The Central Park Incident and the Issues in Between the World and Me

Analysis and Reflection
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Analysis and Reflection
In May 2020, a video of a white woman named Amy Cooper calling the police on a Black birdwatcher named Christian Cooper went viral on social media. The incident took place in Central Park, New York City. In the video, Amy makes a false report to the police that Christian threatened her while calmly asking her to put her dog on a leash, as park rules require (CBS News, 2020). The incident drew widespread attention and sparked conversations about racism, privilege, and systemic inequality in America (CBS News, 2020). This essay analyzes the incident and its relation to the central themes in Ta-Nehisi Coates' book, Between the World and Me.
The Central Park Incident and Coates' Themes
Coates' book, Between the World and Me, reflects the author's experiences as a Black man in America. The book addresses racism, police brutality, and the American Dream (Coates, 2015). The incident in Central Park relates to several themes, including the legacy of racism and the role of white privilege. One of the central themes in Between the World and Me is the legacy of racism in America. Coates argues that racism is not simply a matter of individual prejudice or bigotry but rather a systemic problem embedded in American society's fabric (Coates, 2015). In the video of the Central Park incident, Amy Cooper's actions can be seen as a manifestation of this legacy of racism. She uses her whiteness as a weapon against Christian Cooper, threatening him with the police and the justice system, which have historically been used to oppress and terrorize Black people in America.
Christian Cooper himself addressed this theme in an interview following the incident. He stated, "I think her inner Karen showed a little bit. Unfortunately, people still think that way, and that's what the video is about. It is about the underlying current of racism and racial perceptions that Black men are criminal that we're out there to harm, and that's what she tapped into" (1:08-2:10). Christian's words highlight the underlying current of racism that still exists in America, and how it shapes the way white people perceive and treat Black people. Another central theme in Between the World and Me is the role of white privilege in maintaining systemic inequality. Coates argues that white privilege is not just a matter of individual attitudes or beliefs but rather a systemic advantage conferred upon white people simply by their race (Coates, 2015). Amy Cooper's white privilege is on full display in the Central Park incident. She assumes that her whiteness will give her the upper hand in any confrontation. She uses it to try to intimidate Christian Cooper.
This dynamic is highlighted in a scene from the video where Amy says, "I'm going to tell them there's an African American man threatening my life" (0:20-0:27). This statement shows how Amy is trying to weaponize her whiteness against Christian. She assumes that the police will be more likely to believe her because she is white and that they will see Christian as a threat because he is Black (Coates, 2015). This is a clear example of how white privilege operates in American society and how it can ...