To hope this racist woman loses her job

[TildaKauskumholm]

twitter.com/melodyMcooper/status/1264965252866641920?s=19. Was appalled to see this video on Twitter - a guy in Central park, NYC, who was birdwatching, politely asked a woman to put her dog on the lead as per the regulation in that part of the park. He started filming it as she got abusive and called the cops, to say that she (white) and her dog were being threatened by an African-American man and could they send the police (as we know this can often result in a shooting).All the while she was holding her dog up by dangling it from its collar, half strangling it. The man left and his sister put the video on Twitter, resulting in the racist dog strangler being identified very quickly... she has a high powered job with an insurance company. The animal shelter took back the dog, and her company says she is on 'administrative leave' hopefully meaning she will get fired. I was really shocked and dismayed that such open racism is still going on, even though she was being filmed! Surely she must lose her job at least, what company would want to be linked to something like this?

‘Take race out of it.

How can we do that when the woman in the video was the one bringing race into it?’

Because the poster was talking about the events prior to her being racist.

She walked her dog off the lead in an area where the dog should have been on a lead. She broke the rules. People breaking rules can feel threatening.

He then initiated a conversation about that and attempted to lure her dog away. People initiating a conversation when nobody else around and luring your dog away from you with treats feels threatening.

I have felt threatened by both types of situation. When I see someone breaking rules in a public space I find it threatening. They are making it clear that the ordinary rules of behaviour don’t apply to people like her, which she then expanded into racism.

I also feel threatened if I am alone with a dog and a stranger appears, because if they turn out to be a threat I not only have to get myself away but also get my dog away, and their behaviour may confuse the dog, making it difficult, so it feels more threatening. You only have to look at how many people go out on to ice to their deaths to retrieve their dog to know people won’t leave a dog behind.

So neither of them were sensible to do what they did, but it doesn’t justify her escalating the situation into racism. It is however, when emotions run high, that people who claim not to be racists start to exhibit more racist behaviour.

I think white people who say they would never end up saying that kind of thing in a heated situation are not very self aware.

It's not a helpful attitude to women.

Tbh this is why I really don't consider myself a feminist either. The whole shit about the daughters of the witches they couldn't burn. Feminism is a white female concept and I want nothing to do with it because it means white women who will defend Amy Cooper at any cost. 'She was scared' 'He is a man' etc etc. I really want no part of that discourse. Again - white women are the most dangerous demographic because they are willingly coming out to defend what is clearly a reprehensible act by a fellow white woman. Just imagine what Emmett Till must have gone through or the Central Park 5.

Just imagine what Emmett Till must have gone through or the Central Park 5

On the back of this thread earlier this afternoon I read up on Emmett Till as I didn't know the background - horrifying

This - no matter what a woman does, she can never ever be wrong, she's automatically a victim, even if it's her at fault and in no way the man's.
Doesn't matter what she does, or says - it's an utterly vile attitude

Yep. I feel sorry for people who think like this. They need help.

Well she showed her true colours during that video. The problem is she may lose her job but she'll remain a racist.

The first time my black son was shouted at and accused of being “aggressive” by a white woman exerting her white privilege, he was 2 years old. He was a toddler, in a nappy, who got cross and said “mine” or something similar. It went on an on. It took me a while, too long to see it for what it was. I’m white too. I even took him to the GP and asked if he thought my gorgeous, kind and beautiful baby boy had “behavioural issues”. That GP told me I had child care issues.
I will never ever, forgive myself for how I failed my son. Never. His bewildered brown eyes will haunt me forever. The shame I fed when my husband calmly tried to explain what was happening. How I let him down too. Never again.

If she was a non-racist white woman threatened by a man, she would have compliantly leashed her dog and left his vicinity.

Instead, she went Gone Girl on him. I don't think his Harvard degree gave him privilege. Do you think American police ask black men if they have bachelors degrees before they kneel on their necks?

On the back of this thread earlier this afternoon I read up on Emmett Till as I didn't know the background - horrifying

There's a memorial to him that keeps getting vandalised. Last time I read about it they were planning to replace it with a bulletproof sign. Even in death...

Different kind of story but you should also read about Ruby Bridges if you're unfamiliar with her. It's another one that sticks with you.

Vladmirs, this is what happened:

1. She let her dog off the leash.
2. He ordered her to put it back on the leash.
3. She refused.
4. He tried to give food to her dog (could have been poison for all she knew).
5. She got very upset.
6. He starting filming her. You can see her in the distance bending over the dog. It looks like she's trying to put the lead on it.
7. She came over, very upset, begging him to stop filming her. He didn't.
8. At that point she pulled out the big guns. That's when it became a racial incident. But it wasn't before.

There's a memorial to him that keeps getting vandalised. Last time I read about it they were planning to replace it with a bulletproof sign. Even in death.

There's just no words to that

Will look up Ruby Bridges

Because by itself, before she brought race into it, it was a situation involving a man (a privileged man, Harvard graduate)

Wow! Unless he was walking around with a "Harvard graduate" sign on his forehead, he's a black man first whenever and wherever you see him. So no, not privileged in the way you want to make it out to be.

That's when it became a racial incident. But it wasn't before.

No, that’s when she verbalised her racism. We don’t know at what point it became a racial incident. It may have been her racial prejudices behind her refusing to put on the leash because it was a black person asking her. We don’t know.

Instead, she went Gone Girl on him. I don't think his Harvard degree gave him privilege. Do you think American police ask black men if they have bachelors degrees before they kneel on their necks?

Right? Fucking hell, certain MN users will perform Olympic level [mental] gymnastics feats to defend white women no matter.

The way she puts on a trembly voice on the phone to fein fear is horrendous.

@NotTerfNorCis Great! I hope she gets fired and never gets another job again. Glad you are so hot on the details. In fact I hope she gets convicted too. At least we have some mutual ground :)

WTAF 'I think white people who say they would never end up saying that kind of thing in a heated situation are not very self aware'
@Stripesgalore are you serious?!

Having been personally attacked in broad daylight by a gang of black men and managed to escape it never occurred to start racist threats or lies. In fact I'd go as far as to say this woman actually felt safe enough to throw out those threats. I was being threatened with my life and although I managed to conjure up a voice to sweat at these men I never once magically became a racist. This woman is a racist plain and simple. She was one before she entered that park and she left the park one.

There is no place in this world for it.

Tbh this is why I really don't consider myself a feminist either.
Same. I used to consider myself a feminist until I woke up to this.

Swear*

@NotTerfNorCis very emotive language, he ‘ordered’, she ‘begged’. It’s so laughable. 😂

At that point she pulled out the big guns. That's when it became a racial incident. But it wasn't before.

It should never have "become a racial incident" as you so put it, absolving the perpetrator of this racial incidence of any responsibility.

Anyone who "brings out the big guns" and causes a racial incident is a racist waiting for an incident.
What would she have done if he was white? What big guns would she have used? Let me guess..."Police, there's a big bad man threatening me - a feminist damsel in distress" or simply not had any big guns to pull?

1) She let her dog off the leash.
2) He ordered her to put it back on the leash.
3) She refused.
4) He tried to give food to her dog (could have been poison for all she knew).
5) She got very upset.
6) He starting filming her. You can see her in the distance bending over the dog. It looks like she's trying to put the lead on it.
7) She came over, very upset, begging him to stop filming her. He didn't.
8) At that point she pulled out the big guns. That's when it became a racial incident. But it wasn't before.

I find the choice of language here so interesting. Begging, ordered...it puts a certain slant on it all.

I think it's very blinkered to say that it wasn't a racial incident in the early stages. Race permeates daily life in America (and around the world...but the experience of African Americans is unique to the USA). You cannot ignore it.

I'm going to say my last thing on this thread, which I find dispiriting for a number of reasons, but for me, is a pattern of extremist thinking and black-and-white thinking (which is ironic).

I think most people will think that the woman in the video behaved appallingly by threatening to call, and then calling the police, and using her privilege as a white woman to threaten the power of the state against an innocent black man.

At the same time, it is possible to think that there may be some mitigating factor of which we are unaware, and it may also be possible to think that socially shaming someone on social media and destroying their life is the best way to address structural racism. Well, guess what, we can get angry and castigate a single woman, but tomorrow, Donald Trump will still be President, Stephen Miller will still be working in the White House, and Republicans will be working to make it harder for minorities to vote in the November.

For me, there is a witch-hunt aspect that makes me uncomfortable, but that doesn't make me, or others who think like me racists or supporters of racism, or trolls.

I forgot about the most interesting phrase - bringing out the big guns! Fascinating choice of language. She contacts the police, who are known for repeated violence against African Americans. It's a veiled threat that weaponises his skin against him.

The phrase we're going to use for that is 'bringing out the big guns'? It makes it seem so...well, trivial.

She did beg, though. Watch the video. 'Will you please stop. Sir, I'm asking you to stop. Sir, I'm asking you to stop filming me. Please take your phone off.'

And before that began she was in the distance bending over the dog. Why was he filming her?

Velvet, then you’re not the kind of white person I am referring to.

I live in a multicultural area. I have seen many minor disagreements escalate into bizarre racist, sexist or homophobic events, some of them violent.

This is probably because I get public transport to work, use the park and other public places frequently.

I don’t feel that this dog walking incident is some weird aberration. There are many people, including those who seem middle class and liberal, who just lose the veneer of inclusivity when under pressure.