This video of Texas cops stopping a black professor is a racial ‘Rorschach test’

[Blue_Tires]

On Oct. 24, University of North Texas professor Dorothy Bland was walking around her affluent Dallas suburb when she was stopped by police. Bland, who is African American, had been exercising in the street. The cops, who are both white, asked her to walk in the opposite direction so she could see traffic or, even better, to use the sidewalk. Roughly three minutes later, she was on her way.

The short and seemingly simple interaction has proved anything but, however.

Several days later, Bland, who is the dean of UNT’s journalism school, penned an op-ed in the Dallas Morning News claiming that she had been racially profiled.

“Walking while black is a crime in many jurisdictions,” she wrote. “May God have mercy on our nation.”

Corinth Police responded by releasing the officers’ dashcam video of the interaction and claiming Bland had turned a “cordial” stop into a “racial issue.”

“If we didn’t have the video, these officers would have serious allegations against them,” police chief Debra Walthall told Fox News. “Every white officer that stops an African American does not constitute racial profiling.”

Now it is Bland, not the cops, who is facing pressure as nearly 2,500 people have signed a petition urging UNT to fire her.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2015/11/04/racism-by-whom-this-video-of-tex-cops-stopping-a-black-professor-is-a-racial-rorschach-test/?postshare=8421446660462567

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

1. I think it's only a Rorschach test if you don't hear this part of it...

“If officers were concerned only about Bland’s safety and her impeding traffic, why did they ask her for her ID? Why did they need her birthdate? Why did they radio in a ‘name check’?” wrote Dallas Morning News writer Leona Allen, who is African American.

If all you knew was that police asked her to walk so she could see oncoming traffic, or use the sidewalks, then yeah, I can see how you'd say 'They stopped someone running on the street to ask them to do so more safely.'

But once you hear they started asking for ID, a birthdate, even 'radio'ed in', the story takes on, pardon the pun, a whole new complexion. There's nothing about being safe in how you use public property for exercise (without a vehicle) that should require you to tell police who you are.

[randys1]

9. Classic "you dont belong here" racism. Fuck these cops.

[JustAnotherGen]

2. Who are the f*ckers

Trying to get her fired for this?

That's what I'd like to know.

Who ARE these people?

I hope her employer stands their ground and tells these folks they TOO could have had her job if they had worked hard enough. It's jealousy and racism driving this petition.

[Digital Puppy]

4. Probably some of the same folks....

Trying to get her fired for this?

That's what I'd like to know.

Who ARE these people?

Probably some of the same folks who catch the vapors and alert stalk on DU. "Oh my lawd, I can't believe that AA woman said those things! I find it offensive and abusive!!"

[JI7]

7. same fucKing mentality for sure

[randys1]

8. Glad you said it, I cant.

[JI7]

5. the same type that tHink the cop that slammed and dragged

The school girl should keep his job

[gwheezie]

3. This is "proof" of reverse racism

I got this on my Facebook as some kind of proof blacks folks are lying about the police and therefore this is why cops get killed, ya know because black folks are just sinister.
It makes me sick. I don't buy the story they stopped her for her own safety. Any excuse to put black folks in their place.

[JI7]

6. they asked for her id and other info

You don't do that if you are just giving a safety warning

[pinqy]

10. She was comitting a misdemeanor

So, yes you do ask for that stuff when there's already a possible crime. Note that they didn't give her a ticket.

[JustAnotherGen]

11. What was the misdemeanor?

Jay walking or something?

[pinqy]

12. Impeding traffic

Now that doesn't preclude the stop from being pretextual but it does make it a legitimate reason for asking for identification

[JustAnotherGen]

13. I'd like to see it on google maps

Like - does she live in a McMansion Subdivision on was she walking on Main?

ETA - Never mind. A real quick accurint dive shows that as the article and video shows - this is an affluent mcmansion type place and there was no visible traffic.

These guys were just trying to make a buck for the town.

[JustAnotherGen]

15. Let's go a step further

Looking at those homes?

Neither one of those LEO's can even afford to live there. That takes some nerve! :

I'm telling you - you can't make this shit up.

Black people? WE KNOW!

[randys1]

16. Willing to bet a very large sum of money on "never" or "not ever" or "no FUCKING way"

But some folks need to NOT see racism, because they are more comfortable when they can lie to themselves about it.