4 ms·

Wow anecdotal is anecdotal but I'm white and definitely got that "Talk" from my dad when I was 15 and a permit driver (US). He got very serious and said "son:

Wow anecdotal is anecdotal but I'm white and definitely got that "Talk" from my dad when I was 15 and a permit driver (US). He got very serious and said "son: 1) Never take make any sudden movements when a cop is approaching your car 2) Don't reach for your wallet until he asks you to. 3) Always say "Yes sir" or "Yes Mam" 4) Keep your hands in your lap or on the wheel where he can see them." I distinctly remember talking with friends and they got the same talk. We were all white, suburban kids in the southern US. I still basically do all 4 of those things anytime I'm pulled over (don't speed and haven't pulled over in prob 20 years but I know I would still act that way). Police are definitely out of hand in this country but now genuinely curious how many people get this parental "talk" by race.

modoc 6y ago
Anecdotal as well, by myself, and all my peers (white, rural, Northeast) got the exact same talk. Hands on steering wheel, no sudden movements, announce “I’m going to reach into my pocket/glovebox/etc..” before moving your hands at all, be polite, be respectful, you can always fight in court later.
lifeformed 6y ago
Well, you probably don't get the other part of the talk though: "The talk is about how you will be treated as less than other people, you cannot let that ever make you angry, never let it cause your voice to raise, to always be conciliatory. Because you might get killed."
- exolymph 6y ago
  The cops shoot white people too, you know. A heartbreaking example: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shooting_of_Daniel_Shaver#Shooting https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shooting_of_Daniel_Shaver#Shoo...
  - gowld 6y ago
    That was a horrific crime committed by a psychopath. That's nothing compared to the systemic comprehensive demonization of black men and boys by police, prosecutors, judges, and civilians.
  - lifeformed 6y ago
    No one is claiming otherwise. It's disingenuous to take a real-life issue ("cops kill black people disproportionately") and strawman it by applying a cutoff filter to it ("cops only kill black people"). It's like responding to "smoking kills" with "but my grandma smokes and is still alive".
scarface74 6y ago
Was part of that talk not to run from the store to your car in the rain if you are Black living in a mostly White part of town because people think it is suspicious? Was part of that talk, don’t walk down the street with your other Black friend to meet your classmates after a basketball game to the Waffle House because it looks suspicious unless you have your White friends with you? Did you ever have to be careful walking in your own neighborhood because you “don’t look like you belong”?

modoc 6y ago

Anecdotal as well, by myself, and all my peers (white, rural, Northeast) got the exact same talk. Hands on steering wheel, no sudden movements, announce “I’m going to reach into my pocket/glovebox/etc..” before moving your hands at all, be polite, be respectful, you can always fight in court later.

lifeformed 6y ago

Well, you probably don't get the other part of the talk though: "The talk is about how you will be treated as less than other people, you cannot let that ever make you angry, never let it cause your voice to raise, to always be conciliatory. Because you might get killed."

exolymph 6y ago
The cops shoot white people too, you know. A heartbreaking example: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shooting_of_Daniel_Shaver#Shooting https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shooting_of_Daniel_Shaver#Shoo...
- gowld 6y ago
  That was a horrific crime committed by a psychopath. That's nothing compared to the systemic comprehensive demonization of black men and boys by police, prosecutors, judges, and civilians.
- lifeformed 6y ago
  No one is claiming otherwise. It's disingenuous to take a real-life issue ("cops kill black people disproportionately") and strawman it by applying a cutoff filter to it ("cops only kill black people"). It's like responding to "smoking kills" with "but my grandma smokes and is still alive".

scarface74 6y ago

Was part of that talk not to run from the store to your car in the rain if you are Black living in a mostly White part of town because people think it is suspicious? Was part of that talk, don’t walk down the street with your other Black friend to meet your classmates after a basketball game to the Waffle House because it looks suspicious unless you have your White friends with you? Did you ever have to be careful walking in your own neighborhood because you “don’t look like you belong”?