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Man, you are just too much sometimes AUM. I do have a somewhat similar story as the OP though. I and two other male friends were pulled over for being white in the wrong part of town. They seemed to miss the fact that "Green Acres", a local project, was just outside of the back gate of Seymour Johnson Air Force Base. Green Acres used to be base housing, but they sold it to the Housing Authority and built housing on base. So, it became a housing project. And yes, the majority of residents in that area are black. But people come out of that back gate all the time and you have to ride past Green Acres as you leave the base that way. There are no other turns. So anyway, we were pulled and we were searched. Then, when nothing could be found, they called the dogs in to give the car a sniff. The dog actually zeroed in on my bookbag and wouldn't let go. The cops thought they'd hit paydirt, but there was nothing in the bag, nor had there ever been any drugs in that bag. After a quick discussion, the officer asked if I had any dogs at home. I said yes, two female chows. The cop then decided the dog must have been smelling the dogs on my bag. After that, the cops had to let us go. But they did it grudgingly, as if they just couldn't believe they hadn't caught us with something. We told them we had just come off of the base, picking up my friend, but like the OP's story, they just didn't want to hear it. So yes, I am a living example that profiling doesn't just happen to members of the black or latin community. There are all sorts of reasons cops profile and pull people, but regardless, color is usually a factor one way or the other.
Good points. Off hand, I'd say that 90% of what a 'street cop' DOES, is 'profiling', of one kind or another. They're supposed to 'find' people out there who don't want to be found. I don't know how this could be done, without looking for one kind or another of 'red flags' or 'signs'. Race, of course, isn't supposed to be a 'clue'....but plenty of other things ARE...and it's ALL profiling.
Can it go wrong? Of course! Sometimes tragically so..sometimes comically..AND there are enough "egos" in that line of work (both in the 'good guys' and the 'bad') to go around. I wouldn't HAVE the job..am glad someone does it...but yes, it can get ugly out there...and as I said, I can't imagine HOW you'd police a tough area without making a FEW assumptions first...i.e., "profiling" of one sort or another.
It is not just blacks that are racially profiled by the cops. I was racially profiled by the Chicago Police back in 1992 on a cold winter night. They pulled me over only because I am white and they then demanded to know what I was doing in West Madison street at 1:30 AM. I tried to explain to them that I dropped somebody off in Oak Park and was going home but they just didn't want to believe me. I even offered them the lady's phone number or to take them by her place- about a mile away- and she would verify my story. They still did not wish to believe me. They were sure I was looking for drugs or a street walker to pick up.
They then asked to search my car and since there were 4 of them and 1 of me, I said yes and they took my stuff- including my back seat- and put it out on the street. They then handed me back my license and told me to have a good morning and left me in a dangerous area of the city with all my stuff still laying in the street!
Do you think I was "racially profiled"?? I certianly did! Is it wrong to racially profile white males? Maybe. But when you consider that probably a good number of white males in a low income black area late at night are probably up to something illegal, I can understand why the police might want to stop and have a chat with them. But once I explained why I was there, they should have accepted my reason or verified it with the co-worker I dropped off and let me go on my way.
Racially profiled? Probably. And I would have pulled you over, too.
Racially profiled? Probably. And I would have pulled you over, too.
Would you also have intimidated him into consenting to a search, even though you had no real probable cause, like these cops did? Would you have checked his story, as he offered to have them check? Or would you have harassed him for your jollies like these cops did?
It is not just blacks that are racially profiled by the cops. I was racially profiled by the Chicago Police back in 1992 on a cold winter night. They pulled me over only because I am white and they then demanded to know what I was doing in West Madison street at 1:30 AM. I tried to explain to them that I dropped somebody off in Oak Park and was going home but they just didn't want to believe me. I even offered them the lady's phone number or to take them by her place- about a mile away- and she would verify my story. They still did not wish to believe me. They were sure I was looking for drugs or a street walker to pick up.
They then asked to search my car and since there were 4 of them and 1 of me, I said yes and they took my stuff- including my back seat- and put it out on the street. They then handed me back my license and told me to have a good morning and left me in a dangerous area of the city with all my stuff still laying in the street!
Do you think I was "racially profiled"?? I certianly did! Is it wrong to racially profile white males? Maybe. But when you consider that probably a good number of white males in a low income black area late at night are probably up to something illegal, I can understand why the police might want to stop and have a chat with them. But once I explained why I was there, they should have accepted my reason or verified it with the co-worker I dropped off and let me go on my way.
Of course you were racially profiled. A large percentage of whites in certain black neighborhoods are there looking for drugs. That's a fact. I don't blame the police for stopping you to see what they can see and ask a few questions. They were pretty sure you were up to no good and more than likely you were. You should not have let them search your car and even if you did they should not have torn it up the way they did.
A high percentage of blacks in certain neighborhoods are up to no good as well. That's a fact. I don't blame the police for stopping blacks to see what they can see and ask a few questions. Of course many blacks do not understand that this will make their neighborhoods safer. Their neighborhoods are often very dangerous. They should thank the police for the scrutiny.
I order to understand this you would have to do some abtract thinking. You would have to consider cause and effect relationships. Not eveyone is real good at that.
Obama proved that he is fueling racism and likes to keep it that way, otherwise he would have walked out of that church years ago, but he didn't. Now th first word out of his mouth is racism, not thinking that the other way around similar things are happening....but Obama and his ass. thinks only about blacks being wrongly approached. A president like that will never bring hope and change and never will bring people together, just divide them even more.
Of course you were racially profiled. A large percentage of whites in certain black neighborhoods are there looking for drugs. That's a fact. I don't blame the police for stopping you to see what they can see and ask a few questions. They were pretty sure you were up to no good and more than likely you were. You should not have let them search your car and even if you did they should not have torn it up the way they did.
A high percentage of blacks in certain neighborhoods are up to no good as well. That's a fact. I don't blame the police for stopping blacks to see what they can see and ask a few questions. Of course many blacks do not understand that this will make their neighborhoods safer. Their neighborhoods are often very dangerous. They should thank the police for the scrutiny.
I order to understand this you would have to do some abtract thinking. You would have to consider cause and effect relationships. Not eveyone is real good at that.
- Reel
Based on what you are saying, profiling any "minority" (people that are not the majority in a city) it's ok.
Minorities (black, hispanic, etc) are used to that, anytime we are in certain towns, we know not to run out of a store for absolutely no reason because there's a pretty good chance that somebody will shoot us.
But I guarantee that white people would not be happy if your logic is applied (profiling whites when they are not the majority)
A night shift nurse told me last week she has been stopped on the flimsiest excuses 7 times in the last 4 months just for being on the highway at 3 in the morning.
Guess some cops think you wouldn't be out that time of night unless you're coming from a bar.
Obama proved that he is fueling racism and likes to keep it that way, otherwise he would have walked out of that church years ago, but he didn't. Now th first word out of his mouth is racism, not thinking that the other way around similar things are happening....but Obama and his ass. thinks only about blacks being wrongly approached. A president like that will never bring hope and change and never will bring people together, just divide them even more.
I have no idea what you're talking about.
And it's clear that a certain segment of society won't accept Obama as President, no matter what he says or does. All they want to do is complain about him. Maybe you're one of them.
Location: Jonquil City (aka Smyrna) Georgia- by Atlanta
16,259 posts, read 24,763,471 times
Reputation: 3587
Quote:
Originally Posted by Reelist in Atlanta
Of course you were racially profiled. A large percentage of whites in certain black neighborhoods are there looking for drugs. That's a fact. I don't blame the police for stopping you to see what they can see and ask a few questions. They were pretty sure you were up to no good and more than likely you were. You should not have let them search your car and even if you did they should not have torn it up the way they did.
A high percentage of blacks in certain neighborhoods are up to no good as well. That's a fact. I don't blame the police for stopping blacks to see what they can see and ask a few questions. Of course many blacks do not understand that this will make their neighborhoods safer. Their neighborhoods are often very dangerous. They should thank the police for the scrutiny.
I order to understand this you would have to do some abtract thinking. You would have to consider cause and effect relationships. Not eveyone is real good at that.
- Reel
It was not the fact they stopped me that was upsetting but the fact that they were rude, acussatory and refused to hear my explanation as to why I was where I was.
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