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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsWhat Happens When A Black Man And A White Man Try To Break Into The Same Car (VIDEO)
&feature=player_embeddedhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/02/19/black-guy-breaks-into-car-simple-misfits_n_4816041.html
The man trying to get into Jason Roberts' car was clearly a professional.
His movements were quick, skilled and evidently practiced. He began to attract the notice of skeptical onlookers. Who was that man breaking into the Mazda? Shouldn't someone do something?
A "professional" was exactly what he was, and, having called AAA for help getting into his locked car, Roberts expected nothing less. He was, however, unnerved by the stares of the people questioning the motives of a mechanic who was only trying to help. Then it hit him -- they were suspicious because, unlike him, the mechanic was black.
Roberts, a host on the YouTube channel Simple Misfits, decided to replicate the situation, this time camera in hand, so that everyone could witness the same unacceptable double standard that he had. He didn't realize how intense the response would be. Watch the video above to see for yourself (warning: NSFW language).
sufrommich
(22,871 posts)while 4 cops with guns pulled show up for black guy. Do people really not get this?
Rex
(65,616 posts)Cops may lie and say they do not, but yes they do and all the time.
redqueen
(115,096 posts)And that's why discussions about privilege are so important.
PowerToThePeople
(9,610 posts)I do not have words.
rgbecker
(4,806 posts)WTF?
Tom Rinaldo
(22,911 posts)Madness but know surprise SMH
Enthusiast
(50,983 posts)Grave consequences like wrecking the fucking world economy.
It wasn't black people that destroyed the economy. Even though CNBC and Fox "News" would have us believe the entire problem was a result of the Community Reinvestment Act.
They planned that little story long in advance of the bubble burst. Even the President, in his state of the union address felt the need to remind us that it wasn't only big bankers that were responsible for the crash, home mortgage borrowers also share in the blame. What was it Mr. President .0002%? Way to carry on with the Wall Street script (ruse).
The African American population has become the nation's modern day scape goat, almost the equivalent of Nazi Germany's Jews.
We looked forward after the treasonous Bush Administration was done wrecking the nation. And we looked forward after the Wall Street criminal fraudsters destroyed the world economy.
I think it's high time we started taking white collar white crime seriously.
Harmony Blue
(3,978 posts)this is one example of white privilege I will acknowledge. Cops not harassing you is probably #1.
johnnyreb
(915 posts)"Let me see your fucking hands."
That just might be an American fucking citizen you're talking to, ossifer.
The cop driving right by.
JustAnotherGen
(31,688 posts)Second - I give it five more minutes before the professional victim mentality finds your op, read the words 'white guy' in the subject line - and derail a very important point you've made here. *sigh*
Egalitarian Thug
(12,448 posts)heaven05
(18,124 posts)at scenario presented here, I'm amazed. After the last 14 years of racial discord brought about, to keep us divided mind you, by the bush cabal and right wing reaction to the will of the people, african-american POTUS, open season on shooting any disrespectful black kid not responding to white demands/request, how can people be surprised that a white man has cops drive by as he is 'breaking' into a car, pedestrians not even giving a hoot, yet when a black man does the same thing, oh big surprise at reaction of police with drawn weapons just itching to shoot the black 'thug', whites looking on with intense suspicion. But I guess we all know how 'thuggish' those black men are. All of them, young, old and in between. This is a sickening truth about the typical american racial divide, mistrust and down right racism. 300 years and counting, and no goddamit, it's not getting better.
JustAnotherGen
(31,688 posts)But heaven - it's post racial America doncha know - and as I've pointed out in the AA group -
We've fallen down the rabbit hole and the 'fix' is in to rewrite history such that it was actually black folks who were the majority of slave owners, we imposed jim crow on a vulnerable white population, and my absolute favorite -MLK was actually a white man who fought for labor rights.
But the op - duplicate or not - I give him cred for posting this.
heaven05
(18,124 posts)that's 47% of the voting people, believe that data in your response. Rabbit hole? You betcha! thanks.
mountain grammy
(26,573 posts)in the workplace, in the schools, in the courtrooms, in Times Square. This must and should be in our faces until we understand just how widespread and egregious racism is in America. We've all seen it, we all know what's happening.
What will we do about it? Everyone of us has to stand up for each other and against this disease that is killing our country.
Mr Dixon
(1,185 posts)That i miss the 1st post of this video, my Bad.
PumpkinAle
(1,210 posts)And how he approached the guy - swearing with his gun out at the ready.
And then cops wonder why they get the bad rap - it is deserved, well and truly deserved if this is how they treat and approach others.
Anyone know what happened when they found out it was for a video?
Hey OP - maybe on the (warning: NSFW language) - you should put used only by a "Peace" officer.
Vox Moi
(546 posts)The issue of prejudice and unwarranted assumptions based on outward appearances is not strictly a racial issue.
It is evident with respect to race, gender, attractiveness and even things like profession and wealth.
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erpowers
(9,350 posts)The end of that video was just shocking. The guy actually told the lady he would help her steal the bike. The guy knew she was trying to steal the bike and offered to help. I would have liked it if they had also had a black woman in order to see if people were reacting the way they were because the woman was a woman, or just because she was a white woman.
The differing reactions between the white guy and the black guy were also interesting. For me it raised the question of why. Why were so many people willing to allow the white guy to steal the bike? The normal answer is that white privilege makes people think the white person is not committing a crime. However, for me, that explaination does not work in this case. In some instances the white guy acknowledged the bike was not his and people still did not call the cops, or harass him.
sinkingfeeling
(51,280 posts)loudsue
(14,087 posts)Android3.14
(5,402 posts)I'm unsurprised, but what a great way to demonstrate the prejudice.
Scruffy Rumbler
(961 posts)what a wonderful citizen the mother was. The one that turned around and put her child in between her and someone she obviously thought was breaking the law!
"Busybody Mother of the Year" right there!
Oh, and Mr. Dixon, thank you for this reminder of what life is like here in good old US of Assholes! I was shocked the other day when a coworker actually said, after blaming Obama for the financial shit we are in.... went on to say how we are done being racist in this country because we elected a black president.... FFS!
Mr Dixon
(1,185 posts)We still have a long way to go, Black president or not, next we move on to gender and watch all the shit Hillary catches SMH.
Scruffy Rumbler
(961 posts)unblock
(51,974 posts)erpowers
(9,350 posts)On an appearance on the Melissa Harris-Perry Show, Tim Wise recounted a similar story. He was in New Orleans and he had locked his keys in his car. He decided to try to break into his car. While he was trying to break into his car a police officer drove by. Not only did the police officer not harass or arrest him; the police officer actually showed him the proper way to break into his car. According to Wise the police officer just assumed, without question that Wise was trying to get into his own car.
In her book The New Jim Crow, Michelle Alexander gives an example of racial bias in America. She points out that in most cases when a black youth does something wrong it is usually seen as a crime, but when a white youth does something wrong, even when it is a major crime like shooting a gun, it is usually seen as a misguided youth making a mistake, or just a country kid being a country kid.
Donald Ian Rankin
(13,598 posts)I might well not intervene in that circumstance, but I'd certainly phone the police.