First, I'll say I'm a dark skinned black male, about 6'2 and 240 pounds. I've never been arrested. In the last year, I've been stopped and questioned by the cops about 5 different times. Most of time I've been walking around my neighborhood or close by areas. One time I dropped a friend off late night and was stopped by cops. They asked my what I was doing in the area and put me in their cruiser so they could run my information. After about ten minutes of finding nothing(they kept running different searches because, as they said, they were convinced I was up to something) they let me go and one of the cops yelled at me to never come back to the area. I was like, how the fuck can you tell someone that has done nothing to not come back to the area. He told me to my face that he believed I was there to break into houses in the area. You could see a lot of hate in the guys eyes. It was almost like he wasn't human. Another time, after work, I was sitting in the dinning room of one of my jobs with 3 other guys. One of them was white, the rest of us were black. Three of us worked there. Well, we were watching the fights and chatting, having a good time for about ten minutes and then a couple of cops barrged in and asked us what we were doing here and if they could see id from us. I thought it was funny because here we are at our work, being hassled by the cops about why we were there. Ok, that situation was bad, but what happened to me a couple of days ago takes the cake. Ok, so I got off work and came back home. I live in an apartment building with two other neighbors. The front door of my apartment building requires a key to get in. Ok, so after spending about ten minutes at home, I left my apartment and walked to a grocery store to get some food. It was nice outside and I wanted to get some fresh air and take a relaxing walk after work. Ok, so I get the shit I need from the grocery store and walk back home. I entered my building and relaxed on my couch. Ok, so I'm there relaxing and doing a little meditation when I hear voices close to my living room window. I heard a group of guys talking and then I heard a police walky going on. One guy said he thought he saw a tv on (I don't even have a tv in my living room) and that he saw a light go off. As this is going on, I'm relaxing on my couch, thinking to myself...wtf? Finally, one of the cops forces my window up and shines his flashlight directly at me as I'm lying on my couch. He says "Hey, you there, come here, we want to see you" So I go to my front door, and OPEN IT WITH MY HOUSE KEYS. As I opened the door one of the cops asked me if I adjusted the blinds when I came in. I didn't remember doing so but I said yeah because I suppose I might have. He then goes to ask me if I broke in through the window that they barged open. I said no. Keep in mind that they saw and heard me open the door with a key. The guy then asked me if I had id that I lived here. I showed him my drivers license, and without a sorry or anything they just said ok and gave it back to me. I wasn't pissed at all, but was like "WTF?" so I asked them what the hell this was all about and they go on to say that there has been a lot of car break ins in the area. 50 in the last two months, which, when I think about it is complete bullshit because I've lived in the area for a year and several months now and have never had my car broken into nor have I seen any cars with indication of a car breakin. So, yeah, just like that, without an apology or any other word, they just walked off and left. I immediately called my sister and told her about it. I've told others about it, including a white buddy of mine and they all said it was clear racial profiling and bullshit. I wanted to tell the cops, "no wonder there's been so many car breakins. You dumbasses can't even do your job right" I mean, if they were actually paying attention they would have seen that I did not break into the house. Yet, I guess it's better for them to go around bugging innocent people than actually trying to do the right job. I've been a person that hasn't liked to think about race and have always tried to treat everyone on an individual basis, but the shit I've seen personally and read online and heard in the media recently show me that race still plays a big part in everyday situations. Any other black guys go through the same bullshit on here. Share some of your stories.
Can't stand hearing stories like that. Just sickens me. I'm white and I hold not even 1/10000000th of prejudice towards any black people. I don't understand how people can live their lives thinking like that- that all African Americans are sketchy individuals and that if you see one walking down the street, he's automatically suspect. People spend soooo much time being hateful and judging. It's like... damn... Chill out.
Good on you for taking it with a grain of salt. Big black dudes tend to loose their cool and start breaking shit.
Where the fuck do you live I would complain to the chief or whatever that's really fucked up and also I don't think a cop can ask you for ID without a reason
Well I guess it's a good thing you don't have a temper. And I'm pretty sure it was illegal of them to hold you for dropping your buddy off. That's detaining you without reasonable suspicion...
I think we all know that police do things they arent supposed to.. stating your rights will only make them laugh at you. a lot of em are douches, and dont follow the rules.
dude that is so fucked up i dont even know what to say. just keep doing your thing. keep smoking weed but be smart about it and one day you can show those cops the key to your mercedes and be like "u think i stole that mothafucka ya thats whats right" haha
I'm a black male myself and I have NEVER been racial profiled by cops.. I have never been arrested or ever been pulled over by a cop. I have, however, been profiled by workers at the mall a few times.. Like I'm sitting there with my 3 other friends who were all black and we just got through smoking and shit.. And we were standing in the middle of the mall by one of those stands or what ever. This lady was on the other side and just randomly decided to come on the side we were on to see what we were doing.. As if we were about to steal her shit or something. And another time was when I was in a store with a couple of my friends, again they were all black, and the workers, who were white, just started to follow us around the store and shit.. Shits fucked up Some people of other races just don't understand how hard we still have it, when it comes to being racially profiled. I mean you had it wayyyy worst than me because fucking pigs just get on my nerves.. Racist fucks man. Shoulda filed a complaint
If it happens again, maybe you should ask for their badge numbers and names, and then file a formal complaint at the police station. Is there any sort of civil liberties group in your area (maybe a chapter of the ACLU)? They might be able to offer some advice.
I don't know man, I'm assuming your young? I'm young and white and I get people in stores giving me the same type of shit. If I wear a hoodie it's on! Not to say there isn't still a problem with racial profiling, but I bet a lot of cases aren't actually race related.
tell them to fuck off. that story about your house was crazy i cant imagine how frustrating that is. all i could think about was this song [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=70lH373A1NU]N W A Fuck The Police - YouTube[/ame]
Contact the ACLU and get a lawsuit on these fucks! Raising your own window and shining a light in? I would get them for unlawful entry or B&E or SOMETHING! FUCK THESE GUYS MAN! where u live to get treated so shitty?
Yeah my black friends have prejudice like that against them too sadly Society hasnt come as far as some like to pretend
I'm white and have a bunch of black friends and we've never gotten profiled when I'm with them but you have to admit every now an then you'll see a person of whatever race and think that guys up to something. I'll see black dudes that just look like they're doing shit, mostl likely they're not but they just I've that look ya know? I mean I see white guys and I just think that guys smoking crack or whatever, you probably see people and you just think that dude is up to something regardless of race. They jut have that look. I'm high