4	Publications

 

Racism and related issues persist to this day in all aspects of our society.  These issues are reflected in longstanding disparities between the life experiences of African Americans and "mainstream" Americans.  If African Americans come to understand that assumptions about effectiveness breed and sustain racism then African Americans can take the initiative to resolve these critical problems.

One significant problem for African Americans is the practice of "racial profiling."  The following is a case study that illustrates ingredients that can be useful in confronting this racist practice.
 

Early one Saturday morning my daughter and I began our long drive to attend the funeral of my older sister who had just passed away.  We would have to travel some distance through several states.  We braced ourselves for a strenuous, sad trip realizing also that this was a chance to join with family and friends to honor the loss of someone special.

After driving for sometime on the highway we reached a toll both, paid the required toll, and resumed our driving.  Within moments of leaving the toll booth, a police unit with two officers inside, began to follow my vehicle.  I was signaled to pull my vehicle over to the side of the road.  After a few minutes one of the police officers approached my vehicle and stood at the window on the front passenger side by my daughter.  The officer identified himself.

The officer proceeded to inform me that I had been driving at a speed of 70 mph in a 55 mph speed zone.  I presumed that he was referring to distance traveled by my vehicle from departing the tool booth to the point where I was directed to pull my vehicle over to the side of the road.

The officer then asked me for my license and the vehicle registration.  I had to reach into my right rear pocket to take out the folded registration for my vehicle, a rental automobile.  I unfolded the registration paper and gave it to him.  As he took my license and registration he made a comment to me including words something like "you seem nervous" and he did it in a manner and phrasing that strongly suggested he was asking me a question for which an answer was required.

The officer returned to his unit.  After a short period of time he came back to my vehicle and stood at the driver's side window.  He ordered me out of the vehicle and instructed me to stand at the right rear of my vehicle a place that was at the right front of his unit.  At this time he questioned me regarding the contract for my rental vehicle.  The officer stated that he had the authority to impound my rental car.  He said he had this authority because the rental contract stated authorization for use of the vehicle in only one state and that was not the state we were driving in at the time.  I had informed him earlier that my daughter and I were traveling to attend the funeral for my sister in another state.

While having me stand in the same place between my vehicle and the officer's unit, the officer began to interrogate me regarding my travel to my sister's funeral.  His questions were about the identity of my daughter, the day and time of my sister's funeral, the travel time to and from the funeral in the other state, and hotel arrangements for overnight stay.

Next he asked me again about the identity of my daughter, the front seat passenger.  He then directed me to remain standing in place between the two vehicles.  At that time he walked to the passenger side of the vehicle and began talking with my daughter.  After a short time, he then returned to where I was standing and instructed me to return to my vehicle and sit inside.  

Waiting in my vehicle for a short period a second police unit drove in to park behind the first police unit.  Another officer got out of the second unit and walked to the driver's side of the first unit.  The additional officer talked for a few minutes with the officer who had interrogated my daughter and me.  He then came forward to my vehicle and stood at the passenger side window.  Without identifying himself he asked my daughter and me questions that were similar to those questions asked in two interrogations by the first officer.  He then returned to the first police unit and talked with the first police officer while standing by the driver's side window of the first unit.  He then walked back to his unit and drove away.

A short time later the first office again came to the passenger side of the vehicle.  He returned my driving papers and gave me a written Warning for speeding.  He then informed me that I was free to drive on.

I was furious with what had happened.  The police action was without justification.  In those moments of contact with the police I had a strong urge to question the practices and motives involved.  Being an African American man I was certain that my daughter and I were being subjected to "racial profiling."

When we reached our destination, we began the "bittersweet" moments with family and friends.  We were so happy to see each other again, so sad that it was on such an occasion, but thankful we could come together.  In one of those relaxed moments of catching up with family I told them about the police incident on our trip.  They listened with amazement and outrage while "shaking their heads" and asking what do you do short of confronting the police and being led off in handcuffs.  

Two of the young men in our family provided insight into the incident.  They confirmed that my daughter and I were subjected to "racial profiling."  They explained that the make of the rental car we were driving is known "on the streets" as a "pusher car" and it gets "profiled" by the police as being driven by drug dealers. They said that a Black man with a young Black lady, who happened to be my daughter, fits the profiles for which the police look.  I said I had no idea about "that make of car" considering how little attention I pay to automobiles.  This quickly was followed by a comment from one of the young men that "Hey, big, black 'Dr. G.' you had no idea you were dealing up the road in your 'pusher car' with this young chick in tow?" which brought a roar of laughter from the group, people who know my conservative demeanor.

While driving home from the funeral I began to think about my options for handling the incident of "racial profiling."  I knew I could have immediately confronted the officers accusing them of "racial profiling" and racism, an act that would have been immediately and greatly satisfying.  I would be thinking to myself.  "No one gets away with treating my daughter and me that way."  But I knew with that approach I would have ended up in handcuffs, as my family made clear.

I had to "use my head."  I had to think.  I had dealt before with racism experienced by myself and by my family.  I had resolved the situations successfully.  I knew I could handle this situation also.  I had to remind myself about what I and other African Americans are really facing in these situations.  Indeed, I wrote a book about it.  Armed with that knowledge I began to think through my plan.