Reply #33: I'm a white guy (and I have the papers to prove it)

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

That being said, I have several African Americans colleagues and acquaintances. EVERY LAST ONE OF THEM has a story to tell about been hassled (to one degree or another) by the police.

My favorite is the 20-year-old son of an engineer that I worked with. The son was an intern at my company (an engineering major in college like the old man). A great kid, an obscenely smart and focused kid. I personally was stoned at least half of my twentieth year. So anyway, the kid's car is in the shop and his girlfriend drops him off at about 4:00 on Friday to pick it up. Girlfriend drives off, and then the kid discovers that the garage mechanics close up early on Friday for happy hour and softball. So the kid calls his dad (girlfriend doesn't have a cellphone -- this was ten years ago) and Dad is on his way to pick him up. The kid is just standing out on the sidewalk in front of the garage.

Cops pull up. Ask the kid for his ID, which he gives them. Cops says that they've had a problem with burglaries in this neighborhood and they're just being sure.

Now the kid (did I mention he's smarter than I ever was at that age?) just smiles and chats up the officer for a minute and they part company.

Me? I would have gone effing ballistic. Making sure of WHAT, you frigging cracker?! Do burglars typically hang around in broad daylight during the afternoon rush hour? Does my standing of the 'effing sidewalk make me a burglary suspect?

Another acquaintance talked about being pulled over and getting out of his car with the officer's gun drawn on him. The kicker? The guy was a police officer, and the guy holding the gun was from his own police force.

Did Gates over-react to the situation? Absolutely. But given then history of police-community relations, it's entirely understandable.