(continued from: 9/28/11)
I took his advice; kept my mouth shut and played the, ‘who can hold the stare longest’ game with him. Suddenly the uncertain Oakland County cop (still holding his handcuffs) literally screamed in my face: “WHAT IF IT HAD BEEN A BLACK POLICEMAN THAT STOPPED YOU? WHAT IF IT HAD BEEN AN AFRICAN AMERICAN FEMALE OFFICER, WOULD YOU CALL THEM RACIST PROFILERS TOO?”
He looked at me as if he’d just scored a point. Summoning my most arrogant manner I smiled contemptuously. “Are the other Oakland County cops as ignorant as you” I asked, “or are you the only one who doesn’t know that it’s the race of the detainee not the race of the detainer that makes it profiling?”
“That’s it,” he snapped, moving as if to take me into custody. I pointed to the store entrance. The other cop stood there trying to get my captor’s attention. “It’s not him,” he shouted, making a slicing motion across his neck. “It’s not,” asked my disappointed pursuer, deflating like a balloon with a hole in it.
He looked at me defeated. Trying to save face he spat out: “we didn’t stop you for shoplifting. It was for prescription fraud.” As I turned to go, soaked to the skin he added, I didn’t profile you, the pharmacy did, I ain’t no racist.”
Turning to face him I inquired, “just so I’m clear how did the pharmacist describe me?” “Black man, white shirt” he replied as if that explained everything. I looked at the shirt I had on. It was as tan as my brown face. I looked back at the glaring, staring dummy with a badge and wondered how long it would take him to figure out that the alleged prescription fraudster, now long gone, would be glad to know that another black man was at the big box ‘we sell everything store’ at the same time he was.
Thanks for sharing your story Mr. Miller. This is just a reminder to me that racism does still exist and it can happen to anyone, even my one-year-old son. What do I tell my child after someone profiles him at such a young age?
ReplyDelete