Monday, March 30, 2009

Sorry Negro, you look like just another drug dealer to me.


Hi, it's me,field, your friendly "racism chaser", and I have another story for you:

Terrence Jones is a retired Philadelphia police officer. He was on the force for 11 years until he got a job related injury and decided to settle down in a beautiful South Jersey McMansion with his family. Life was good for Terrence Jones until the night of February 4, 2007. That's the night he met Patrolman Michael Schaeffer. The Patrolman pulled Jones over and asked him why he was exiting an industrial park. He then proceeded to ask Mr. Jones if he had been drinking and if he would allow a vehicle search. Jones told the Patrolman that he never drinks and refused to allow the search of his Lincoln Navigator. (Come on field, he was asking to be stopped. Why don't you black people drive simple cars?) The Patrolman, undaunted, ordered Jones out of his vehicle, frisked him, and then leaned into the vehicle to look around. To top it off, he did a sobriety test after not smelling liquor on Jone's breath and justified it by telling someone on his police radio that Mr. Jones is "just shady".

Now if you think all of that was outrageous; wait, it gets better: Mr. Jones had the nerve to be outraged at the treatment he received at the hands of one of South Jersey's finest, so he did what any angry citizen would do: he wrote a letter to the Police Chief of the township where he was harassed for DWB. What do you think happened? Well, the police chief claimed that he never got the letter, and finally, after Mr. Jones called him, he decided that he he would pick up a copy of the letter from Mr. Jone's home. Of course he never questioned or disciplined the officer involved, and he passed the complaint on to a county investigator.

Fast forward to July of the same year, and to his horror, Mr. Jones found himself looking at 18 months in jail after a grand jury indicted him for filing a false police report. Yep, a false police report! Do you believe that shit? Of course you do, it's why you are reading this blog.

Anyway, fortunately for Mr. Jones, his story had a happy ending. Happy being a relative term, of course.


"Visibly angered, Superior Court Judge M. Christine Allen Jackson had called the case 'chilling' when she found him not guilty. It was over; and Jones sobbed in relief."

"A lot of people came up to me afterward and said they,too, had been stopped for driving while black..they felt nothing would be done if they complained and they didn't want to become a target."

Well, they might as well complain, because they are targets. Not complaining and letting bullshit like this slide will only make a bad situation worse. DWB is bad enough as it is. If we don't call enough attention to these racist cowboys they will think that they can get away with the things they did to folks like Ryan Moats in Dallas (who, by the way, accepted the ignorant officer's apology, just like I told you he would) and Terrence Jones in South Jersey.

Terrence Jones and Ryan Moats were lucky, there were police cameras to video tape what happened to them as they drove while black. Quite a few folks have not been so lucky.


"Jones believed the tape saved him. 'It would have been my word against the police officers', he said. 'I might have been doing 18 months in jail."


Or worse Mr. Jones, you might have been dead.














81 comments:

  1. Wow. Chilling. I applaud the brother for his tenacity.

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  2. I am calling for a Day of Blogging for Driver Justice, in favor of rolling and spontaneous national protest in which Black people scrupulously obey each and every traffic law conceivable. When we continue to be harassed, it will demonstrate that police harass us regardless of our driving behavior.

    More importantly, driving at the lowest lawful speed limit and stopping to let pedestrians cross the street will lead to traffic tie ups as long as they eye can see, in every jurisdiction. Unlike Jena protests, it only takes one driver proceeding at the lowest lawful speed limit to tie up a highway, slow down commerce, and prompt business officials to call for police to stop whatever they are doing that is making Blacks so angry.

    When we stopped riding segregated buses, it brought an end to segregated buses. When we stop up the highways, it will bring an end to segregated justice on the highways.

    If anyone has a better idea, particularly one that goes beyond simply complaining about what all of us have been aware of for decades, then I'd like to know what that better idea is.

    White liberals once seemed to believe that, "Now that people know about it, things are necessarily going to get better." Well that has NEVER been the case. Knowledge has to lead to determined action, or reading Field Negro will no more end color-aroused injustice than reading Mark Twain does.

    If our grandmothers and grandfathers refrained from riding segregated buses in order to bring desegregated transportation, I would hope that our generation would be willing to drive a little more slowly on the highway to protest the constant persecution that we endure. (I've been stopped twice within ten minutes while driving in South Jersey.)

    Again, if anyone has a better idea, I'd like to hear it in the comments at my blog post on this. Otherwise, I call on Black people and those who want equal justice to start following traffic laws to the very letter, even though it will inevitably result in traffic tie- ups as far as the eye can see, which will bring commerce, politicians, and ultimately the police themselves to their knees.

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  3. I'm starting to question this so-called drug war in Mexico because of these kops...and don't bother bringing up "Narc-hanistan"! That's a whole 'nother ball game.

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  4. I used to live in South Jersey. I called it "Up South" You know how people call NC or Alabama down south? Well, South Jersey was 'up south' to me.

    Rednecks, White sheets and Blue chevrolets.

    I say we tape all police encounters. Why not? If nothing happened either way -- No harm No foul.

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  5. I'm tired of this treatment. Thank you for continuing to shed light on this. People think Obama's election to the presidency has smoothed everything out. And by 'people' I mean white americans and the media. Racism is still here America! His election is only bringing these hating, white bastards to the forefront. Can we stop this? Hopefully.

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  6. I've been following your blog for several weeks now and I continue to enjoy reading the perspective you share on various topics of interests.

    I don't think any Black man can deny the sense of dread when he's pulled over by a policeman for DWB. As a young Black man, it was a given in Chicago that I would be routinely pulled over for DWB. As a 58 year old man living 70 miles from a major urban city, it's just a painful reminder.

    A guy with a badge who barely made it through high school will pull me over and ask, "Do you live around here? Where are you going? Is this your car?"

    It's interesting how reasons are formulated in the mind of a policeman to justify pulling a car over when there is no traffic violation.

    It's never comforting to look out my side-view mirror and see a White policeman approaching my car with his hand on a holstered gun.

    I understand the reason Ryan Moats took the high road. Policemen like Officer Powell don't need much incentive to cross a line they've already breeched.

    I agree with what you've said, "If we don't call enough attention to these racist cowboys they will think that they can get away with the things they did to folks..."

    Thanks for this post,

    U

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  7. Field

    I was reading comments from the Ryan Moats thread & found this:

    Justice58 said...
    Moats' 2nd mistake:

    "When Powell asked for proof of insurance, Moats grew more agitated and told the officer to go find it."

    Don't blame everything on 'racism, field neeeegro.




    That post is not from this Justice58 but some a-hole imitating me!

    Just want to let you know!

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  8. StillaPanther211:02 PM

    Brother Field....First let me thank-you for your blogging. On the sidebar about Howard Witt and blogging being a means of "carrying the message" was so true. I have said it once that I am thankful and at peace- knowing our message is still on time. Today's topic (message) is one that most Blacks feel so isolated when it happens. Most of us are so thankful to survive the ordeal that we "thank the Lord" and keeep going on with our daily task. For myself- average of two to three stops annually- I have learned how to react to the officers for my safe wellness. I have also given this lesson to my children as well as all Black males that will listen. The task is to 'get back home'. I detest that I/we live in a society where there is no allies in the public. I used to have a Panther symbol on my truck, but why antagonize officers- Black and white, that don't know social history. Again- Thank you for the enlightments, maybe the next time someone/I will report bad behavoir from these "cowboys". :) good terminology.

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  9. Anonymous11:07 PM

    Why don't we admit it? Blacks will always be persecuted and treated unfairly by the law and so-called justice system. I used to live in South Jersey, and it's just as racist as the rest of the country.

    There is NO PLACE in America where blatant fabricated injustice won't happen to Blacks. American Racism 'demands' spontaneous violation of human dignity along with simultaneous paralyzing fear to the hearts of Blacks by white law enforcement.

    With Obama President, things are going to get worse, much worse... to the point NO African American will feel comfortable in their skin. I also don't think the Obamas are truly safe, but I pray to God for their safety. And I hope many more Blacks are praying also. Millions of prayers are more powerful than a few.

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  10. He did what any angry citizen would do: he wrote a letter to the Police Chief of the township where he was harassed for DWB.

    The above is what Blacks need to do when harassed by bigot cops.

    A few years ago as guest were leaving my home after celebrating my husband’s birthday. As they were in the driveway at their vehicles, a cop pulls up blocking the driveway. She approached them asking if they saw anyone running or suspicious. They all replied “no”. Then she proceeded with asking them what they were doing along with other BS questions. She was purposely trying to get someone to become ignorant with her. I start walking and looking around and noticed two police cars parked on the side of my house out of view.

    My husband finally had enough of her BS and told her leave our property. Her actions and the police in waiting was nothing more than racial profiling. There is no doubt in my mind she stopped because of the type of vehicles in our driveway. We filed an official complaint with the Chief of Police, as they were doing there investigation, they did not think we would ask to hear the 911 call, communication between the dispatcher and responding officer.

    The call came in from a woman who said someone was trying to get in her house. The dispatcher asked her, “Is the person black” the woman replied “no”. She told them it was a white male. The dispatcher dispatch the call the suspect was a white male. The officer asked her about three times if they were black and the dispatcher responded, "NO". The next thing we heard was the officer saying, “There go a bunch of them in a driveway”. You should have seen the look on the detectives face as we all listened to the tape...it was priceless. Of course the detectives turned the tape off after that…and we all know why.

    You should have seen the look on the detectives face as we all listened to the tape. The call came in from a woman who said someone was trying to get in her house. The dispatcher asked her, “is the person black” the woman replied “no”. She told them it was a white male. The dispatcher dispatch the call the suspect was a white male. The officer asked her about three times if they were black and the dispatcher responded no. The next thing we heard was the officer saying, “There go a bunch of them in a driveway”. Of course the detectives turned the tape off after that…and we all know why.

    We did get a response in writing from the Chief and of course, they tried to sweep it under the rug. I informed the Chief I did not agree with their findings and if another officer in this small city racial profile guests of mine, my family, or me I will file a complaint with the federal authorities.

    People need to report incidents on bigots who wear a badge because police departments do not expect minorities to complain in writing.

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  11. Well, Jones could kind of resemble the great biwishful black prez without the mustache. So, I guess f-king with him could work.

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  12. Anonymous12:37 AM

    Here's an interesting article for some of you folks in Southern CA. Looks like San Bernadino hired a great man guaranteed to improve race relations!

    http://www.splcenter.org/blog/

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  13. Whu'appin' Field?

    I thought we agreed that for every victim, there were countless worthless mugs who need to be pulled over and pulled in jail? lol

    Pained as I am to do so, I got ta bring us back to terra firma. How do fight this victimization and these rogue cop without utterly hamstringing the cops --and desensitizing an already hurting community--in removing the scum? I can;t see why not both...but one CAN'T be quid pro quo for the other, Field.

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  14. here in the uk it is no better...
    as it happens i was driving with my (bright, gorgeous and handsome!) son the other day and was pulled over...
    why? my son had his hood up..
    it was early and he wanted to sleep on the may to my parents... he never ever walks around with his hood up - he knows better - but i though that in the privacy of my own vehicle i could do what i want - within reason...
    the 'po-po' thought we looked 'shady' to use a word from the article..
    i am 43 yr old woman that happens to drive a 'boy racer' car.. (don't hate - i have a need for speed too..)
    i think myself lucky i was brought up in the suburbs and as such i am 'bi-lingual'... the po also know that my mother worked as a civil servant for the force - that info is attached to my name.. so i always get an apology...
    but for thousands of people not in my position it is a crying shame...

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  15. I have been stopped by the St. Louis County Police several times (They are some of the most racist sumbitches in the Country). That's why I stay locked in my apartment now....have been like this for years.

    If its not the thug Police...it's the other street thugs I have to worry about.

    If I want to see a movie now... I go with Cable On Demand or Blockbuster, lol.

    But there are times of course when I do have to venture out....and I almost dread it. I worry about the possibility of another incident every time I get into my car. I hate the idea of constantly being put in a situation where I have to explain to some a**hole where i'm going, where i'm coming from...that i'm not a criminal (because as a Black male... the default image in the mind of the other person is "Crime", "Hip Hop", "Illegitimate Father"..."50 cent", "an animal"....etc etc etc etc...all the usual stereotypes...no matter how hard you have worked in life to go against that grain.).

    But we can't let Negroes off the hook either Field. It's the thugs who terrorize Black neighborhoods who have fueled and in some cases created this mindset among these meathead Police officers (and they are meatheads and bigots). If the jail and prison system were not so full of Black males (despite the fact that Black males make up what... 7% of the overall population?).... If the Black crime rates weren't so high... and if there wasn't a modern Black culture (a decrepit one) of Rap/Hip Hop that embraced criminality, a lack of values, a lack of respect for education and so forth... I don't think this situation would be nearly as bad as it is.

    I think about what people like MLK, Paul Robeson, Mary McLeod Bethune, Thurgood Marshall, Fannie Lou Hamer, and John Hope Franklin tried to do...and then I look at Negroes today and I find myself shaking my head in disbelief and disgust every time.

    I have to concur somewhat with what Chris Chambers stated.

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  16. Anonymous4:19 AM

    It's only gonna get worse,cousin cooter's are walking in old folks homes blasting up old folks,street thug brothers are blasting Pigs first,then running home for the Ak,awiating SWAT's arrival.After the O man got in the devil increased his home protection,they knew how thier ignorant ass racist brethern was gonna kill a nigga a week,so far so good!
    thier time is up & they know it,you know how whittey rolls,He's gonna want slaves in the next life,so he aint going out without a fight!
    33

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  17. Filing a false report huh?

    Thanks for being the race pimp that you are Field no matter what anyone says. This story puts a face on what so many people of color have encountered on many an occasion. The thing about this, is that dude was a retired police officer. Not even that stood for anything.

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  18. Christopher and AI, I feel ya. Of course urban terrorist don't get a pass. But as a peace officer your training should allow you to be able to tell a law abiding citizen from a criminal. There are police radios to run plate checks. And you should use common sense to do your job as well. The situation Blinders Off mentioned should never have happened. That was just a bunch of racist flexing their muscles. I suspect that was also the case with Moats and the guy in this article.

    underOver...thanks for checking in and leaving your .2

    Francis, let me know what I can do to help if you decide to go full throttle with that DWB campaign.

    Justice58, I know that couldn't be you dissing your boy. You and I have nothing but love for each other. Consider it a form of flattery that trolls are jacking your handle to leave comments.

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  19. I think this type of story is hard for a lot of us white folks to understand and accept. It does not compute. Intellectually I can recognize the facts as true. But emotionally I still want to say there must be a reason. I know there is bias and racism like this. I guess I just hope every time deep down that it is not true, because it is just so evil and unfair. Because I was raised that the police and the legal system is a protection for me. Regardless of the fact there is bias for people like me, the simple fact that a system that I feel safe in can cause the exact opposite feeling in someone else is very hard to comprehend. I know its true, but that does not make it easy.

    But all my apocryphal stories of people getting out of tickets when pulled over are from weepy white women, never a person of color, man or woman. My stories of railroaded "justice" are all from people I know who are not white.

    At least there was a fair judge in the way here to let justice prevail. But did it? Is just getting off from a bogus charge Justice. I think justice in this situation is the badges of the chief, that officer and the Bar card from the DA who allowed it to be prosecuted.

    I did not mean this to be a confession of sorts that even within my beliefs there still is incredulity sometimes. It's just that, Field you do have a way of helping us all confront things differently.

    Thanks.

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  20. Field,

    Perhaps as a lawyer you know, what is the case laws surrounding a cop requesting to search your vehicle?

    When I watch The World's Wildest Police Videos, or, Cops, and I see someone pulled over and the cop says something disingenuous to the driver like, "Do you have any objection to me searching your car," I always wonder how I would respond in a similar situation?

    Knowing my disdain for cops, my initial thinking is, "Fuck off, pig, you want to search MY car? Then, run along and get a court order, otherwise, the answer is no, you can't search my SUV."

    Anyone who has ever lived in a large U.S> city or the south knows cops have a terrible record of planting evidence during routine vehicle stops. In fact, some university studies suggest as much as 25% of the contraband seized in traffic stops goes back out to be used as planted evidence.

    The police departments in Houston, TX, Los Angeles, CA, Smyrna, GA and Williamson County, TX, have all been charged in state and Federal courts for planting evidence.

    What exactly is the case law on allowing vehicle searches?

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  21. Anonymous7:29 AM

    your right it was wrong shouldn't have happened and if occurred as reported then there should have been SEVERAL people minus a job BUT, February 4, 2007 come on Field your grabbing at shit here how about something a little more current?

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  22. Anon 7:29...perhaps you should be outraged that it did not make the news till 2 years later. Not that Field is posting about a news story from 3/30/09.

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  23. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  24. Anonymous8:28 AM

    NWA F**k the police, now you middle class niggas know what it feels like to be treated like a street thug, the mentality is simple if you stop 10 black males, you will come up with a legit excuse for the stop!

    What about the innocent brothers that got stopped, and didnt know there rights!

    Mixon RIP brotha git them motherf**kers before they get you!

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  25. My husband has been pulled over for driving while Black a few times. But in one of those instances, where he had been driving around 90MPH in a 7 series BMW outside of B'more (the drug dealers car of choice), he had to know he was putting himself at "risk" of being pulled over. He ended up with a ticket not for speeding but for a tail light being out. Go figure!

    Again, I generally think this kind of thing is wrong, but Black men need to be more careful not do things, like driving 30 miles over the speed limit, to draw negative attention to themselves. Sure I get that white men don't have that restriction, but they're white and this is America.

    As for the Moats story, I don't think he handled that situaion well at all. He could have been shot for just stepping out of his car. And getting smart (about the car insurance) with a racist cop isn't a good idea either IMHO.

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  26. Anonymous8:56 AM

    I got pulled over for DWW in the early 90's...had purchased a used State Police car at auction, and was driving it home, WITH the proper temporary tag, Insurance papers, reciept etc etc. Trooper was a Brother, about 6-4 275, no neck, leather legs, voice like James Earl Jones... dude still wrote me a warning for improper tag... Still get a chill up my spine everytime I see a Black face behind the wheel of a Crown Vic...
    Thanks for letting me share...

    Frank

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  27. I drive a modest 97 Civic and haven't been pulled over since about 2005. I sometimes wonder if I'd get pulled over more if I drove something nicer.

    BTW, field can you start including links in your honorary house/field negroes entries? I googled "Angie Harmon Obama" and I can only find her reaction to be called a racist, not the comments that prompted people to call her racist.

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  28. Again, thanks for posting this Field.

    Here's a link to the dash cam video footage of the stop:

    http://www.philly.com/philly/video/090327_in_police.html

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  29. field, this brotha is fortunate not just for the video tape, but the fact that the cop felt so comfortable harassing a black man that he didn't get him to a place where the videotape couldn't see.
    When they do that, they can be a brotha without impunity.

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  30. Christopher and all.... the simple rule to search is this.... if the cop ASKS to search.... "mind if I search, if you have nothing to hide you shouldn't mind if I search? Anything to hide from me, no? well then you won't mind if I search?" This means he/she does not have Probable Cause to search, which is the what a cop needs to search without a warrant. In a vehicle, probable cause can be any illegal contraband (open container, drugs, a gun, paraphanlia, a tied up person in the back seat) within plain view, (not in a glove compartment!) but anything that can be seen from outside the vehicle looking in.

    If a cop says your car fits the description of a vehicle spotted leaving a crime, and you match the description of the driver, they will not ask your permission to search. If you are being stopped for suspected DUI, and they determine you may be intoxicated, they will search. Those are all probable cause events.

    So, if a cop ASKS, he does not have probable cause.... and to protect privacy rights, Just Say No!

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  31. Anonymous10:37 AM

    Dear Jody,

    Thank you for the nformation. It is very helpful. Thanks.

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  32. Anonymous11:27 AM

    i would like to hear from some canuck brothers to see if dwb is as prevalent up there as in the states

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  33. Anonymous11:35 AM

    Field, I know you're a big NFL fan, so couldn't let the Angie Harmon reference go without comment...You DO know her claim to NFL fame????

    Frank

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  34. Anonymous11:39 AM

    ADA Abbie Carmichael's married to the last White Boy to start at Defensive Back in the NFL....drumroll......former USC Trojan Jason Sehorn... a 1/3 of a generation of white children have never known the joy of seeing a Cornerback with stone hands and 5.5 40 yard dash times....LET MY PEOPLE PLAY a 2 DEEP ZONE!!!!!!

    Frank

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  35. Zimbel12:11 PM

    @Christopher-

    The (now possibly dated) advice I got from a law student was to:

    1) Not give the police permission.
    2) Not block the police from searching anyway.

    That way, if they found something, it could easily be blocked as it was part of an illegal search & seizure, and since you aren't preventing them from searching, they're unlikely to suddenly get violent with you or haul you off on a false pretext.

    That said, I'd still suggest checking with a lawyer. Something may have changed in the past decade or so.

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  36. Jody,

    Excellent, informative info and I appreciate your reply.

    The whole notion that cops can nose around your personal property, as in your car or SUV without you being present to watch their hands, has always rubbed me the wrong way.

    My inclination is to tell them, "No way, partner. Go get a court order or get on with your next victim."

    Zimbel,

    Knowing how often cops plant evidence to in effect to achieve a promotion, I just don't think I would allow it.

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  37. Zimbel12:26 PM

    @The Angry Independent

    "It's the thugs who terrorize Black neighborhoods who have fueled and in some cases created this mindset among these meathead Police officers (and they are meatheads and bigots). If the jail and prison system were not so full of Black males (despite the fact that Black males make up what... 7% of the overall population?).... If the Black crime rates weren't so high... and if there wasn't a modern Black culture (a decrepit one) of Rap/Hip Hop that embraced criminality, a lack of values, a lack of respect for education and so forth... I don't think this situation would be nearly as bad as it is."

    "African-Americans are about 12% of our population; contrary to a lot of thought and rhetoric, their drug use rate in terms of frequent drug use rate is about the same as all other elements of our society,
    about 14%. But they end up being 37% of those arrested on drug charges, 59% of those convicted, and 74% of those sentenced to prison by the numbers that have been provided by us."


    While the details may vary, this is typical of studies of the problem: Black people end up in prison disproportionately due to arrest, conviction, and sentencing disparities (and in some cases, laws designed to target Blacks) - not a higher intrinsic rate of crime.

    I'm still of the opinion that if you want to reduce crime rates (particularly violent crime rates), the best cure is to increase (legal) employment. If it works in civil war zones (and it does - employment is the best indicator of whether a new peace deal will hold), it's going to work in the U.S.A.

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  38. Anonymous12:55 PM

    Zimbel sez - I'm still of the opinion that if you want to reduce crime rates (particularly violent crime rates), the best cure is to increase (legal) employment.

    You know it's funny - I have a company which does work overseas for the US Government in the area of ICT or Information and Communications Technologies development.

    We do work in Africa, the Middle East, South America and Asia.

    The key stated goal of these ICT programs is to train their workforce, to reduce unemployment - thus reducing the likelihood that their people will become "terrorists" in the cases of Islamic countries...

    That's "criminals" in the case of everyone else.

    The US Government pours millions of dollars every year into programs designed to train, educate, and develop business infrastructure in these countries to assist the countries in providing meaningful professional jobs to their citizens.

    It's been heavily supported by conservatives as a methodology to relieve the grinding poverty which is a breeding and recruiting ground for Al Quaeda in Islamic countries.

    So the question becomes, why is job training, education, and business development and incubation "good" according to conservatives when it applies to foreign Islamic countries...

    But "welfare" when applied to our own homegrown black folks?

    What? We gotta blow up a tall building and find a brother to go live in a cave in the mountains before it is a good idea to train and put black folks to work?

    Amazing the hypocrisy of Amerikkka on race.


    BT

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  39. Anonymous12:57 PM

    Speaking about "The Land of Cotton"...

    http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-southern-pride29-2009mar29,0,2829655.story

    BT

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  40. What? We gotta blow up a tall building and find a brother to go live in a cave in the mountains before it is a good idea to train and put black folks to work?

    Excellent point!

    This post and the comments were an excellent read. Thank you.

    Peace...

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  41. Anonymous1:48 PM

    I have been stopped by police many times, I have always had one of the big suv's. I remember one time I was pulled over, because the officer saw me yawning, this was late at night. I gave him my license and told him do whatever, im trying to get home. I was two blocks from my house. He gave me a funny look, and told me to be careful. I did file a complaint. Field I do have mixed emotions with the police department here. I have great response from the department from thief of property, my building being burgularized, security at the office, they give me and my staff the most respect, but then we experience DWB from them. There are many filed complaints from me, and friends that have felt our color was the reason we were stopped. Im glad I never had to experience the situation Mr. Jones had.

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  42. Lady-Cracker2:07 PM

    Christopher Chambers said ... "How do fight this victimization and these rogue cop without utterly hamstringing the cops."

    Would it be possible to raise and train boys to become police officers; with concerted intentness? It could work on two levels: a) legal employment and b) more black cops than white ones.


    Do the sons, cousins and nephews of people like Terrence Jones become police officers? Do they have police officer dynasties like some other families do?

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  43. Craziness! Absolute outrageous.

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  44. Anonymous3:14 PM

    emptysuit sez - I have been stopped by police many times, I have always had one of the big suv's.

    A little levity here!

    In my wild and crazy youth I had a penchant for very fast cars. After getting a very good job out of school, I bought my first new car with a 454 CI 435 HP HO engine, special ordered with no engine size numbers or other "sporty" affectations on the body. The only indication that the car wasn't a run of the mill was the dual exhausts, and decidedly non-stock rubber.

    A "sleeper".

    My second was a 2 seater, modified by a racing company which resulted in raising the red line from 6,000 RPM to something in the mid 9000 range, which theoretically gave the car a top end in the buck-eighty range. With no aerodynamics package though, bad things started happening around 145, so I never pushed it.

    Driving through DC in my little 2 seater, on my way from a concert at Carter Barron with a particularly difficult date in the passenger seat who seemed to make it a point to criticize everything from the dinner at a nice downtown restaurant, to my choice of groups to see (Al Green)...

    I see the red lights in the rear view mirror. I quickly checked my speed...43 in a 35, and pulled over. Didn't really look at the cop, as I was busy getting out the normal paperwork to have it ready, when, through my window, in a female voice came...

    "You got a fast car there, Buddy!"

    To which, frustrated with the whole evening I responded...

    "Yeah, and if I had dropped 3rd, your radio wouldn't have caught me before the West Virginia border." for the first time looking up at the lady officer...

    Who turned out to be quite lovely.

    I'm thinking.. "Oh shit, now you did it", when she breaks out laughing... And said - "And a bad attitude!"

    "I just wanted to tell you to slow down", as she handed me my license and registration, along with her business card.

    My date saw the card, and started on the DC Cops as I quickly rolled up the window, waived at the officer, and pulled away.

    Never tried for a second date - but dated that officer for 8 months before she had to move back home to Georgia due to a family situation.

    "Baby, you can drive my car"...

    Indeed.

    BT

    ReplyDelete
  45. It may interest many of the readers here to know that the original reasons behind the DrugWar had nothing to do with 'public health' and everything to do with racism and eugenics. The curious may go here and here for verification of this. It wasn't so much about use, but about who was presumed to be using, and what was believed to happen when such use occurred.

    For example, it was taken as Gospel in the first two decades of the 20th century that Blacks were thought to become crazed rapists of White women while on cocaine, and invulnerable to .32 caliber bullets, hence the upgrade to .38's last century. On the basis of this nonsense we have our drug laws.

    ReplyDelete
  46. Off topic: This message is for Ms. Rikyrah, one of my favorite political analyst.

    Rikyrah:

    I noticed that your website has been presenting black history figures. I have two I can share with you for your black history presentations. They were well-known jazz musicans back around 1901 and both had their own bands. One of them played at the Chicago World Series in 1919 and on the vaudeville stage, and the other there was a biography book called "A Bio-Discographical Scrapbook on Edmond Hall: Profoundly Blue" written about him by Manfred Selchow. Here I'll share a couple of links with you, let you read them, and decide if you want to use them. They were related to me on my dad's side of the family, their mother's were one of my grandmother's cousins.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edmond_Hall

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lawrence_Duh%C3%A9

    ReplyDelete
  47. Anonymous4:16 PM

    Anonymous.... please!!

    ReplyDelete
  48. Lady-Cracker5:29 PM

    "It was a crisis that was created and spread throughout the world due to the irresponsible behavior of white people, blue-eyed people, that thought they knew everything but are now showing they knew nothing," Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said."

    This from an article about Michelle Obama being the secret diplomatic weapon of the President abroad from CNN.com.

    The racial profiling shoe is on the other foot. I am going to have to sunglass up or be accosted for financing while white w/blue. LOL!

    ReplyDelete
  49. The other day, I wrote that I suspected that if Ryan Moats had complained about his treatment, he probably would have been ignored. This is the sort of thing that convinces me of that.

    It's hard to trust police departments that don't handle this sort of thing properly. When they refuse to treat citizen complaints seriously, cops who exercise bad judgment won't be removed from duties where they can endanger themselves, their colleagues, and the public.

    ReplyDelete
  50. Anonymous5:45 PM

    Just havin' fun, Suit.

    Granny - Thanx for the background. Knew about Hall - but not Duhe, courtesy of a friend who collected vinyl pressings going back to the 20's.

    BT

    ReplyDelete
  51. Too often the police are innocent even when proven guilty.

    ReplyDelete
  52. Anonymous6:44 PM

    yeah we know we know field on tuesdays its fuck the police but let some revolutionist type of brother had offed this racist pig and he would have been in the side bar somehow a honorary field negro like as if this was his first and only time doing this foolishness. but when i come on here and advocate killin em all its a problem. this blog stinks of hypocracy.
    signin off as always fuck the police ENY

    ReplyDelete
  53. BT:

    "Granny - Thanx for the background. Knew about Hall - but not Duhe, courtesy of a friend who collected vinyl pressings going back to the 20's."

    You welcome. They were not the only two musicians in our family back then who played in bands. Edmond's dad had a band as well and a few other cousins played in bands back then. Amazon has the CD of Edmond's recording, "Profoundly Blue" I've been trying to find a copy of that book to add to my collection of family history. It's out of print;therefore, I'm having a hard time finding it. I do have a couple of pictures of them performing on Vaudeville and stage though in our family album.

    ReplyDelete
  54. Anonymous 6:44:

    Maybe, you do need to sign off because I've never once read anything Field has ever wrote upholding anyone who has shot or killed a police. You need to face the facts the police department needs an overhaul in some of their practices and policies just like criminals need to be punished. That's straight up the truth.

    ReplyDelete
  55. As a lifelong south jersey resident,i have been profiled dozens of times up until my grey hair took over.After high school graduation i got a ticket for having my tassle hanging over my rear view mirror!This ticket is called obstructed view. I have always wondered how many whites have recieved tickets for obstructed view.Towns lke Pitman ,Woodbury heights and Gloucster city fuel their tax base by ticketing AA's.
    I remember a notorious case where a Nj state trooper slapped a pregnant black woman inside a police barracks.During the trial ,it was discovered that the NJSP had not arrested or even given a ticket to a white woman in over a year ! This was in the 70's.

    ReplyDelete
  56. Jody, thanks for the free legal advice to Christopher et al.What many of you folks don't know is that Jody works for one of the finest law firms here in town. So her word is always good when it comes to these matters.

    rippa, thanks for that link.

    Did somone post earlier and call Jersey "up South"? That is classic.

    "Too often the police are innocent even when proven guilty"

    And speaking of classic; Monroe that was right on as well.

    Anon. 6:44PM, life is full of contradictions, get used to it.There are good cops and bad ones(read what emptysuit said), the trick is making sure that the bad ones get weeded out.

    ReplyDelete
  57. Anonymous8:03 PM

    Granny sez - "It's out of print;therefore, I'm having a hard time finding it."

    Jazz aficionados can be a gnomish lot, often squirreling stuff like that away for 50 or more years.

    If you haven't already, I'd suggest putting a call out on some of the Jazz aficionado blogs/sites.

    Found a some pics in my mom's collection, with her, her sister, and a cousin sitting at a table at Club Zanzibar in NYC in 1943 with Cab Calloway - signed by Cab several members of the band, and a (somewhat worried) missive by my aunt's husband to be. She also had pictures of the group from another night signed by Sister Rosetta Tharpe and Peg Leg Bates.

    It's fun to find that stuff and be able to preserve it for the future generations.

    ReplyDelete
  58. Anonymous8:05 PM

    Anon 8:03 was me, BT

    ReplyDelete
  59. Meanwhile that crazy McCain volunteer who lied about being beat up by a Black man in PA last year didn't serve ONE DAMN DAY IN JAIL. ANd we all know she's guilty of filing a false police report and being a crazy and vindictive biyatch!

    ReplyDelete
  60. Anonymous3:58 AM

    Meanwhile that crazy McCain volunteer who lied about being beat up by a Black man in PA last year didn't serve ONE DAMN DAY IN JAIL. ANd we all know she's guilty of filing a false police report and being a crazy and vindictive biyatch!
    TCS typical cracker shit!

    ReplyDelete
  61. My dad has been pulled over for DWB. People who don't think it exist must live in Disneyland.

    Actsoffaith is right. Why didn't that volunteer serve time for her false report?

    ReplyDelete
  62. uptownsteve8:58 AM

    Gloucester friggin County, NJ?

    Jones is lucky he didn't get ..45 hollow point right between his eyes.

    You have klansmen in the police departments over there.

    ReplyDelete
  63. Marketing Diva11:33 AM

    What happened to “Officer Friendly” . I mean when I was a little girl Officer Friendly would come to my school and tell me about stranger danger. He would warn us about evil men , little did I know he was talking about himself.
    Field, I know there are some great police officers who do protect and serve, but it seems that law enforcement is a breeding ground for racist behavior. If police officers knows and may be encouraged to profile all minorities then DWB will continue to happen.
    Just remember the great advise that Field gave I the Ryan Moats Post.

    Be safe, Be alert

    ReplyDelete
  64. Zimbel12:29 PM

    @Anonymous 11:16:

    Those advertisements are very off-topic; no one asked about warehousing, shelves, trays, cabinets, etc.

    ReplyDelete
  65. If this article interests you, you may want to check out the film Player Hating (a love story). Though it isn't out yet, you can check it the website here:
    http://yomaggie.com/films1.html

    and a two minute teaser here:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obW8N6qHas4

    The film concerns the rapper Half-a-Mill and the violence him & his crew face growing up in the projects. The film is by independent filmmaker Maggie Hadleigh-West, who aims to raise awareness about violence among young black men and hopefully help to reduce this violence.

    Thanks for checking it out. If you have any questions about the the film please contact me at jessicaverderame@gmail.com.

    ReplyDelete
  66. Black men should have a camera and tape recorder in their cars.

    PERIOD.

    ReplyDelete
  67. i absolutely love what you have on your page..everything is interesting...this story stands out...what draws u to commentary..good read...thank you
    create..sheila

    ReplyDelete
  68. Hey there!

    I am not surprised AT ALL... not one bit... when will our black brothers realize that America DOES NOT consider black men to be citizens worthy of the respect of all of the rest? No...it does not.

    Now...what are black men going to do about that?

    Write posts to complain?

    How about getting your behinds together for a national collective initiative and showing this country who the REAL black men are and what they WILL NOT tolerate any longer?

    Fellas...we're waiting...

    If you aren't inspired just yet, check out my post "The Annihilation of Black Men".

    Yes...we're still waiting for black men to realize that FREEDOM is not a gift...JUSTICE is not a gift and whatever you expect from America...you BETTER DEMAND IT!...even if bloodshed is involved.

    ReplyDelete
  69. Anonymous10:58 PM

    Terrence Jones must kno what it's like leading the life of a crimefighter, and must have his share of stopping those of us who prowl the streets in neighborhoods where we don't belong, even if we live there. Thas why, when it comes to traffic stops, my heroes will always be the LOVELLE MIXONs of this world, and not the Rodney Kings.

    ReplyDelete
  70. wowwwwww.. what a hellified composition..this was a wake up call of alcoholic anominous..lack of interest..although his hurt left all alone...when it came to his amazement..she old and from the past..non-forgetful..this story has a message,this is true.. becomes feelings..breakin down..becoming more affectionate..left the fool ..wake up..love let no man be lonely..just when ur too late ..create..love it

    ReplyDelete
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