I recently upgraded my old Honda civic to a brand spanking new Dodge Durango. I have driven this truck to and from work everyday since then as well as other places, but I had an experience that I had only heard about or witnessed from the sidelines up until then. On one particularly non special morning I was driving to work. It was very early in the morning, before seven.
I drove the same route I always drive in the same hurried fashion that I keep trying to break myself of, all while talking to my fiancé on my cool new car blue tooth function. Driving down the road going 5, possibly 10 miles over the speed limit (not sure because I always get the speed limit wrong by like 5 miles on that road since it's usually a caravan of people driving in a giant cluster). On this particular morning I happened to be pretty much alone going down the street when I could see the light turning yellow. I started slowing down and as I got closer to the light I noticed a cop car to the right, kinda hiding behind some large trees. By the time I was able to see him I was going pretty slow in order to stop at the light. I passed him and I stopped very shortly afterwards at the light. After a few moments he pulled out behind me.
I didn't think anything of it, but then the light turned green and his lights started flashing! I couldn't believe I was getting pulled over! I knew I hadn't done anything wrong so I waited for him to walk up to my window with my fiancé patiently waiting as well on the bluetooth. The officer reached my window and the first question out of his mouth was: "is this your car?" It was such an unexpected question that I actually had to think about it for a second. I told him yes of course this is my car! After a bit of back and forth about what speed I was going (he didn't even know the speed limit either), I eventually have him the information he requested. I watched him take my paperwork and license to the back of my car and join 2 other cops who were suddenly back there.
As my fiancé and I began talking about what happened I kept my eyes on the gaggle of hens in my rearview mirror. We discussed how ridiculous it was for him to ask me that and I began getting extremely irritated as the reality of the situation began to sink in. My irritation grew to anger as I watched the 3 cluckers stand behind me laughing and talking while wasting my time in the process. With my anger came assumptions as to what was so funny to the 3 white officers who obviously racial profiled me and were now probably making racist jokes at my expense. The cop finally came back, handed me my information and told me snottily to watch my speed and something else I think, I was still preoccupied by what had just happened. My fiancé says I should have gotten his badge number but I explained that I was in too much shock to even think of that.
That experience was a first for me as far as directly in my face type of racism that I noticed. I've heard stories about people being racially profiled, but never actually had it happen until then. It was a reality check of epic proportions about the underlined feelings that are still prevalent today. I know the situation could have been worse and I thank God it wasn't, but I will never forget the events of that day. It reminds me of that song by Kanye West, All Falls Down: "Even if you're in a Benz, you're still a nigger in a coupe."
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