Black Men and the Police: Living the Black Man's Experience
By Pastor Clarence William Page
September 24, 2016
Tonight I was driving on Wendover Avenue in High Point (NC). As we approached a street named Penny Road I noticed two police vehicles traveling in the same direction I was traveling. I was in the center lane. They were in the right lane. I was aware of their presence but knew there was no reason for them to stop me.
After we passed Penny Road a police flashing light became operational directly behind me. I had not noticed that one of the police vehicles had changed lanes and was now in the same lane I was in and was directly behind me. Being a Black Man, I immediately began processing a thousand thoughts. The most important was , "How do I act when he approaches my vehicle?" Recollections of the killings of numerous Black men by police quickly flashed through my mind. Yet, the most important decision I had to make was, "What do I do - - - how do I act?" In other words, "Do I act like a man"? or, "do I act like a child?", or, "do I act like a slave"?" Quickly ruling out the slave option, I was left with the other two (man or child). I am a man, so why should I act like a child? Yet, the killings of other Black men by police gave rise to a chilling effect in me as I prepared to pull to the right side of the street and stop (as the flashing light required).
I began the process of pulling to the right side of the street and stopping (in obedience to the flashing blue light). As I did so the police vehicle that was directly behind me and flashing its blue lights (signaling me to stop [I thought]), suddenly pulled into the left lane, did a U-turn at the next intersection and sped in the opposite direction. Well that certainly was a relief!!!
All this occurred during the past two hours. I began thinking about the entire scenario. I think I now understand why so many Black men get in trouble with the police and many resent contact with the police. The answer (I think) is as follows: In too many instances the Black Man's manhood is attacked. Here is what I mean: After the encounter with the police person, the Black man feels less like a man and more like a child or slave.
Policing in the United States of America needs to rise to the level of insuring that contacts with citizens (especially Black male citizens) do not attack the manhood of that citizen. A man does not like to have his manhood attacked. In other words, a man does not like to be treated like he is less than a man. Such treatment causes resentment (whether such treatment is from other men, family members or police officers).
I therefore conclude the following: When people emerge from interactions with the police; the result of which causes them to feel like they are less than what they really are, they have been attacked. They have been wrongfully reduced. They have been violated. Violation of one's person breeds resentment.
Though this is a quick account of tonight's experience, I do think it contains insights that could help improve policing in general.
In all fairness, I must report that I have been stopped by police in times past and was treated with respect and dignity. The present chilling effect is the result of the heightened awareness that something in American policing has changed - - - and apparently that change is not for the better.
Those of us who live the Black experience are dealing with challenges that no other American encounters.
This article is in the Public Domain