It was late at night. Last February. I was sleeping. My husband was coming home from the city. The trains were running crazy, so he had to jump off about 10 blocks away from our crib and walk home late at night alone. Nothin unusual for a New Yorker. But nonetheless, he called me and woke me up. His voice sounded stressed. I knew something was wrong and I got alert QUICKLY. Baby, I need you to wake up, he said directly. Ok, Im up. Whats wrong? Where are you???? He told me he was walking down the street of our Bed Stuy neighborhood in Brooklyn. Some white cops are in a police car following me with the lights off. My heart stopped. I saw a hundred scenarios pass into my mind. That sounded like the same thing gangs did in my hometown when they were about to rob you. This was gang-behavior. Do you have your hood on or off? I asked with trepidation. I shouldnt have had to ask. It was cold as hell and he needed every bit of his clothing. I just took it off. And Im trying to keep my hands visible and show that this is a cell phone as Im talking to you. I just need you to know where I am and whats going on in case shit goes wrong. And I held my breath until he walked in the door unharmed. Thank God. Another time he was in Brooklyn waiting at a bus stop late at night, it went a little differently. Again just minding his business and heading into the city at night. **** I almost- right here in the middle of typing- explained why he was going anywhere at night.... as if that needed to be explained. As if it would help, somehow, for my readers to understand that he did nothing to warrant police harassment. Like the reason of him being Black and male isnt valid enough. Someone out there needs more explanation. But Im not going to be the one to give it. The explanation needed is not from the hunted. It is our government and criminal justice system that needs to do the explaining. Ask them.*** I digress... hed been through this before. Police officers treating him like hed committed a crime for standing still. They were looking for reasons to provoke his fire. He made it out alive then as well, but not as smoothly. This is a continuing tale. Just as the man in this video lives to tell his side of the story and is only believed because there was footage....imagine the many many of us who have known violence and have had no one to bear witness. And imagine still after we bear witness that there is no justice. How do you expect anyone to stay sane in times of judicial insanity? And how can we, police or civilian who are on the side of the people, not be outraged at the systemic bullying going on? No one said all police are crooked. But those that are on the side of the people can do more to challenge the system that they are a part of. In fact, perhaps we all can. This video proves another matter, not just white fear in policing black communities, but --- and this is where our convo has not deepened socially yet---- provoking and bullying those communities for a particular agenda. #onlyjustbeginning #urgentmatters #newjimcrow
Posted on: Tue, 06 Jan 2015 17:53:57 +0000
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