The Arrest of Professor Henry Gates (Part 2)

Professor Gates was racially profiled. It even happened to me. But I did not have the help of Attorney Johnnie Cochran. In fact I called my incident my "Three month Ordeal" or "Before Rodney King." And like the prolific and famous Professor from Harvard I thought (my mistake)my position could shield me from racial profiling. What an eye opening experience I had. And I am sure it was this way for Professor Gates also. But let me go back a bit. We have all heard and been witness to many episodes of racial profiling. Mainly this happens to people of color but it also happens outside of that realm also. For right now lets stick with persons of color.

Before I get into my own example of how I was racially profiled. I want to cite more examples of racial profiling from law enforcement. Which does not come entirely easy for me because I have been in the profession. By and large most police officers are good and do the right thing. I use the example of Mr. Frank Serpico. A hero in my book. Another late hero and a strong opponent of police brutality and racial profiling, Attorney Johnnie Cochran. He would have had alot to say about the arrest of Henry Gates. And Harvard would probably have alot of explaining to do and money to pay. When you think of racial profiling especially in regards to people of color you must think of Johnnie Cochran. In her piece for "The Black Collegian" on-line Paula Farmer wrote that Attorney Cochran's career was mainly launched by his cases won against police brutality such as the wrongful death lawsuit brought against the "Signal Hill Police Department" for the tragic death of Ron Settles which he won but the the police department still lies and cover-ups in dealings in the murder of the football player. But like regular society police make mistakes also. Worse case scenario these mistakes can be fatal. And the worlds best at covering up is law enforcement. And our so-called "Blue Code of Silence." But fortunately Attorney Cochran kept many a police officer, law enforcement and so on on their toes. What we need is another Johnnie Cochran. I am still glad Jesse Jackson,Al Sharpton and many still wage the fight including the NAACP.

Mainly I want to talk about racial profiling "pros" and "cons" from the angle of law enforcement involvement. But I briefly want to touch on other forms of racial profiling which may shock some of you. From "Time Magazine.com" I found this story by John Cloud "What's Race Got to do with it" and Mr. Cloud has some very good examples even outside of law enforcement profiling. Such as DWB (driving while black), another is the case of famous screen star, Danny Glover who had to call a press conference in New York in 1999 the problem HWB (Hailing while black), hang on I have more FWB(Flying while black) the DEA not always the brightest light bulbs in the pack were forced by the ACLU to repay $7,000.00 to a black Nebraska businessman for wrongful seizure stemming from racial profiling. Also let me add this way back when I was in law enforcement , we watched a training film with a DEA agent in it a big black guy,make a sophomore or what a green police academy cadet would make. He was demonstrating the use of his weapon. He failed to clear (take the round out the chamber)his weapon and he shot himself in the leg with a hydro shock round. Go figure. I never had a weapons violation of that nature in my whole career on active duty in my law enforcement career. Last case of profiling outside of law enforcement. Call this AWB (Ailing while black) and I thank the Doctor who confessed and witnessed this. Dr. Lauren Shaiova of Manhattans Beth Israel Medical Center observed that many Doctors at the hospital were letting black sickle-cell patients suffer their logic was why give them the pain medication because the sufferers would become addictive to it just let them suffer.

Enough profiling for everyone. Sounds kind of funny, Kind of humorous, But it's no joke. I am sure that Professor Gates did not find it very funny...when he thought it will never happen to me...then it did.

Now the part that we have all been waiting for what happened to me. I will tell a little about it. Because I plan to write a book. And I thank to hilt "Associated Content" for letting me publish many of my chapters.

Here's a synopsis of my story. I was DWB. Back then in about 1988 or thereabouts it was not called that. I was just a black guy who happened to be attached to a Special Operations Unit in North West Florida as a Air Force cop. But that hot day in August. I was probably being taken for a Jamaican Drug trafficker. Today the terminology would be I fit the profile. I was all dressed in black. With black shades,shoes,shirts and so on. Worse of all my 1988 brand new Pontiac GrandAM coup. I was stopped for excessive speeding. The police wanted to search the car. I had nothing to hide. In fact my Air Force police badge,line-badge,ID card and other credentials were in my car. And the police officers saw them. I was not carrying my duty weapon or a off-duty firearm. I did want to witness the search. One of the police officers objected. He even pushed me back. I moved his hand off my person and I was arrested. I was not giving PTI because I was married which still does not make sense to me. I will tell you that this happened in Santa Rosa County and in Milton County where the police officers were from and the officer that gave me a hard time was from Rhode Island. One of my buddies actually had grown up in Milton Florida. It is even today one of the most racist and racially charged places in the state and in the nation. I never thought it would happen to me and it did...don't let it happen to you do something now. My case is still pending for a pardon so certain names I am leaving out at this time.Thank you Attorney Flowers at least you tried and to SGT Fox and SGT Headrick.