"Blog of an Angry White Man"

Two days ago the police stopped a young black man in the Stapleton section of Staten Island.

Stapleton is a minority neighborhood known for gangs, and drugs. It is known as "Shaolin" within the Hip Hop World as it is the birth place of the "Wu Tang Clan"

Anyway this young man was wearing a large down jacket he had his hands in his pockets and he was walking fast (almost running). He was 20 years old but could pass for 17.

The Cop was white. He was driving an unmarked car which he pulled right up onto the side walk blocking the Young Black man's face. Before identifying himself he began shouting orders at the young man, take your hands out of your pockets don't move. The young man asked who the cop was and began to walk away as the cops still had not identified themselves. In response the Cops revealed their badges and got out of their car. They pressed this young man against the car and not only patted him down but searched his bag and all of his pockets. When he asked why he was being searched he was told they were looking for someone who fit his description. And he shouldn't have been walking so fast with his hands in his pockets.

The Young man was on his way the The Salvation Army where he has been working as a bell ringer (fund raiser) . But he isn't just a bell ringer he has been the top collector every time he has stood. That day he raised over $500 at a grocery store. He is a member of the Salvation Army in that neighborhood and a gifted musician.

His hands were in his pockets because it was cold outside and he was walking fast so because he was trying to get to work on time.

It is easy for those in the majority to get annoyed when minority groups complain about their treatment. It is easy to write them off as whiners and say that they are just "playing a card" that it isn't so bad.

Sometimes it is so bad. This type of thing happens a lot in this neighborhood. And Being a young Black Man should not be enough to stop and search someone. As a Salvation Army Officer, as a pastor in this neighborhood, as a member of his worship community, and as a Christian, i was violated two days ago when this young man was profiled and illegally searched. I was angry and still am. This was one of my neighbors, my brothers and my friends.

I don't have a solution, I don't have a fix. I don't know the answer.

I do know racism. . I was the only white kid in my school (other than my sister) right through JR High i went home with black eyes, cuts, unjust suspensions and was once chased right out of my school with a machete.

In all my time on the receiving end of racism i never felt so broken as I did while listening to one of "My People" recount what had just happened to him.