(Community Matters) I am still listening, learning, trying to figure this out.
I’m informed by certain realities.
One: a very dear African American friend in the last year told me she still reminds her son, who lives out of town, to watch himself when he comes to Austin. She tells him to only say yes Sir and no Sir to the police and warns him they shoot black men in Austin, Tx. This woman is serious; it’s how she feels. She is a well-educated, respected community leader.
Two: Maureen Dowd makes a good point this morning: “the strong guy with the gun has more control than the weak guy with the cane”. . . . “he should not have been arrested once Sergeant Crowley ascertained that the Harvard professor was in his own home.”
Three: I’m beginning to not understand the procedure resulting in Gates’ arrest as much as I don’t understand the procedures that result in elderly women being tasered by 20- & 30-something police officers.
Four: Being a police officer is a dangerous & not-well-enough compensated job. It isn’t incomprehensible that default reactions veer to self-defense and overly physical. Though, these over reactions seem more understandable when an officer feels physically in danger. I am trying to understand how Sergeant Crowley might have felt in physical danger.
Question: Would a white man know to be more polite and agreeable or would a white man not have to be more polite and agreeable?
Community Matters 