I saw a video last week where a black man was in tears because he had to have “the talk” with his son about how not to get killed by the police just because he’s black. The man then said that no white man would ever need to have that talk with their kid. He’s right. I didn’t have to, and neither did he. How you’re treated by a law enforcement officer has very little to do with your race. But it has a lot to do with your own attitude.
I did, in fact, have a talk with my son when he was in his early teens. Being big for his age, he was often mistaken for someone much older than he actually was. My advice to him about how to interact with police? I simply said, “if you’re approached by an officer, don’t be a dick, and you’ll be fine.”
In nearly all cases where there was an officer-involved fatality, the suspect escalated the situation, not the officer. The advice I gave my son works for any skin color. The man in the video didn’t need to mention to his son the possibility of it being a race issue. Because it isn’t.
Being a dick transcends racial boundaries. If you follow the officer’s directions and just do what you’re told, the situation isn’t likely to escalate. However, if the officer perceives a threat from you, he or she is going to react with an amount of force that is independent of the color or your skin. And, it’s not likely to turn out well for you.
So, my advice to you is the same I gave to my son. Just don’t be a dick, and you’ll be fine.
