White woman fired after calling police on black man in NYC’s Central Park
NEW YORK: Denouncing “racism of any kind,” a global investment firm has fired a white woman after a viral video showed her calling police to say she felt threatened by an African-American man who asked her politely to leash her dog in New York’s C...
The Desi Times Editorial Desk

NEW YORK: Denouncing “racism of any kind,” a global investment firm has fired a white woman after a viral video showed her calling police to say she felt threatened by an African-American man who asked her politely to leash her dog in New York’s Central Park.
The video drew outrage on social media where it was viewed more than 30 million times, and the backlash prompted Franklin Templeton, on Tuesday to fire the woman, Amy Cooper.
“Following our internal review of the incident in Central Park yesterday, we have made the decision to terminate the employee involved, effective immediately. We do not tolerate racism of any kind,” the company said on Twitter.
When hours earlier the company put her on administrative leave, Cooper told WNBC she wanted to “sincerely and humbly apologize” to the man, Christian Cooper, who is no relation.
She turned over the dog to Abandoned Angels Cocker Spaniel Rescue Inc.
It was the latest racially tense confrontation to go viral. The U.S. Justice Department is investigating as a hate crime a black jogger’s fatal shooting by white men in Georgia and captured on video.
Melody Cooper, Christian’s sister who posted the latest video, called the dog owner a Karen, slang used to describe a middle-aged white woman perceived to be entitled.
“Oh, when Karens take a walk with their dogs off leash in the famous Bramble in NY’s Central Park, where it is clearly posted on signs that dogs MUST be leashed at all times, and someone like my brother (an avid birder) politely asks her to put her dog on the leash,” Melody Cooper wrote.
“I’m going to call the cops,” Amy Cooper tells Christian Cooper on the video, apparently shot on Monday with a cellphone camera. “I’m going to tell them there’s an African-American man threatening my life.”
“Please tell them whatever you like,” Christian Cooper responds on the video.
Related Coverage

Why the Democratic Party's Approach to Immigration is the Right One
As a South Asian, I understand the frustration many of us feel when it comes to immigration. My family, like so many others, worked hard to come here legally. We navigated a complex system, waited years, and sacrificed a lot to make this country o...

What Has the Biden/ Harris Administration Achieved?
Very often, while engaging in a discussion with friends and family, the question comes up: But what has this administration actually done? How am I benefiting from this? I thought I’d share some data points Disclaimer: This is by no means an exha...

Why Trump’s Lies Are Dangerous
Trust is what holds everything together in a democracy. When people don’t trust the government, or even basic facts, everything starts to fall apart. Think about the deep cynicism many of us have about politicians in India and other South Asian co...
