I, even I -light-skinned as I am- have been a victim of racial profiling. I will never forget it. I got pulled over in a white suburban area of Georgia after a black student conference. I had a car full of black students and quite simply, we looked out of place.
I posted this picture not to make light of the issue or offend anyone. It’s definitely oversimplified (and wrong) to say that all white cops profile, but it’s equally wrong to say that it “doesn’t happen”. Several of my black friends & I have had it happen to us or someone we know. Many of our black students at WMU have been victims of this in the Kalamazoo area. It’s just awful.
I think the picture exemplifies the one sad truth that so many of my black friends have told me: if your black you learn how to be pulled over at an early age. Black parents are teaching their kids how to respond even if your not driving, even if your 5 years old sitting in the back seat you need to learn how to interact with white cops.
I’m also not trying to be a Debbie Downer on white cops in general. My mom, my flesh and blood was a white cop. She was a Detroit Police Officer for several years and did her job well. But this sad phenomenon is still alive & kicking.
The other day, unfortunately, we saw it happen…
Dave & I were having lunch together at Fazoli’s. A police car pulled into the parking lot, the officer got out & signaled for a young black teen-aged boy who was walking by. The kid pointed at himself as if to say “me?” Affirmative. When the kid comes over the cop starts asking him questions. Of course Dave & I couldn’t hear because we were inside, but it’s obvious he was saying, “no, no, no” & pointing to where he was and what time it was. The whole scene seemed a little fishy so we were watching intently wondering if the kid was in trouble for being black at the wrong place at the wrong time.
A few minutes later the kid is escorted into the back of the police car. Then, another squad car shows up. Then, another black guy walks by & he too is apprehended. As the two men are being questioned in different cars, Dave asked if I thought he should go out there & talk to them if they are let go. I thought it was a great idea. Long story short, I had to go so I prayed for Dave, we prayed for the men & then they were released.
After I left, Dave went out there & talked to them as they waited for the bus stop. Apparently, there had been a store robbery about a mile up the road and they were looking for two black males. As Dave talked to them they told him they were in town from Flint just visiting their cousin who goes to WMU. They were a bit shaken up. Dave apologized to them. He said he knows when you experience something hard from a different race or culture of people that its often really helpful to have a positive association of that race or culture as well. They seemed genuinely thankful. He sat and talked with them for awhile and they ended up missing their bus to the train station. Dave offered to take them. On the way to the train station one of them asked Dave what he did for a living. He responded that he’s a minister on campus and one of them said, “I knew it! I knew you had to be a Christian! This is not something that happens every day.”
I could be mistaken but I’m assuming he was implying that Dave apologizing -essentially on behalf of white cops- for what happened to them, engaging them in real conversation and then giving them a ride was shocking enough, but then for him to be a white guy — well, it’s just a little over the top when your a kid from Flint. I was super proud of Dave for having that conversation. I hope & pray that in some way Dave’s interaction with them will comfort them as they consider the hard situation they went through that day.
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I have to admit that I don’t fully understand all of this. I don’t mean to be naive or insensitive. I am white so maybe the misunderstanding comes from being white. I KNOW this happens. I KNOW it’s true. It IS wrong. but…. sorry. there is a but….will get to it in a second. I think it is 100% wrong to pull over a car of black students simply for being in a white neighborhood. I think it is wrong to follow a black customer around the store simply for being black. There are so many wrongs!! Back to the but… if there is a robbery a mile away with 2 black males, is it wrong for the police to question 2 black males? If there is a robbery with a black male/black female is it wrong to question black male/black female in the area? It would seem to me that the police were doing due diligence in this situation and not racial profiling? I don’t know. I really don’t. I am very torn on this and can empathize with both sides I think. Bottom line: I’m so glad that Dave was there to minister to them!!
First off, since I was in the car with you on that Georgia trip, I have to confess that you (and Tene) were speeding. Plus, you were driving a Red Probe. In winter. It did stand out and the cop admitted it. I’m just saying.
Still, as a black man, I have gone through this. One really bad time near K-zoo, in Portage. I won’t go into details, but it was a clear-cut instance of profiling. I’ve even been profiled while walking in my own neighborhood…by black cops, no less. So, while my perspective on the two(!) tickets you got coming back from Atlanta, I know first hand that racial profiling by police against black men is real.
I have to say that I agree with targetshopper, and I’m so glad that David listened to God and was willing to be used by Him!
This one brought on tears. Wow. Thanks Dave and Grace for being YOU!!!
@ targetshopper & Sara – I did consider whether that was wrong or not for them to question them. yes & no. Yes, they could have questioned them, but to put them in the back of the car handcuffed without any proof? The three of us know that would NEVER, & I mean NEVER EVER happen to any of us. Not even me. Even if the police report said, “a 5 6 biracial 30-something,” would I (or either of you) been put in the back of the car after a few simple questions. So, yes, I do believe they over stepped their bounds simply b/c they could. No, it’s no wrong to question, but to stop the 1st set of black males they see, who are just minding their business heading to a bus stop. It was wrong, I think.
@Joe – I was not speeding in the 1st instance! I do admit to speeding when we were in Tennessee – fine! And also that cop should NOT have pulled me over for driving a red car – that is color profiling, c’mon! Although I do know that red sports cars get pulled over than any other color car – that’s wrong too! Jeez. Although, I am glad that car is behind me.
@ targetshopper & Sara: although I do see your point (but there was a robbery a few miles a way committed by two Black males), I’d have a couple of questions:
- Besides their race, did these guys fit any other aspect of the description?
- Are the cops checking every street within a mile radius? A mile is quite a ways distant
In my experiences as a Black male being pulled over/questioned for all kinds of reasons not related to me, I just get tired of the ‘natural logic’ that I ‘fit’ the profile of the criminal…especially when, if one takes a slightly closer look, and in 100% of my situations, I don’t ‘fit’ and I’m not the guy.
First off I am really proud of Dave and thanks for sharing Grace. I understand the questions about “fitting the description” but that is such a huge leap in many situations. Phil hit the nail on the head by saying what about a closer look or deeper probing. I have a cousin right now that is in jail because someone else kept using his name and info everytime they got picked up for doing actual crime. He has proven that it was not him fifty different ways and they won’t let him out of jail. HE MAY GO TO PRISON and hasnt commited 1 crime in his life (PLEASE PRAY FOR THIS SITUATION) The sad reality is that this is so real. We live in a suburb of Detroit and my husband has been pulled over and ticketed more times in the last year than he has in his LIFE (5times) all within 0 to 10 mile radius of our home. He IS being profiled and it cause so much pain and distrust and hopelessness that I get angry. I cant tell you how many times I have heard a niece, cousin or some other little child say they don’t like police. These are kids they should be able to trust cops and feel safe because of them. I learned at 13 when my friend who was driving his MOMS car (the airbag had been stolen) was taken to jail no questions asked even though he told the cop my mom is home and lives a block away just take me there and ask her she will prove I did not steal this car. It was brave of Dave to redirect the situation and I hope that when I see these types of ill in the world (not just as it relates to black people) I will be bold to step in and say something as well.
When I grow up, I want to be like Dave. =)
I think that issue was definately an abuse of power, as usual, when it comes to white police officers when it comes to profiling black men. My wife commented on this blog eairler and spoke of the number of tickets of I have recieved since moving to the suburbs of Detroit.
Well I would like to speak of a different experience. Spring 2008, while I was still living in Kalamazoo, I was hanging out with 2 of my fraternity brother in downtown Kalamazoo, just minding our own business, when all of a sudden we get pulled over by a police officer. I this situation, I was the driver and was doing the majority of the speaking to the police. As most black men who get pulled over in America a soon as we see the police lights flick us over, we instantly start to use expletives because its never a good situation. You know that 9 times out of 10 youre going to get a ticket. So, as the police walks up to my car, he asked for my liscence, registration and proof of insurance. OK, very routine, but then he continues to asked for the driver’s liscence of the person in the passenger side and the person in the back seat. NOT NORMAL. Now between the three of my fraternity brothers we have 3 bachelors and 2 masters degrees and we definately dont dress the part of your typical urban African American youth, but at the same time we had unfair tactics used against us. One of my frat, that was in the back seat and who wasn’t raised in the United States, challenged the police verbally about asking for everyones drivers liscense. I instantlly told him to shut up and be quiet. Growing up during the “Rodney King” era, most black men are terrified of police and know not to TALK BACK OF QUESTION WHATEVER THEY DO. The police officer continued to tell us that it is normal practice to check everyone’s ID. Now I’m 31 years old and that was the first time I EVER heard of that. The police told us that the reason why he pulled us over was because my tail light was out. This was after he checked to see if we had WARRENTS.
For those who are nieve, this is the ONLY REASON why he pulled over a car full of black men. He was trying to catch us up. I am a college eduacted,black man who does not have a criminal record, never been aressted, never been to jail and I still get RACIALLY PROFILED. Im interested to know how many white people have been pulled over and EVERYBODY IN THE CAR WAS ASKED FOR AN ID…FOR JUST A BAD TAILLIGHT…I’ve been programmed that every time I get pulled over to get my checkbook ready b/c i ‘ve always came out $125 plus. I have a white co-worker who told me last week that he has been pulled over numerous times for various different violations and has….get this…NEVER RECIEVED A TICKET….He said ” I guess im just good with my words”…I WAS PISSED.
Ken & Patrice, your stories are heartbreaking! I’m so sorry those things happened.
arrrghgh, I hate injustice!! I want to respond more to it so I’ll save it for part 2 of this blog.
Below, are some comments other folks have made over on facebook. Including one from my friend, Jeremiah who is a white male cop & he presents an interesting point of view & a great question at the end of his comment.
I wanted to post them here b/c I am going to respond (along with Dave) to all of them in one post as a part 2 to this blog. That is, when my newborn calms down & I have a minute to get to it.
Also, Dave & I realized we miscommunicated about some of the details of the story. One in favor of the cops & one not in favor. oops. Stay tuned for part 2 soon…
Here are the other comments…
Angel Marie
Wow that is amazing in so many ways but it is great to see how God used the opportunity to minister to those young men through Dave.
Sat at 5:32pm · Delete
Tamara Gissendaner
Grace… after following your blog for many months I have to say I believe it is your intent to bring to light important issues regarding blacks in society. Unfortunatly, your methods are doing more harm than good when it comes to race relations. I am so happy that you and your husband are able to share the love of Jesus with people of all color, but this constant racial speak creates dissent.
Yesterday at 7:14am · Delete
Peter Gillotte
Tamara, as a white, middle class man, I am thankful for much of Grace’s writing on race relations, and the many conversations we have had, because it has opened my eyes to situations and factors to which I would otherwise be ignorant. I may be the exception, but I certainly have learned from Grace.
Yesterday at 8:44am · Delete
Jeremiah Johnson
As a “white” cop (whatever that label might imply) I feel compelled to weigh in on your blog. Your story is similar to other anecdotal accounts alleging racism or racial profiling on behalf of the police (a la Professor Gates). Yet such allegations are based upon an improper understanding of profiling. The very ACLU defines racial profiling as… Read More, “targeting individuals for suspicion of crime based on the individual’s race, ethnicity, religion or national origin … racial profiling does not refer to the act of a law enforcement agent pursuing a suspect in which the specific description of the suspect includes race or ethnicity in combination with other identifying factors”. Further, such anecdotes fail to consider the police officer… Read More’s subjective perspective. It is unfair to consider only the subjective perspective of the person(s) detained while ignoring the perspective of the officer acting in good faith. There is likely a minority of racist and unjust police officers patrolling the streets of America, yet racism and racial profiling are not systemic. I am glad that your husband was able to show the love of Christ to these two young men, yet I think it improper to apologize for lawful police action that was ostensibly conducted in a civil manner. As a follow-up question, do you consider it incongruous for a Christian to be a police officer where such interaction may be a vocational imperative?
Yesterday at 2:38pm · Delete
Grace Biskie
@Tamara, Peter & Jeremiah – thank you for your comments. Dave & I just read through your comments & discussed them. (Turns out I got a few important details wrong… leave it to me, eh?) I need to clear them up. Anyway, we’d love to respond to the comments but we are about to get on the road for the day. I think sometime later tonight I’m going … Read Moreto pull all your comments from here, copy them to my blog & respond there, so I can keep all the comments in one place. I love the issues that all of you have raised as well as the discussion going on over at my blog. I think it’s really helpful to for all of us with varying opinions to raise good questions, as it helps all of us grow. So, I WILL respond very soon & will update here to let you know I updated my blog on it. Thanks again for commenting. -grace
Yesterday at 3:04pm · Delete