannot be the new normal.
> 
> “Public shaming, lost employment, denied benefits & now prison time for a mis-perceived, momentary alleged ‘wrong think’? For words said in a sixty second interaction where even the alleged victim calls this reaction way excessive? This criminalized, cancel culture is cancerous & precarious,” he said. “That is why acquitting Amy Cooper is important.”




Robert Barnes, her attorney, is one of those Trumpkins who takes on rightwing, racist culture war cases.  The DA,  DeBlasio, and Cumo are also using Amy Cooper to score political points. Chris Cooper is right to duck out of the way IMO. I would love to see Amy Cooper dragged all the way to prison, but it isn't my life. Also I am assuming that the DA spoke to him personally, and isn't relying on Chris Cooper's interviews to decide whether or not to pursue this.


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## Crackers Phinn

Kanky said:


> Robert Barnes, her attorney, is one of those Trumpkins who takes on rightwing, racist culture war cases. IIRC The DA,  DeBlasio, and Cumo are also using Amy Cooper to score political points. Chris Cooper is right to duck out of the way IMO. I would love to see Amy Cooper dragged all the way to prison, but it isn't my life. Also I am assuming that the DA spoke to him personally, and isn't relying on Chris Cooper's interviews to decide whether or not to pursue this.


I don't understand how cooperating with the DA is being presented as more  life changing than the actual event.  What is it about giving a statement/testimony is going to get him killed?


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## Kanky

Crackers Phinn said:


> I don't understand how cooperating with the DA is being presented as more  life changing than the actual event.  What is it about giving a statement/testimony is going to get him killed?



I don't think that he will be killed necessarily. Robert Barnes appears on Fox News to give room temperature racism talking points. There will be racist idiots with big mics talking about him and trying to damage his reputation. There have already been articles criticizing him for carrying dog treats and trying to enforce leash laws while birdwatching.

https://thepostmillennial.com/central-park-is-a-tale-of-two-karens

At this point there's not a single quote that doesn't have him looking like a nicer than average, bird geek. He might just want his life back to normal and not have to deal with being a target of racists fighting a culture war.


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## UmSumayyah

Kanky said:


> I think that people want him to fight for black people as a group and are less concerned about whatever personal consequences he may face. Activists don't usually live long happy lives. Rosa Parks died poor in the hood after living on DeWhiteman's charity. I can understand him wanting to move on with his life.


I know she didn't have much but I thought after that bm beat her up that the white ceo put her in an apartment in a secure building?

Let me Google.


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## UmSumayyah

Crackers Phinn said:


> I don't understand how cooperating with the DA is being presented as more  life changing than the actual event.  What is it about giving a statement/testimony is going to get him killed?


It just occurred to me that I don't think I have ever seen an ordinary middle class bm risk his social and career stability to to all out on some widely broadcast racial incident in their lives, or in their neighborhood/ community.

It seems bw are more likely.

Am I mistaken? It would certainly fit general bw behavior.


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## Brownie

Everything Zen said:


> What was the point him filming it and now doing the whole talk show circuit and getting all his shine- you know what never mind. Just when we were finally about to set precedent for the first time in centuries against the countless times that this has happened and this  “activist” in name only is standing in the way of justice for all of us. He needs to be fined too for wasting everyone’s time and energy.


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## Crackers Phinn

UmSumayyah said:


> It just occurred to me that I don't think I have ever seen an ordinary middle class bm risk his social and career stability to to all out on some widely broadcast racial incident in their lives, or in their neighborhood/ community.
> 
> It seems bw are more likely.
> 
> Am I mistaken? It would certainly fit general bw behavior.


His sister got him to post the video.  Christian was always going to give this white woman a pass.
Like I said on page 1, the only victim in this situation with some sense was the dog. 



Kanky said:


> I don't think that he will be killed necessarily. Robert Barnes appears on Fox News to give room temperature racism talking points. There will be racist idiots with big mics talking about him and trying to damage his reputation. There have already been articles criticizing him for carrying dog treats and trying to enforce leash laws while birdwatching.
> 
> https://thepostmillennial.com/central-park-is-a-tale-of-two-karens
> 
> At this point there's not a single quote that doesn't have him looking like a nicer than average, bird geek. He might just want his life back to normal and not have to deal with being a target of racists fighting a culture war.



He's already the target of racists fighting a culture war.  That's who Amy Cooper is as played out in the video. The story is out, Christian Cooper's life is already irrevocably changed and the people who criticized him were always going to criticize him.  





~~~~~~~~~~~

I get this weird "stop snitching" vibe from the tone of this conversation.   If this was a case of some outside person interjecting themselves into a racial incident between other people in the name of black protest then I could see staying out of the fray.   But if somebody literally commits a crime against you, which is what Amy Cooper did and is being charged with,  just walking away is not normally what people encourage victims to do.


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## Kanky

Crackers Phinn said:


> His sister got him to post the video.  Christian was always going to give this white woman a pass.
> Like I said on page 1, the only victim in this situation with some sense was the dog.
> 
> 
> 
> He's already the target of racists fighting a culture war.  That's who Amy Cooper is as played out in the video. The story is out, Christian Cooper's life is already irrevocably changed and the people who criticized him were always going to criticize him.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ~~~~~~~~~~~
> 
> I get this weird "stop snitching" vibe from the tone of this conversation.   If this was a case of some outside person interjecting themselves into a racial incident between other people in the name of black protest then I could see staying out of the fray.   But if somebody literally commits a crime against you, which is what Amy Cooper did and is being charged with,  just walking away is not normally what people encourage victims to do.



I have heard the stop snitching vibe that you are talking about. People who are so woke that they are stupid talking about how we shouldn't use the evil carceral justice system against Amy Cooper.  She needs to get jail time and a criminal record IMO.

I am not encouraging him to walk away, but I can see why he would do so.


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## meka72

Christian Cooper: Why I have chosen not to aid the investigation of Amy Cooper

On May 25, when I was birding in the Ramble section of New York’s Central Park, I asked a woman whose dog was off his leash to please put him back on, as the area’s rules require. She refused — and, as shown in a video that went viral, she was soon calling the police and telling them an “African American man” was “threatening” her.

Support our journalism. Subscribe today.
Now Amy Cooper has been charged by the Manhattan district attorney with filing a false police report. I’m ambivalent about the prosecution and have chosen not to aid the investigation. It’s important to remember that this case is for the DA to make, regardless of my involvement; it is not a situation where I have to press charges or else the case goes away.

I’ve said all along that I think it’s a mistake to focus on this one individual. The important thing the incident highlights is the long-standing, deep-seated racial bias against us black and brown folk that permeates the United States — bias that can bring horrific consequences, as with the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis later the same day I encountered Amy Cooper, or just small daily cuts.
Why did Cooper so easily tap into that toxic racial bias in the heat of the moment when she was looking for a leg up in our confrontation? Why is it surprising to no one that the police might come charging to her aid with special vengeance on hearing that an African American was involved? And most important of all, how do we fix policing so that scenarios such as this are replaced by a criminal justice system that is truly just and equitable to black people?

Focusing on charging Amy Cooper lets white people off the hook from all that. They can scream for her head while leaving their own prejudices unexamined. They can push for her prosecution and pat themselves on the back for having done something about racism, when they’ve actually done nothing, and their own Amy Cooper remains only one purse-clutch in the presence of a black man away.

Those concerns must be weighed against what prosecuting the case means for us black people. I appreciate that it is important to uphold the principle of law, and that those who try to turn racism to their advantage by filing false claims against a person of color should be held accountable. But note that laws against filing a false police report are already on the books and will remain enforceable, whether applied in this case or not.

Finally, I believe in punishments that are commensurate with the wrongdoing. Considering that Amy Cooper has already lost her job and her reputation, it’s hard to see what is to be gained by a criminal charge, aside from the upholding of principle. If her current setbacks aren’t deterrent enough to others seeking to weaponize race, it’s unlikely the threat of legal action would change that. Meanwhile, for offenders who don’t suffer consequences like Cooper’s, the law is still there to exact a price.

Would I consider it fair and just if Cooper were found guilty and sentenced to anti-bias training and some form of community service? Yes. But black people know all too well that the criminal justice system often doesn’t work that way — that an ambitious DA with an election next year, in the current social climate, might seek and achieve a sentence of a year behind bars. All for an offense from which I suffered no harm, physical or mental. That wouldn’t be a commensurate punishment.

Raising the specter of what harm might have come to me as a result of Cooper’s false report carries no weight with me; I don’t find speculation useful in this situation, because it’s equally possible that, had the police arrived on the scene while I was still there, they would have done their jobs professionally. And if the fear is that the police would have done me harm as a result of Cooper’s call, then the solution is to fix policing.

So while acknowledging the principle at stake, I must err on the side of compassion and choose not to be involved in this prosecution. Let the DA do his job. He has already decided to pursue charges; if he feels my involvement is essential to the case, he can subpoena me. If subpoenaed, I will testify, truthfully and accurately. Otherwise, the case is the DA’s, not mine.

I know that some people may disagree with my reasoning, and that this decision comes as a disappointment to many who share in the struggle for social justice, and I’m sorry for that. But under the circumstances, it’s the only course I can pursue in good conscience.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/christian-cooper-why-i-am-declining-to-be-involved-in-amy-coopers-prosecution/2020/07/14/1ba3a920-c5d4-11ea-b037-f9711f89ee46_story.html


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## UmSumayyah

Well.


----------



## Ganjababy




----------



## Crackers Phinn

*"All for an offense from which I suffered no harm, physical or mental. That wouldn’t be a commensurate punishment."*



Crackers Phinn said:


> As far as both Christian and me are concerned, the real victim is the dog, who got enough sense NOT to forgive her .   I bet you if she showed up at the kennel, that dog ain't go be in no kind of hurry to go nowhere with her.


Meanwhile, he seems more agitated over the white male D.A.

Between this and Nick Cannon's foolery I'm done reading about black men today.


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## Reinventing21

I actually feel his reason for trying to get out of it was because he is likely a very private and somewhat empathetic person. I am too so I could understand why he didn't want to be involved.

HOWEVER, there are some things too important to ignore in the name of privacy and introverted type personalities. I once had to stand up for what was right to protect someone else  and had to face uncomfortablility as my privacy was intruded upon. I also am very empathetic but I could not let that get in the way of doing what needed to be done.


This man needs to understand/remember that the whole reason he is likely alive and not in jail himself is because he recorded it and Blacks went to bat for him.  This ugly woman did not hesitate at all to use his race to get him in trouble with the law. She needs to be fully prosecuted to set the precedent and he cannot hide in a hole. He needs to see it through.


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## LdyKamz

See I couldn't understand what more they possibly wanted from him and felt like the articles being printed left and right about him not cooperating was to get someone to hate him (i.e. black people). He came out of this situation looking pretty good. Black people were happy because he outed the racist white woman, white people were (somewhat) happy because he didn't pile on their precious white woman. He toed that line beautifully. So I really thought the articles were an attempt to get someone to kind of start badmouthing him and I was upset about it.

But the more I think about it the more I feel like he could give a simple statement to the cops and avoid giving any more interviews. He keeps speaking to the media! That's what's shifting my mind frame on this. If he really wanted to move on he would stop talking to the media and let this go away. But he's taking every opportunity they're giving him to announce to the world that he won't be participating in making sure this woman gets what's coming to her. And that I don't like. I was with him until now.


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## Reinventing21

Very good point @LdyKamz


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## beloved1bx

*Central Park Birder Turns Clash Into Graphic Novel About Racism*
The impressionistic novel from Christian Cooper features a Black teenager who looks at birds through binoculars and instead sees the faces of Black people who have been killed by the police.








Credit...DC



By Sarah Maslin Nir

Sept. 9, 2020, 5:00 a.m. ET
Christian Cooper became one of the nation’s most famous bird watchers when a video he filmed of his confrontation with a white woman in Central Park went viral. After Mr. Cooper asked her to leash her dog, she had warned him that she would falsely tell a 911 operator that “an African-American man is threatening my life.”
But before that Memorial Day encounter, Mr. Cooper was well-known in a different realm: as a pioneering comic book writer. Now, Mr. Cooper is using his experience in Central Park as the inspiration for a graphic novel, “It’s a Bird,” published by DC Comics.
In the graphic novel, which is digital only, he connects racism’s daily humiliations and deadly police brutality. The same day that he faced the woman, Amy Cooper — who is not related to Mr. Cooper — George Floyd would die in Minneapolis under a police officer’s knee.





Christian Cooper in Central Park.Credit...Brittainy Newman/The New York Times

The slim, 10-page story is impressionistic, without a real plot. It is the first in a series called “Represent!” that features works of writers “traditionally underrepresented in the mainstream comic book medium,” including people of color or those who are LGBTQ, Marie Javins, an executive editor at DC, said in a statement. It will be available online for free starting Wednesday, at several digital book and comic book retailers.
The main character of “It’s a Bird” is a teenage birder named Jules, who is Black. When Jules tries to peer through his binoculars at birds, he instead sees the faces of Black people who have been killed by the police.

After a white man shoos Jules off his lawn, the illustrator, Alitha E. Martinez, has drawn Jules envisioning Mr. Floyd’s face in place of a warbler in a tree.
In later pages, the teenager confronts a white woman in the park with her dog off leash — here the woman is named Beth and is depicted as heavyset, though Ms. Cooper is not. When Jules faces her, he is backed by the images of several Black people killed in interactions with police. When he turns his back on her, he sees them winged and flying free.





Credit...DC
In an interview, Mr. Cooper said the graphic novel “shouldn’t be looked at as any one experience, because it’s not. It’s drawn from a whole bunch of experiences and woven together from that — my own and the ones we keep hearing from news reports.”
“What happened to me is minor compared to the fatal consequences for George Floyd later that same day, but it all comes from the same place of racial bias,” he added. “I am not trying to equate these things. What I am trying to say is: ‘See the pattern.’”
Mr. Cooper said the graphic novel was deliberately not an exact recounting of his May 25 interaction with Ms. Cooper.
“I think that is the beauty of comics, it lets you reach that place visually and viscerally,” he said. “And that’s what this comic is meant to do: Take all these real things that are out there and, by treating them in a magical realist way, get to the heart of the matter.”
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/08/style/guitar-sales-fender-gibson.html?action=click&algo=bandit-all-surfaces_desk_filter&block=editors_picks_recirc&fellback=false&imp_id=529542950&impression_id=4bf0db20-f2c0-11ea-b6d6-232b79d1dd06&index=0&pgtype=Article®ion=ccolumn&req_id=633684297&surface=home-featured&action=click&module=editorContent&pgtype=Article®ion=CompanionColumn&contentCollection=Trending







Credit...DC

In the days after the incident, Ms. Cooper was fired from her job, and pilloried on social media. The Manhattan district attorney charged her with filing a false police report.
Mr. Cooper refused to cooperate in the investigation, and publicly expressed compassion for Ms. Cooper in the face of the consequences that she has suffered.
He has still not heard from her, he said, and does not want to.
“It has never stopped being about the birds for me,” Mr. Cooper said. “From the beginning that confrontation had nothing to do with race. It became about race when she made it about race.”
Mr. Cooper said the Beth character is intended to be a pastiche, not a depiction of Ms. Cooper. (Ms. Cooper could not be reached for comment.)






Credit...DC

In the final pages, as Jules and Beth verbally spar, in Ms. Martinez’s images the woman’s words physically diminish.
“You see her words become smaller and smaller, and less important,” Mr. Cooper said. “Because it’s not about her, it’s about the ones we’ve lost and how we keep from losing any more.”

https://nyti.ms/3meGeQO


----------



## yamilee21

I’m disconcerted by this graphic novel... “Jules” looks so much like someone I know in real life.


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## Everything Zen

But, but - I thought Christian Cooper was above it all and wanted to put this behind him?


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## frizzy

Get money...


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## Ganjababy

That comic is kind of depressing. I like the idea but I don’t think I have the stomach to look at it at this time...


----------



## kupenda

I’ll pass on the comic


----------



## Leeda.the.Paladin

That comic looks like a nightmare. I hope it at least has a hopeful resolution


----------



## weaveadiva

It was 5 classes, y'all.


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## CarefreeinChicago

She probably shed a tear and batted her eyes at the judge


----------



## weaveadiva




----------



## awhyley

Just sad.  Not surprising, but sad.


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## weaveadiva




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## nysister

Now THAT is what I like to see.


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## dancinstallion




----------



## nysister

dancinstallion said:


>


I'm here for it! That should read "white chick" at best "white woman" because that's NO lady!


----------

