Why are American blacks always having issues with the Police?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some posters here are posting parenting advice in the guise of political discourse. But that is really disingenuous. How many parents actually teach their kids to disrespect cops?? Zero, I wager. How many people plan to argue with the next cop they see? Zero more I think.

No, what really happens is people get upset, they have problems, they have a hard day, then this cop pulls them over, the person doesn't act like a perfect little sheep (or maybe they do) and blam, they are dead. The cops have to handle the situation non-violently BECAUSE they have a gun. It's not your job to be meek because they might shoot you.

US cops kill people at a 70X higher rate than any other country in the industrialized world. They kill more people in a month than UK cops did in the ENTIRE 20th CENTURY. That's incredible. And it's wrong.

http://thefreethoughtproject.com/american-cops-killed-people-month-march-uk-entire-20th-century/

NP here, I trust your data but it's also because we have a somewhat violent and armed population. No other western country has so many people that carry guns. Cops deal with guns in domestic abuse calls, drug related violence, gang or retribution violence. This is in white and black communities.

Compliance matters when dealing with an officer who pulls you over or who responds to a call. If one does as they ask and you have done nothing illegal it will likely end well. Sometimes it doesn't. There are racists cops. They ought to be fired immediately. Most cops are great people who protect our neighborhoods so our kids can walk to school and play outside safely. I feel tremendous gratitude to our police forces who work to keep us safe.

I always thought the law was what mattered. If cops ask for information or ask me to submit in someway, that violates my rights, why should I comply. They should know the law and not distort it to force/intimidate me to give up my rights.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am white and have been stopped for being on my phone or for having a tail light out. I always listen to what the police says, never argue with them, am respectful, and don't reach for anything until I am told to do so. In many of these videos, the people getting in trouble are very clearly wrestling with the police and refusing to get out of the car or do what they are asked. I would never ever do such a thing. Also, why is there no outrage about the crime rate in these cities - mostly against African Americans?

This is why I'm sick of people like you. Officer Friendly comes to your car, sees a 'familiar' face. Officer Friendly comes to my son's car and automatically goes into defensive mode.

I guess people like Don Lemon, Van Jones, Chris Rock, George Lopez, John Henson, Jamie Foxx, and a multitude of other well-known figures are just making this up because they have nothing else to do.

y

+1. God this makes me so sad. White fellow human beings, can you really not empathize with us? Please try. I don't know what to do anymore. I'm so sad. I am just begging you, white fellow human beings, try to understand. Buy Eyes on the Prize. Really learn about our history. Try to experience it. MLK was assassinated not 50 years ago. You say it was a long time ago, but it wasn't. My father was alive. So were yours. The people that opposed civil rights did not disappear, they were not executed, they were not imprisoned. They are still here, and in many cases, they raised kids who share their lingering and often overt racism.

Maybe the African-American History Musem can be like the Holocaust museum and you get a random name and see how your life turns out as a black person at different times in our history. The thought of being black in the past absolutely horrifies me.

My husband and I have been watching Eyes on the Prize, from Netflix. We're about halfway through. It is extraordinary and I am angry that it was not shown in my history classes in high school. Everyone should see it. The parallels with today are inescapable. When I read today about the BLM leader arrested outside of Baton Rouge I immediately thought of the scenes from the documentary where civil rights leaders were arrested and called "agitators." It's the same language used today. To the extent anyone is "agitating," it's because there is a real problem that needs to be stirred up and fixed. The protesters are not creating the problem. They are highlighting the problem.

Police brutality is a huge problem and while it touches people of every race, I don't see how there can be any doubt that it falls disproportionately on blacks. It always has.

- a white woman

God bless you! I am PP you are responding to. I'm so depressed to my core this last week. Reading mean anonymous posts on the Internet is probably not helping me. Thank you thank you for being a ray of light. Talk to other white people. Like everyone else on earth, it's easier to listen when the person talking to you reminds you of yourself.

I'm glad you felt better reading my post, but I don't deserve your thanks. I am a coward. I'm not alone in this, but there it is. I support the BLM movement. I support civil rights. I am vehemently against guns. But I have never attended a rally or protest and it's unlikely I ever will. To be honest, I'm afraid to. I'm afraid of being violently arrested or shot or a bomb going off because some asshole of whatever race or religion has a grievance or mental health issues, plus a weapon, and sees a bunch of easy targets. I might have gone to a rally in my young student days, but now I'm 35 with a husband and a young child and parents to support and I can't see myself doing it.

I'm doubly ashamed because I am Jewish and I think, well, what would I have done if I were a gentile during WWII? Would I have put my life on the line to save Jews or would I have looked the other way so as not to jeopardize my life or my family's life? What would I have done if I had been an adult during the 60s in this country? And I can't say with any assurance that I would have done anything.

I will vote, I will petition, I will give money to causes I support ... but I'm not out there on the front lines. And I know I have the luxury of choosing not to be.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How to avoid hassle from police of any color as a person of any color when pulled over for any reason (perceived fair or not).

1 lights or siren in rear view mirror first spotted by driver

2 driver: immediately slow vehical - turning on indicator while looking for a safe place to pull off the road.
(Logical perception by cop: this person is responding in a calm, compliant manner; turn indicator suggests clear thinking of safety and respect for others (ruling out alcohol and drugs). If cop is upset, tired, biased, etc., this will help deescalate his/her anxiety.

3 when safely parked:
3a turn on dome light,
3b take out drivers licence
3c take out registration. (Registration should always be on top of pile of items in glove box for easy, quick access.)

4 roll your driver's side window all the way down.

Be mindful where the cop is at all time. You should have time to do all of these things before he/she exits the cruiser. If he/she is nearing or at your vehicle, skip steps 3b and 3c. Move to step 4 immediately. Moving and reaching in your vehicle when cop can see you can be viewed as threatening (cops perception: reaching for weapon, hiding contraband, confusion, impairment, etc.)

5. Holding both ID and registration in your left hand, place both hands in the 10 and 2 o'clock position on the steering wheel.

6. Turn face towards cop using a neutral or open faced friendly expression.

7. Do not speak unless spoken to first. The cop is assessing multiple things. Don't distract him. Your prep work eliminates part of his/her interaction with you because he sees you clearly (because you turnef on your dome light), sees you have your license and registration, sees your hands clearly gripping the wheel )not a threat to him/her). He/she will shine flashlight in and around car interior. Note: keeping your car interior clean and neat vs messy will further deescalate cop because sloppiness can indicate an unstable life (unemployed, on drugs, mental health issues, hidden, dangerous cargo, etc.)

The hardest part is behind you and you haven't opened your mouth yet.

The interrogation process:

Whether the cop asks you a question, makes a statement, or pulls his/her gun on you, your part is the same so it's easy to remember.

1 use a calm clear voice
2 make eye contact
3 respond with "yes/no/I don't know, sir/ma'am/officer"

Regardless of the perceptions and biases you have against the cop or law enforcement, society at-large, justice, race, sex/gender issues, sexuality, religion, etc., your job at this point is to:

1 keep it to yourself
2 be polite
3 be respectful

Your main objective when getting pulled over is not to make a point or a stand, represent a class of underprivileged or disenfranchised people - your job is to:

1 not get murdered
2 not to get injured
3 not to get arrested
4 not to get a ticket

If you have broken the law. Steps one and two should be your primary objective.

If you have not knowingly broken the law, your actions up to this point will go a long way towards avoiding arrest or a ticket

If you think you've been unfairly treated, discriminated against, unfairly profiled, etc., TAKE THAT MATTER UP WITH A LAWYER BEFORE A JUDGE AFTER YOUR ENCOUNTER WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT.

YOUR WORST ENEMY: PRIDE

Being pulled over is humbling and humiliating experience. If you are prone to narcissism, temper, being a social justice warrior, have a sense of entitlement (you're a celebrity or think you are), this is the time to decide if this moment is a battle you want to fight. You can stand your ground and get tased, humiliated, beaten, handcuffed, searched, shoved in a wagon, finger printed, jailed, etc., - OR - you can take these steps to deescalate the situation, changing a cop's preconceived bias of people he thinks you represent, be inconvenienced for twenty minutes and move on your way.

If you have a target on your back and your good, sensible behavior does not help you fight the system, get a hidden dash cam and press record before you turn the dome light on at the beginning of this article. That way, when you are lying in a pool of your own blood, your story of injustice will be seen - broadcast throughout the news and social media for all time. When the rioting and chaos that ensues dies down and real justice and social change occurs because YOU chose to take the high road - you will win over the hearts and minds of reasonable people and make a good and lasting impression.

If you survive, you'll be a hero, friend and advisor to world leaders, frequent guest on talk shows, the subject of songs, plays, books and movies, an icon of popular culture - and probably very wealthy.

If you die, you'll get a statue, national holiday, streets and high schools bearing your name and a chapter devoted to you in future history books.

Wow!! Excellent points and life savers! Sad that you even have to even give instructions like this. You probably saved someone's life.

Nope. Not the public responsibility to ensure officers treat them with respect and do not abuse their authority. Its the officer's sworn duty to do this as a public

Officers unfortunately do not always follow the same procedures when pulling someone over to a T. My uncle was pulled over and they shouted at him to get out of the car, with their guns drawn. They thought he matched the description of robbery suspect recently called in. He complied and they came over, cuffed him, punched him and broke his wrist. When he was released 6 hours later, there was no apology, no offer to address medical needs. They did not respect his life. He's white.

That's the problem here. Until someone actually hears and responds to this issue, you will continue to have protests, shootings and riots. Since black ppl are mostt impacted, I totally empathize with their anger on this issue.

PP here - you're right, it's the officer's sworn duty to use his/her authority responsibly and ethically but you don't know when you are being pulled over if the cop you encounter is one of those who is willing or able to do that. If you've got a good cop, cooperating will likely end well for you. If you have a bad cop who is a psychopath with a badge, you still have a better chance for survival if you follow these rules because you aren't antagonizing him/her and challenging his narcissistic ego. If you get a good cop having a really bad day, again, cooperatimg will increase your chances for a positive outcome.

If you are confrontational, uncooperative, have an attitude (justified or not) and make his or her job harder, it is illogical to think you have an increased chance for a positive outcome for you. When you are pulled over, it's all about you getting through the encounter. After that, regarding the bigger societal picture, if you want to be heard and respond to bad police behavior and injustice, get through the encounter with the least resistance, then take your story to social media. In the meantime, your good behavior and higher ground is the safest behavior for you and also has the power to potentially erode the bias that that cop brings to his encounter with you. If enough stereotypes are shattered by enough people, there will be fewer reasons for people to protest, shoot and riot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

God bless you! I am PP you are responding to. I'm so depressed to my core this last week. Reading mean anonymous posts on the Internet is probably not helping me. Thank you thank you for being a ray of light. Talk to other white people. Like everyone else on earth, it's easier to listen when the person talking to you reminds you of yourself.

I'm glad you felt better reading my post, but I don't deserve your thanks. I am a coward. I'm not alone in this, but there it is. I support the BLM movement. I support civil rights. I am vehemently against guns. But I have never attended a rally or protest and it's unlikely I ever will. To be honest, I'm afraid to. I'm afraid of being violently arrested or shot or a bomb going off because some asshole of whatever race or religion has a grievance or mental health issues, plus a weapon, and sees a bunch of easy targets. I might have gone to a rally in my young student days, but now I'm 35 with a husband and a young child and parents to support and I can't see myself doing it.

I'm doubly ashamed because I am Jewish and I think, well, what would I have done if I were a gentile during WWII? Would I have put my life on the line to save Jews or would I have looked the other way so as not to jeopardize my life or my family's life? What would I have done if I had been an adult during the 60s in this country? And I can't say with any assurance that I would have done anything.

I will vote, I will petition, I will give money to causes I support ... but I'm not out there on the front lines. And I know I have the luxury of choosing not to be.

Thank you anyway. Money and voting are a lot. Protests are just one facet. Your thoughts remind me of what Hannah Arendt meant when she wrote about the banality of evil. Don't misunderstand me. You are not evil. But people think evil things persist because of evil people. They don't. Being silent and self-interested is most of it. I also wonder what I would have done as a German in the Nazi era. I am not confident I would have stood up for Jews. Let's not minimize how complex and difficult the struggle against entrenched power dynamics is. I consider you an ally.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am white and have been stopped for being on my phone or for having a tail light out. I always listen to what the police says, never argue with them, am respectful, and don't reach for anything until I am told to do so. In many of these videos, the people getting in trouble are very clearly wrestling with the police and refusing to get out of the car or do what they are asked. I would never ever do such a thing. Also, why is there no outrage about the crime rate in these cities - mostly against African Americans?

This is why I'm sick of people like you. Officer Friendly comes to your car, sees a 'familiar' face. Officer Friendly comes to my son's car and automatically goes into defensive mode.

I guess people like Don Lemon, Van Jones, Chris Rock, George Lopez, John Henson, Jamie Foxx, and a multitude of other well-known figures are just making this up because they have nothing else to do.

y

+1. God this makes me so sad. White fellow human beings, can you really not empathize with us? Please try. I don't know what to do anymore. I'm so sad. I am just begging you, white fellow human beings, try to understand. Buy Eyes on the Prize. Really learn about our history. Try to experience it. MLK was assassinated not 50 years ago. You say it was a long time ago, but it wasn't. My father was alive. So were yours. The people that opposed civil rights did not disappear, they were not executed, they were not imprisoned. They are still here, and in many cases, they raised kids who share their lingering and often overt racism.

Maybe the African-American History Musem can be like the Holocaust museum and you get a random name and see how your life turns out as a black person at different times in our history. The thought of being black in the past absolutely horrifies me.

What kind of body language does your son present? I have seen many videos where the citizen, black/white/asian whatever gets the double standard because of their attitude.

!? So now cops can shoot people if they have negative body language? You shouldn't use lethal police as a cop unless your life or another is in immediate danger! It's not okay to use excessive force because someone has an attitude! Jesus.

Blame the victim mentality. It at once makes the poster feel safer, and makes the poster think the victim is stupid. Police have extraordinary power over regular citizens. Extraordinary power. They can take every freedom you have away. We must insist as Americans that they are held to a much higher standard, provide the training to make sure they can attain it, and hold them accountable when they don't.

No, it's take responsibility for your behavior. That's a big part of the mind set of the AA community today.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am white and have been stopped for being on my phone or for having a tail light out. I always listen to what the police says, never argue with them, am respectful, and don't reach for anything until I am told to do so. In many of these videos, the people getting in trouble are very clearly wrestling with the police and refusing to get out of the car or do what they are asked. I would never ever do such a thing. Also, why is there no outrage about the crime rate in these cities - mostly against African Americans?

This is why I'm sick of people like you. Officer Friendly comes to your car, sees a 'familiar' face. Officer Friendly comes to my son's car and automatically goes into defensive mode.

I guess people like Don Lemon, Van Jones, Chris Rock, George Lopez, John Henson, Jamie Foxx, and a multitude of other well-known figures are just making this up because they have nothing else to do.

y

+1. God this makes me so sad. White fellow human beings, can you really not empathize with us? Please try. I don't know what to do anymore. I'm so sad. I am just begging you, white fellow human beings, try to understand. Buy Eyes on the Prize. Really learn about our history. Try to experience it. MLK was assassinated not 50 years ago. You say it was a long time ago, but it wasn't. My father was alive. So were yours. The people that opposed civil rights did not disappear, they were not executed, they were not imprisoned. They are still here, and in many cases, they raised kids who share their lingering and often overt racism.

Maybe the African-American History Musem can be like the Holocaust museum and you get a random name and see how your life turns out as a black person at different times in our history. The thought of being black in the past absolutely horrifies me.

What kind of body language does your son present? I have seen many videos where the citizen, black/white/asian whatever gets the double standard because of their attitude.

!? So now cops can shoot people if they have negative body language? You shouldn't use lethal police as a cop unless your life or another is in immediate danger! It's not okay to use excessive force because someone has an attitude! Jesus.

Blame the victim mentality. It at once makes the poster feel safer, and makes the poster think the victim is stupid. Police have extraordinary power over regular citizens. Extraordinary power. They can take every freedom you have away. We must insist as Americans that they are held to a much higher standard, provide the training to make sure they can attain it, and hold them accountable when they don't.

No, it's take responsibility for your behavior. That's a big part of the mind set of the AA community today.

Ugh. Fine. I had an attitude and I got shot. There, I suffered the consequences of my action. Now what about the cop? He shot me because he freaked out at my wild black attitude, not because I was actually pointing a gun at him or immediately threatening his life. I would like him to take responsibility for his action. And go to jail, at least for reckless homicide or voluntary manslaughter. Thank you very much.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

God bless you! I am PP you are responding to. I'm so depressed to my core this last week. Reading mean anonymous posts on the Internet is probably not helping me. Thank you thank you for being a ray of light. Talk to other white people. Like everyone else on earth, it's easier to listen when the person talking to you reminds you of yourself.

I'm glad you felt better reading my post, but I don't deserve your thanks. I am a coward. I'm not alone in this, but there it is. I support the BLM movement. I support civil rights. I am vehemently against guns. But I have never attended a rally or protest and it's unlikely I ever will. To be honest, I'm afraid to. I'm afraid of being violently arrested or shot or a bomb going off because some asshole of whatever race or religion has a grievance or mental health issues, plus a weapon, and sees a bunch of easy targets. I might have gone to a rally in my young student days, but now I'm 35 with a husband and a young child and parents to support and I can't see myself doing it.

I'm doubly ashamed because I am Jewish and I think, well, what would I have done if I were a gentile during WWII? Would I have put my life on the line to save Jews or would I have looked the other way so as not to jeopardize my life or my family's life? What would I have done if I had been an adult during the 60s in this country? And I can't say with any assurance that I would have done anything.

I will vote, I will petition, I will give money to causes I support ... but I'm not out there on the front lines. And I know I have the luxury of choosing not to be.

Thank you anyway. Money and voting are a lot. Protests are just one facet. Your thoughts remind me of what Hannah Arendt meant when she wrote about the banality of evil. Don't misunderstand me. You are not evil. But people think evil things persist because of evil people. They don't. Being silent and self-interested is most of it. I also wonder what I would have done as a German in the Nazi era. I am not confident I would have stood up for Jews. Let's not minimize how complex and difficult the struggle against entrenched power dynamics is. I consider you an ally.

I completely agree, and I know I am not evil. But I am aware of the concept of the banality of evil and of complicity by failure to object. I think when people think of evil or racism they think of Hitler or George Wallace. But really a lot of it is unconscious or ignorance or just standing by silently or averting one's gaze.

I consider myself an ally too. I just feel very discouraged, which I'm sure pales beside how you feel. I thought your earlier remark about talking to other whites was interesting because race issues are not something that really come up in my conversation with people of any race. I wouldn't be averse to talking about such issues but I don't bring them up, any more than I talk about religion or politics. I saw a huge Trump sign the other day in my neighborhood (a liberal MD neighborhood). I can't stand Trump or the things he says but it would never occur to me to say anything to the homeowner about it. If I saw a Confederate flag I would be disgusted but again, I wouldn't say anything unless the person tried to put it on my yard or give it to me. Do you discuss race issues a lot with non-African Americans? Do you initiate those conversations or do people bring it up to you?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am white and have been stopped for being on my phone or for having a tail light out. I always listen to what the police says, never argue with them, am respectful, and don't reach for anything until I am told to do so. In many of these videos, the people getting in trouble are very clearly wrestling with the police and refusing to get out of the car or do what they are asked. I would never ever do such a thing. Also, why is there no outrage about the crime rate in these cities - mostly against African Americans?

This is why I'm sick of people like you. Officer Friendly comes to your car, sees a 'familiar' face. Officer Friendly comes to my son's car and automatically goes into defensive mode.

I guess people like Don Lemon, Van Jones, Chris Rock, George Lopez, John Henson, Jamie Foxx, and a multitude of other well-known figures are just making this up because they have nothing else to do.

Don't forget 70 year old Ike Leggett of MOCO. Officer came up to his car very aggressively and belligerent. Yelling at the man. He stopped when the backup police officer told him who Leggett was. Imagine what would or could have happened if partner did not recognize the leader of MOCO politics.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

God bless you! I am PP you are responding to. I'm so depressed to my core this last week. Reading mean anonymous posts on the Internet is probably not helping me. Thank you thank you for being a ray of light. Talk to other white people. Like everyone else on earth, it's easier to listen when the person talking to you reminds you of yourself.

I'm glad you felt better reading my post, but I don't deserve your thanks. I am a coward. I'm not alone in this, but there it is. I support the BLM movement. I support civil rights. I am vehemently against guns. But I have never attended a rally or protest and it's unlikely I ever will. To be honest, I'm afraid to. I'm afraid of being violently arrested or shot or a bomb going off because some asshole of whatever race or religion has a grievance or mental health issues, plus a weapon, and sees a bunch of easy targets. I might have gone to a rally in my young student days, but now I'm 35 with a husband and a young child and parents to support and I can't see myself doing it.

I'm doubly ashamed because I am Jewish and I think, well, what would I have done if I were a gentile during WWII? Would I have put my life on the line to save Jews or would I have looked the other way so as not to jeopardize my life or my family's life? What would I have done if I had been an adult during the 60s in this country? And I can't say with any assurance that I would have done anything.

I will vote, I will petition, I will give money to causes I support ... but I'm not out there on the front lines. And I know I have the luxury of choosing not to be.

Thank you anyway. Money and voting are a lot. Protests are just one facet. Your thoughts remind me of what Hannah Arendt meant when she wrote about the banality of evil. Don't misunderstand me. You are not evil. But people think evil things persist because of evil people. They don't. Being silent and self-interested is most of it. I also wonder what I would have done as a German in the Nazi era. I am not confident I would have stood up for Jews. Let's not minimize how complex and difficult the struggle against entrenched power dynamics is. I consider you an ally.

I completely agree, and I know I am not evil. But I am aware of the concept of the banality of evil and of complicity by failure to object. I think when people think of evil or racism they think of Hitler or George Wallace. But really a lot of it is unconscious or ignorance or just standing by silently or averting one's gaze.

I consider myself an ally too. I just feel very discouraged, which I'm sure pales beside how you feel. I thought your earlier remark about talking to other whites was interesting because race issues are not something that really come up in my conversation with people of any race. I wouldn't be averse to talking about such issues but I don't bring them up, any more than I talk about religion or politics. I saw a huge Trump sign the other day in my neighborhood (a liberal MD neighborhood). I can't stand Trump or the things he says but it would never occur to me to say anything to the homeowner about it. If I saw a Confederate flag I would be disgusted but again, I wouldn't say anything unless the person tried to put it on my yard or give it to me. Do you discuss race issues a lot with non-African Americans? Do you initiate those conversations or do people bring it up to you?

Well, like you, I'm 35 with a kid so I'm not hanging around in coffee shops much or talking with random people. I sometimes bring it up in the vein of -- crazy week of news, huh? But I only really "hang out" on with other moms with kids and it's a little awkward to have super serious conversations and then go need to stop a kid from eating something weird. People always talk about going home to Thanksgiving and dealing with a racist uncle or some such thing so maybe that's when people generally have these types of conversations? I don't know. I post on Facebook. But perhaps my 500 or so friends are really liberal because I rarely see a racist post I want to make an issue of. One "friend" did post something supportive of Trump's Muslim ban and I, gently, gave her a piece of my mind.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am white and have been stopped for being on my phone or for having a tail light out. I always listen to what the police says, never argue with them, am respectful, and don't reach for anything until I am told to do so. In many of these videos, the people getting in trouble are very clearly wrestling with the police and refusing to get out of the car or do what they are asked. I would never ever do such a thing. Also, why is there no outrage about the crime rate in these cities - mostly against African Americans?

This is why I'm sick of people like you. Officer Friendly comes to your car, sees a 'familiar' face. Officer Friendly comes to my son's car and automatically goes into defensive mode.

I guess people like Don Lemon, Van Jones, Chris Rock, George Lopez, John Henson, Jamie Foxx, and a multitude of other well-known figures are just making this up because they have nothing else to do.

+1. God this makes me so sad. White fellow human beings, can you really not empathize with us? Please try. I don't know what to do anymore. I'm so sad. I am just begging you, white fellow human beings, try to understand. Buy Eyes on the Prize. Really learn about our history. Try to experience it. MLK was assassinated not 50 years ago. You say it was a long time ago, but it wasn't. My father was alive. So were yours. The people that opposed civil rights did not disappear, they were not executed, they were not imprisoned. They are still here, and in many cases, they raised kids who share their lingering and often overt racism.

Maybe the African-American History Musem can be like the Holocaust museum and you get a random name and see how your life turns out as a black person at different times in our history. The thought of being black in the past absolutely horrifies me.

White fellow human being here. Some of us do get it, to the extent that someone without those experiences and personal history can. Watching documentaries about Civil Rights, I notice the whites defending the status quo of Jim Crow (and worse). Some of them were teenagers at that time, so roughly my parents' age. Those people are still largely alive. They walk among us. Some of them have changed their minds, evolved, learned - and some of them are still the knuckle draggers they were back then, asking why black people don't solve every problem in their community first before tackling the disparate numbers of killings of unarmed/functionally unarmed ("I have a conceal permit. I am reaching for my ID.").

[Anonymous]

Thank you anyway. Money and voting are a lot. Protests are just one facet. Your thoughts remind me of what Hannah Arendt meant when she wrote about the banality of evil. Don't misunderstand me. You are not evil. But people think evil things persist because of evil people. They don't. Being silent and self-interested is most of it. I also wonder what I would have done as a German in the Nazi era. I am not confident I would have stood up for Jews. Let's not minimize how complex and difficult the struggle against entrenched power dynamics is. I consider you an ally.

I completely agree, and I know I am not evil. But I am aware of the concept of the banality of evil and of complicity by failure to object. I think when people think of evil or racism they think of Hitler or George Wallace. But really a lot of it is unconscious or ignorance or just standing by silently or averting one's gaze.

I consider myself an ally too. I just feel very discouraged, which I'm sure pales beside how you feel. I thought your earlier remark about talking to other whites was interesting because race issues are not something that really come up in my conversation with people of any race. I wouldn't be averse to talking about such issues but I don't bring them up, any more than I talk about religion or politics. I saw a huge Trump sign the other day in my neighborhood (a liberal MD neighborhood). I can't stand Trump or the things he says but it would never occur to me to say anything to the homeowner about it. If I saw a Confederate flag I would be disgusted but again, I wouldn't say anything unless the person tried to put it on my yard or give it to me. Do you discuss race issues a lot with non-African Americans? Do you initiate those conversations or do people bring it up to you?

Well, like you, I'm 35 with a kid so I'm not hanging around in coffee shops much or talking with random people. I sometimes bring it up in the vein of -- crazy week of news, huh? But I only really "hang out" on with other moms with kids and it's a little awkward to have super serious conversations and then go need to stop a kid from eating something weird. People always talk about going home to Thanksgiving and dealing with a racist uncle or some such thing so maybe that's when people generally have these types of conversations? I don't know. I post on Facebook. But perhaps my 500 or so friends are really liberal because I rarely see a racist post I want to make an issue of. One "friend" did post something supportive of Trump's Muslim ban and I, gently, gave her a piece of my mind.

That's pretty much in line with my experience. I don't really do Facebook so I don't have that angle. I don't really have the racist uncle in my family. My 90 year old grandparents are quite anti-Muslim but of the NIMBY variety. As in, they don't want a mosque in their neighborhood, and they talk about being afraid to wear symbols of their Jewish identity in Muslim areas, but they don't think Muslims should be put on a list or excluded from the country. In fact they get quite upset over such ideas because it hearkens back to WWII. We've had discussions about the NIMBY stuff, which bothers me, but honestly they are 90 and they vote Democrat and they're not going to be out doing anti-anything.

[Anonymous]

My husband and I have been watching Eyes on the Prize, from Netflix. We're about halfway through. It is extraordinary and I am angry that it was not shown in my history classes in high school. Everyone should see it. The parallels with today are inescapable. When I read today about the BLM leader arrested outside of Baton Rouge I immediately thought of the scenes from the documentary where civil rights leaders were arrested and called "agitators." It's the same language used today. To the extent anyone is "agitating," it's because there is a real problem that needs to be stirred up and fixed. The protesters are not creating the problem. They are highlighting the problem.

"They call us 'agitators.' You know what an agitator is, don't you? It's that thing in the washing machine that gets out the dirt. That's what we're doing, we're getting out the dirt."

--Thurgood Marshall

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

My husband and I have been watching Eyes on the Prize, from Netflix. We're about halfway through. It is extraordinary and I am angry that it was not shown in my history classes in high school. Everyone should see it. The parallels with today are inescapable. When I read today about the BLM leader arrested outside of Baton Rouge I immediately thought of the scenes from the documentary where civil rights leaders were arrested and called "agitators." It's the same language used today. To the extent anyone is "agitating," it's because there is a real problem that needs to be stirred up and fixed. The protesters are not creating the problem. They are highlighting the problem.

"They call us 'agitators.' You know what an agitator is, don't you? It's that thing in the washing machine that gets out the dirt. That's what we're doing, we're getting out the dirt."

--Thurgood Marshall

FYI, anyone can be an agitator regardless of your skin colour.

[Anonymous]

I just want to say I love the back and forth between an AA and Jewish PP. We need more of these dialogues--in spaces like this, but also in person. This thread and others like it tend to bring out some views that are not very tolerant or looking for a greater understanding, but then these last few exchanges give me hope.

Oh, and love the Thurgood Marshall quote!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some posters here are posting parenting advice in the guise of political discourse. But that is really disingenuous. How many parents actually teach their kids to disrespect cops?? Zero, I wager. How many people plan to argue with the next cop they see? Zero more I think.

No, what really happens is people get upset, they have problems, they have a hard day, then this cop pulls them over, the person doesn't act like a perfect little sheep (or maybe they do) and blam, they are dead. The cops have to handle the situation non-violently BECAUSE they have a gun. It's not your job to be meek because they might shoot you.

US cops kill people at a 70X higher rate than any other country in the industrialized world. They kill more people in a month than UK cops did in the ENTIRE 20th CENTURY. That's incredible. And it's wrong.

http://thefreethoughtproject.com/american-cops-killed-people-month-march-uk-entire-20th-century/

NP here, I trust your data but it's also because we have a somewhat violent and armed population. No other western country has so many people that carry guns. Cops deal with guns in domestic abuse calls, drug related violence, gang or retribution violence. This is in white and black communities.

Compliance matters when dealing with an officer who pulls you over or who responds to a call. If one does as they ask and you have done nothing illegal it will likely end well. Sometimes it doesn't. There are racists cops. They ought to be fired immediately. Most cops are great people who protect our neighborhoods so our kids can walk to school and play outside safely. I feel tremendous gratitude to our police forces who work to keep us safe.

I always thought the law was what mattered. If cops ask for information or ask me to submit in someway, that violates my rights, why should I comply. They should know the law and not distort it to force/intimidate me to give up my rights.

Why? Because failing to do so could get you charged with obstruction, resisting, or a number of other things. Because the proper place to argue/assert your rights is not with the police, but with the courts.

The police merely enforce the law as they understand it and/or have been instructed to enforce it. you certainly don't have an obligation to volunteer information to police officers (except for basic identification in most cases), but you are in most cases legally obligated to comply with an officer's instructions.

If you believe that you've been unjustly accused or that your rights are being violated, you address that issue with the courts, whose job is to make such determinations.

I never have and never will argue with a police officer about anything--it's pointless, counterproductive and possibly dangerous. "Yes, sir" is my mantra.