CAREN Act To Stop Racially Motivated Police Calls Proposed By California Lawmaker

Callistemon

I think it started with a comedian who labelled assertive women 'Karens'.
Women are supposed to know their place.

However, this nasty trend in America of false accusations by women against black men has been given the same label unfortunately.

He did refer to the male equivalent as Brian!

It was a comic sketch discussing a group of friends always having that one person who nobody really likes. I actually found it rather amusing but I'm not sure everyone would!

The Karen of today has morphed into something else

Unfortunately with the internet and social media these things take on a life of their own

It's just not something that most reasonable people do but:

I know this guy called Steve that I have to put up with. Steve is a bully, he twists what people say or outright lies about it. He says nasty things and never apologises, just blames them like they deserve it. He thinks himself the most clever, most "right" person all the time.

Now when I meet other people like that, I don't call them "Steve's". Sometimes I do think "this person reminds me a lot of Steve, maybe I shouldn't take anything they say seriously".

The Internet seems to be very much a place where people's thoughts go, instead of being filtered before they get to their mouths like face to face conversation.

So we must find a way to have people not associate the name horrible people with the name Karen and just call them a horrible person.

If associating it with CAREN and a positive act is not the answer, what is?

I remember ‘Doris’ being a name used in a derogatory way towards women in the 70’s, usually implying lack of intelligence. Also being ‘an old Mary’ or an ‘old woman’ was/is used to refer to fussy men - I have never heard of anyone being described as an ‘old man’ in the same way.

Only the name Wally and possibly Herbert spring to mind as male alternatives, but they don’t seem to carry the same weight in terms of insult.

Not saying I agree with the article, it just illustrates quite a few names this has happened to over the years or that are ongoing.

www.newstatesman.com/science-tech/internet/2018/01/karen-sharon-becky-and-chad-how-it-feels-when-your-name-becomes-meme

Do you know which comedian it was callistemon?

I think it was someone called Dane Cook.

No, me neither!

It's just spiteful, not funny.

I think I may have used law instead of act.

That's peaked my interest! Which "act" were you referring to?

I have come to this thread late but I'd like to say that I have never met a Karen I didnt like!

Chewbacca you already mentioned them, I just cannot remember currently if they are laws, acts or legislation

Oh, I see.

Starblaze

Not saying I agree with the article, it just illustrates quite a few names this has happened to over the years or that are ongoing.

www.newstatesman.com/science-tech/internet/2018/01/karen-sharon-becky-and-chad-how-it-feels-when-your-name-becomes-meme

Well do you agree with the article content or not?
The point was made back on Friday regarding names such as Sharon and Tracey and nobody here would condone memes involving Essex girls, White Van Man or indeed any of these prejudices. “Felicia” is a new one to me I admit.
However, there seems to have been only some limited sympathy in some quarters for women with any of these names.

I still wonder about the cutting and pasting of so much detail of this “CAREN” act - when somebody draws attention to something there is usually an agenda- shock, horror or wink, wink smirking approval.
Eloethan has expressed sound common sense in her post yesterday at 20.28
^ What this couple and other people have done is despicable but why give this sort of behaviour a woman's name? I think it is cruel and misogynistic. Primarily, though, it turns the issue of racism into a sort of cartoon character (and a female one at that) and in so doing trivialises a very serious issue^
Not really anything more to be said, is there?

Starblaze

We have laws in the UK associated with names that are a huge protection for everyone

I'm going to have to give up, I'm in the bath and I've got a curious kitten trying to sit on my chest

How do these laws afford any protection, let alone a huge protection for everyone?

Thanks callistemon, there are a couple of comedians around at the moment who like to use women as their personal stomping boards, but he is not a name I have heard of.

I agree with the feelings of anyone quoted in the article, that's their feelings on the subject. Not sure what else you want from me MawB

I don't agree it's acceptableto poke fun at the name at all but I cant stop it on my own. I will call it out if I see it but I will not do it in such a way that excuses the bad behaviour of the person being called it.

If I see it perhaps I will say, I agree this person is racist/entitled/prejudice/discriminatory but their name is not Karen

Good enough?

It's been going on for quite a while in USA. MawB. Not just with regard to racist behaviours. In fact the comedian who might have started it was referring to a woman that nobody liked in a group of friends.

There was also a few memes with regard to Permit Patti

This woman was filmed phoning police to inform them that an 8 year old girl was selling water outside her home.

I think it's just something that gets put out there and gains momentum online

I have a lovely friend called Karen I've known since school days.

She isn't quite as bothered about it as others seem to be

Okay, okay .. How about the Character Flaw Act?

That depends on the ethnicity, gender, hairstyle and age of Character Flaw I suppose.

Dont forget class, hair colour and size of nose Chewbacca!

The whole lumping a group together is as daft as that!

Could be quite fun thinking up the daftest criteria actually! ?

I must admit, the photo currently being used on the main page of this site is very, very, very, very white ..

I’m must be losing my marbles but I don’t understand this thread at all, it all seems a bit surreal.

rosecarmel

Okay, okay .. How about the Character Flaw Act?

It’s not down to character flaws.
It is an illustration of deliberate malicious, vexatious, and racist troublemaking.
Let’s not give it the respectable cloak of a psychological trait. People will be claiming diminished responsibility next.

rosecarmel

I must admit, the photo currently being used on the main page of this site is very, very, very, very white ..

Outside of the orbit of washing detergents, are there degrees of white?
Slightly white, predominantly white, very white, very very white?
Apart from the emojis which can be red , blue , yellow or green - but never white

The photo is a whiter shade of pale ..

MawB

rosecarmel

Okay, okay .. How about the Character Flaw Act?

It’s not down to character flaws.
It is an illustration of deliberate malicious, vexatious, and racist troublemaking.
Let’s not give it the respectable cloak of a psychological trait. People will be claiming diminished responsibility next.

Diminished responsibility is age old! It's inserted into every religion!

Diminished responsibility is age old! It's inserted into every religion

By religion I take it you mean judicial system?

Talk about stating the * * * * * obvious.
The fact that it may be years and years old does not invalidate the possibility that some woke do-gooder might invoke it as a defence.