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July 24, 2007
"How Many Gun Barrels Have You Looked Down?"
Black don't wash off. Put us in a nice suit, nice wheels, nice zip code and membership to the right club and some fool with a badge is going to shake us down to see what falls out.My junior year at Brown, I ran down the hill to catch a Bonanza Bus to Boston. Black man wearing jeans and a red t shirt in the summer of 80. We all know how deserted downtown Providence use to be on a Saturday morning. A police officer, drove his car out of nowhere in front of me as I was running across the last street before the bus station. I literally fell onto the hood of the car and when I push myself back, my mother's oldest son was looking down the barrel of a revolver. My crime, I fit the description of a bank robber. Here we go again, I was only 20, but this was the third time, I fit the description of a bank robber. The first time, I was 16 on my bicycle coming from the dentist in Hempstead, NY. Do you know how your face looks when you just had a cavity filled. Cop didn't care that I had a bill and swollen face. They sent (4) cars to arrest one of me that time. The bank robber who was on a motorcycle got away.
Anyway, back in 1980, I don't recall banks being open on Saturday in Providence and it was 8am. I definitely don't believe that showing a Brown ID immediately clears a bank robber of all wrong doings. But that was sufficient for him to speed off without even an apology. I was milliseconds from reaching for my wallet and ID because, I was only thinking about catching the bus. Wonder how the story would have ended if I had been faster.
I'll be honest, I am boring. I have never had a criminal incident, no troubled teenage years, no dreadlocks, tattoos, gang affiliation, alcohol or drug abuse, domestic violence or any issues that would profile me as a trouble maker. I had a DOD security clearance for (5) years. At one time, Uncle Sam knew more about me than my mother, they researched my background all the way back to high school across (4) states and (3) countries and still gave me clearance to look at security stuff. Can't get more squeaky clean, but to guys with the badge, I must be up to something.
I have been harassed my whole life for being a black man in the wrong place, i.e. living in a white world. I have been harassed for going for a walk in downtown Boston, for sitting in my car in San Jose Hills waiting for a real estate agent. Israeli Security refused to believe I was not a basketball player or I must be a spy because no one sends a black man to Israel on business.
I cycle over a 100 miles a week all over San Fransisco Bay area. I will not leave the house without ID, because, I know, there are nervous house wives looking out their windows as I ride my bike through their neighborhoods at 18 miles a hour. The only reason he's riding through here is, he's looking to steal something and hide it in his tight biker shorts.
If a sound a bit sensitive, ask yourself, how many gun barrels have you looked down with a police or some officer of the state at the other end. Me, about a dozen. How many times have you been arrested for making an illegal U turn, 1 mile from your house? I drive a nice sports car. I would never make a quick run to the grocery store in bummy house clothes. If I don't look like I own it, somebody is going to check to see if it is mine. I had a friend that kept a diary and wrote a letter to the local Walnut Creek newspaper and the chief of Police. He listed the dates, badge numbers and outcome of all the police stops over a period of time. He included a copy of his mortgage, job id and other information to show, he lives and works here and will the stop harassing him. Never got stopped again.
Posted by Eric at July 24, 2007 1:40 PM