Last edited Wed Jul 22, 2015, 07:00 PM - Edit history (1)
As a middle-aged white woman, I was arrested by two local cops as I was coming out of a public library because "someone" had called the borough police and reported that someone who "looked drunk" had gone into the local library. There were not one, but two town cops (obviously a slow day in local crime) checking out everyone who exited. I had spent the earlier afternoon providing wine (granted a larger bottle) to lunch with an old friend who was visiting. I was walking a number of blocks because I DIDN'T want to drive after a a drinking lunch. I was arrested by a sniff of my breath and because I had a bottle of half consumed wine on my person. There was no recording taken of my blood alcohol content; nothing to indicate my "drunkenness" beyond an anonymous call. I certainly would never have walked past two local cops had I felt in any way impaired. I paid a minor fine, but the damaging thing was the report in the local newspaper. I don't suspect any big plot against me, but I do suspect (irrelevant here) a person who might have wanted to embarrass me.
The major point here: I would never be loud and argumentative with a cop (especially a local one), no matter how unfair he/she is being. This assumes that you are dealing with a rational person just because of the uniform worn. If I were Black, there is no way (in TEXAS?) I would be hostile. This citation could be dealt with later: take a deep breath and get OUT of the situation. Years ago my former husband and I were "Yankees" living and traveling around several southern states (and made some lifelong friends). Nonetheless, you just didn't argue with the local law. To any Black activist: no matter how outrageous the situation, tamp it down and deal with the injustice later. This is not 1960-something, but can end up as deadly.
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