Police in Gwinnett County and Georgia (Atlanta, Suwanee: house, neighborhood, to buy)

[StPaulEastSider]

Originally Posted by Harmony200

My Husband is very respecful, law-abiding and always says yes sir and no sir. He wont be a problem. But Worries me ,for example, is the Professor at Harvard that got arrested on his own PORCH!!! I am terrified of things like that. Also on top of that, the history of racism in the state of Georgia. I am just nervous I guess....

Harmony:

I hear you, I am married to a black man and I have felt the same fears, it's a reality anywhere in the country, not just in Georgia.

The Harvard Professor incident is yet another example of racial profiling which triggers very real fears. I just saw Soledad O'Brien discussing the Harvard Prof incident on CNN and she had some interesting insight.

Unfortunately people are going to say if the Prof had simply said 'yes sir' & 'no sir' repeatedly he wouldn't have been arrested. It's always a sad day when a black man has to grovel and kiss the feet of 'the man' in his very own home... the Prof was p*ssed, as far as I am concerned he had a right to be p*ssed.

Black men are always all called upon to be sensitive to the realities of racial profiling and go the extra mile while under pressure to not inflame the situation. When are police officers going to learn to be sensitive to the realities of black men in this society and learn to not push buttons and set off triggers? Since the police officers have the power to arrest they have 'power over' the black man, therefore there is little incentive for police officers to be sensitive. Media coverage is a way to shine a light on realities and even out the power pull.

The Professor is no dummy... he knew full and well if he had been simply the typical 'Joe the Black Man' he would have been best advised to do the 'yes sir, no sir' mantra. The Prof pushed the buttons purposely, and I do not blame him in the least for doing so... because of who he is this incident is shedding light on a sad reality in American society.

Anyone else have their DVRs set to record CNN's 'Black in America 2' tonight?

[neil0311]

Originally Posted by Harmony200

Do I have reason to be terrified? Are the police in Georgia really that bad?

I must live in a sheltered world. In my world, there is no reason to be afraid of the cops unless you're a criminal. In my world, the cops are the ones you call in the middle of the night when the bad guy is breaking into your home. In my world, the cops are the ones you tell your kids to seek out when they're in trouble, not run away from them.

Why on earth would you feel "terrified" of the police and who have you been talking to that would describe them in such terms that would make you ask the question?

[neil0311]

Originally Posted by StPaulEastSider

My best advise to the OP, if she is a believer, is to pray for protection and put your faith in the Lord.

Sorry, but I read stuff like this and shake my head. I lived in Gwinnett County 20 years ago and never heard then of racial or other reasons to be concerned about the cops. I would assume with the changes in both the population of the county and the makeup of the police force that Gwinnett's Police are the same professional force they were in the 1980s.

How about instead of all kinds of supernatural solutions people just stop being paranoid for no reason? I'm really shocked at some of the posts.

Don't drive drunk; don't break other laws; don't be belligerent with the cops if you are stopped. While exceptions are bound to happen, as in any county or city in the US, you will not encounter any special terror squads or police goons here in GA.

[DBradley]

Originally Posted by BobKovacs

I'd think the stories you're hearing are overblown, but even if they aren't, you've got nothing to worry about unless your husband is a drinking and driving, doing drugs, or a loudmouth.

If what you hear is true, provided hubby hasn't been drinking and doesn't have any drugs on him, all he has to do is avoid being disrespectful. "Yes, sir" and "no, sir" answers to any questions, no wiseass remarks, etc., and there's no need to worry about being drug off to jail, right?

If I want to make a wiseass remark, I will. As an American I'm entitled to free speech within certain boundaries. It's because of crap like that that I hate cops. Just because they carry a badge and a gun does not make them God. We all still put our pants on the same way. I was thinking about moving to Gwinette, but after all this I think I better find a different local. I'd hate to have to start EVERY traffic stop with "I have an attorney on retainer".

And as far as the black Harvard professor, had the first thing he said to the cop not been "this is racism!" he probably would have been ok. When cops get a report of ANYONE trying to force open a door, they're going to ask questions, it doesn't matter if that person is black, white, green, orange, or purple.

Why be afraid of the police? Because cops are crooked. I know A LOT of cops where I live. Some of them sell pills and pot OUT OF THEIR CRUISERS, some will manufacture charges against you (like they have me, no joke) for something that you said to them in High School that they didn't like, or as a means of discrediting you when you expose them for what they are. One cop I know's personal motto is (and I kid you not here, he's actually told me these EXACT words) "I enforce the law, that doesn't mean I always follow it". Most cops (and I say most because it is unfair to generalize ALL cops, there are some good ones out there, although they're very very few and far between) are nothing but the high school bullies who became cops to be able to continue bullying and to cover up their illegitimate affairs (cause after all, who's the judge gonna believe?)

[StPaulEastSider]

Originally Posted by neil0311

I must live in a sheltered world. In my world, there is no reason to be afraid of the cops unless you're a criminal. In my world, the cops are the ones you call in the middle of the night when the bad guy is breaking into your home. In my world, the cops are the ones you tell your kids to seek out when they're in trouble, not run away from them.

Why on earth would you feel "terrified" of the police and who have you been talking to that would describe them in such terms that would make you ask the question?

You do live in a sheltered world, it's the world of White privilege - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I live in this same sheltered world, my husband does not for he is not white.

Have you ever grabbed your keys to, for example, run to pick up the kids, only to realize you forgot your wallet? Did you immediately turn around to get your ID, even though you were already running late? If you say no, that, my friend, is an example of 'white privilege'.

I know I have run out the door w/o my ID on occassion. Did I run back home to grab it? No, I did not. If I had been stopped by the police I would have told them my name and I assume they would run a check on my ID and all would be cool... this has been my experience in the past.

A black man would NEVER leave his yard without his ID. To do so is to put himself at risk for an arrest - he was once thrown in a squad car for 1/2 an hour when a restaurant in the neighborhood was held up... turned out the perps weren't even black and the restaurant staff, who knew my husband because we went there regularly, told the police to cut my husband loose.

He wasn't arrested that time, but why was he even put in cuffs in the back of the squad car? Because he was black and in the wrong place at the wrong moment? The police had just pulled up in front of the restaurant in response to the 'hold up in progress' calll... he had the unfortunate timing of deciding to test his newly released from a cast ankle by running for a few steps just as the police pulled up... 'Uh oh , black man running - that must be our perp.'

How many times have you been stopped so that the police can run a background check on you because you 'resemble a suspect'?

I am not asking you to feel guilty, I am white and I sure as heck don't want to be given a guilt trip just because I happen to have been born into white skin... that doesn't help anyone or anything.

I am just asking you to try and be sensitive to the fact not everyone, through no fault of their own, has the same positive experiences with authority figures as you have been priviliged to have had... Okay Neil?

[neil0311]

Originally Posted by DBradley

If I want to make a wiseass remark, I will. As an American I'm entitled to free speech within certain boundaries. It's because of crap like that that I hate cops. Just because they carry a badge and a gun does not make them God. We all still put our pants on the same way. I was thinking about moving to Gwinette, but after all this I think I better find a different local. I'd hate to have to start EVERY traffic stop with "I have an attorney on retainer".

You're fully free to behave like an ass and have an attitude when interacting with cops, and they're empowered by law to arrest your ass for doing so. Cops deal with dangerous people who in some cases want to hurt or kill them, and they don't always have the luxury of knowing exactly who is who. They are public servants who have a tough and in many cases dangerous job. Being respectful is not only common courtesy but also necessary to show the cops that you are not a threat to them. If you have a chip on your shoulder then you deserve the same in return, although most cops will still treat you with respect.

I lived and worked in the Boston area. Cambridge, MA is one of the most liberal and "tolerant" places in the US. What Gates got was due to his belligerence. The cops were investigating a reported break in. Instead of thanking them for protecting his property, Gates decided to be obstinate and difficult, not show his ID, and pulled out the race card calling the cop a racist and making out of context statements about "being black in America." Had he merely said "I live here. Here is my ID. Thank you for coming out." then I think things would have turned out much different.

[neil0311]

Originally Posted by StPaulEastSider

You do live in a sheltered world, it's the world of White privilege - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Oh yeah....white privilege. Of course.

I know this is straying from Gwinnett County....so go see my response to that one in the politics forum. Someone brought it up in regard to Gates.

[StPaulEastSider]

Originally Posted by Harmony200

Thanks for the Post StPAUL..... That's exactly what I am talking about....... Every police in any state do arrest black men for no readon. I just wanted to know how bad it is in Georgia or Gwinnett.

I am glad you husband got the job. I know plenty of instances of people who have been arrested just for walking down the street, get a disorderly conduct charge, apply for a job and cant get it.

I am not in Georgia yet, I haunt this forum because we are planning to return to Atlanta next year.

So far anyone who has spoken diectly to the Gwinnett County question appears to be white... any non-whites here care to respond directly to the Gwinnett County issue?

Harmony, I do think, as you have acknowledged, current news stories serve to raise our anxieties. Thankfully we, as a nation, have made significant progress, but that is not to say we do not still have miles to go. I have faith your husband will be just fine. <Hugs>

[BobKovacs]

Originally Posted by StPaulEastSider

You do live in a sheltered world, it's the world of White privilege - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Let's not go there again......

[ericsonga]

I have a black couple, an accountant and realtor, and a latino couple, a business owner and housewife, who both live in my neighborhood and rave about the police coverage in our area of Gwinnett County. Shall I give you their number so as you can tell those of who are in Gwinnett and replying aren't spouting false propaganda?