Why I think people call cops when a black person is just going about their life.

[raccoon]

As in this thread:

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100216104838

I believe it is because in their weak simplistic minds, they take the Dotard’s administration and his racist remarks and others Republican politicians’ racist remarks as a signal that it‘s okay for them to return to behaviors of the bad old days of segregation. When POC “stayed in their place“ and were not allowed in certain areas.

[uponit7771]

1. K&R, ... and there's relatively little price to pay when victims are assaulted this way

[Walleye]

2. I imagine they think the cops are going to side with racism

[BlueTsunami2018]

3. This shit has been going on continuously.

Piss Wig kind of made it ok in the minds of idiots but this has always gone on. We just hear more about it with the ubiquitousness of cameras and the internet putting everything on blast.

It’s not a new thing at all.

[Geechie]

4. Piss Wig!!

Oh that’s a new one for me. Adding it to the long list … thanks!

[Sympthsical]

5. Yeah, this really isn't new

I remember when I was growing up in a mostly white suburb, any perceived outsider was watched by neighbors. Some neighbors more than others - depends on the levels of racism. Perceived outsiders were discussed and suspected. Doubly so if they were not white, because they were more easily picked out due to skin color. "What are they doing here?" People were all protective of their perceived territory.

In the age of smart phones and doorbell cameras, more and more people are becoming the neighborhood hall monitor. Next Door is not helping this at all. Post after post, "What's this car doing here?!" "Does anyone know who this delivery person is?!" "I filmed this person walking down the street at 1:53pm along Maple Lane."

I live in a more diverse area now, but it's a constant stream of paranoid shut-ins. People say Trump, but this has been a thing for awhile, and it happens plenty in blue areas. I think social media and the fact neighbors tend to be more isolated now has aggravated it, but also made us more aware of it. My neighborhood seems friendly enough, but I could not tell you the names of more than three people on my street.

There was an incident not too long ago. A post about a man who walked out of a path in the woods. Which tons of people walk down for leisure. "This man emerged from the woods this morning and started walking down XX Street." This woman followed and filmed him from behind. So we all got this riveting footage of what seemed to be a middle-aged white guy with a balding head in a post filled with paranoid thoughts and fantasies about all the no-good the man might be up to.

Go back in your house, Karen. If they're not on my property, I do not care.

[2naSalit]

9. +1

[inthewind21]

11. I agree

Next door is nothing but a gathering place for the paranoid busy body that can't seem to mind their own business. I live in a new construction small neighborhood, my house was one of the first build. Construction was kicked into high gear and the neighborhood was finished all at once. Houses sold and people moved in. Existing neighbors lost their shit and started blowing up Next Door about "suspicious" people in the neighborhood and even started calling police. The suspicious people, new residents who just bought a home. Wanna guess what color all these "suspicious" people were? Probably be easier to guess what color they weren't.

[Hoyt]

6. That crud was going on long before trump, although he did nothing to ameliorate it.

[ShazamIam]

7. I believe it is because our entire national media has carried the demonizing POC and immigrants for

decades now. It has not been only Fox.

[Demsrule86]

8. Hey, Yours truly acted like a jerk while driving recently...a car wouldn't let me in so

I am ashamed to say I flipped them off in a very blatant manner...ridiculous behavior. Anyway, my husband yelled at me (I deserved it) and noted the other Driver was Blacl. Then said...' it sucks to live in a world when someway who behaves badly as you just did could call the cops and they would likely side with you on this.' and he was damn right...it does suck. We have a long way to go. And I need to go to confession (kidding maybe).

[Bongo Prophet]

10. Thank you for sharing that, and self-correcting your own bad behavior

The pseudo-anonymity of an automotive vehicle seems to allow, even encourage, us to act out in much the same way that it does on internet discussions. But the real-world repercussions can quickly escalate to violence, and even if not, can resonate into society with corrosive effect.

Your ability to self-correct rather than turn that anger to your husband in fiery justification is a tribute to your character. More should take it as an example in their own lives.