New Jersey Assemblywoman Angela McKnight Issues Statement Regarding Racist Remarks Made by a Bayonne “Karen” Toward a Black Woman While Walking
New Jersey Assemblywoman Angela McKnight Issues Statement Regarding Racist Remarks Made by a Bayonne “Karen” Toward a Black Woman While Walking
(Bayonne, NJ—January 4, 2021)— “I watched the social media live video posted by Tameka Bordeaux of her being racially harassed as she walked down a street in complete outrage and disgust. The white woman shown in the video trailed her and hurled the worst racial epithets imaginable to a Black woman who was calmly walking down a Bayonne street on the way to a store. This behavior is becoming so common now that we simply refer to these racist people as “Karen” and let it go. I can’t just do that.
I put myself in Tameka’s shoes and I know it had to take a lot of restraint for her to endure what she went through today. I thank her for being the strong black woman that she is to remain calm and reserved during the entire ordeal.
This matter needs to be investigated for sure but regardless of the outcome of the investigation, one thing for certain is that Tameka was incredibly wronged today. We know Bayonne has a history of racist behavior and we can no longer sit by and make excuses for residents in any New Jersey town to ever be allowed to call someone the N word. This “Karen” went on a rant for more than 4 minutes repeatedly yelling this word and other discouraging names while following a Black woman.
To read the comments of some white people now making an excuse or defense for this behavior is alarming and gets us to the real problem of this systemic situation. Regardless of the mental state of this “Karen,” as social media refers to her, she was able to walk up and down the street and have a conversation with a mailman, but somehow be triggered enough by a Black woman to call her the N word and follow her for blocks.
This is a racist act. There is nothing to debate in social media here. At the end of the day what she did was totally wrong, disrespectful and unacceptable. We have to make people accountable for themselves. If people are sick, then we have to get them help. But we cannot excuse racism, ever.” —Assemblywoman Angela V. McKnight (D-Hudson County)
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