The Police Scare The Hell Out Of Me

-
I'm a Black man with a Ph.D. Yet, I'm afraid of the police - white, Latino, black, Asian - because I understand even the most routine encounter with them could result in my death. I tense up every time I see them sitting on the side of the road, mentally preparing myself to be stopped, rehearsing in my mind what to say when pulled over. I check my speed, check my lights, and hope that a taillight isn't broken. After I pass them, I check my rear view mirror to see if I'm being followed. The times I've been stopped have been more than annoying; I was terrified that something might go wrong and feel like I dodged a bullet when I've been able to drive away.

Enough said!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Neoliberalism, the Fiscal Cliff, and the Fate of Black People

-
Image
As was the case in 2008, when I voted for Barack Obama for president in 2012, I did not embrace the fantasy (perhaps, it should be referred to as "the delusion") that many of my liberal and progressive friends had that Obama was secretly a "lefty" and shared our values and that his "middle of the road approach" on the campaign trail was a ruse, a stratagem, subterfuge, a cleaver maneuver on his part designed to hoodwink white people hesitant to support a black man for president. Once in office, some black people I know invoking a righteously indignant tone preached to me, the president would be the progressive we had all been hoping and praying for after 8 years of George W. Bush. Reality has set in for most people on the left. The president is not a "lefty." Although I believe he is slightly left of center, he does not share our core leftist values or our leftist economic and political agenda. But I voted for him two times. Explain y...
Read more

The Kind Of Health Care System We Need Is Not Likely To Be The One We Will Get

-
Our nation's health care system is broken. More than 45 million Americans are without health insurance. Many of the uninsured pay dearly for their lack of coverage. Experts estimate that roughly 22,000 people die annually because they are not covered by an insurance plan. Like most Americans, I've had a very difficult time following the health care debate in Washington. The competing claims about what ails our health care system are nearly as difficult to follow as the competing policy prescriptions being offered to fix it. What I am most certain of, however, is that repairing our nation's health care system is of critical importance to communities of color. A report released earlier this year by the Connecticut Citizen Action Group (CCAG) as part of Heath Care for American Now (HCAN) – a coalition of over 1,000 organizations – makes a compelling case that communities of color would benefit most from comprehensive health reform. "Throughout the nation's history, ...
Read more

What the Black Community Can Learn From A Tragic and Senseless Death

-
Image
I am still in shock about the death of a former student, Tiana Notice. Only 25, Tiana was a bright, talented, articulate, and highly motivated student who was making a difference in the world. Tiana had done a lot in her short time with us. She earned a bachelor’s degree in politics and government in 2007, and was pursuing a master’s degree in the School of Communication. While pursing her bachelor’s degree, she almost singlehandedly founded the University of Hartford chapter of the Roosevelt Institution , a national network of student think-tanks that conduct policy research on pressing issues. Tiana was murdered by her ex-boyfriend, James Carter II. Tiana did what was expected of victims of intimate partner violence (IPV); she got a restraining order. However, that did not stop her ex-boyfriend from stalking and harassing her and finally on Valentine’s Day, stabbing her to death. When I first heard about her death, I wondered how someone with the smarts and abilities of Tiana could ...
Read more