Ryan Moats Traffic Stop Racist

If you're questioning whether racism was involved in this traffic stop, I feel sorry for you. On March 18th, Ryan Moats, NFL running back was rolled through a stop sign near the hospital where his mother-in- law lay dying, he had his wife in the car, and he was detained long enough that he didn't make it to her bedside before she passed away. Fortunately, his wife risked life and limb and ran away out of the car and was able to see her mom who was dying of breast cancer. I'm not exaggerating, Dallas Police Officer Powell had a gun pointed at her.

I know for certain that had I been the driver, I would have been let go as soon as the police officer heard my story. If I were a young white man, the officer may have insisted on accompanying me into the hospital or waited by the car to issue the ticket. Maybe. Young white men in their teens or twenties have trouble with the police too on occasion. There is always the assumption that they are up to no good. I apologize to my police officer friends but they know in their hearts that's true. But I seriously doubt any police officer friend of mine would behave in such an uncaring manner. If you happen to be African-American Ryan Moats' story won't shock you, you've come to expect that sort of thing.

Did Powell know that Moats played for the Houston Texans, formerly the Houston Oilers?According to Police he didn't, and according to the tape taken from the police officer's car video camera, Moats was polite and patient during the encounter. You can pretty much count on it that Moats was at least fairly nicely dressed and at the very least didn't look like a thug who happened to be rushing to the hospital with his wife, his wife's grandfather and aunt. He and his wife were accompanied by several other relatives. Yet one wonders, maybe the young officer thought arresting an NFL player would be a high profile collar, one that would impress his superiors. If so he thought wrong.

Dallas Police Chief David Kunkle, held a press conference this afternoon to apologize. Powell is on paid administrative leave. His superiors aren't impressed with anything except the fact that the officer still doesn't think he acted inappropriately. You should read the Dallas Morning News story. It could send a chill up your spine. Police Officer Powell should be fired, it doesn't sound like he has the maturity or intelligence to be a good cop.