Let's talk Police Violence

November 9, 2016: I don't recall the weather that day, but I vividly remember the anxiety. I was preparing to meet Jenny's (my girlfriend at the time) father for the first time, a meeting I had been dreading. Jenny, who suffered from severe fibromyalgia, and I lived together in Vista, California. We were heading to San Diego to watch the election results with her family—a tense situation given my discomfort around them.

The meeting was awkward, to say the least. We shared common interests, but it was clear they didn't take me seriously as a potential partner for their daughter. The conversation was strained and uncomfortable, and I regretted not putting on a better attitude but we can't change the past.

During the party they offered me many beers but I declined because I would be driving later on.  As the night continued Hilary seemed to be ahead at first but Trump just kept pulling ahead until he actually won. I can't remember if we left before he won or after; what I do remember is that the stress of the party was too much. Jenny had flare due to how tense the election was making everyone and how she knew that her father didn't approve of our relationship, up so we had to leave. At some point Trump was declared the winner and both of us were very upset with how things transpired. 

The Stop

As we pull up to our apartment we hear police lights behind us and I pulled over. We're both nervous, and Jenny is getting worse she needs her medication but the officer is taking his sweet time. After about 5 minutes of waiting he gets out of his car. He eventually gets out of his vehicle and I roll down the window. 

I ask the officer how he is doing and he asks me how I'm doing. The officer hasn't told me why he stopped me yet keep that in mind but I made the foolish decision of talking about myself because I never truly learned to not trust police officers. So I told the officer I was in California visiting Jenny and considering living here.

 To which the officer responds with "Do you know what I think?" - officer
"What officer?" - Me 
"I think there is a warrant out for your arrest? Hand me your license and registration" officer

I was flabbergasted by this statement because I have never been so BLANTANTLY profiled in my life. I have been profiled but they hide it by:  saying it's a routine search, or there has been a lot of suspicious activity. What I'm trying to say is there is usually enough plausible deniability that you could be like maybe they would have done it to a white person. 

He took my id and he went to his car and he was in there FOR A WHILE. Solid 10 minutes if not longer by this time a 2nd police car had showed up and he comes back and I ask him a very simple question. Hello Officer can you follow me up to my apartment and I can answer any more question my girlfriend really needs her medication. He said no,  Apparently Officer Columbo had cracked the case of the missing Negro. 

He hands me back my id realizing that I don't have any warrants, then shines a flashlight right in my eyes.  

Have anything to drink this evening? 

I told him no. This is followed by a long pause and he tells me to step out the vehicle and I do. He tells me to do the normal tests walk a straight line, say your abcs backwards, and I fail because I'm very nervous because it's very obvious these people are trying to nail something on me. Keep in mind HE NEVER TOLD ME WHY HE STOPPED ME. He then tells me to take a breathalyzer test to which I say I don't feel comfortable doing. 

Note* Breathalyzer have been known to be inaccurate tests for if you are drunk or not so I was uncomfortable taking one in this case. *

He puts handcuffs on me and exclaims that if I don't take the breathalyzer I will go to jail. In the background his partner apparently is talking to Jenny telling her she can leave me and just apparently let these 2 cops harass me and take me to jail. It's lucky she stuck it through with me. I agree to take the test and blow into the breathalyzer and the cop screams harder ( I find this funny ngl). I blew a 0.0 and he had to let me go. I go back into the car and he pretty much tells me he stopped me because I didn't have my lights headlights on. My biggest regret is that I forgot to get his badge number so I could sue the precinct. 

Conclusion

I'm not the an anomaly here this is something that happens to many young and old black men. Tamir Rice, Rodney King, Philando Castile, etc. I will not be the last person to be harassed by a cop after this but who we elect has a profound effect on how our law enforcement sees civilians. I know for a fact that Trump doesn't have the best  heart. 

When Obama was elected people used to tell me I looked like Obama but when Trump was elected I looked like a criminal. With that said I'm voting for Kamala because she will hold police accountable and hopefully will create policies that will help everyone. Is Kamala a perfect Candidate. No I don't think she is perfect in what she is doing and I'm ok with people criticizing her. To see what I think about the election view part2

I'm sorry this has been missing for a little while I've had to hide it because I've been looking for work. I still am but due to how politics is shaping this blog post doesn't particularly make me look great. However I've hidden it for about 2 months and it hasn't gotten me any more interviews so fuck it.