The Point at Which I Pull the “Race Card”
Published: June 17, 2010
I respect authority in many forms: God-given, parental, spiritual, governmental, you name it. I was raised to respect those with authority over me and I truly appreciate those who serve to ensure my safety on a consistent basis.
That said, despite a number of circumstances that should determine I do the opposite, I even respect police officers. However, I must say, my patience is wearing thin.
I would be lying if I said that all of my encounters with law enforcement have been positive. They haven't been. In reality, the fact that I have even had multiple experiences is sad enough, but what's worse is how mind numbingly irritating and humiliating 75% of my encounters have been. If you've even read one week's worth of content on this site, you know me, and it's clear I'm not into crying "victimhood". Similarly, I'm not generally prone to jump on the "black injustice" bandwagon, so forgive me in advance, but today I am completely frustrated with law enforcement, their pre-conceived notions of who the "criminals" are, and their completely self-regulatory nature and extreme lack of checks and balances.
If you want to know why I have a hesitancy to co-sign on the "racial profiling is a really good thing" declaration? Because I have zero convictions that the aforementioned statement is either true or ethical. Experience has led me to believe that our enforcement of it is highly, and I mean highly suspect.
To put it bluntly, I am taxpaying citizen with absolutely no criminal record, moving violations, let alone even an overdue library book who is quite sick and tired, and tired of being sick (and tired too) of being pulled over, harassed, and spoken to like I have zero intelligence by some of the low-life power tripping insecure ninnies that call themselves police officers. It is getting ridiculous.
I am certain that there are some folks who never grew up having "the talk" with their parents about proper police officer-pulling-over-etiquette. Maybe that's just a "black family" thing. Maybe not. Who knows really. One would think that with us having exited the era of Jim Crow, such conversations would be entirely unnecessary. In come, our jacked-up United States mentalities. Point being, I have long been trained on how to handle myself in completely unjustified situations with law enforcement.
Don't make sudden movements. Keep your hands close to or near the steering wheel. As a woman, if you're driving alone and it's dark outside, don't ever get out of the car--even if the police officer asks you to. Request to drive to a location where there will be witnesses. Don't get smart mouthed (even if the man's uncouth behavior is deserving of backtalk).
These are the fundamentals I remember from my semi-yearly reminder discussions with my mom. Sad huh? And I'm only a black woman. My brother got an entirely different speech.
And maybe if this were some hokey after school special I could say something to the likes of, "The police officer was just doing his job." Right. Let's outline this so-called "job" and re-cap some of my experiential chronology.
A Police Officer's Job Description:
- Excuse all the other high school students (none of which were doing anything wrong) on account of the fact that they go to the well-established white "prep school". Nevermind that they all get high behind the school during lunchtime.
- Don't assume the fact that I go to the same "prep school" because after all, I don't have that "look".
- Pull over a 16-year-old girl for going 6 miles per hour over the speed limit on the highway and inform her that you don't think she even has enough money to pay a speeding ticket.
- Pull over a 17-year-old girland her brother, doing nothing wrong, on their way to get ice cream and harass them about their destination. As if the two of them are really going to Baskin & Robbins for ice cream. Right. Sounds suspicious.
- Flash your spotlight on a parked car in an apartment complex and demand to see the identification of an 18-year-old girl and her best friend who are simply sitting in the car, having a nighttime discussion about the Bible. Because of course, whoever talks about the Bible without cocaine nearby?
- Lastly, flash your lights at a 23-year-old girl and her best friend who are parked in a restaurant parking lot talking. Do so for no apparent reason. Send another car with flashing lights for back up (and further humiliation). Usurp authority and demand to see both the driver and passenger's identification, insurance, and registration. Find spotless records on the computer. Feel stupid for having pulled over squeaky clean citizens. Try to make small talk with them as you completely humiliate them for no good reason. Have your partner ask them what church they go to stall your further search for some sort of "dirt" on the trusty computer. Leave with your tail between your legs because you acted like a Biblical donkey.
Those are just a few. You've seen my picture, do I look like a criminal to you? How's about our law enforcement officials go out there and fight some real crime? They can start by busting up that white collar crack house a few blocks from where they flashed their lights at me.
What a waste of my tax dollars.
Ambra Nykol is a columnist for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Soundpolitics.com, Seaspot magazine and Modestly Yours. She owns and blogs at nykola.com where she's been bothering people since 1981.
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Barrett
October 13, 2010
“Ambra”
I thank you for your honesty. I have too along with many of my friends and relatives been harased by law enforsement. It is easy to laugh it off later but when it’s happening it’s awful. An old friend of mine shared with me last week about when he was 16 while being pulled over he reached under his seat and was almost shot. He told me it took both the policman and him some time to recover.The policeman was in tears. My friend was reaching for his insurance papers.
I’m 49 now and have friends retired and work in law enforcement. It’s a tough job. most of them carry scares. whats that about judging and shoes?
Again thanks
Barrett