"Better Living Through Birding": Christian Cooper on Birding While Black & the Central Park Incident

[@Grace1708]

He is extremely level headed and nuanced and seems like such a wonderful person. His passion for birding is infectious!

[@Zxx459]

Yes BUT HE MADE A BIG MISTAKE, NOT FIGHTING WHITE ENTITLEMENT RACISM

[@deejay5102]

No, he is a coward! That incident he was a victim of years back was bigger than him and he could have set a precedent to stop racial harassment against Black Americans in NYC and possibly America. He chose to be a coward and was obviously rewarded for his cowardice. I am glad his sister has enough sense to denounce his cowardice.

[@Grace1708]

@@deejay5102 I feel you! Can't say I would have made the same decision, but I do feel like understand him better after watching this. As far as I'm concerned, this woman can rot in hell.

[@felicitynefdt9926]

What a man! Thank you for opening a window to birds for us.

[@ldavanzo44]

Thank you, sir. I'm hoping everyone will learn more to appreciate our birds no matter the organizations name!

[@dinkster1729]

I can almost here people saying, "What's the Audobon Society being called these days? I can't remember. " LOLOL!

[@parabellum4622]

She's choking her dog and using that subconscious acknowledgement that she's choking her dog while lying and breaking the rules to cry more and finish the lies. These are the women we talk about when we talk about women not taking accountability.

[@dinkster1729]

Some might say she was scared, but I think she was just a woman who thought that the rules shouldn't apply to her and who was this guy telling her to put her dog on a leash anyway? On the other hand, the whole incident was blown out of proportion.

[@curtrice1264]

@@dinkster1729not out of proportion!😢😮 Smart people used harness, so choking did not a cure ❤ ! 🧐🥹🥰👍🤔😇👩

[@Rietto]

If she put the dog on the leash to stop it from being choked, that'd be doing what Miller had asked, so out of pure spite she'd rather strangle her own dog. Says something about her mentality, for sure.

[@curtrice1264]

@@Rietto Hello Rietto : I hope our interaction, helps educate new pet owners 💕🙏👍😇🥸

[@ayejay8862]

@@dinkster1729 She lied and filed a false report. The reaction to that crime was not blown out of proportion, considering the danger, as historically documented, that she could have put him in by LYING to the cops that a black man was threatening her life. He was nice enough to not take it as far as he legally and justifiably could have.

[@HypatiaMuse]

Great interview- I remember hearing about the incident with the unhinged dog lady. Im glad good things came of it for him & he's able to share & spread his enthusiasm for birding with a large audience.

[@dinkster1729]

That's what I thought. Good things happened for Christian Cooper after this bizarre incident in NYC. What happened to Amy Cooper's life after this incident? She was fired from one job. Did she get another job? The whole incident shows you just how crazy New Yorkers can get. Big egos clashing. I guess the police didn't take it seriously since they didn't show up very quickly.

[@christinamorton2058]

The way she is choking her dog!!

[@ldavanzo44]

That should have been an arrest😢

[@victoriabaker4400]

It was reported at the time that she lost custody of the dog, briefly.

[@christinamorton2058]

@@victoriabaker4400 yeah, I just saw that in another report. So they gave the dog back to her?? Mistake.

[@suzyvegalicious5646]

What a horrible woman and these people are allowed to have animals. Disgusting!

[@tulsacaupain2882]

​@@ldavanzo44Exactly.

[@Jain1906]

Ordering his book now.

[@msjadeli]

Excellent journalism. Christian, I admire you greatly. Thank you for being who you are. Thanks Democracy Now! for featuring Christian.

[@lovely-mk4rt]

What a delightful , engaging man. I love him! 🌺Aloha from Hawai’i.

[@PrinceDomG]

Kudos to him

[@Laurentipia5]

Wow, the woman who called the police was much worse than I even remembered. Choking her dog while screaming to 911 that an African American was threatening her, embarrassing. I hope she learned something from this and isn't just bitter about how it negatively affected her life. Christian is so wonderful, he is so passionate and enthusiastic about these beautiful birds. He was just politely asking her to put her dog on a leash, per the park rules. Even though it was such a bad, racist experience, it helped him get his name out there in birding and now he hosts an Emmy award winning show. I'm glad there was something positive that came out of this incident.

[@deejay5102]

And the bird watching coward didn't want to hold the racist accountable.

[@dinkster1729]

@@deejay5102 Maybe, he figured a clever lawyer would cause trouble for him anyway. Besides, he had a book to write and a National Geographic show to star in. Maybe, the 2 Coopers could reconcile. She could apologize; he could apologize. They could go on a birding expedition together. Yeah, I know. "Only in your dreams, sister."

[@lovely-mk4rt]

@@deejay5102. You are out of line.

[@utterlyviolet]

@@deejay5102 The woman showed the world her true character and, if I recall correctly, lost her job. True, it's not courtroom justice, but if she had been a decent human being, she would not have gone viral for the reason she did. And we wouldn't be talking about Christian Cooper right now.

[@tulsacaupain2882]

​@@dinkster1729if he apologizes, he is the biggest fool in the world.

[@mauraece]

The best revenge is success. Congratulations to our brother Christian Cooper. 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

[@Zxx459]

Not in this particular case. Racism won

[@TheAnnaFisher]

Phenomenal, thank you for sharing! ❤

[@cypherlock01]

Great work Christian. They said no to ending slavery at one point- perhaps they’ll get there with omitting the name of enslaver Audubon. 🤦🏿‍♀️ His name may be a generational curse on these birds.

[@dinkster1729]

Audobon shot his birds as well before he painted them. That's why there's a rifle in his portrait, not a pair of binoculars. I don't know that changing the name is going to do much except its kind of a generic name so how recognizable will it be? Most people know that Audobon is about birds, right? What was the new name of the NYC chapter? Would most people know that Audobon was a slave owner and a racist? I also wonder about Christian Cooper saying his family has been in the North for generations. They came north in the 1930s. A couple of generatons maximum that they have been in the North. Also, it's not just a change of location that makes you successful in life. Good public education probably helped the Black Cooper family be successful as well.

[@JJ-of7ms]

This guy rocks

[@dinkster1729]

Typical New Yorker.

[@timk7073]

As a fellow (casual) birder, I love this guy. Maybe he could run for president (he would surely be much better than Biden or Trump)

[@dinkster1729]

He get distracted by the birds!

[@Madasin_Paine]

Why do you think he's being used by the media? He's perfect for their optics and THEY cannot care less about birds. Almost no mention of what's devastating these birds. Pesticides, g m o bio engineering, land speculation, mining... You know people just like Bill Gates... This channel never misses the money to push the W eeee f Sorotic agenda Open Soc. Anyone that thinks that this show counts on support from viewers money is ridiculous. They get plenty of money by coercing other public stations and buy extremely generous "elite " foundation vehicles laundering influence. And thus this channel can never be an honest program anymore . IMHO et al

[@macareuxmoine]

Do you remember the Bernie and Bird scene? Probably a sign for good politicians!

[@timk7073]

@@macareuxmoine Yes! That's right.

[@picassofriend3289]

This segment has beeeen🖤🖤🖤🖤 wholesome and liberating for me as a BIPOC PERSON

[@fatemehm2949]

What a smart man and very intelligent and polite. If it was before civil rights, he would have been killed.

[@Zxx459]

He ignored justice He ignored racism.. He let her go unpunished. He did wrong...but he likes BIRDS

[@fatemehm2949]

@@Zxx459 He is not in fault on those areas. The whole country system is responsible for those areas. I do not support the US legal system as a just one. How do you know if they did not force him to let her go. Do not be too naive.

[@Zxx459]

In order to change climate for the better of the planet WE HUMANS NEED TO CHANGE. ADAPT TO NEW PATTERNS. HABITS ARE HARD TO CHANGE HENCE THE PLANET KEEPS GETTING WORST.

[@SakmirRaksap]

Very informative👌🙏

[@freyjablue.]

Almost cried at the Great Migration part. Thanks Christian. Also that penguin colony must have been a frightening sight given the circumstances.

[@terrestrialgypsy]

Wonderful interview! Thank you for sharing. Can't wait to watch Mr. Cooper's show and read his book.

[@jodywho6696]

Thank you Christian. ✨🇺🇸✨😊

[@TinaMcCall.]

Rachel Carson's Silent Spring sounded the alarm in 1962. If we had answered with more than an unsticky bandaid...

[@shadowoflugia]

Thanks for doing this interview! I just bought his book!

[@franciscojose6496]

Exellent democracy now number one in information all the time congratulations

[@sallydiavatis5779]

Cooper is AWESOME!! I love his passion!

[@darkelement209]

What a great interview segment!!! Thank you for this. Thoroughly enjoyed!

[@brendanlee2042]

Thank you for this interview with Christopher Cooper! Reinforces how we as humans are very interconnected to all of life on earth. How nature can help us heal and bring about acceptance, understanding and knowledge of the natural world and each other. Thank you! Namaste'

[@ShellsGhost1]

I think it's important to add that Marie Van Brittan Brown couldn't profit from her invention because no one would fund or produce her security system. It wasn't until 1986, when her patent expired, that many home security systems companies were founded.

[@sandrajensen497]

Fantastic program!

[@MartinKaba-s3u]

Very knowledgeable person Keep it up Love from humanity

[@MrRobster1234]

I think "cancel culture" is something the US and Canada will come to regret.

[@DennisConley-m4y]

Awesome dude

[@patternmotherlode9250]

What kool guy. Thank you very much

[@diagofuller6958]

Didn't know I was a birder. Red tail hawk's stellar Jay's crow's vs ravens dark eyed jungle.San Diego has rich variety of birds. Migrational seasonal. Great show. And he's comfortable being queer so I'm comfortable with him being queer! I'm straight but I never judge the teacher. Good information is good information. Ability to bring in slavery the climate and policies regarding countries habitats for birds where they live and connect it to today's human beings. Genius.

[@wetrucken1689]

The way that Maniac is holding her dog gets me so upset!!! That woman needs to get some help with her mental health issues

[@robertmarley8852]

80% of women in U.S are just like her I'm out ✌️ Somethings coming.....don't be stupid

[@dinkster1729]

She wanted to take a dog for a run in the park and she's accosted by a black man with a camera. No wonder she's upset. Christian does nothing to mellow her out either. She was wrong, but he was also wrong.

[@dinkster1729]

It has occurred to me that Amy is holding her dog by the collar not by his leash because she doesn't want him to run and get that treat that Christian is offering Henry. It might be poisoned. Or Christian might want to attack her dog with a knife or give it a kick. Christian is obviously hostile to the 2 of them so anything is possible, right? If I was accosted by a man in the woods, I'd probably behave very similarly, if he was the least bit threatening.

[@ronwalker4849]

SEEING HOW THIS WOMAN WAS CHOCKING HER DOG ON A SHORT LEASH IS A SIGN THAT SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THIS WOMAN.

[@PauloAdriano-zo2ng]

Is there a Karen's Anonymous Hotline for all the disgruntled Karens of North America? That horrible Karen gives new meaning to the term 'Angry Bird.'

[@TUBESTOOL]

Christian is delightful!

[@olyamandala]

The red wing blackbird was also my spark bird. First bird i identified in 3rd grade from the bird identification book i got from the school library ❤

[@ashleystearns2486]

Adorable 'spark bird' story. 😊

[@ronwalker4849]

AUDABON´S BIRDS WERE FIRST KILLED AND THEN PAINTED FROM DEAD MODLES.

[@urabagofcells2228]

I LOVE IN PERSON GUESTS. ESPECIALLY THIS ONE.

[@Elena-kb5dx]

Wow! Beautiful.

[@marioguelbenzu2348]

Sooo hsndsome

[@dinkster1729]

Maybe, at 5:30 in the morning, he was dressed less "middle class". I saw a photo of him once while out birding. His appearance would have intimidated me if I saw him at dawn in an isolated region of Central Park.

[@ldavanzo44]

What about her choking and the abuse of her dog though that should have been an arrest😢

[@tanimislam3830]

My man it is a bird. Its called Karen bird!!!

[@deejay5102]

Scientific name Karenista Racists....

[@Zxx459]

You CAN NOT BE PASIVE AGAINST RACISM YOU CAN NOT FORGIVE RACIST MAY THAT WOMAN STILL PRACTICING RACISM??

[@deejay5102]

He dropped the ball. He is a coward. Period.

[@clairecrimando]

That video with the woman and her dog is crazy…

[@patternmotherlode9250]

It wasn't a bird, but it definitely was a loon!

[@ratpark5008]

Sounds like he's moved on from that long ago.

[@bell9930]

Amazing!!

[@karenhousley610]

And she chokes the dog while on the phone

[@jodywho6696]

I live outside. In Maine mountains with a pond and cliffs. I think they come for the quite and stay for the accoustics 😊Everything echoes. 😊

[@jodywho6696]

You are welcome anytime😊

[@TafakkurTawakkul-318]

❤

[@ThePublicHealthHarlot]

Usually it’s a bird This was not a bird 💀 😮

[@marcoaurelio8058]

She is a bird alright; a very common one these days.

[@JanetM05]

And what’s changed ?Nothing…..the woman never served any jail time or made to pay fines or restitution…..

[@macareuxmoine]

Her life is ruined either way

[@user-ti3vp9mt3z]

She paid a big price of national humiliation, and she lost her job and her dog too.

[@JanetM05]

@@user-ti3vp9mt3z she almost cost that man his life by lying to the police …..humiliation really … if that was you she did that to would you be so humble

[@JanetM05]

@@macareuxmoine no it’s not with privilege in your pocket

[@caterinabyrne380]

Not your birds !!💥💥💥

[@fannys941]

How can I help save the birds? 😢❤

[@helmibergmans8616]

👏🏽👏🏿👏🏾👏👏🏼🐦‍⬛🦉🦅❤️❤️

[@zoo-xibbitjayne2081]

I'm in nw PA and I'm really.issing the mornig doves and rock doves and the large eagles, owls, and hawks who seem to be dying off because of the torrential mini monsoon conditions keeping their wings wet and the lack of sheltered habitat. Smaller versions seem to be okay though. Must have wings dry to fly, no fly nohunt, nohunt they die. Used to be raptors with four foot wing spans.

[@macareuxmoine]

Haha, isn’t this one more proof of how success is the best revenge? Imagine the Karen watching him and his Emmy 🤭🤭🤭 Karma and justice, what beautiful things!

[@greendesertgoddess]

He had a chance to make a difference, instead he took the easy way out and was awarded his own bird show. Not impressed. He is a sell out! And I love birds! He felt his oppressor had suffered enough and forgave her for being one of the "original Karens!"

[@macareuxmoine]

What? How is he not making a difference???

[@JohnnyPeacenic]

Known as the first black bird watcher.

[@sidneytrowell7259]

And he forgave the white woman and didn't want her to have any charges pressed against her

[@Zxx459]

Big mistake.. White supremacy CAN NOT BE LET GO UNPUNISHED

[@priceandpride]

Blk birders is still hilarious to me

[@diagofuller6958]

Yeah and I probably wouldn't press charges and Black's some don't understand or overstand the damage was done to that person in real time over nothing. Peace.

[@dinkster1729]

Amy Cooper probably learned a lesson, too. I hope. She was seeking revenge for a Black man who had the nerve to ask her leash her dog. She lost her job. She lost her job for a while. If she sees this video, she will know that Christian Cooper is doing well. Thank you very much.

[@Seawing-v5d]

Common albino loony bird, parasitic on dogs, displaying self-destructive territorial behavior.

[@Seekthetruth3000]

What happened to the white Democrat woman who called the cops on this black man?

[@deemich1815]

Quran great story. Thanks DN!

[@jorgeferreira2446]

❓❓❓❓❓❓❓❓Once again, you leftists, answer these questions, please: What good has Joe Biden done and continues to do for the US since he took office as US president? Just one good thing, please. Come on, everyone, try to find one single good thing that Joe Biden has done for the USA.

[@kimthibeau8354]

Kinda of a weird title

[@10.6.12.]

Like,him . He checks all the boxes . Overtly poloticizing everything is a bore... a diservice to bird watching

[@Zxx459]

Yeah THAT'S nice HE IS DOING WELL.BUT HE HAS NO SOCIAL JUSTICE BACKBONE

[@TheProf226]

You clearly didn’t watch the video

[@macareuxmoine]

@@TheProf226agree with you. Being a bright and bold individual is the best revenge.

[@jonogan]

Don't whitewash history. Leave the asterisk there. Tell the full story. Let the truth remain as a testament.

[@deejay5102]

What a coward! That incident in central Park was bigger than him and he could have set a precedence to stop racial harassment against Black Americans in NYC and possibly America. He seems more worried about birds than his own Black skin and ppl who look like him and are constantly harassed on a continual basis. I am glad his sister spoke out against his cowardice.

[@macareuxmoine]

What? He took the chance to show his beautiful individuality. How is that not resistance?

[@caterinabyrne380]

Not your business, see not putting your noses in the right concerning 💥💥💥

[@ChisteNuscherzu]

what do you mean a black man? I just see a man. Why is it important to mention what the color of his skin is?

[@PissedCitizen]

For the closeted racist it’s crucial to mention the color of ANY person’s skin.

[@dinkster1729]

@@PissedCitizen Amy didn't mention the colour of Christian's skin. She said he was"an African-American". It's a way of identifying him to police, if they came looking for him to ask him about his remarks. The police didn't arrive till both parties were gone from the park! Obviously, they are either very overworked or they figured it wasn't that serious a call. Maybe, the 2nd call where Amy alleges she was assaulted made them realize that the call wasn't that serious. She's walked back her first 2 calls obviously.

[@PissedCitizen]

@@dinkster1729 We have LEO’s (Law Enforcement Officers) in the family and given this short video, you’d be correct. In this short video, you did not get her full conversation. The full video goes on for nearly 15 minutes. It is so sad to see what racist nonsense is in this woman head. NYPD arrested her BECAUSE of her statements on the full video. So, not only did she have a human rights violation, she also got nailed for filing a false report. Add to that, her employer reviewed the company’s policies and terminated her over this incident.

[@dinkster1729]

@@PissedCitizen Where's the full video? Or are you just making this stuff up?

[@dinkster1729]

@@PissedCitizenPost the full video.

[@ronwalker4849]

I FEEL THAT THE USE OF THE QUEER IS VERY INAPPROBIATE AS IT INDICATES SOMETHING STRANGE. SAME FOR "GAY" CHOOSE YOUR WORDS.

[@colt45caliber]

No that is not a good decision. You could have held her accountable and made it less likely for others to do the same thing. But instead you showed people that there are no consequences and people regularly used the police to abuse others.

[@macareuxmoine]

How was there no consequence for her? She’s a national pariah.

[@claracalifornia6178]

COOPER IS AN ELITIST WHO PUNKED A WOMAN WHO WAS AFRAID OF HIM. he coulda said "I am sorry I scared you, your dog scared the birds. I UNDRRSATAND YOU ARE SCARED"

[@dinkster1729]

She doesn't sound that scared at all. It was an act at the end when she was talking to the police dispatcher to get some action. However, she didn't like being told by the birder not well dressed, not preppy, to obey the rules. That's how I read that scene. He was infuriated at her for ending his chances of seeing that bird by screaming for her dog. She was infuriated by him telling her to leash her beast and filming her. Two big egos attacking each other. They both could be less threatening and more accommodating IMHO. Hey, But I'm not a New Yorker, although I had a relationship with one for 6 years 44 years ago so I know the Big City mentality.

[@claracalifornia6178]

@@dinkster1729 i am obvously triggered by this story. I am a woman in pain and once upon a time about the same time as george flyd, I was being videotaped by my neighbor fir demanding he romove cement he poured on my propety. He pointed his camera at me and called the police. Etc etc etc. The poluce made him remove it, but.... I SOLD MY HOUSE. He believe he enjoyed making me crazy. Where has all the kindness gone? She looked like she was in pain to me. It takes one to know one. And her life was distroyed. I can not see how she was anything but scared and he esculated her fear.

[@jayo7812]

​@@claracalifornia6178just dont be a karen in life and such things will not happen to you like emma cooper.

[@TrustMe55]

God works in mysterious ways!

[@RonaldGrummer]

There's either legal or illegal prez constitution- no in-between official duties

[@davidwheatley2283]

The name Audubon has never been racist seems to me. I think anybody can join the Audubon Society. Birding alliance sounds violent.

[@emilio5737]

Comparing Mengele with Audubon is as ridiculous as the woman's reaction at the park!

[@qjtvaddict]

This incident exposed his hobby and gave him publicity ohh well 😅

[@Zxx459]

Yup. But HE IGNORED RACISM CIVIL JUSTICE...HE FAILED AT DOING THE RIGHT THING

[@Clarence_13x]

Ok, now that there’s bird watchers getting popular, it’s time to finally address the elephant in the room. I’m not calling anyone lazy, but someday the children are going to stand up and ask “why haven’t any of you feckless adults even tried to fly a bat, OR FLY A BIRD?!?” And I’m going to laugh the biggest deepest laugh of any deity ever existed.

[@caterinabyrne380]

And do ME a favor leave those last of GOD "S BIRDS ALONE not of your concerning understood?? 💥💥💥

[@diagofuller6958]

Should have been Dark Eyed Junko bird.

[@alicewright4322]

I don't get it, the guy is a narc for dog without a leash. 100 % if a white guy started yelling at a black girl to put her dog on a leash all the folks crying about this would see it the other way.

[@kittykatz4001]

🦝 (IYKYK 😒)

[@deejay5102]

He is a super 🦝

[@laurie113]

My dog is 41\2 and NEVER leaves my side. So I don’t need a leash. But I do understand

[@joshuahartgraves3393]

Lies

[@MD-zu9do]

Anyone have some dog treats?

[@alexglanz7406]

A birder, a person that respects natural nuances, would hold reverent that which was a treasure. Why deny Audobon's unique and powerful history? Stop with the petty politics - get outside and enjoy nature, not human superficial squabbling. Hens in a henhouse, maybe?

[@victoriabaker4400]

This was addressed in detail in the video.

[@brandonreid7528]

Masked Karen's are the worst

[@cleomenes01]

Isn’t this guy a meme?

[@MediaFolkus]

Can’t we just enjoy birds and dogs without race involved. That was an incident - hopefully a learning experience for the woman involved. As far as birders, LGBTQ and being Black - let us go to deeper, introspective place about ourselves and others. Not stretching our different identities out in front of the cracks humans fall into. We are human, we all have identities about us. Let us make it not about our identities of any kind - but, how we treat each other.

[@mrstinky2421]

Oh ya. Whitewashing us all will surely solve our problems.

[@CSGraves]

That'd be nice, but one big problem is, police have a bit of a habit of using excessive force against certain 'identities'.

[@dinkster1729]

@@CSGraves That's not Amy Cooper's fault, though. What was she supposed to do? Not call police when she was threatened because the police might use excessive force on Christian. That's ridiculous. The police should be trained not to use excessive force on Black men. Besides, he was 57 so he wasn't that young and with his polished way of speaking, I would think the "cops" would just listen to both sides of the story, shake their heads and got about their business. They might tell Christian to be more polite next time whether the law says you can film someone in a park or not.

[@CSGraves]

@@dinkster1729 If filming Amy Cooper constitutes threatening behaviour, we'd need to totally re-evaluate security cameras, body cams, dash cams, et cetera... Christian asked her to leash her dog - per the rules of that very section of the park they were in. I agree that police _should_ be trained not to use excessive force, but there's ample precedent, in the United States especially, for that not to be the case (e.g. 'Killology' as a widespread police training method). An innocent man potentially could have ended up a statistic just because one woman didn't want to play by the rules of the park and keep her dog on a leash in an area intended for birdwatching. When you weigh the possible consequences of each individual's use of their phones, a fortiori, a potentially lethal call to the police is _far_ more threatening than a video of someone letting their dog run loose.

[@dinkster1729]

@@CSGraves As a woman who was in a shelter for abused women once said to me when someone else in a activist group denounced the police said, "The police are useful sometimes." Sorry! A petite woman is going to call the police if she is threatened by a man threatening her.