Fox News host Tucker Carlson blasted the National Republican Congressional Committee for its use of the pejorative name “Karen” after Town Hall’s Kurt Schlichter criticized the Republican Party’s pushy fundraising tactics.
The exchange began with Schlichter, a Senior Columnist at Town Hall, criticizing the NRCC for brow beating donors into sending money.
“We texted you TWICE,” the NRCC sent Schlichter in a text message. “Why did you let your 500% Trump House Patriot match expire AGAIN?”
Schlichter, in a tweet including a screen shot of the text message, wrote, “Hey @NRCC – WTF is wrong with you? Stop this. Do it now.”
Hey @NRCC – WTF is wrong with you?
Stop this. Do it now. pic.twitter.com/BTQ3bnCU4q
— Kurt Schlichter (@KurtSchlichter) July 26, 2020
“This text raised $198,021 toward electing conservatives to Congress,” the NRCC responded in a snarky tweet. “But we’ll certainly pass your complaints on to our manager, Karen.”
READ MORE: President Trump Responds to Tucker Carlson’s Criticism of the Republican Party
This text raised $198,021 toward electing conservatives to Congress. But we'll certainly pass your complaints on to our manager, Karen. https://t.co/ayRbnMq0PP
— NRCC (@NRCC) July 27, 2020
Carlson, who rarely uses social media for any purpose other than sharing clips from his nightly television show, shared the NRCC’s response.
Carlson asked his followers, “Anyone know why the NRCC is using ethnic slurs?”
Anyone know why the NRCC is using ethnic slurs? https://t.co/he7Au7yZ0e
— Tucker Carlson (@TuckerCarlson) July 27, 2020
“Karen,” which originally began as an Internet meme criticizing middle aged white women who hassle low wage service employees before ultimately demanding to see the manager, has largely become a racial epithet aimed at white women as a whole, regardless of behavior.
National File reported that the term was discussed as possibly being a slur by prominent feminists in April, with some members of the black community claiming that the word should not be considered a slur.
“White people calling something a slur because it hurt their feelings,” wrote one person, “While simultaneously and systematically oppressing (knowing and unknowingly) people of color around them daily and weaponizing their privilege is peak Karen, Karen.”
The slang term made its way into Dictionary.com in May of this year.
