A few days ago a Snohomish County Sheriff threatened to arrest me for trespassing in a public park if I ever parked my car there again while going to work. I had parked there for 3 hours (the sign says that parking is limited to 3 hours) and had come back to move my car when the officer confronted me.
I am white, middle-aged female. I have never been arrested or threatened to be arrested in my life. I have always respected and trusted the police as public servants trying to do their job. Having the officer in my face threatening me and telling me that I should not continue to argue with him because I would "lose" in the end, made me realize how simplistic my thinking was. He had the gun and the power. I should stop arguing with him - and I did. But I was incredulous and offended by his abuse of power.
What if I had not been white, middle-aged female? What if I had been Michael Brown parking my car at this public park? Or Michael Brown just walking through the park? What would have happened to me then?
---T
No comments:
Post a Comment