Looks like Amy Cooper (Central Park lady in video) might be a Liberal

[essme]

Interesting article- Thoughts on this? When I watched that awful video, in my mind I immediately tagged her as a MAGA-

However, campaign contribution information — with donations to Democrats such as Barack Obama, Pete Buttigieg, and John Kerry — leaked online earlier today appeared to suggest that Amy actually identifies as a liberal. If true, this matters, because in this political era, during this most critical US presidential election, it is necessary that we understand and recognize that white violence transcends party lines and political ideology.

https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/amy-cooper-central-park-racist-dog-walker-trump-a9533581.html?fbclid=IwAR3xtsVkKoV_qdqT1OhjA9nPSYbynWilge1dRDY6OYLcPGQDLXusNSWtoO8

[FBaggins]

1. Wouldn't surprise me

Someone who lived close enough to Central Park to walk her dog there regularly? Probably Nadler's district?

Probably a registered Democrat... though "liberal" doest fit except in the political-affiliation sense.

[essme]

3. I don't know that much about NYC

I do know that I am guilty of thinking of racism as a partisan issue-- I really do just automatically assume that racists are Republicans. It's a personal bias that I need to get rid of. I think the question really is, "how do we address it in this country?"

For the record, I am a 7th generation Southerner-- am in my late 50s-- started school at the same time busing started. This is not a problem I am unaware of; I have not been living in a bubble.

[MaryMagdaline]

2. Yes. She looks like a latte liberal**UPDATE

Inner aggressive racism. The reason I don’t oppose the “Karen” memes is I believe white people, and white women in particular, are not conscious of their racist feelings. These videos of white women calling the police on black men have been extremely revealing.

UPDATE:

My apologies to Latte Liberals everywhere


More at link: https://nypost.com/2020/05/28/amy-cooper-once-slammed-friend-for-voting-for-obama/?utm_source=twitter_sitebuttons&utm_medium=site%20buttons&utm_campaign=site%20buttons


Actually, I'm quite relieved to be wrong

[essme]

5. Exactly

The videos have been revealing.

More than ever now, I think we need a woman of color as the VP choice-- and then a dialog needs to start about institutional racism. Probably even before the election.

[MaryMagdaline]

7. +1

[cbdo2007]

6. Even the Karen memes are just one group belittling another

Group and have a racial and sexist undertone.

[MaryMagdaline]

8. I get the sexism vibe

I feel, though, that the Becky and Karen memes have revealed to me, as a white woman, more than anything in my life, just how my group has used sex to hurt non-whites. That on a daily basis, our pushing our weight around has hurt others. It’s not enough to say that men push their weight around all the time. Weighing the comparative evils and pointing out that we are below men in power and status doesn’t negate the abuse of power by white women. I see WHITE WOMEN chiming in on social media shaming other white women for abuse of power. We are finally seeing the connection between calling the police and death of black people. None of these connections would be made without social shaming. Women shame one another for weight, dress, looks, motherliness or lack thereof, sluttiness, etc. - institutional sexism. Abuse of power is a real thing and worthy of shaming.

[essme]

11. That's how I feel-

you expressed what I wanted to write more succinctly than I could have. Thank you.

[MaryMagdaline]

13. Thank you Essme

[StarfishSaver]

14. Beautifully and thoughtfully said

[OneGrassRoot]

20. Well said. Thank you. n/t

[mcar]

44. Well said!

[11 Bravo]

72. Where do you stand on the whole "Florida Man" thing?

[MaryMagdaline]

75. I'm from Florida and I laugh hysterically at those memes

They are just too true. We have a collection of crazies from around the world.

[uponit7771]

49. I thought Karen meme was race neutral, related more to entitled people

[kcr]

65. White women in particular?

Thank you for showing why the Karen meme is sexist. It singles out white women and gives the impression that racism is a white woman issue. Along with being sexist, it gives a pass to other racists.

[maxsolomon]

66. I like Lattes.

Are those particularly indicative of unconscious racism?

Is it like "Marin County Hot Tubber"?

[MaryMagdaline]

76. No more than limousines

[cbdo2007]

4. Yep, racism is a human problem not a political one.

I know white liberal men who still joke around with the n word.

[Buckeye_Democrat]

9. Stop threatening me with these threads! Mods! Mods!

[JHB]

10. Racism isn't a singular thing. There's no "racism on/off switch"...

...where if it's ON you're racist and if it's OFF you're not.

Brains don't work like that. They're full of all sorts of crap that can come boiling out unless you've really grounded your views in your moral principles, not just sort of absorbed them from your surroundings in a sort of social osmosis. Think of the old conservative trope that "a conservative is a liberal who's been mugged."

Even if there was such a switch, being liberal (or at least being a New Yorker contributing to Democratic candidates) is nowhere close to a guarantee that it would be set for OFF.

[StarfishSaver]

12. It doesn't surprise me at all

Being a liberal doesn't mean a person doesn't have issues with race. Progressives can sometimes be as bad as conservatives.

[mitch96]

16. +1 stupid is as stupid does......... nt

[JonLP24]

17. I'm not sure why after it was revealed she was Buttigieg donor that progressives are blamed for this

I don't deny there are white progressives that are racists but this is a problem that affects other white Democrats. I have seen a young Mexican-American woman told to be a "better American" because she supports Sanders. Apparently the Biden supporter thought she was a Russian troll because she was pushing "communism". Some Biden supporters are so conservative they call Sanders or Sanders supporters communist. I have seen Hamdia Ahmed called an ISIS supporter & suicide bomber because she doesn't support Biden.

[StarfishSaver]

21. Who is blaming progressives?

Pointing out that she is a progressive is simply pointing out a fact. And the fact is that being progressive and being racist are not mutually exclusive.

[uponit7771]

50. Left leaning in the US is usually progressive not the faction of the DNC who've tried to

... define progressive as anyone who wants MFA.

[JI7]

15. Many of us have said that voting for Obama did not mean one can't be a Racist

That's one of the things that those who want to deny or downplay racism always bring up.

[Trumpocalypse]

18. Some of the most racist people I've met

were liberal democrats.

[StarfishSaver]

22. Yep

Not a single lie in your post.

[Kaleva]

19. Very few are the people who are 100% liberal or 100% con on all matters

[bullwinkle428]

23. Pardon me, but this reminds me of the "George Zimmerman isn't

actually white, so he can't really be racist" posts I saw on occasion in the wake of the Trayvon Martin murder.

[essme]

27. No. It is not.

Read the article.

[bullwinkle428]

61. Okay, so there are "very bad people on both sides".

[Caliman73]

70. No. The meaning is pretty easy to determine.

The OP said they automatically assumed that the Central Park woman was a conservative supporter of Trump based on what she did. The was surprised that the woman is likely a Democratic Party supporter. Basically it is a cautionary tale about making assumptions. Bigotry is not exclusive to conservatives although much more likely.

There certainly are bad people on both sides and it is up to each one of us to let people know that racism and bigotry are not tolerated in the Democratic Party / Progressive-Liberal movement.

[jmg257]

24. Thoughts? Dumb asses can be from any group or any persuasion. Don't take it personal.

[essme]

30. I already wrote "why I took it personal"

I wrote that I automatically assumed that she was a MAGA.

[jmg257]

35. No worries - I didn't mean "you" - I meant in general...we cant account for every ass.

whether same sex same race same politics, same state, etc.

[Demsrule86]

25. Both sides do it...is bullshit hiding this post.

[JHB]

37. Bothsiderism is is equating two very unequal things...

...particularly in media, as if they were sportscasters pretending the ball is on the 50 yard line when it's at the 5.

But noting that someone who did something horribly racist and abusive was nominally on "our" side? That people on our side can be so supremely confident that they're "not racist" yet will go there and pull out that tool if something puts them off-balance or gets in their way?

That's not "bothsiderism", it's an unpleasant, depressing truth. It's nowhere near the open fostering of racism on the right, they're not equal, but don't deny it's very existence.

[essme]

38. Thank you. Well said

I think there needs to be a discussion about this--- This article made me realize that I am somewhat guilty of believing that not all Republicans are racists, but all racists are Republicans. It is very eye opening for me-- and hard to admit that I am naive at the age of 50 something.

[Caliman73]

71. Not understanding why this is so offensive you need to hide from it.

Are Liberals perfect? Do we need to present as such?

There are people who identify with the Democratic Party or who consider themselves progressives who still have bigoted beliefs. It is part of being human and something that many of us need to confront in ourselves regularly.

I believe in the equality of all people and try to fight for it, but I am not going to be arrogant enough to say that prejudiced thoughts do not cross my mind from time to time. I had a lot of that influence when I was young. To deny it is to stick your head in the sand.

AMERICA - ALL OF US need to have a continual discussion on the effects of slavery, anti-immigration, racism, sexism, and other parts of our history and our present that are not flattering to us. To think that those attitudes lay exclusively with one party or ideology is what keeps us from actually progressing through the uncomfortable topics.

[Demsrule86]

26. Also, she is Canadian. She not a member of any political group in this country.

[essme]

28. She donates

nt

[RandiFan1290]

29. Duval

[essme]

31. I am sorry

I don't understand your post.

[RandiFan1290]

32. lol

[karynnj]

67. The name Amy is common and the name Cooper is common

Last night I saw a push back that THAT Amy Cooper did any of the donating. From her prescription her middle name began with M. The Kerry donation was an Amy L Cooper. The Obama donation listed her occupation as retired in 2008. The Central Park woman does not look like someone who retired 11 years ago.

The fact is this woman is Canadian. Therefore she could not legally contribute to anyone.

[MaryMagdaline]

77. Turns out you may be right

Former friend says she stalked him and chastised him for voting for Obama. Just another MAGAT dressed to pass as urban liberal

[WhiskeyGrinder]

33. I was going to post this article yesterday, but the sourcing on it seems thin. Regardless, I did

want to talk about how one of the things I noticed when people were talking about the incident here on DU was the utter lack of speculation on her voting habits and political persuasion, which I thought was interesting.

[essme]

36. I wish you had posted it

I would have read it sooner.

It raised some serious personal issues that I have concerning bias-- as I wrote, I immediately thought MAGA. I have been too comfortable in my "outrage" of the institutional racism issues in the US, and assumed (stupidly) that this woman "had to be a MAGA."

[W_HAMILTON]

39. Someone on Twitter posted this yesterday and it turns out they got the wrong Amy Cooper.

Given that this article is posting the same donation information as that person, I would be wary of this, especially from a website with known reputational issues.

[essme]

40. The article makes note of that- even in the title

The conversation is still the same.

[W_HAMILTON]

43. The why even post such a dubious article?

No, the conversation is not the same when it is premised on potentially outright false information.

Facts matter.

[essme]

46. "Might"

Is in the title of the article.

[W_HAMILTON]

47. They are a supposed news organization -- "might" isn't good enough.

[uponit7771]

51. +1

[mercuryblues]

41. My understanding is she is canadian

She can't make campaign donations if she is

[LizBeth]

42. I assumed a woman her age in NY is a liberal.

[Bengus81]

45. I don't care...she's garbage and acts just like a Trumpanzie

We suppose to roll and say...ah,maybe she had a point in calling 911?

[WhiskeyGrinder]

52. No, we're supposed to roll and say, "Ah, maybe racism is a problem that transcends party

affiliation."

[Bengus81]

53. hmm...Ok...I don't remember anyone stating she was off the hook if she was in "our" party

and gets a pass because she sent Mayor Pete some cash. But maybe I missed that somewhere on DU.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

58. Oh, there are plenty of "no true Scotsman" views about Democrats, liberals, voting habits

and racism.

[muriel_volestrangler]

48. The Dem donor may be Amy L Cooper; the woman in the park is Amy M Cooper

In reply to a now-deleted tweet, someone put up a screenshot of Amy M Cooper's LinkedIn page, who worked at Franklin Templeton, so is the park one:

Link to tweet

"Your screenshot has the person who donated to Dems as Amy L Cooper, the person who works for Franklin Templeton is Amy M Cooper."

According to data from the Federal Elections Commission, at least two people identified as “Amy Cooper” made campaign contributions to Pete Buttigieg, who ran for the Democratic Party presidential nomination from April 2019 to March 2020; one such entry, in which the donor is listed as a speech pathologist, gave $3 to the “Pete For America” political action campaign, while another donor listed as “not employed” donated $125 to the same group:

At least one Twitter account has also spread a photo of two donations to Obama’s re-election in campaign made by an Amy Cooper in New York:

Looking at those donations, however, the New York City-based Amy Cooper who donated $1,550 to Obama’s campaign that year was listed as “retired” by the FEC:
...
Going back to Kerry’s presidential campaign in 2004, FEC records show a $250 donation from a person identified as “Amy L. Cooper.” However, photographs that circulated online of Amy Cooper’s LinkedIn page — which was quickly deleted as the video of her abusive display spread — lists her middle initial as M, short for Marie:

https://www.truthorfiction.com/amy-cooper-donations-barack-obama-pete-buttigieg-john-kerry/

And 2004 is extremely early for a Canadian who graduated in 2003 to be donating to an American campaign. Not an American citizen that quickly, you'd think.

[Bengus81]

54. That site shows her as unemployed on 4/15?

[muriel_volestrangler]

63. It says the Amy Cooper who donated $100 on April 15 2019 to Buttigieg was unemployed

"Amy Cooper" is not that unusual a name. It's quite feasible there are two or more in New York. Hell, the man she made a false report about is also called "Cooper".

[Devil Child]

55. Probably not going to self-identify as liberal much longer

Certainly not going to donate anymore to liberal figures as she is now unemployed.

Those who received her money should refund. Wouldn’t want the stink of Karen cash hanging about.

[StarfishSaver]

57. She'll be embraced by conservatives who'll be thrilled to make her their poster child

Just watch ...

[UTUSN]

56. Many have already posted about humans being a *mix* of good and bad, nobody is pure anything.

And -gasp!1 - even here at DU we have members who bully, who are fanatics on their personal pet #1 agenda items, flaming anybody who dares to put forward details that perforate their solid wall of ignorance. Yes, *BULLIES*. In our very midst. And they claim the "Democratic" label as their own personal license to lay waste to fellow members, far more than to Wingnuts.

********QUOTE**** Mel BROOKS, History of the World Part 1

The Inquisition, what a show
The Inquisition, here we go
We know you're wishing
That we'd go away
But the Inquisition's here and it's here to stay

*******UNQUOTE**********

 

[Aristus]

59. She can call herself anything she wants.

Her actions are what define her ideology.

[MicaelS]

60. One can be a Liberal, and still be an utter idiot.

Anti-vaxxers, for example.

[RobinA]

64. I Learned

or had it reaffirmed in bold, that mindless groupthink isn't concentrated on the right. Burn the witchism is a human trait that has nothing to do with political party. I kind of knew that, but it has been reiterated here to the max.

[Nature Man]

68. DU can be like a senior citizen version of high school

(I'm an old fart, so sheath the knives).

[muriel_volestrangler]

74. And I've just learned that some people think they can read other people's minds

so that they reckon they know whether other people put any thought into what they say. And then they waste DU's time with their bullcrap.

[Caliman73]

69. While racism is more likely in conservatives, it is a problem that afflicts us all.

We really need to look back at the statements of Civil Rights leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. There was a good deal of consternation about the "White Liberal".

I will freely admit that I, a Latino man, was exposed to a great deal of racial bigotry growing up. My family had a lot of opinions about Black people, Asians, and even other Latino groups.

Racism and bigotry are born of a natural tendency to discriminate against people who are "not like me". It is taught both directly and indirectly through family, community, societal messaging, and media.

While liberals are more likely to escape this thought process and grow in understanding of the importance of diversity, we should always understand that bigotry and stereotypes have been transmitted to all of us and may still lurk in the subconscious.

[Midnight Writer]

73. Donald Trump gave millions to liberal Democrats, including both Clintons. So he's a liberal?

[A HERETIC I AM]

78. He apparently was a Democrat until Obama got elected.

He is on video saying he was pro-choice back in the day.

But he always had the Asshole Gene, that's for sure

[Ms. Toad]

79. There is no Amy Cooper, employed by Franklin Templeton

who donated to Obama or Buttegieg (or anyone else with a Federal Campaign)

https://www.fec.gov/data/receipts/individual-contributions/?contributor_name=Cooper&contributor_employer=Franklin+Templeton&max_date=12%2F31%2F2020

[muriel_volestrangler]

80. The Franklin Templeton Amy Cooper was anti-Obama, it turns out

See https://www.democraticunderground.com/100213497848

The white dog-walker, who called 911 on a black man when 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 Cooper who’s known her since 2003, claimed 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 they 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.

https://nypost.com/2020/05/28/amy-cooper-once-slammed-friend-for-voting-for-obama/?utm_source=twitter_sitebuttons&utm_medium=site%20buttons&utm_campaign=site%20buttons

To "not believe" someone in New York or New Jersey voted for Obama shows you're pretty far right.

[Ms. Toad]

81. I saw the later article.

I had searched the contributions records earlier - and had decided it wasn't worth the inevitable bash fest to point it out. But with this thread resurfacing (apparently oblivious to the other article) I figured it was worth injecting a little fact checking.