My personal experience with stupid, racist police officers:

[Minimus]

I am a white female and 20 some years ago I was living in Atlanta, GA attending school. I lived in a apartment with a couple of other white females and our downstairs neighbors were two black males about our same age. We were neighborly with one another, spoke when we saw each other in the parking lot and on more than one occasion when us girls needed help with something we could not do alone(i.e. move something heavy, etc.) the guys from downstairs would always help.

One night I was driving home from a night out - it was very late, probably in the early morning hours - I saw my neighbors walking down the street. We were quite far away from the apartment complex and I pulled over and offered them a ride. They both worked at the same place, had car trouble, and no busses were running so they were very happy that I just happened to be driving by.

Not long after the two young men got in my car, and we were preceding down the road, a police officer passed us by going in the opposite direction. We noticed he braked and one of the guys said "Uh oh". I did not think anything of it because I was not speeding and I was not intoxicated but the police car did turn around and started following us. Both guys got very nervous but I kept saying what's the big deal - I've done nothing wrong. The next thing I know the police car put on his lights for me to pull over which I promptly did - then all of a sudden another police car comes screeching to a halt in front of my car.

The police officer in the original car behind us got out to come to my window and the police officer in the newly arrived car stepped out of his car and put his hand on his gun. Now I am thinking "what the heck is going on here." The officer at my window asked me if everything was all right and I said yes and explained I was on my way home and had ran into my neighbors and offered them a ride.

It was amazing to see the police officer's whole demeanor change - he went from being concerned for me to being hostile toward me in a matter of seconds. It was like when he realized that the black men were actually acquaintances that I invited into my car, I became a different person to him. The whole time he is talking to me the other police officer is just standing there with his hand on his holstered gun.

Like I said - I was not drunk and I was not speeding so he did his best to find something to cite me for. He finally came up with no proof of insurance coverage. I had an out of state tag and license and tried to tell him that in the state I was from we did not have to carry proof of coverage that just having the license was proof. He gave me a ticket with my court date and he and the other officer left.

I got back in the car and my neighbors kept apologizing to me that they caused me to get a ticket. They said that a white girl should not be giving two black guys a ride. I was livid that I had been stopped for no reason and that these two nice young men felt guilty for doing absolutely nothing wrong. I could not believe the police officer became such a complete ass once he realized that I was not in any danger. I also could not believe that police back-up had been called and the other officer stood there with his hand on his holstered gun the whole time.

When I got back to my apartment and relayed the story to my roommates one of them that was born and raised in GA said "welcome to the South".

The next day I called my parents so they could send me proof of insurance coverage for my court date and when I told my father what happened he was pissed off at the blatant racism the police officer had exhibited. He asked for all of the officer's information from my ticket and took it to his next door neighbor in Maryland. My father's neighbor just happened to be a MD State Trooper and he was black. The neighbor made some phone calls and actually ended up speaking with the GA police officer's supervisor. The supervisor explained than when his officer saw a young white girl driving in a car late at night with two black men that he was concerned for my safety so pulled me over to check on me.

Okay - just maybe (I stress maybe) the police officer was concerned for my safety but when he questioned me and I explained all was well why did his whole attitude change? Why did he have to give me a ticket for something as idiotic as no proof of insurance. What was the reason for calling for a back up officer to stand there with his hand on his weapon?

The officer was simply a racist. He did not like the fact that I was a white girl giving my black neighbors a ride.

I went to court and the old southern white judge was actually very nice. He saw that I was on my parent's USAA insurance policy (at that time only military officers could have USAA insurance) and asked about my father's military service. He told me I was a visitor to in his state of GA and apologized for the inconvenience that getting that ticket caused. He dismissed the case.

I do not know if anything was ever said to the police officer that cited me. I do hope his supervisor had words with him but I kind of doubt it.

It was an eye opening experience for me. Even though my parent's were born and raised in the south (NC) they are Quakers and equal rights has always been important to them. We traveled the country during my father's 25 years in the Navy. We were always taught everyone was equal no matter their religion, race, or creed. We lived in California, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland to name a few and I guess I was not exposed to racism.

I was so amazed that in the 1980's that a police officer could be such a racist and be so stupid and I am very saddened that over 20 years later that this type of police officer still exists.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

1. Good story - and, yes,

welcome not just to The South. After all, Cambridge is in Massachusetts.

You reminded me of an incident in a hotel room in Philadelphia. I was there to represent my client, who was an older black man. I am a white female.

We were in my hotel room, going over what needed to be done next, we got hungry, ordered from room service, and when it arrived, my client insisted on getting the tip and thanking the guy who brought the food.

I happened to glance up from the bed where I was sitting, papers and files all around me - there were two king-sized beds in my room - and I saw the face of the waiter. He gave me such a dirty look, I've never forgotten it.

All he saw was a white woman in a hotel room with a black man.

Welcome to Philadelphia in the 1980s................

[Madrone]

7. Nope - not just the south.

Chicago. In the 90s.

I lived in Kalamazoo MI and worked for an organization that took care of independently living developmentally disabled adults. One of the staff in the house I worked at and I became very good friends. He was black.

An amazing kid. Grew up in Chicago's infamous Cabrini Green, came to Kalamazoo to live with his aunt when he was 13. So illiterate he could barely speak, so he said. When I knew him he was 19, in college, and working two full time jobs. He drove a firebird he LOVED. He was intelligent, focused, and driven. Didn't party, but loved the ganja. We hung out ALL the time, and I had nothing but respect for him. He was truly on his own, and he was DOING IT.

He went back to Chicago to visit family one weekend, and he and his cousin were on the highway, driving somewhere. 5-0 rolls up behind and pulls them over. Yells at them to get out of the car, with their guns drawn. My friend was forced to stand on the side of the highway, in broad daylight, drop trou, and lift his nutsack. The cops were looking for drugs, I guess. When he started to protest about what the cop was making him do he was told "If you don't like the way we do things in CHICAGO you need to keep your ass in Kalamazoo!"

When he got back home and told me what had happened I was LIVID. I was ready to start making phone calls, whatever it would take to see justice served for my friend. He told me that it would just be his word against the cop's, and nothing would ever be done anyway. It was what it was, and he wanted to move on. After thinking about it I knew he was right, and I felt sad and defeated. I also have never forgotten that little glimpse into life in america - when you're black.

[bobbolink]

19. "I felt sad and defeated"---Learned Helplessness, is the name of that process.

And that is exactly what happens..... enough times of a experience like that, with NO HOPE OF RESOLUTION, and anyone will develop that Learned Helpelessness.

Yet, so many others can't ---or won't---- understand what this does to people.

In another thread like this, I got that old crap about "seeing what isn't there".... and just dumbfounds me that educated people in this day and age can still think like that. It makes me want to just give up.

What's also instructive is how we muddle-class white folks learn this the hard way.... and it's such a sh0ck. We haven't learned the street smarts of how to handle it.

I can tell you that this is what homeless people----of all races!---are now experiencing, and there is NO SUPPORT when it happens. There is nobody to go to, and people who have historically faced prejudice are just as likely not to see the prejudice when it comes to homeless people.

It is very isolating.

Thank you for sharing this story. This is the one good thing that came out of Gates ordeal.... we are talking about it more openly.

[Madrone]

30. I truly feel that most peoples ignorance is just that.

Ignorance. They've never been challenged to expand beyond their insulated world view.

I consider myself very fortunate. I've experience a number of cultures - but I grew up very insulated. When I was 18 I started working at a store (Meijer, for anyone who knows it) that had a number of gay men on staff. For a number of years I was the girl that hung out with all the gay guys. It helps that I ask VERY intimate questions - truly trying to understand all sides of an issue, and a persons feelings on things. Anyway - that experience brought me up close and personal with fun, non-important things like gay bars and drag shows, big gay birthday parties with male strippers, and being FABULOUS. It also brought me up close and personal with heart-wrenching, important things like watching people I cared about die of aids, the effect it had on their SOs, and how families ostracize those among them that dare stop hiding who they ARE.

My best friend in highschool was half mexican, half hillbilly. I was immersed in the mexican culture that came from her father's side of the family, and got to experience the hillbilly side doing things like coon hunting with her VERY hillbilly uncle. Some of the best times of my life were those times in the middle of the night running the coon dogs (Dixie Bell and Panama Red) walking through swamps and woods while smoking cigarretes and drinking beer. My mom would have shit herself, had she known. lol

During another number of consecutive years I hung around all black people. I had a couple of roommates, one after another, that were black. I was the ONLY white person in the groups we ran with. I dated a few black men. I asked honest questions, received honest answers, and had a complete and total blast doing it.

I have learned a lot from other people, not like myself. I learned, most importantly, that we weren't so different. I learned to appreciate the things that were different. I learned to see the world through the eyes of another and to understand that if their experiences were unlike mine they were no less TRUE or relevant.

I consider myself VERY fortunate to have had the experiences I've had, and I think I'm a better person because of them. The three examples above are but a few of the things I've learned by stepping outside my own experience.

One of the things I find lacking in my current life is diversity. I greatly miss it, and look forward to someday having it again. I don't live in a very diverse place any more, and it's a small town on top of it. Not much diversity to be found.

[bobbolink]

37. You're fortunate, but More..... you dared to learn from others.

Think what this nation would have been had they/we chosen to LEARN from the Africans.

Think what this nation would have been had they/we chosenn to LEARN from the Indians.

Think what this nation would have been had they/we chosen to LEARN fron the Hawaiians.

THINK WHAT THIS NATION WOULD BE IF WE CHOOSE TO LEARN FROM POOR AND HOMELESS PEOPLE!

[tavalon]

15. When I lived in Austin, I was dating a black man (who is still a really good friend)

and we had an agreement whenever we traveled outside of Austin not to hold hands or do any PDA. A black man could get killed in Texas for messing with a white woman - this in the nineties!

As an aside, I got some really nasty looks from black women when I was out with him in Austin. He told me it was because he was supposed to be dating black women and that they felt I was stealing him from them. He's never before or since dated a black woman so I think they were sadly mistaken on that stealing thing.

[Number23]

16. Wow. Us black women really dodged a bullet!

He's never before or since dated a black woman so I think they were sadly mistaken on that stealing thing.

How will our community go on with the loss of such an (obviously) wonderful man??? This one sounds like a real prince among brothers. We'll miss him!!

((Playing Taps as I do a 21-afro pick salute))

[Liberal_in_LA]

22. lol n/t

[tavalon]

23. It's not a dislike on his part

Our community has a dearth of black people (I've often wondered why poly doesn't seem to attract blacks. I haven't come up with an answer). Besides his family, he only knows a few black people so it isn't like there is a pool for him to pick from. Sure, he could have chosen to find a black community but he hasn't and I don't particularly know why. I never thought to ask. I know he sticks really tightly to the poly community as I do.

I tried to phrase that in a way that wouldn't piss anybody off. I should have realized that was an impossibility.

[Number23]

25. You certainly didn't piss me off. Brothers like him are no loss, imho.

[tavalon]

26. He's a great guy

Nobody is going to catch him, though. He's a pretty well confirmed bachelor.

[tavalon]

27. So, I have a question for you

Is there some unwritten rule that black people are supposed to date and marry fellow blacks? I know in the poly community, many of us stick to our own because it's just less drama. There's a smaller pool to pick from but they understand, at least. Is it the same with blacks?

[Number23]

28. It's my personal belief that people should be free to love whoever they heck they want to

I've always believed that.

But for a member of a marginalized group to go out of his way and repeatedly pick people as mates who are not a member of that group, that's an entirely different story. That speaks to a number of issues, none of which are good or speak that highly about how he views himself or his culture.

By the way, what is the "poly" community that you're mentioning?

[tavalon]

31. Polyamorous - reponsible non-monogamists

We're a sexual minority with similar discrimination issues to LGBT. He tends to stick to that community as I do, and in both Austin and Seattle, there are very few blacks in the community. I'm not sure why that is. So, he isn't discriminating against his race, he's keeping himself within his chosen group which happens to have few blacks in it. Except for the issue around being careful outside of Austin, we rarely talk about race issues, which, just now, strikes me as odd. It never occurred to me before.

[Number23]

32. "we rarely talk about race issues, which, just now, strikes me as odd."

:) Based on what you've just told me about this man, I'm not surprised about this in the least. In fact, I'd have been shocked if you HAD discussed issues of race with him. Race doesn't seem to be something this dude seems to be all that happy or comfortable dealing with, including his own.

Thanks for the info about polyamorous communities. That was kind of you to explain.

[tavalon]

33. Sure

Thanks for engaging in the conversation.

[MrScorpio]

2. Thank you very much for telling us about what happened to you

For a lot us, this is what America is about

[G_j]

3. unfortunately, not that unusual story

but by telling it, one is able to get a feeling of how sad & humiliating it must have been for those young men.


thank you

[Minimus]

4. I could not believe they kept apologizing to me for just riding in my car.

As much as I tried to tell them they had done nothing wrong - they still felt bad for accepting a ride from me.

After my court date they were very happy to hear no fine or anything was charged - but still apologized that I had to take a day off to go to court.

They were very nice young men and good neighbors.

[G_j]

5. & apologizing for being themselves

:-(

[SeattleGirl]

6. It does, sadly, still exist. I live in a racially mixed neighborhood, which

I like, having essentially grown up in a small, white-bread town.

One night, I went to the grocery store, and then decided to go to the liquor store, which was in the same complex. There were three African Americans standing near the front door of the liquor store, but I thought nothing of it, as there are often people standing around chewing the fat. I got to the door, and went to push it open, but it was locked. There were several people inside, along with the clerks, and it was several hours before closing time, so I couldn't figure out why the door was locked.

Then I noticed that just inside the door, there was a white police officer. I looked at the three people standing outside, and asked if the store was closed early for some reason. They said, "No, but you know they just can't let too many of our kind in there at once." It hit me, then, what was going on, and I got really angry. (I'm white, if you had not guessed by now.) I said, "Well, hell, why don't they just cut out the middle man, and put a 'Whites Only' sign up?"

I went to the door, and knocked on it. The officer unlocked and opened it, and I asked him why the door was locked. He said something about needing to control how many people came into the store. Bullshit! The store has the capacity to hold more than 6 people. The ONLY times before that, that I had seen cops in the store, was on Christmas Eve and New Years Eve, and there are so many people who go there on those nights, the crowd COULD exceed capacity, so I understand monitoring it on those two nights. But it wasn't anywhere near those nights.

I said to the cop, "Do you realize what kind of message this sends to this neighborhood?" Well, his tone of voice changed to a "now, don't you worry your little head about it" tone, and that pissed me off even more. I got even angrier, but did manage to keep myself from cussing him out, which I was sorely tempted to do.

He wasn't done, though. He then said, "Well, you can come in if you want." WHAT??? Let the white woman in while the 3 black people who had been there before me had to keep waiting to get in? I said no, these gentlemen were here first, and so you need to let them in. Cop looked at me, and then motioned for the three men to come in. He locked the door again, and after a bit, let me in. After I paid for my purchase, I went back up to him and asked him why he had locked the door. He said there had been a shooting in the parking lot the night before, and he was protecting the clerks. I said, well, if that's your reason, then why isn't the grocery store being guarded like this too? He had no answer.

I got back into my car, and burst into tears, partly because what I had witnessed hurt, and partly because I was so angry about the whole thing.

That was over a year ago, and I will say, those doors have never been locked during business hours again.

It still disgusts me to think about it though.

[BlueGADawg]

8. Sorry, no way...

Okay, I've just got to call BS on this(at least as how it was told). Unless the cop observed the guys actually getting in your car (maybe thinking you were carjacked) or he was driving down the road shining a spotlight into your car, there is no way a police officer just driving by is going to see the occupants inside a car at night. You can barely see into a car in the daytime due to the reflection off the glass, much less at night when it is dark.

I have lived in Atlanta all my life and I know there are plenty of racist assholes here, but the way this story was told I've got to call bullshit on it. Something else caused you to get pulled over, not just some cop passing you driving down the road. Carjacking was a big thing here in the late 80's/ early 90's, so if they saw a couple of black guys getting into your car, they may have thought the worst depending on where you were in Atlanta. As far as proof of insurance, you have to have it in Ga. or you get a ticket. You can't renew your license plate without it. If you can show in court you had it at the time of your citation, you usually get off. If you are here from out of state attending school you are still considered a resident since you are here for approximately nine months and should have changed your license plate and drivers license (my out of state college roommate went through this after a ticket)to reflect the fact you are living here most of the time.

What really happened that caused you to get pulled over? I totally don't doubt the attitude of the cop when he saw a white girl with a couple of black guys in the car- despite the whole "Atlanta, The City Too Busy To Hate" BS- there are plenty of racist assholes here and it wouldn't surprise me at all.

[Minimus]

9. Sorry you don't believe me but I told it exactly as it happened.

The police officer passed from the other direction so I do not believe he saw the guys get in my car. I was on a well lit residential street and the speed limit was 35mph or less so it would not be impossible for a passing car to see occupants inside.

I was not required to get a GA license or change my car registration while attending school - my car was actually registered to my parents and I was listed as a driver on their insurance policy. In MD we did not have to carry proof of insurance - if you did not have insurance you did not get a license or a tag. I do not know if this is still the case. I was not aware of GA's policy when I went to school there but I do know ignorance of the law is no excuse so my bad on that part. The judge agreed I was just a visitor to the state of GA and dismissed the charge.

I did nothing to get pulled over - I was not speeding, weaving, etc. I did not have a tail light out nor anything else wrong with my car.

I am not sure why you feel the need to call BS on my story - but if it makes you feel good then hey, call BS all you want. Just what do you think I gain by posting a BS story on DU?

I really do not care if you believe me or not. There are always the contrarians that feel it is necessary to put in their 2-cents and try to dispute what others post - as if they are the know-alls, be-alls of discussion forums. All I say to that is "whatever".

[Hansel]

29. You don't need to explain.

The poster was out of line and owes you an apology.

I've had similar experiences with the police and I live in Minnesota. Also, I have no trouble whatsoever seeing into the cars in front of me at night and making out silhouettes of who is in them. I have no problem whatsoever believing your post.

[Minimus]

34. Thanks!

It is baffling to me that someone would dispute my story. For what purpose?

But I guess that is just part of posting on anonymous message boards.

[Strong Atheist]

36. Belated Welcome to DU!

:toast:

[paulsby]

10. obama thinks crowley is neither stupid nor racist

only people wholly ignorant of the facts of this case could draw any conclusion that crowley has any racist bone in his body. for pete's sake.

[SeattleGirl]

11. So we should all just shut the fuck up, huh?

Many of the conversations I'm seeing on this board were inspired by, but not necessarily about, what happened with Crowley and Gates.

This thread was one of them.

[paulsby]

12. no, you should rely on evidence and reason

not unsupported assertions and racist assumptions. that's how adults assess issues. hth

[bobbolink]

17. Ron Reagan READ the evidence last night on the radio.

Too bad you didn't hear it, because you're such a good example of an "adult"

Judgemental.

[EFerrari]

18. You still haven't reviewed Obama's statements, I see. n/t

[CakeGrrl]

20. Could be the President was being pragmatic and diplomatic to prevent another MSM shitstorm

No one knows for sure what's in the heart of another person. Given all the gyrations and hysteria the President wanted to quiet down, to say anything else would have been gasoline on the fire.

[Minimus]

35. My post said nothing about what Obama thinks of Crowley.

For Pete's sake - I posted a personal incident in which I felt the police officer involved was stupid and racist.

And for the record - this does not imply that I think all police officers are stupid and/or racist.

[Number23]

13. More accurately, your friend should have said "Welcome to America."

[Fuzz]

14. I've been in an ongoing discussion with people, white folks, who just don't understand this.

And it upsets me. They just can't find the empathy to understand that this can happen because they've never seen it, or they've never talked with anyone who has experienced it. And no amount of talking with convince them that it happens. That's the real problem here, experience or empathy or real conversation with friends that can open their eyes to the problem.

[TexasObserver]

21. A story far too common.

No one jumps to conclusions faster than police. You'd think they would be trained not to do that, but it seems to be the most common attribute. They seem to always assume the worst about citizens, and then wonder why citizens fear and despise them.

[proud2BlibKansan]

24. A co-worker who is a young African American woman

was in the glitzy new entertainment district here in downtown KC. As she and her friends were leaving, one of them tripped and fell. The security guards had him in handcuffs almost immediately and were giving him a sobriety test as well as calling for cops on their radio, telling them they had a possible public intoxication suspect. While they were doing this, a white girl was throwing up on the sidewalk right next to them and none of the security guards or the cops when they arrived said a word to the white girl or her friends.

I told this story on another thread but thank you for your OP and chance to tell it again.