Real run in with “The Law”

I’ve stayed out of trouble my whole life but last year at 36 I had my first real run in with “The Law”. I came home to Chicago to visit and one night I was suspiciously pumping gas………. PWB (pumping while black) and that was enough for the police to engage me. The stop was bogus and the arrest was bogus but none of that matters. When it was over I found myself charged with a felony that carried I believe 3 to 5 years in jail – and going back and forth to court with my life in these people’s hands. During the whole process my mom kept saying………. “You’re such a good guy. You don’t deserve that? How can they do that? That’s not right! That’s not fair!” One morning before court I just told her……….. “STOP complaining about whats right or whats fair because it means ABSOLUTELY NOTHING! Who’s right and who’s wrong doesn’t matter. WHO IS GOING TO WIN? Black people we have to rid our minds of the idea of rights and reorient our minds around the idea of POWER. When the police get behind you and hit the lights you don’t pull over because police are righteous. You don’t pull over because the officer behind you is a fair and principled individual who’s concerned about your rights and has a deep desire to protect and serve you. You pull over because police are POWERFUL – and so why are we as black people discussing anything other then our own POWER? It doesn’t make sense to me to discuss whats fair. The only reason our enemies feel so comfortable walking among us is because we are powerless. POWER dictates what is or what isn’t going to happen when you’re dealing with your enemy. I don’t want to have to protest or petition. I don’t want to have to appeal to the moral conscience of my enemies. I want POWER. I want POWER for my people and my community.