A Black homeowner’s calm evening in a lush suburban neighborhood was ruined by a bitter white woman who chased her home, obstructed her driveway, and broke in on her property, all for allegedly ignoring a yield sign, reports Atlanta Black Star!
It looked like a reality TV show episode that nobody wanted to watch.
With the video message that read “POV: A Karen followed me home,” this dramatic confrontation, which was recorded on camera by a woman and later uploaded on the Instagram account @imthatone4lyfe, instantly went viral. While recording the odd fight, the angry homeowner, obviously shaken, tried to come to terms with her unwanted visitor. “Girl, get out of my driveway.”
As the intruder pulled her SUV across her yard and stepped on her lawn, she loudly said, “Get the f– on.”
“You opened your p—- mouth first, dear,” the unidentified white woman shot right back, evidently in no hurry that she was breaking in. “I live here,” the homeowner replied. “I can say whatever the f— I want. I’m also grown as s—”
The viral video is just one of many parts of the ever-growing set of “Karen” encounters. These are videos entitled, often racially charged encounters that have grown into a separate genre in digital culture. Social media accounts like @imthatone4lyfe are a virtual hall of fame for these cases. How easily we see that casual conversations turn into fights that seem like smaller versions of societal issues.
“I have a Black husband” Karen screamed and cried after the man she called the N word and threatened with her car started filming her. And what did the white men around do? Come to her defense. This is why white woman tears are so dangerous. This behavior is inexcusable pic.twitter.com/QHLmsQ4nFE
— Erika Hersteria Heidewald (@erikaheidewald) June 23, 2020
The homeowner chose to maintain her ground and take a video instead of calling the police despite the buildup of tension. She asked why the woman was still parked outside. She said, “I’m not gonna call the police, you’re out of my yard.” After shouting vaguely, “I’ve got my ways,” the unwelcome guest at last went away, but not before making it evident that she would speak with law enforcement.
Ironically, the person who broke the law could potentially suffer consequences under the law.
States have various rules regarding trespassing, but deliberately entering or interfering with another person’s personal property without permission is a misdemeanor offense that attracts monetary penalties.
White woman harasses black man sitting in his car outside his home.
She doesn’t believe he lives there.
Then her face cracks when he walks through the front door.#KarensGoneWild pic.twitter.com/RqTtKh0lLj
— chris evans (@notcapnamerica) July 10, 2020
The conversation shows that even a minor traffic disagreement may escalate into a potentially risky scenario. Widespread racism and a sense of privilege still exist in regular suburban life. Though there was no physical harm in this particular incident, such “Karen moments” can often pose a hidden threat, especially for Black Americans living in areas where these kinds of interactions can go out of hand.
This suburban altercation is now establishing itself as another warning about privilege, boundaries, and the influence of a viral clip, as the Black woman’s video keeps getting views and comments on social media.
