What happened was so obviously racist, that it's disappointing that some of you don't realize it. As Gospel said, the cops may not hold terrible racists beliefs about black Americans, but they've been environmental influenced by living in a very segregated society, by being victims of the negative generalizations that they've heard about black people, etc
NJ is the most segregated state I've ever lived in, and I've lived in 7 states. Just the other day, I met a fantastic black RN who grew up in Philadelphia, just across from NJ. She told me that in her opinion, the Northeast is far more racist than many parts of the South. I told her that it was good to finally meet someone who understood that. So, these police, like many police and white people, often hold a bias, a belief that somehow black people are scarier or more likely to be violent, even when there is no direct evidence of that in a given situation. What happened in this situation was just a reflection of how young black males are treated compared to young white looking males. Fortunately, no physical harm was done, but emotional harm, especially when it becomes repetitive, can lead to anxiety and depression among other things. Even the other boy knew what was happening, as it was so obvious.
People hold all kinds of prejudice, often without any awareness. They are victims of what they've been told, and until someone helps them understand that what they've been told is wrong, nothing will change. I'm not sure just how or if we can change things, but I know as a person who lives in a place that is very racially integrated when it comes to our schools, our work places, our neighborhoods and even our senior center, that being together and interacting with each other often helps those who hold biases realize that skin tones have nothing to do with character.
My city isn't perfect but we've come a long way in the 23 years that I've lived here. 23 years ago, some asshole painted KKK on the front of a home occupied by our first black neighbors. Now, our neighborhood is becoming more racially integrated each year. We also have lots of mixed race marriages and relationships. For the most part, people respect and care about each other. Now, if the Christians could get their churches more integrated.......
Gospel, you did an awesome, job of explaining this situation. It's enjoyable to read you very rational posts. None of us have experienced what you have. Thanks for putting up with us.
