Its A Black Thing, You Wouldn't Understand!

As I think back on my life there are somethings, that I'll never forget, because even now at the age of 55, those things that effected me in the past as a young boy, still effect me even more today. You would think that what effected as a boy at 4 years old wouldn't now effect a grown man now 55 but it does. What was that thing, that effected me as a boy but still has a lasting fear on me even today? The fear of the Police! I remember it like yesterday, my brothers, sisters and I went to a local store to buy some candy. Back then there were bins full of all types of sweet candy. In some bins there were chocolate, sour, sweet and  peppermint candy. After walking a mile to the store my brothers, sisters and I couldn't wait to get our hands on that candy. So we rushed into the store filled our little hands with candy and walked over to the cashier to pay for it. After we paid for our candy unexpected to all of us was that my little sister had a few pieces of candy that was left in her pocket. The a very large white police officer walked in the door and over to my little sister. He looked down at her then said." What do you have in your pocket, she started crying then said nothing! He then patted my sister down and pulled three pieces of candy from her pocket. All of us started crying because he told us, that we all were going to jail, even though I told him that I was going to pay for the candy. From that day on I have a fear of police and now that I am an adult that's a law abiding citizen I fear them even more as I get older. Why you may ask? Well if you watched the news lately then you also would understand why African Americans fear the police. Every year more and more black men or women are killed or murdered by police. Just knowing that scares me and other African Americans like me. We fear being in the same building with them, being pulled over and are very afraid to even call them for help. When African American see or view police cars, in our rear mirrors a natural fear over comes them. Why you may ask? Its A Black Thing, You Wouldn't Understand.

W.A.N.