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Stupidity has its rewards. |
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They’re playing that song again. Those recycled comments, which invariably accompany the subject of race when the inevitable periodic racial incident explodes on the national stage and dominates the headlines, are surfacing once again. “We need to have an honest conversation on race.” “This is a teachable moment.” “It’s déjà vu all over again.” An incident involving racial conflict becomes the focus of the mainstream newsmedia, but there is not one new insight that we have seen being offered. Nevertheless people will step up to offer their opinions, major newspapers and magazines will write feature articles, and in a few days we will go back to business as usual.
Bill Cosby suggested that the two men get together and discuss between themselves what happened so people can get back to normal, which means cops can continue to racially profile and occasionally a prominent black man will once again get caught up in some incident wherein the police will take one position and the black person will offer a different version and the cycle will start all over again. The police union and other cops will rally around the officer and it will be that same old refrain again. Stay tuned.
“Skip, You Mouthed Off,” Was the Mansfield Frazier headline in Tina Brown’ Website,  The Daily Beast. He then writes, Henry Louis “Skip” Gates Jr. forgot what black parents have always told their children: Don’t display anger at the police. But anyone, black or white, who mouths off to an officer will end up in handcuffs, says Mansfield Frazier.
Mansfield Frazer appears to be a little out of touch “Anyone black or white, who mouths off to an officer will end up in handcuffs,” is a ridiculous statement on two counts. First off, cops are far more circumspect with white people that mouth off not knowing what level of influence they may have that might come back to bite them. Secondly the double standard regarding racial profiling is not limited to stops and arrest but includes the level of respect and deference extended.
In reading Mansfield Frazier’s article, I was struck with the reverence extended to police officers, but after “Googling” Mr. Mansfield and observing that he was an inmate in a federal prison it put things in a different perspective. What comes across is an attitude of ascribing uncontestable power to cops to which I would take exception.
I don’t subscribe to the idea that when dealing with police officers that black men should revert to the “yes Massa” role as apparently Mr. Mansfield recommends. There are other options such as requesting to speak to his supervisor, which some have done on occasion and which introduces a level of legalese into the encounter. However, delivery is important. The idea that black men should continue to deal with cops assuming they can’t be challenged is old school.
I personally applaud the President’s characterization of the arrest of Mr. Gates as a stupid decision, when asked by Lyn Sweet to comment on the incident. As expected the Cambridge Chief of Police came out with his predictable perfunctory statement that the officer acted appropriately. And of course the mainstream newsmedia commentary was similarly predictable, with commentators asking did the President go too far in describing the actions of the Police as stupid.
As far as the black officer speaking up for his white associate, that was as predictable as the police union coming out in support of their fellow officers as they do in every case of cop versus black man. And when the President is a black man speaking up on the subject of excessive use of the power to arrest, did anyone expect the police to act any differently.
When Sergeant Crowley was asked what he thought of the President's remarks Crowley responded, “I didn’t vote for him.” In a later interview he professed to be impressed with the president but regretted that the President had weighed in on this matter as he did. He obviously would not have objected had the President put the kind of “I’m sure Sgt Crowley acted appropriately" kind of statement that the chief of police put out.
An interesting aside, Colin Powell appeared on Larry King and suggested that Professor Gates should have exercised  more temperance, however, in doing so, as Larry O’Donnell pointed out Powell is accepting Sgt. Crowley’s version of the incident, and so far there is no corroboration of that version. The irony here is that through his “stupid” actions Sgt. Crowley has managed to parley that screw up into an invitation to the Whitehouse. Stupidity has its rewards.
How often have we seen these incidents of police using excessive force on black men and a subsequent story is offered as proof on how the officer couldn’t be “a racist” because in his past he didn’t kill a black person when he had an opportunity? Justin Volpe who stuck a broomstick up Abner Bulimia rear was deemed non racist because he was engaged to a black woman. Mark Furman’s non racist defense was that he had hit on Vanity a beautiful black woman. In this case Crowley’s non racist credibility was that he taught racial tolerance at the police academy.
Along the same line, of the four police officers that killed the black Brooklyn bachelor, at least two out of the four were black police officers.
Being a racist versus acting on the basis of race is a distinction that needs understanding. It is one of the most misunderstood concepts on the subject of racism. What needs to be appreciated is the dynamics and complexion of power versus vulnerability. A bully or power oriented cop looks for the weak or those who he perceives as powerless. The same cop will be extremely circumspect if he perceives he is dealing with a person of recognized clout versus one being part of a group of perceived vulnerability.
In Nazi Germany Jews were forced to wear the Star of David crosses to make them visible and separate from other Germans. African Americans and or black people have long since been the most visible and vilified group of people in America making them easily recognized targets for those disposed to abuse their power particularly police officers who fall in that category. Even an officer not so inclined may find himself succumbing to the temptation to flex when challenged by a black person due to a sense that the black person is being uncharacteristically uppity for his group. In other words, if they don’t subscribe to the Mansfield Frazier formula of black man police officer encounter.
It’s important to note that Black cops are not immune from the desire to wield authority to an excessive level and are also aware of where minimum risk resides regarding the most available targets. That means that a black or white cop can be guilty of taking advantage of perceived vulnerability. And who, pray tell, is instantly recognized as at the bottom of the pecking order in America?
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