The Karens are out in full force once again. This time, the incident occurred outside of a grocery store in the US, and centers on a couple loading their vehicle with the provisions they just purchased, while an angry “Amerikaren” confronts them for paying for their groceries with food stamps. The video in question was uploaded to Reddit and many other social media platforms, and is gaining lots of traction right now.
In the footage, we see Karen’s POV as she films two confused shoppers in a parking lot as they pack their car. “Did you guys just pay with somebody else’s food stamp card?” the Karen inquires. To this, the accused woman responds, “If I did, what the f*** is it your business?”
“Excuse me. Food stamps are paid by taxes. I’m an American tax paying citizen. My taxes are paying for your food.” exclaims Karen, as the situation becomes increasingly heated. The accused man even says to his partner, “Don’t entertain this f****** Karen.“
“This is my business.” shouts the Karen, though it’s unclear whether she owns the shop or whether she’s just trying to make it her business. Next, the Karen then tells the pair that she’s “getting as much information as possible for when the cops come.”
“You called the cops? What’s wrong with you?” questions the man. The back and forth continues with some expletives and angry accusations. “You guys are so used to taking everybody else’s stuff. You just assume it’s free. Somebody paid for it.” yells the Karen, before declaring, “I got your licence plate number.”
The video has sparked some debate online, as Karen’s conduct seems unfair and judgemental, with one commenter declaring:
A tax-paying citizen*
RmG3376
As if somehow that buys you the right to stick your nose in other people’s business
Elsewhere, another user chimed in calling the woman recording the footage “An American Karen“, with another comment coining the witty term: “Amerikaren“.
Meanwhile, over on Instagram, a user put the situation into perspective, expressing:
“have you ever thought that they might be taking care of a adult that has a disability ……. because I know people who take care of their adult brother whom has a disability“.
Adding fuel to the fire were comments that suggested that Karen’s actions were racially motivated, with one Redditor penning, “Karen didn’t notice. She saw a black couple and assumed.”
For those unaware, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) serves as a safety net for low-income households during times of hardship, like losing a job, for instance. Through the program, those who are eligible are granted food stamps that can be used to pay for essentials such as fruit, vegetables, meat, bread, cereal, etc.
Thing is, the Karen in this video seemingly does not know the ins and outs of the couple’s backstory, which is what’s troubling about the footage. It’s unclear whether the police were actually called to the scene following the incident.
