The normally stoic Gayle King surprised the “CBS This Morning” audience when she became emotional discussing the recent rash of rancidly racist incidents perpetrated against Black men.
King’s voice began to crack under the sheer weight of discussing two viral videos on Tuesday, May 26, showing racially-charged acts against African American men, one which resulted in violent death.
The more inflammatory of the two, of course, involved the death of George Floyd. He was handcuffed and unarmed as a Minneapolis police officer suffocated him to death with his knee in his neck.
The second episode involved “Central Park Karen,” whose real name is Amy Cooper. The White woman quickly adopted the “damsel in distress” stance, falsely claiming to the police that a black man, Christian Cooper, was threatening her life. Of course, this was false and the viral video cost Amy Cooper her job, her anonymity, her way of life and her peace of mind.
Vladimir Duthiers presented the Central Park video in his “CBS This Morning” report, noting how “throughout American history, there have been innumerable examples of African Americans falsely accused who have been imprisoned, shot, lynched,” he said, adding that he “[shuddered] to think what would have happened had Mr. Cooper not been filming.”
“Once again I say thank goodness that there’s videotape,” said King, clearly shaken. “As the daughter of a black man and the mother of a black man, this is really too much for me today.”
King continued: “I’m still rattled by this last story and she’s practically strangling her dog to make these false accusations against another Black man,” she continued, referencing the Minneapolis incident as well. “I’m still so upset by that last story where the man is handcuffed underneath a car where people are pleading he can’t breathe and we’re watching a man die.”
Listen to the full report and King’s emotional response on the next page:
