An invoked White Privilege episode.
Comments from friends and detractors of all complexions welcomed on twitter.
Contrast my experience related here with that of Sandra Bland that I wrote about in my first blog post;
https://blog.answersinnumbers.org/2015/07/sandra-bland-cops/
Writing this as a blog with the intent to twitter thread it.
In my semi-retirement I now have a menial overnight job, shift starts at 10:00 PM, my commute is about 20 miles each way.
I was running a bit late, driving a bit fast, a cop saw an opportunity and took it.
I pulled into a parking lot, the front of my pickup facing a berm and a river, the cop crossed the tee blocking any escape route, his passenger door to the back of my truck.
I opened the door, put out my walking stick and got out. Without white privilege to exercise, who else would dare, who else would get away with it?
Yes, I intentionally invoked and exercised WP, mostly to be able to write this first hand account. I was out before the cop cleared the front of his car.
Cop told me to get back in the car (truck), I refused claiming discomfort to my aging, aching back if I had to twist around while seated and extracting my wallet for the documents he was sure to want.
He tried again saying it’s not usual for a stopped citizen to get out, I countered that it’s not usual to need to walk with a stick.
I remained outside for the remainder of the stop.
Are there non-whites that could pull this off in the U. S. A.?
He had me for speeding, possibly reckless driving through a construction zone, a TAIL LIGHT WAS OUT, and one other detail I’m too embarrassed to give details about but he could have impounded my truck.
In the end, the cop issued a fix it ticket for the tail light that can be signed off at any police station.
Essentially, the cop became my personal light check peon.
How differently might this encounter have come out had my complexion been other than white?
Sandra Bland, #SayHerName, WP IS REAL, #BLM.