Okay, I'm leaving my home this morning for work ...

[1StrongBlackMan]

I turn out of my sub-division, onto the road way. I drive the 500 feet and pull into turn lane (to go South) and stop at the red stop-light. There is a (huge) older-model black Chevy Pick-up truck with un-tinted windows, covered with "Nobama", NRA and Marine Corps stickers and blasting the local AM hate station (I could tell because I love the morning air so I had my windows down).

At the opposite corner, there is a motorcycle cop. I see him there every morning, as my Town is a known "Speed and Traffic Enforcement-Trap". There are always two motorcycle cops, one at the (SW) corner and another about 1,000 feet down the (south-bound) road. The cop at the corner calls ahead to alert on speeders, light runners, etc.

When the light changes, "Huge Pick-up Guy" makes a left turn (against the light), cutting off the east-bound traffic, into the north-bound lane of a divided road. He proceeds about 30 feet, makes a U-turn (this time cutting off the approaching North bound traffic) pulls up to the corner and makes a U-turn onto the Southbound lane.

I'm still sitting at the light with my mouth wide open. As my light changes, I see the cop talking into his shoulder mic.

I proceed on my way, driving just under the posted speed limit (Hey ... I know of both of the cops, I see them every morning), watching Huge Pick-up Guy pull quickly away from me, as he passed cop #2. As I pass Cop #2, we make eye contact.

About 1,000 feet down the road, I see Cop #2 with his lights coming down the road. I'm thinking "Somebody's gonna get a big ticket ... running a light, making two illegal turns, speeding, all in front of traffic cops? ... Yep, a big ticket."

Then it dawns on me ... the cop is in the curb lane, and so am I. So I pull over and the cop pulls off the road behind me. We, then, do the "traffic stop tango." 20 minutes later, I am allowed to proceed ... no ticket, no explanation for the stop.

Oh, yeah ... did I mention I drive a silver, 2014, Nissan Altima?

I don't wish to cast aspersions; but, something just does seem right.

[annabanana]

1. This has GOT to be damn infuriating..

It's as if they saw you see the idiot, knew that your eye contact was reflecting the idiot's moves and he pulled YOU over to reinforce "your place" in the pecking order.

Part of me wants the comfort of finding out that you live in deep red hell. DO you live in deep red hell? Or is this crap endemic nation-wide?

(edit; I am melanin-ically privileged. This will never happen to me or members of my immediate family)

[1StrongBlackMan]

4. Well ...

My district's Senators are John McCain and Jeff Flake. Thankfully, I guess, my House Rep. is Ron Barber. Though he is far to quiet and farther to the right than I am on most issues ... he is light-years ahead of Martha "small government/tort reform, even though every adult source of income I have ever had came from the government, including my successful discrimination suit" McSally.

So, yes ... I am in mostly deep red hell; and, Yes this crap is endemic nation-wide.

[sheshe2]

22. I feel your pain about your senators, ick!

Lucky for me, I have Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey.

As for your stop sadly, I am not surprised. That 2nd cop sure did a quick profile on you! Yikes! The cops probably listen to the same hate station that illegal driving white dude does.

Nope, no white privilege here, move along. Oh and that was as you well know.

[SoapBox]

24. Ugh...Arizona.

Maybe you could comment to your Governor?

Oh...ya right.

Stunning in 2014 that bullshit like this happens (and is it me or is this crap increasing?)

[LittleGirl]

64. this is what made me think you lived nearby. eom

[ChazInAz]

85. Sounds like Marana.

I nearly got tased/shot/ass-kicked be a Marana traffic pig for a completely pointless traffic stop. (My invalid wife and I were driving a just-purchased truck that had expired plates. The paperwork was being processed.) If the bad boys treat an old white guy and his little wife like hardened criminals, I'd hate to think what they'd do to a Black person.

[1StrongBlackMan]

7. LOL, on your edit ...

apparently the "Black Privilege" (that a 4,000+ post DUer recently informed me exists) hasn't kicked in yet.

[jtuck004]

72. "... is this crap endemic..." < Please know this is nation wide, in every city, town and village,

whether it is cops, teachers, politicians, neighbors, whatever.

Being black you are born with a target on your back, simply because of the bastards who see the color of your skin as a defining characteristic of a set of human beings that are just like them. (Unfortunately people one would think are "friends" often the worst enablers of racism and servitude. Nothing has changed in this aspect since the early days of labor struggles, and then civil rights...people who most insist they are on your side should always be a little suspect. But I digress.)

You never know if, or when, that target is going to get lit up by a threat, or how many times, no matter what you do, Not because of you. Because of the person who sees you as less of a human being than another.

And those are the people one's "friends" are allowing. With friends like this one could die.

[elleng]

2. Dear Man,

you may not wish to cast aspersions, but I sure as hell do!

[gwheezie]

3. Clearly your mistake was eye contact

It must have been very threatening for the officer.
Of course there are times when eye contact is the appropriate response but it's up to Leo's to decide that. They will let you know. I hope you didn't nod your head as well. That is very aggressive

[TeamPooka]

103. That was my first thought too. They see eye contact as fear of being stopped.

It is in some of the profiling training.
An FBI neighbor of mine told me that once.

[tymorial]

128. I suppose that I understand the concept

At the same time, there was no probable cause to detain. Making up a story about the traffic stop just so that the officer can get a look inside StrongBlackMan's car (which is probably why he was pulled over) is reprehensible. This is disgusting

[TeamPooka]

129. yes it is disgusting

[Tribalceltic]

5. Please consider

Purchasing a dash cam. Be sure to check local laws regarding it's use. In fact get two, one pointing out the drivers window. Be safe.

[MADem]

6. WHY were you driving such a NICE car?????????

You bring that shit on yourself, don't you know? Tsk, tsk, tsk!!!!

Now, do I need to haul this out? I probably should, for the people who don't get the snark I'm tossing out, here!

And I think you mean "something just does NOT seem right..." unless you're providing the perspective of the White Citizen's Brigade (snark).

The ONLY other reason (and I'm not thinking this is likely) they might have stopped you is because that black, loud vehicle contained someone doing some kind of undercover sting deal--something wingnuts are known for, maybe guns or meth...? They SAW you noticing and didn't want you to get involved in an undercover op. I think this is probably just slightly more likely than pigs flying, but I thought I'd toss it out there, as a remote possibility.

If you know those cops (and get along with them), I'd ask 'em. Not so much about your stop, but if they saw the traffic violations and why they didn't stop the guy...?

My mind goes where yours is going though. I drive a shitbox, so I only have to be careful about keeping everything operating properly--no lights out, use that turn signal, etc.

[1StrongBlackMan]

10. Oh, did I mention ...

15 years ago, when we bought into the sub-division, we were the only Non-white family? And 15 years later, we remain the only Black family (an Arab purchased a home shortly after we did and 2 Hispanic families have moved in). And, according to a recent community survey put out by a local Chamber of Commerce, the median income of my town is well, well, well above the that of the county.

The under-cover thing might be more reasonable than you think (though I think it's unlikely). Over the past 4 months, Law Enforcement has determined a trend of drug stash houses in upper income neighborhoods.

[MADem]

58. Why, the NERVE of you!!! BUYING a home? In a white community?

Harrrumph!!!!! Why, you were really ASKING for trouble, now, weren't you?



_{Figured a few more wouldn't hurt in case someone dropping in doesn't take the point!!}


Seriously, if you are able to find out what was up with that whole mess, I'd love to hear it--though, sadly, I think the most logical explanation is probably the most likely one.

And, FWIW, I think you might be well served by a dashcam--it can't hurt, that's for sure!

[gollygee]

8. Holy crap.

I was picking up something from a drug store, and a young white guy (maybe 20 to 22) came in wanting cigarettes, and the woman working there was helping me and couldn't get to him, so she told him to just walk into the (unlocked, obviously) caged area where the cigarettes are and grab what he wanted and then get into line. I always thought those were kept locked but maybe it's just the visual of the cage that's supposed to keep people out.

I wondered if that would have happened if he'd been black, and I knew the answer.

I have no doubt you're right about what happened.

Anyone who doesn't see that white people have privilege is IMO intentionally not looking. You were the victim of racism, but the pick-up truck driver received privilege. The kid who wanted cigarettes also did. It's a big, fat, DUH.

[Maedhros]

18. I try not to shop at Walmart, but my stepdaughter does and I sometimes accompany her.

When it's her and I, we are never stopped by the elderly bag-checker on the way out of the store. When her husband is with us, we are always stopped.

You can guess the reason.

[navarth]

9. Driving While Black??? You should know better.

Let that be a lesson to you.

[1StrongBlackMan]

12. Well ...

I gave Jeeves the morning off ... something about going to a plasma center, then to apply for food stamps.

[navarth]

69. yes...

impossible to find good help these days.

[JustAnotherGen]

11. God dammit all!

Just God Dammit!

[randys1]

107. I think it is all in OP's head, surely she or he did something wrong, well what I mean is

yes, the other guy broke several laws, right in front of cops who did nothing.

Yes the cops ignored the law breaking of a white person but pulled over a BLACK person for doing nothing wrong, but come on, at some point in OP's life she or he has broken some law, right?

Maybe when they were a minor they were up on murder charges even?

I mean, we dont know. We really dont, so better safe than sorry, pull over law abiding BLACK people just in case they are doing something wrong or did something wrong years earlier and let the poor, under privileged, picked on white guy in the pickup go, hasnt he suffered enough already just living in this country?

[JustAnotherGen]

111. I just love ya! Sarcasm and all!

[hue]

14. "something just does seem right" You're right.

I'm sorry You had to go through that. It just never seems to end!

[Man from Pickens]

15. Cops more interested in keeping you intimidated than protecting anyone

typical, and disgusting

and they wonder why, when some high-profile incident happens, more and more people expect the cops have done something wrong!

[ncjustice80]

106. Because its rare when they haven t.

Pigs disgust me, all of them.

[carolinayellowdog]

16. worth posting in GD

Knowing that this goes on daily was just an intellectual knowledge until I had my own experience with racial profiling just for playing cards with black people on Amtrak. From now on, it's visceral knowledge and reading reports like yours might help it sink in for other white readers.

[1StrongBlackMan]

17. That, I will do ...

[malthaussen]

19. Man, you ain't paranoid if they're out to get you.

You know both cops, surely they've seen you before.

This is just bullshit. Why don't they just do their jobs?

-- Mal

[1StrongBlackMan]

25. When I first moved

into the Town, I got stopped, on average, twice a week ... for 2 years!

(Sadly ... When I talked about it here on DU, my recounting was challenged by more than a few DUers ... clearly, they thought I was doing something wrong.)

[malthaussen]

31. I say, clearly they wanted to think you were doing something wrong.

It boils my blood that freeborn American citizens can be jacked up by the police at will. (Well, that anyone can be so jacked up, but this kind of shit is totally against everything this country claims to stand for)

Having said that, it also amazes me how we'd rather blame and suspect the victim in this country. It's a psychology I really don't get. Regrettably, even people who claim to be progressive fall into it. Why is it so hard to believe that people who have power will abuse it?

-- Mal

[riqster]

80. Victim-blaming is part of divide and conquer. Nt

[ZombieHorde]

38. "clearly, they thought I was doing something wrong"

Yeah, you were talking about something that made some people uncomfortable.

[lunasun]

79. +1 Exactly

rendering of true occurrences are dismissed as incredible as stated
Been my own experience
And seen it with others

[JustAnotherGen]

53. I remember that post

Just a few months ago right?

Where ARE those people now?

To be honest with you - I'm sure they'll show up eventually.

[1StrongBlackMan]

60. Yep ...

the latest one was a couple months ago.

Where ARE those people now?

Posting on the privilege threads, explaining how there is no such thing as white privilege.

[JustAnotherGen]

61. To be honest 1Strong

They are just being 'truthful' with us by doing that!

[1StrongBlackMan]

65. LITERALLY truthful ...

get it right!

[JustAnotherGen]

89. You naughty!

[DeadLetterOffice]

71. I see what you did there.

Honestly, I do.

[JustAnotherGen]

88. Literally though!

I'm literally being honest!

[sheshe2]

101. TBLH

....

[JustAnotherGen]

104. Hiding this gem in here for all who want to know about To Be Honest

http://www.onlinepsychologydegree.net/why-people-lie

It's a neat visual - and when you scroll down to online liars . . . well . . .

[sheshe2]

108. A gem...

Indeed it is, quite informative.

Thanks JAG.

[dixiegrrrrl]

91. I can share some Irony with you...

I live in the little town that made To Kill a Mockingbird famous.
You know, the story about prejudice...

All red, all the time.
We have a weekly newspaper, republican owned, as it the radio station.

There appeared in the paper...on the front page....at the top of the fold..
a story about the City Council discussing what to do about a new and major problem
the problem being...."people walking around at night".
Specifically, "people" walking around at night after 9 pm ( the unspoken understanding is that all decent people are at home at the hour)
and "walking around" in an area that is known to be ...."mixed".

The story did not identify who these "people" were, altho it did paint an alarming picture of possible ..."mischief".

The following week, the paper informed us that "extra" patrols" would be on hand in the area.
( Meaning, one of the 3 patrol cars, which is not difficult since the area is 2 blocks from the police station)
A forward thinking citizen had mentioned at the City Council meeting that maybe a curfew was needed.
The Mayor announced that any citizens who observed "suspicious activity" or "seeing people walking around at night" should call the police.

I think it is easy to grasp that in these small Southern towns, the lights do go out at 9 pm, mostly.
And coded language is still used, and understood.
It sure got the ladies in my neighborhood clacking and oohing.

[CreekDog]

20. I thought we weren't supposed to call things racist in this group?

remember that thing we were told here?

anyway, I'm glad you ignored that "advice".

and I think it sucks that you were stopped as you were.

[1StrongBlackMan]

27. No ...

We are not suppose to call the racist sh!t that DUer's do, racist.

I doubt either of these cop are regular DU participants; but then, again ...

[CreekDog]

34. oh that makes me feel better

[TygrBright]

21. Serves You Right for Driving While Black...

And I am so, so very sorry that you got whacked with the racism club this way.

We can/should/MUST do better.

disgustedly,
Bright

[1StrongBlackMan]

28. Well, that ...

Serves You Right for Driving While Black...

I explained, I gave Jeeves the morning off ... something about going to a plasma center, then to apply for food stamps.

[steve2470]

23. THIS, my friends, is EXHIBIT A of WHITE PRIVILEGE....

This has never happened to me in 56 years, despite being an imperfect driver who has also driven a brand new car.

FUCKING INFURIATING. I feel so bad for you, 1SBM.

[1StrongBlackMan]

35. GollyGee, up-thread, made a great ...

and instructive observation, along the same lines, that bears repeating:

Anyone who doesn't see that white people have privilege is IMO intentionally not looking. You were the victim of racism, but the pick-up truck driver received privilege.

This should be a "Drop the Mic and walk off the stage" response in any privilege-doubting discussion ... especially on DU; but we know it won't be.

[steve2470]

37. agreed ! nt

[azurnoir]

26. I suspect your 'offense' went even further

not only are you Black, your Black and obviously in a higher income bracket than the cop, who in all likelihood already had your name and address at the time he stopped you, so he knew you lived where he could not afford to, where as Mr good ole boy Nobama, NRA, Marine corps, monster truck was his kind of guy-the kind who White authoritarian types see as being held down by 'Black Privilege' so he decided to remind you who's boss-a phenomenon that as I stated before has gotten way worse since Obama was elected-indicating IMO they are really afraid

[BobbyBoring]

29. Where in AZ r u?

[1StrongBlackMan]

40. Tucson ...

Oro Valley.

[Ilsa]

30. Yeah, a former coworker of mine, African American man,

said he was pulled over several times a month driving home from his downtown Dallas job to north Dallas in his new Volvo. Wearing a suit and tie, short hair, clean cut, he was always careful about keeping his hands on the steering wheel where the damn cops could see them. For some reason, they could never remember that he lived there.

Sounds like this would make a great letter to the editor. I feel for you, having to put up with this shit, especially when they let the redneck assholes do as they wish.

[1StrongBlackMan]

42. No ...

Sounds like this would make a great letter to the editor.

Our local (community) news paper's LTE section is full of former HOA officers turned council people, bickering with current HOA officer wanting to be council people. That, and, I guy complaining about his getting a speeding ticket, even as he admits he was speeding!

[LittleGirl]

66. I Laughed Out Loud

when I read that guy's bitch about getting popped for speeding and the subsequent letters to the editors afterward. Hysterical.

[1StrongBlackMan]

68. I know, huh? ...

So many "special" folks live in this town, where the rules only apply to "them folks."

I don't know how long you've lived in this area; but were you around to read the Comments in The Explorer when they were discussing zoning for the Marketplace?

A lot of, "It will attract 'those folks' into our community" comments.

[LittleGirl]

75. Only 19 months

and I'm not sure about this Marketplace you're speaking of.

I barely watch the local news anymore. It's always the police beat news and frankly, I don't give a damn about that 'news'. Why all these mug shots on the news? With that scarf around their neck too. Silliness. I wasn't this lonely in Germany when I lived there. At least the neighbors there tried to acknowledge you but here, they look the other way.

And we're heading out of town soon. My spouse is not happy here at all and he is waiting on a contract to leave his company so if you wanna meet up, we should do it in the next 30 days. We're keeping the house for now but I will probably fly back and sell it when we get the pool done.

[1StrongBlackMan]

87. Sounds like you or your husband is ex-military ...

Yes ... Arizona can be a very lonely place.

Being from back East (Ohio), one of the first things I notice about Tucson is the lack of community. The housing is built to point entertainment and interaction to backyards, rather than the front of houses. (How many houses have you seen here that have front porches?)

While I am fairly extroverted and have no problem interacting with anyone ... I've noticed a difference. When I first moved in, my neighbor (John) and Mike and Jill across the street, and Eddie and Helga next to them, spoke to me every time we saw each other ... The joke was "Hi, 1SBM! Hi, 1SBM's wife" (she is more introverted); but in recent years, John died, Mike lost his job, then his house, Eddie moved when he and Helga divorced ... now, I can only call the name of my immediate neighbor, even though I have attempt to introduce myself. They just don't seem to want to associate ... a wave, on the way into the house is enough.

[LittleGirl]

93. No, not military at all

Nerds that met on the job. Will have to continue this through PMs as I don't want to discuss more private info here.

We should meet!

[GoneOffShore]

81. Didn't you know that rules are for schmucks?

Sheesh.



Sorry to hear that this happened to you.

And the dash cam idea might be a good one.

[Ilsa]

70. So sorry...

I was hoping your story would wake people up about this. I guess many would rather ignore injustice. And of course, you know your media/LTE situation best.

[LittleGirl]

32. So you travel Oracle Road

in Oro Valley right? Because what you describe sounds like that area. Would love to meet you if so. I think I've seen that truck.

I'm so sorry for you. damn it.

[1StrongBlackMan]

43. Actually, La Canada to Ina to Oracle ...

Magee to Ina is a bigger speed trap then my area.

But I'd be happy to meet you. I'm planning a "Meet the Candidates/Voter Registration Night."

I'm still in discussions (though time is running short), with a Hispanic Advocacy Group and a Poverty Advocacy Group to be co-sponsor. I need/want the other organizations in order to wake candidates up to the numbers of the electorate that they traditionally ignore.

My problem is neither of the organizations will commit unless they get top billing!

[LittleGirl]

45. I knew it! The police patrol Oracle

every day. My husband uses cruise control to keep from speeding on Oracle.

Send me a PM and we'll arrange a meet up!

[1StrongBlackMan]

49. Tell me you don't live in Saddlebrook! eom

[LittleGirl]

56. nope. we

live near Oracle and Hardy.

[1StrongBlackMan]

59. Ahhh ...

I know the area well.

[garagedoor]

33. Please Tell Me

Please tell me you are NOT in SW Ohio! I have the same car and although I am a woman, I can "fit the description" if you get my drift...

[msanthrope]

36. Complain, on paper. I'm serious....call the local station, and

find out who the CO is.

If you don't want to do it I will do it for you. PM me.

[1StrongBlackMan]

47. Too late ...

I know the Police Chief, personally ... after having to deal with this crap previously. The call, and follow up email narrative, what out shortly after I arrived at work this morning.

[msanthrope]

48. Excellent! nt

[1StrongBlackMan]

50. I've never been one to suffer in silence ...

I am unafraid ... ergo, my screen-name.

[Uben]

39. That sucks, but it has happened to me as well.....

..and I'm an old gray haired white dude! I was driving down the interstate near Austin Texas and passed a state trooper who was traveling in the opposite direction. I watched in my rear-view mirror as the cop cut across the median about a mile and a half behind me. Since I had my cruise control set on the speed limit, I assumed he had clocked someone behind me for speeding. He sped up and caught up with me and stayed in my blind spot for about two miles before turning on the lights. I pull over...he had clocked me doing 57 (2 mph over the limit). HE asked me if I was sleepy because he said I had crossed the white line between the lane and the shoulder. I told him no, I had gotten a full nights sleep and was returning from a parent's day function at the university my daughter was attending. Then he proceeded to tell me my window tint was too dark and put his meter on it, which said it was legal. Then he asked me where I worked to afford to drive a 5 yr old Cadillac. I told him I was retired.

Of course, I was as cordial as I could be as he wrote me a warning ticket for the 2 mph over the limit, the legal factory window tint, and for crossing the white line.

He was profiling. He saw a big black Caddie with tinted windows and was determined to pull me over and check me out. Since it was a warning, I didn't really mind, but they shouldn't pull folks over for no reason just because they want to see if you're carrying drugs or something. And when he asked where I was employed, that was the tip-off he was profiling. I know AAs go thru this much more than us old white farts, but sometimes they just target specific vehicles.

[1StrongBlackMan]

52. No doubt ...

He was profiling. He saw a big black Caddie with tinted windows and was determined to pull me over and check me out.

But two things: Even he must know, he has to have Probable Cause BEFORE he initiates the stop and I have successfully argued that the stop started when the officer flipped to follow (at least in Pima County, AZ). (I was fighting an expired registration ticket) But more importantly, that cop has to know, the Brothas and Vato Baller, ain't driving tinted Caddies, no more.

[Uben]

74. My nephew is a state trooper in Texas...

..he tells me the department gets all the proceeds from forfeited cash and assets, and that it is used to purchase equipment and training facilities. No damned wonder they are stopping everyone! Now we know why they have all the damned military equipment.
This forfeiture law has got to go. It corrupts the LEOS.

[JimDandy]

99. + 1000 Forfeiture laws are a corrupting influence on all LEAs. n/t

[yuiyoshida]

41. I would be happy to give this

a Kick and a rec, sir!

[heaven05]

44. BINGO!

Last edited Thu Sep 4, 2014, 02:44 PM - Edit history (1)

Yep, huge pickup guy was............part of the network of people who enjoy white privilege. You won't, ever. Glad you handled yourself well, got no ticket and are not shot dead in the street as a black scary threat to society because of your 2014 Nissan Altima. It's getting worse. Whereas in my area I have not been getting second glances from our local gendarmes. Since the Ferguson execution of Michael Brown, they are starting to look intently at me if I'm driving by. I've got a 95 Honda, they really can't use that suspected drug dealer because of nice new car lie routine for stopping an individual.

I think these type(s) of people in their hearts know that they are racist and still they think they have power to indiscriminately kill, detain, torture people of color and with guns and the sanction of the state, they do. And that sanction is allowed to the citizen(s) like "huge pick up-guy". Spell that zimmerman-pig. Morally they rank with the beast(s) of the fields and they also know that.

Glad you made it big guy.

on edit: interactions in public places seem more restrained/tense. People are feeling this..........racial discord in public.

[pnwmom]

46. This stinks. No doubt about it. Were you uncomfortable asking them,

once it was over, why they had stopped you?

We did this the time we were stopped for no reason, late at night, driving a u-haul. They told us they had been looking for drugs and alcohol (but all they did was glance inside the u-haul -- I guess our stuff didn't look suspicious). Supposedly that highway got a lot of people going through on some east coast route.

[1StrongBlackMan]

55. Not at all ...

I asked twice ... It's part of my "Traffic Stop Tango", the officer just didn't feel the need to answer.

We did this the time we were stopped for no reason, late at night, driving a u-haul. They told us they had been looking for drugs and alcohol (but all they did was glance inside the u-haul -- I guess our stuff didn't look suspicious). Supposedly that highway got a lot of people going through on some east coast route.

You're going to make me explain why I will NEVER, ever, ever, again, drive anywhere in Texas ... It involved a late model Mercedes Benz, I-10 and three separate officers, in three separate parts of the state.

[pnwmom]

57. Tell us your Texas story, please. I have relatives there

and I frequently send them cautionary articles that I'm sure they don't much appreciate.

The police in some towns use car stops to shake down the occupants. In other cases, they stop young women so they can sexually assault them. I worry all the time about my nieces driving there.

[hamsterjill]

63. I hope you got their names and badge numbers.

And included that information in your report to the captain (as indicated up post).

[1StrongBlackMan]

67. Funny ...

none of the stops re in Texas "resulted in tickets, so no report was generated", or so I was told at the time.

I understand the get their name and badge number; but consider, the safest strategy for PoC (and young, white, tattooed males) is to look straight ahead and speak as little as possible. Looking straight avoids the "You eyeballing me, boy" and/or "his eyes appeared fully dilated" escalation pretexts ... and silence avoids the "belligerent suspect" and/or "slurred speech" pretexts.

[logosoco]

51. That ain't right.

And here i was reading along thinking, oh, that jerk is going to get his! How naive I am!

I am sorry this happened to you. When I get waylaid, (although not for those reasons) I try to tell myself something bad was going to happen up the road and the universe put a block in my way to avoid it.

This also makes me very sad because my son is in Tanzania, Africa right now as a teacher. He has been treated with respect and kindness (also the kids there love Obama and asked him if he had met him!). I don't think it is because of white privilege, I think it is because they aren't a bunch of a-holes like we have too much of here.

I hope the rest of your day was nice!

[SheilaT]

54. I can't begin to imagine

what life is like for someone who is constantly guilty of Driving While Black.

I'm a sixty-something year old white lady with undyed gray hair, and every time I get pulled over all I ever get is a nice warning. Apparently even to the (largely Hispanic because this is NM) cops I look enough like mom or grandma that they just can't find it in themselves to ticket me. I am VERY aware of my privilege here, and try never to abuse it.

When my sons were first learning to drive, I told them that they'd get tickets that I wouldn't because of being young males, even if white. Profiling absolutely goes on.

It is beyond infuriating that someone could pull such blatantly illegal maneuvers right in front of the cops and not get ticketed. Maybe, just maybe the driver was someone known to them who himself holds some sort of position of privilege (father in the department?) that there's just no point in pulling him over.

[TygrBright]

62. Asshat in Pickup Truck Was Probably One of Their Kids. Or Bros. n/t

[jtuck004]

73. Or just didn't look "Black". That's enough for a pass right there in most cases. n/t

[Flatulo]

76. Congratulations on still being alive.

As much as I am terrified of getting pulled over by the police due to my (legal) use of prescription pain meds, at least I know it won't happen randomly, and I won't be approached with such suspicion.

It must take nerves of steel to get through an encounter with the police while black without breaking into a sweat.

[Enthusiast]

77. Sad.

Almost sounds like they might have staged that little episode for your benefit.

I couldn't stand it, being pulled over all the time for no good reason. Sucks!

Good luck.

[hedgehog]

78. It wasn't just a humiliating (and possibly dangerous) inconvenience for you

it meant that the jerk in the pick-up kept on driving, a hazard to every other driver on the road.

[marym625]

82. Just want to cry

Obviously, the DoJ investigating Ferguson makes zero difference to "law enforcement"

Sorry

[Jakes Progress]

83. I told this story to some friends a work.

Three white guys and a black guy.

The three white guys were livid. They couldn't understand why you didn't go off on the cops. They proceeded to tell me what they would tell that asshole policeman, how they would call their councilman and get butts in trouble. The black guy just shook his head almost imperceptibly.

The white guys are all reliable Democrats. But this is an example of white privilege not seeing that they are privileged. They are guys that would have gotten out of the car and defended you in the streets, but they don't understand why they can do this in our society and you can't.

I'll talk to them about it. Maybe this example would help.

[1StrongBlackMan]

84. I've had two instances where I've had to explain ...

the differences in reactions between what Black folk do and what white folks WOULD do; both, hinge on the difference between it actually happening to you.

When in law school, my favorite Crim. Pro. Professor ... a guy I like a lot and I've turned up bottles with, was lecturing on "Probable Cause Stops." As an aside, he tossed out that you (the driver) has every right to refuse a search, whether or not one has something to hid. He, then, added: "Of course the Officer will either call in the dogs; or arrest you, and conduct an Inventory Search." To that, I responded: "But therein is the rub ... there is NEVER a time that I, as a Black man, will give law enforce a reason to arrest me. An arrest record is a career killer for PoC professions."

He immediately understood my point.

The second incident, a white co-worker told me that he never answers police officers' questions directly, rather he gives smart assed answers, like if asked, "where he was headed", he would respond "That way!"

Again, I told him that the point of every PoC's contact with police is to avoid being arrested. To not know this, is to not know a PoC's reality.

[Shrike47]

90. One of my best friends in law school, a white guy, was continuously stopped by the police.

Their profile, whatever it was, screamed 'perp!' the minute they saw him. At least twice while I was there, the cops put him up against the wall because a crime had occurred in the vicinity. Several more times they stopped him to chat. If there was a group of us, cops would single him out. I saw him get stopped while driving at least twice (no ticket or anything, but stop and talk).

After law school, he went to work as a Deputy D.A. in Washington state. I always wondered how that worked out.

[Jakes Progress]

105. I got stopped back in the sixties.

Long hair. I got taken in at two protests. Never got a record. I may have been an irritant, but I was white so I could get away with that kind of thing.

[NOLALady]

109. "Several more times they stopped him to chat."

Possibly, he was working for/with them.

[kwassa]

110. well, Johnnie Cochran started out as a Deputy DA for the city of Los Angeles ....

went into private practice and made a fortune out of suing police, particularly the LAPD. Johnnie made millions for himself and his clients off the stupidity and racism of the Los Angeles Police Department.

All before OJ.

[wryter2000]

86. Holy crap

I wish I could say I'm surprised, but sadly, I'm not.

[PatrickforO]

92. I'm so sorry.

I'm a white male, 55 and pretty conservative looking. I will never know, or face this kind of thing. It sickens me that you do. The idea that you were pulled over when some redneck who broke all kinds of laws was allowed to get off scot-free without even being stopped while you were is a sad commentary on racial profiling.

Seems like institutional racism is still alive and well, because clearly these cops felt you were committing a crime by driving to work while being black.

What you go through every day is wrong. Please do realize there are many who don't feel that way, and support a new civil rights movement. Power never concedes anything without being forced by massive civil disobedience.

[Quayblue]

94. my husband has been pulled over at least 15 times here

We have been in upstate NY 2 years this month. None of these stops have resulted in tickets.

People have got the game all twisted if they can't see this shit for what it really is.

[locdlib]

95. Now, now, 1SBM you know better than to go making eye contact with the good ole boys.

You know they had to be thinking you're all "uppity" and stuff. I can't stand this country. Those good ole boy types have it out for anybody who "don't look right to them." Trust me, they have absolutely networked to make us black/brown people pay because the way they see it, they have got to "take the country back" from us. What happened to you just further illustrates and confirms what I've known for a while: Real crimes are being taking place right in their faces and they will look the other way at a black/brown person whose only "crime" is being black/brown, and sweat them. This country is the biggest fucking joke on the planet.

[Kablooie]

96. Sounds like your crime was watching a conservative white man break the law.

Not acceptable in today's free democratic America.

[dflprincess]

97. My nephew and his friend were recently driving through a local suburb

my nephew is a pasty faced Irish guy in his 30s, his friend is also in his 30s and not a pasty faced Irish guy.

Let me stress - my nephew was the driver - and he notices a cop behind him. No worries, not speeding, they hadn't been drinking but all of a sudden the lights go on. Nephew pulls over and the cop finally saunters up to the RIDER'S window and asks for his friend's iD. Never asks nephew for any information.

Nephew was shocked, sadly his friend was not. His friend says he doesn't get stopped too often for no reason - unless he's driving his mother's Cadillac (his mother does not get stopped when she drives it because she is white). Though the friend did say it was the first time he's been stopped for "riding while Black".

[brewens]

98. Had to be a cop driving the pickup. He knew the "Poncherello's". Seems "right" to me! LOL n/t

[alittlelark]

100. ...........

[Spitfire of ATJ]

102. "something just does seem right"

What didn't seem right to them was a "strong black man" in a shiny new car.

[JustAnotherGen]

112. I'm kicking this up

Do you know why?

In this time of Income Inequality is the be all and end all . . .

Some folks at DU need to understand why the conversations that take place in black spaces regarding bigotry, prejudice, and racism towards black folks - include ALL black Americans.

Not just the poor. Not just the working poor. Not just the middle class. All of us.

Maybe this is why I'm tone deaf about conversations about the MIC, oligarchs, plutocrats, TBTB, etc etc.

In this case 1Strong - you survived.

Had you been arrested - you could afford the best defense that money can buy.

IF you had been arrested.

IF you survived the traffic stop.

[1StrongBlackMan]

113. But none of that is understandable ... You know why? ...

Because the MIC, oligarchs, plutocrats, TBTB, etc etc. AND the 3rd way!

[JustAnotherGen]

114. I knew I forgot something more important than your life!

The Third Way!

Oh what world what a world!

[Tarheel_Dem]

125. ^^^^ THIS ^^^^

[randys1]

116. Oh, maybe this is your problem

http://www.democraticunderground.com/128048396


you dont know enough about Bernie, and it is your JOB to find out

[JustAnotherGen]

117. He's in for a rude awakening that poster

I have the entire group on trashed threads! sigh* IF he wins the nomination I'll pay attention to him - but not until then.

He has to earn my attention by being a winner!

[Starry Messenger]

118. Unreal.

[Tarheel_Dem]

126. Contrary to what the poster says, I think we already know BS when we hear it. Not feeling the Bern.

[treestar]

115. Didn't he even allege a violation ?

And it sounds like right winger in truck did, so the town could have gotten some revenue.

Dumb racists. Maybe they are afraid to deal with a vehicle sporting an NRA sticker. More likely to have to actually deal with a gun.

[1StrongBlackMan]

120. Nope ...

not even a hint at an alleged violation.

Dumb racists. Maybe they are afraid to deal with a vehicle sporting an NRA sticker. More likely to have to actually deal with a gun.

But sadly, many would (and I starting to believe, including here on DU) argue that these cops weren't "racist" because the cops didn't call me racist names.

(But then, it's been a bad couple of weeks for DU, regarding racism)

[treestar]

121. they are because they pulled over 1StrongBlackMan for nothing

while letting NRA boy wheel up and down the road violating the laws.

That must have been awful getting pulled over when you were thinking it had to be that other guy they were after.

[1StrongBlackMan]

122. Actually, and sadly, that no longer bothers me much anymore ...

It bothers me far more when liberals tell me that economic justice will cure this.

[treestar]

123. It obviously won't, since you came from a subdivision in a nice car

That is quite totally obvious, as in the case of Oprah - she's even rich.

[1StrongBlackMan]

124. This I know ...

But I (and JAG) am constantly told different ... mostly by white liberals (but also by self-identifying PoC, that didn't feel the need to self-identify until recently).

[JustAnotherGen]

130. Plus 1000

[lovemydog]

119. That sucks.

Yes, it's endemic nationwide.

[tymorial]

127. :(

I'm sorry. This is just horrible.

[leftofcool]

131. It figures! Stupid cops, stupid redneck drivers but pull over the Black guy.