Saturday, July 20, 2013

White guy being profiled

Ok, like Obama here is my story. I was riding in my van (read as drug mobile from a cop perspective) in Tiburon, one of the whitest cities in Marin county. I was with my wife to go see a movie. Driving into town with my long hair I was pulled over by a Tiburon cop who said I was driving too close. We saw no cars ahead of us or behind us since we left the freeway on our way into Tiburon central. I remembered the badge number of the cop and wrote a letter of complaint to the local paper stating that I was in good standing with white Marin because my other car was a Volvo. No response! After parking in a lot that I now hoped was legal for the movie I saw the same cop ignore a BMW parked illegally in front of the theater (because he was special and probably a short haired white). Needless to say, my white anger was extremely elevated. Just imagine if I were black! And then, I was an expert witness for the Fogerty Warner Bros copyright trial in San Francisco and while staying in the Hilton on a $1000.00 a day fee (I was the cheapest expert witness at the trial) I decided to look around before going to court. My long hair and leather coat must have been the problem. I decided to look at the cool leather wear in the hotel shop. I was followed around the store by a clerk who ultimately told me that the store was not open to the public--it was a private showing as I was ushered out of the store. In both cases I was incredibly angry. But I am white! I so understand the sadness and defeat felt by the African American community. If this can happen to me with all my white privilege what chance does someone who is "other" have?