LZ Granderson: 'Why Black People Don't Trust the Police'

[Number23]

(Sure, it's a sweeping generalization (not all black people feel this way, of course) but that doesn't take away from one very simple truth -- Brother Granderson BREAKS IT DOWN.)

'Why black people don't trust the police'
http://articles.cnn.com/2012-03-22/opinion/opinion_granderson-florida-shootings_1_trust-cops-police-department-black-men?_s=PM:OPINION

I don't trust cops and I don't know many black people who do.

I respect them. I sympathize with them. I am appreciative of the work they do.

But when you've been pulled over for no good reason as many times as I have; when you've been in handcuffs for no good reason as many times as I have; when you run out to buy some allergy medication and upon returning home, find yourself surrounded by four squad cars with flashing lights and all you can think about is how not to get shot, you learn not to trust cops.

...And people wonder where the impetus behind NWA's "___ the Police" came from. (Number23 edit: "F*ck Da Police" is TRULY one of the most powerful hip hop tracks in the history of hip hop.) I'll tell you where it came from. It came from knowing there are far more stories like Trayvon Martin's that the world never hears about.

He refers to the Amadou Diallo and Sean Bell cases. Even to this day, every time I think about Amadou Diallo, I get sick to my stomach. If he had mentioned Abner Louima as well I may have taken a torch to my computer.

[Ecumenist]

1. You know, Iunderstand EXACTLY what he's talking about. In the 70's, we were living in Compton

Last edited Thu Mar 29, 2012, 04:26 PM - Edit history (1)

California, (nearer Carson and LongBeach). anyhow, My father was on his way to pick my grandmother up as she was coming to visit from Tulsa. About an hour later, the phone rang and we come to find out that my father had been arrested because supposedly he fit the description of some guy that had robbed someone. The guy was black BUT he was 5'9" in height, skinny, yellowish in complexion. My father was at the time 6'6" in height, dark brown complected and the two couldn't look more less like one another if they'd come from two different planets.


A few years ago, my husband and I had just gotten married and we were actrually kind of still dating one another because my mother had had a serious stroke right before the wedding and I had to stay with her to help her get back on her feet. So, we would go to different places along the rivers to spend some alone time after having dinner. there's a place along the Sacramento where you can drive down near the boat launch and park. We were sitting there and talking when all of a sudden, we found ourselves surrounded by 5 police cars , with their lights on and GUNS POINTED AT US! All we were doing was sitting in the car and talking. My husband showed them his ID and then I showed them mine. We told them that we were newlyweds and just talking. The cops suspected me of being a hooker, (of course) and my husband, (who's white), was a John. I was pissed. I don't remember what convinced them but once we left that park, WE NEVER WENT BACK! They mumbled something about prostitution and drug dealing happening there, which we had NEVER seen or suspected and we would go to that park all the time. I've never even read nor heard ANYTHING about those types of activities going on in that park.

I understand, completely and believe that it's based in reality.

[Number23]

3. Oh my GOD!!

The cops suspected me of being a hooker, (of course) and my husband, (who's white), was a John.

The fact that you didn't curse every last one of those cops out is testament to your strength of character and to the fact that black folks know that the system is already stacked against us. So we put up with indignities that other folks could never even imagine because we know that many times, our very LIVES are at stake. Can you imagine what may have happened if you had actually cussed those cops out (which I'm sure you were absolutely CRYING to do inside)??

I am so sorry that you had to go through that. I'm sure that your husband got a quick crash course in some of the indignities and discrimination that black folks face every day in America. Unreal.

[Ecumenist]

4. Oh honey, he was pissed as hell and the only thing that kept me from saying somethng

were all the guns pointed at us. Even if I had been a hooker, why would it take 5 COP CARS with lights shining in our eyes and at least 10 guns trained on us. It was complete overreaction and a VERY dangerous situation.

[NOLALady]

5. OMG!

In the 60s in NOLA, my husband and his first wife were parked in a secluded spot talking. A cop car pulled up and assumed he was with a hooker. They became verbally abusive.
My husband is a fair skinned Black. He tried to tell them they were married. Evidently, they thought he was white and the only way he would spend time with a Black woman would be if she was a hooker.

So much for progress. Forty years later you experienced practically the same thing. Actually, worse because they didn't draw guns on them.

SMH!

[Ecumenist]

6. Ain't it a damn shame? SMDH My husband is VERY fair with silver hair, (early graying)

and I'm caramel brown. so, of course I had to be a hooker.

[Dawson Leery]

7. Open bigotry used to be common, among coppers no less.

Being openly bigoted is not tolerated anymore. It still exists.

[Baitball Blogger]

2. Very powerful.