I a white woman stopped for gas today.........

[mrmpa]

here in Western Pennsylvania. There was a car at the next pump over with New Jersey plates. A young African-American woman was driving. I asked where she was from in New Jersey, (just wanted to converse & have relatives in NJ, not that they would know each other, but a way to start a conversation). She said they (she & 4 others) weren't from NJ, but rather from Atlanta.

The NJ plates were because it was a rental. Scenarios ran through my head of, if she were stopped by the Police, how the stop could go sideways.

We had about a 4-5 minute conversation, about Atlanta & her opinion of whether I should visit, she gave me an emphatic "yes."

Before she left, I told her to be safe, she extended her hand to me & we shook. She told me to be safe too. I'm not religious, but I muttered to myself, Godspeed.

[sheshe2]

1. Thank you.

[safeinOhio]

2. It cost nothing

To be nice. Good for you.

[IronLionZion]

3. Good for you, that was nice

I'm from rural western PA and it sounds like you have a lot more sense than many of the folks I grew up with, who all have Trump signs on their lawns.

I had a discussion with an old buddy who happens to be white and I suggested he maybe not keep his guns in his truck in case of a misunderstanding if he gets pulled over. He insists on keeping it though "for protection".

[left-of-center2012]

11. He insists on keeping it though "for protection"

One never knows when Uncle Sam will come knocking on the door to confiscate our guns.

[IronLionZion]

20. Obama's coming to get your guns!

Any day now...Better buy more just in case.

[Stevepol]

18. The biggest statistical indicator of a likelihood of being shot and/or killed

is "gun ownership." People who buy a gun for protection are just increasing the chances that they themselves will be shot and/or killed as well as others.

People have long ago stopped listening to facts when it comes to guns.

Guns kill people. Make a chart. On the X axis put the number of people killed by guns, on the y axis put the number of guns in circulation. Both will increase in tandem. In other words, a 45° angle will describe the relationship between the two sets of facts. Put another way, guns kill people.

[IronLionZion]

21. If you break it down by state rather than nation-wide

And it's not lots of people buying guns. It's a few people buying lots of guns, so it is more concentrated. Also more guns means more gun accidents. Like a child gets a hold of it.

?7

[kag]

46. Thanks for the info.

These are interesting charts. Thanks for posting.

When my kids were little and would be invited to someone else's house for a play date, I would always ask the parent(s) if they owned any guns. If the answer was yes I would always insist that the play date be at OUR house instead. Only one parent was ever offended, and it turned out that we didn't really want to be friends with that family anyway.

[Pakid]

39. I from Western PA myself

It is often more than a little nutty around this part of the state. So far a least in my part of the state I have only found about 12 Trump sign and no signs for Hillary. In 2008 and 2012 my Obama signs kept running off all by themselves late at night One did come back to me wrap around a rock tossed at one of my windows after Obama won in 2012 ( they missed the window I guess when you going at high speed it really hard to aim well). Your buddy is safe enough since he is white in this very racist part of PA

[brer cat]

4. A brief chance encounter like this

can go a long way toward making all of us feel connected and safer. Good for you, mrmp!

[Coolest Ranger]

5. You made my day

with this

[HipChick]

6. Thank you for reaching out..

[pinboy3niner]

7. I was looking to see an oppositional reply from BlueNoMatterWho ...

But he was PPRd by Skinner this morning. And Skinner also locked his last anti-BLM thread.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=profile&uid=333722

[HockeyMom]

8. Many conversations like that, especially with young children

All Mothers have that special bond between them.

[Quayblue]

9. Thank you.

[philosslayer]

10. Thank you for doing this

People of color in this country face no greater threat than from law enforcement. Their lives are literally at risk every day just from going about their business from a racist, heavily armored enemy who doesn't value their lives, and is looking for a reason to harass, arrest, or injure them (or worse) at every turn. It's important for us to remember that.

[Ellen Forradalom]

14. Our black compatriots are stateless persons under police rule.

They are certainly not treated as citizens of the United States.

[philosslayer]

15. They are in effect under occupation by a hostile force

[oberliner]

32. Black people are not treated as citizens of the United States?

This is a preposterous claim.

[Ellen Forradalom]

40. Considering the encroachments on their most basic rights,

the degree to which police officers behave towards them like an occupying army, and how they are treated as unwelcome foreigners outside black enclaves, we have a way to go before they enjoy full citizenship.

[oberliner]

42. Absolutely preposterous

Black enclaves?

Where the heck do you live?

[oberliner]

31. Is this post for real?

You actually think this?

[philosslayer]

37. I absolutely think this

Do you not? Have you not been watching the news? There is no bigger threat to the African American community than law enforcement.

[nini]

12. It's sad that this is seen as exceptional in out society

Not knocking you at all since you made the effort to reach out, but the fact we have to see this as exceptional behavior in our current climate is a very sad indication of how lost we are.

[mrmpa]

16. I agree...........

it was not exceptional. I converse with just about anybody, this time my concern for her & her passengers safety was one of the first things that to my mind.

[kacekwl]

13. A few kind words go a long way

Probably for both of you.

[GulfCoast66]

17. I do not doubt this happened

But find it odd. I live in Florida and I guess over half the time I get gas there is an African American at the pumps.

Is this anecdote due to living in a mostly white location?

Again, just curious since I really would not notice the color of some filling up next to me.

Have a nice evening.

[Freddie]

30. Much of PA is very, very white

I did not see a black person except on TV until I was 8 years old.

[GulfCoast66]

38. I am always surprised

When I realized how homogeneous much of America is. I grew up in the Deep South, Louisiana specifically, and married a lady from rural Indiana. The first time I visited her family something seemed odd about the place. I realized it was all white and that felt strange to me.

Also explains their incredibly bland, boring food😳

[niyad]

19. that was a lovely thing.

[Jim Beard]

22. I can go 3 or 4 weeks with out seeing an AA person so I felt kinda guilty

but then I have many Hispanic acquaintances and friends so I guess I am doing my part.

[Leontius]

41. Felt kinda guilty for what? Doing your part of what?

[uhnope]

23. thank you. everyday kindness is of high value now in these terrible times

[TheManInTheMac]

24. Cool story, bro.

[oberliner]

25. Have you never seen a black person before?

What is the point of this post?

[oberliner]

27. I realize my response came across as snarky

But I am trying to figure out what this OP was supposed to be illustrating exactly.

[NCTraveler]

29. Sorry for the self-delete.

Think I should just keep this one to myself.

[AllyCat]

33. Recognition of the struggle this family might face

In any given area of the country with the circumstances presented.

[oberliner]

34. Driving a rental car?

Those are the circumstances that you are suggesting will lead to a struggle?

[AllyCat]

35. With out of state plates.

Having just read Neil deGrasse Tysons accounts of all his pullovers, the idea is not far fetched. AAs in our country are at risk every day.

[pinboy3niner]

44. As a white guy, even I am nervous driving cross-country with plates that are out-of-state

That often seems to guarantee more police attention. But being white means my police encounters will not be negative. It's just the hassle of a stop and I'm quickly on my way.

For someone who isn't white and has the wrong plate it means an even greater likelihood of a stop, with results that are unpredictable but could be decidedly negative. Certainly a reason for a lot more nervousness than I experience.

[Gothmog]

36. Go with G-d

Great story. The world is not a safe place for POC

[Boudica the Lyoness]

43. You were friendly to a woman, what's the big deal w/that?

[CarrieLynne]

45. Last night we had to call 911 to my neighbors

the apt across the hall from me...

we heard a woman yelling, and kids screaming bloody murder - we called - we didn't know what was happening but we knew kids were being hurt...

when they entered the Apt I head the woman saying "Thank you! Thank you!" a little while later paramedics showed up - and still later a man was taken away in cuffs....

but I was terrified that we had done wrong and someone would end up shot....but i HAD to call...those poor kids