Day 358 of 365 days.
The trials and tribulations of being a black man.
Had a wrestling show today. My car was acting up again, so Steph dropped me off. After the show I walked to a gas station not far away to buy cigarettes, a bottle of water and a cookie and wait for her to pick me up. Just as I was standing around wondering what the hell I was going to use for my 365 days shot so late in the day, two cop cars pulled up next to me.
"What are you doing sir?"
"I’m waiting for a ride."
If my people have learned anything over the years, it’s to be as polite and cordial to the police as possible. I certainly wasn’t looking to have my ass Rodney Kinged tonight.
Apparently someone decided I looked suspicious standing around in front of a gas station and eating a cookie so they called the cops. The cops rushed to the scene to apprehend the suspicious looking 5’8 black man brandishing a chocolate chip cookie and a bottle of Aquafina. They took my license and ran it through their computer and of course came up with nothing. Then they asked me what I was doing so far from home (the show was about 30 min away) and I had to explain being a professional wrestler. Eventually they decided to buy my story and wished me a good day. I did manage to get one of them to agree to pose with me for this shot. That kind of threw them I think. They probably don’t have many suspects asking them to pose for pictures. I thought of having him pretend to arrest and cuff me, but decided that it was better not to push my luck.
I’m glad I didn’t wear my "I’d rather be fighting the man" T-shirt today.
Steph arrived to pick me about 5 min. after they finally left me alone. I wonder if they would have arrested me on the spot if they knew I was boinking a white woman.
Used in LJ Post: chrismaverick.livejournal.com/251963.html (which is mostly just a crosspost of this)
Aw sh*t! I’m glad I taught my sons the correct etiquitte for police stops!
I’ve always wanted to ask a cop to take a picture with me…been too scared thus far lol
@lrayholly: yep. He didn’t hit me with the night stick or anything. I was afraid he was gonna shoot me and sprinkle some crack on me.
@crow_soup: his partner was even more so. That guy was rather nice actually, seemed really interested in the whole "being a wrestler" thing. The other guy, not so much.
@I’m Cool Ryan: well, honestly, it wasn’t a situation I was really looking for, and not one I’d go out of my way to find. But it was… let’s say "interesting"
Well, your pose and expression are fantastic. I’m glad you didn’t get shot, hit, "Rodney King’d", or sprinkled with crack.
Way to stick it to the man.
@Travelinjim: honestly, there wasn’t much sticking it to them. They just didn’t really have much they could do. I was literally standing there eating a cookie.
suspicious looking black male LOL!!!! Yeah whatever. You know about me and cops so I’m not even gonna go there with you. But that is just wrong them jackin’ you up like dat. Yo. Word.
Sorry, I’m a bit slap happy. I think I’ll go have sex with a cop now. Danny would never accost a man armed with a cookie. Maybe a donut…LOL!
Damn the man!
Damn ~ "can’t we all just get along?" This kind of shit makes me glad I don’t live in the land of the rednecks. I’ll happily remain an expat the rest of my days.
🙂 Grrr to the US police. They have guns. I think thats the most terrifying thing of all!
great shot!, not sure if would have asked if i was in the position…
Whoever decided you looked suspicious eating a cookie and called the police is one to be worried about I would say. The cops presumably have to investigate such a call – although perhaps not quite so thoroughly when it’s obvious you’re just eating a cookie.
Mmm. Cookie.
Cookies are extremely suspicious.
And tehehe – you said ‘boink’. 🙂
ha! i’ve thought of asking a philly cop to pose for a photo but decided it was too risky.
FYI: I just printed this pic and gave it to your grandmother while she was eating her breakfast… I swear, she squirted milk she was laughing so hard! 😀
EDIT: Scout says this made #104 in Explore!
Damn, so glad you didn’t get too much shit from them. And the fact that this guy agreed to a photo with you is actually pretty cool.
I hate that shit, though. There were two young black guys going door to door in my parents’ neighborhood a while back, for The Sierra Club or something really innocuous like that, and when I was driving home there were THREE cop cars pulled over and talking to these poor kids! Someone had obviously become worried that they were ‘suspicious’. Made me so angry and embarrassed!
Nowadays in the US just having a camera is suspicious. So far I’ve been stopped twice by security guards and once by a "concerned neighborhood resident" for taking photos.
But a camera AND a cookie. That crosses the line, man.
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Seen on your photo stream. (?)
What a great Pictures…. wouuu..
Please add your Beautiful Photo to:
Beauty is in the *Eye* of the Beholder!
@PhotoKat: hah… steph read your comment and asked "what about her and cops?" 🙂
@macaddict: hmmm… you know, I figured being a minority where you live, you might face some of the same. But I guess not.
@sarahmonster: oh, there’s plenty more terrifying. Lots of people have guns, and we have an idiot with his hand on the button, and I’ve seen Kirstie Alley in a bikini on the oprah show… *shudder*
@sup3r65: well, you know me… hopelessly devoted to this project.
@MattOfWalton: sure, they have to investigate, but once they saw me, it should have been clear that I hadn’t done anything. There were an awful lot of questions. And I mean, what were they getting by running my ID anyway?
@ambrosialove: well, I could have said "fucking" but then Steph would have read this and been offended by my crassness. I thought "boink" added just the right amount of color.
@Okaypro: well, when they’re already questioning you, you don’t have much to lose.
@lrayholly: did she read the story too, or just look at it?
@sadandbeautiful (Sarah): clearly they were begging for money. What do black people know about trees anyway. The police should have shot them on sight. And then sprinkled some crack on them. 🙂
@evaxebra: well, no one could have known that I had a camera. I had just set the backpack down to open it up maybe 10 seconds tops before the cops got there. So unless they have the fastest response time ever, they got called when I was eating my cookie.
@morgarna64: well, I don’t know how beautiful it is, but sure. I will.
Did you make the other cop take the picture?
@chandlerbiggins: nah… gorillapodded my camera to a nearby fence.
Glad everything worked out okay in the end… Your expression is hilarious, though!
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Seen in some comments. (?)
@Sandman5: yeah, I was hoping he couldn’t see the face I was making. And this actually the second take. So I was doubly worried.
Grandma didn’t read it, I told her the story… you know how dramatic I am! I printed the picture out… she was already laughing about the story, THEN I showed her the pic. She LOVED it!
Sorry i callled the police on you but you looked out of place and i wasent going to get out of my car to fill my car up untill they came and checked you out out first i mean who eats Chips Ahoy cookies while waiting at a gas staion SUSPICIOUS if i must say so myself
@lrayholly: well, I’m glad I could brighten her day.
@seangotti79: see, just shows how much you ignorant people know. It was a Grandma’s Cookie! 🙂
LOL — not about being questioned for L.W.B. (loitering while black), but your text.
"I did manage to get one of them to agree to pose with me for this shot. That kind of threw them I think. They probably don’t have many suspects asking them to pose for pictures. I thought of having him pretend to arrest and cuff me, but decided that it was better not to push my luck."
LMAO
@phlewght: well, you know… i try to make people smile.
And a great expression, Mav!
Do you realize how close you came to not finishing your 365 project?!? In consecutive days, anyway. A week to go and you almost wound up in jail.
Do you think they would have let you take your own mugshot?
@phlewght: ooh… that would have been awesome…. "no, I don’t mind going to jail… please, just let me press the button on the camera"
So are chocolate chip cookies dangerous weapons these days?!
Great pic Mav! Love the expression.
@[AJ]: yeah, I guess so. *shrug* Thanks.
What can I say that hasn’t been said already? The story is sad, the pic is cool, and the expression on your face is priceless!!
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Seen on your photo stream. (?)
This picture cracks me up and I love how there’s a story with it. I keep wondering what fun things you could do to this picture in photoshop…
@FadderUri: thank you.
@Kungfukitten: you know, I think photoshopping it would take away from it. I think the pic says everything it needs to naturally.
I recently got stopped by the cops for taking photos on private property and it didn’t even cross my mind to get a photo! Do you think you would have done this at the beginning of your project?
Your expression makes the shot!
@leedav: I don’t know if I would or not. Honestly, I’m in general kind of a bold person. I don’t spook, and sometimes I’m too adventurous for my own good, so I probably would have. Anyway, thanks. I’m glad you like it.
Love this.
Literally LOL at least twice while reading your description.
@d.rex: and if you can’t laugh at racial profiling, what can you laugh at? 🙂 Glad you enjoyed.
I love your expression. I would never have had the guts!!
Did you have to explain the whole 365 thing…or did he just let you take the pic…no questions asked?
@BlueberryGirl (AnnaRenee): not in much detail. I said "I’m writing a book documenting my life in pictures for a full year, do you mind taking a picture with me for it." and that was it.
LOL. OK, OK, I wasn’t laughing at the story as a whole…just at your writing! It’s a compliment to you as a writer that you can make racial profiling funny. 🙂
@d.rex: I know. I was only teasing. I’m glad you enjoyed it.
DAMN I had a good laugh at that. and yes you did right to keep that tid bit of info to yourself…… you just dont know these days heehahhah
@AuVon: oh… popular conception among all my negro friends is that it was better for him not to know.
Priceless. You are awesome.
@strictly 365: thank you.
BAH HA HA HA!
That is too funny.
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Seen on your photo stream. (?)
@jessi.: everyone laughs at my misfortune. 😛
haha this is great, but i bet it is uncomfortable while it’s happening. i wish i had the guts to ask a cop to pose with me! i’m still getting over taking photos in public haha
@The Tidal Rabbit: it wasn’t as bad as you might think. I was a little worried about what they might say, but I figured "what the hell, what’s the worse that could happen." if they somehow found a way to arrest me for asking, that’d make a hell of a story, right?
Awesome! I’m glad you went with your gut and asked. Seriously, that’s fabulous! People’s relationships with cameras are fascinating–so many are afraid of them and at the same time attracted to them. Glad the night ended uneventfully for your, ‘though.
Oh, and by the way, I agree with ambrosialove–cookies? Very dangerous . . .wait, what? We’re talking about cookies?
@Marazipan: yep. I mean, it was a double fudge chocolate chip cookie. If that’s not deadly, I don’t know what is.
30minutes from home and they ask why so far from home?!?!?
my worst night was when i got picked up in a Tie Dye T-shirt that had a big pot leaf and the words legalize now! on the front… i thought of wearing my "By any means necessary" shirt when i went to pay the ticket.
@jwill9311: heh… yeah, that would have fone over well.
ok this is just as hilarious and bad assed as my mom’s picture.
maybe even more so . . . I don’t think she was packing any cookies.
@cowboy_montgomery: heh… thanks.
Your people? oooook. What would you have said if it was a black cop?
@ardavis1979: I know its hard to believe if you haven’t been in the situation, but trust me, a black cop treats a black suspect differently than a white cop does. To be fair, the cop in the picture was a lot more fair than the other one.
It’s not hard to believe because I AM black. I just think that thoughts like the above are what keep people of any race in the past.
I don’t believe that race had anything to do with the call or the contact so why make something out of nothing? And to top that, throw in cop beat down comments in for laughs. Your "people" (not mine)segregate yourselves with comments like that.
I live in Los Angeles so it’s not as if I don’t see it all from Al SHARKton to Jessie Jackson.
@ardavis1979: I don’t really want to get into a shouting match with you without knowing you. So don’t take this as an insult. Let me simply answer you and hope you don’t take it personally. Not only am I a black man, but I have a degree in cultural theory from one of the most exclusive universities in the country. And moreover I was in the situation. I observed it first hand. You did not. You read my intentionally humorous account of the situation. I cannot prove anything to you, nor do i have to. But I will say that I am an excellent judge of character and if I might say quite brilliant at picking out details and there was racism (as well as simple foolishness and ignorance) involved in the incident.
@ardavis1979: All I can say is that you must live in some other level of consciousness in LA! Your comment "I don’t believe that race had anything to do with the call or the contact so why make something out of nothing?" shows a quite a bit of ignorance on your part. How could you even think of interpreting whether or not race had anything to do with it? You have a participant in the event describing it to you! You’re welcomed to your opinion but your comments are, frankly, laughable! I’m happy for you that you believe you are "above" such incidents; I’m also sad for you that you will be shocked and unprepared when you are faced with the realitly of racisim. One day it WILL happen, believe it or not. I really have no need to get into a debate with you either, I just want you to definitely remember that you were advised. Oh, and frankly, I hope you do take it personally.
@lrayholly: like I said, not worth getting into. Basically there are three possibilities. One, ardavis1979 is right and I am overreacting, despite my training, experience and accolades over perceptive reasoning over the years. Two, I am right and ardavis knows it and is simply trolling and being confrontational because he has nothing better to do. Three, I am right but ardavis is the luckiest blackman on the planet and therefore unaware of anything outside of his sphere. In any case, it really doesn’t matter. I related a story about my life because that’s what I do, and by all accounts hundreds to thousands of people all over the world love watching me do so. However anyone is welcome to ignore me or even dislike me if they wish. They’ll just miss all the good stuff.
I’m glad you’re educated. I myself am working on a graduate degree. However, the cops were just doing what they public pays them to do. They responded to the call. They would have done the same if you were black, brown, white, or purple.
As for my bubble, hows Hawthorne for you?
Chris, no disrespect, but I see people turn something into the non-existant everyday out here. You’re right, I wasn’t there. I could be wrong. However given the circumstances you wrote, I see it as a standard call for service. The guy even let you take the picture.
Either way, who is to say the person who called them wasn’t black, white, brown or anything in between?
I see here (Los Angeles) more than anywhere else people using their own race as a crutch, an excuse, or to blame events in their life on their race. Thoughts like those are counterproductive and make us seem needy, ignorant, and self centered. I am not saying that you are any of those.
I’ve been stopped, talked to, even yelled at. Doesn’t mean it’s because I’m black. And if I ever commit a crime and try to use my race as the reason I was caught, convicted, or even questioned will be the day God can take me off this planet. That kind of crap happens every single day here.
Again, you are not a criminal and you were not committing a crime. I only used the example above to elaborate my thoughts on the matter.
I’m sorry if it seemed like an attack.
@ardavis1979: I don’t even totally disagree with you in principal. Some people do call racism for every incident, but that’s not what we’re talking about here. You point out that the cop agreed to take a picture with me, I point out that there were two cops and one (the one I took the photo with) treated me much more respectfully. Were the cops doing a job they were paid to do. Of course. But that said, there are obviously different ways you could approach that, as the two cops did.
Again, you are making an assumption based on me being a black man and your interpretation of my story. You said I was overreacting and there was no racism. That comment is prejudicial in and of itself.
All I’m saying is that your assumption that black (men in particular) aren’t accosted because of their race is just as if not more ignorant than a person who commits a crime and says they were only convicted because they were black. Again, I was there, I am aware of the details of the situation and I know what I’m talking about. You are simply stating your beliefs (which your welcome to do), but its extremely pompous to imply that you know better. Which is how you’re coming across to this moment.
Yes, my comment was prejudicial based on my beliefs of the situation, not your race.
I never claimed to know better. I only commented on how I interpret your comments. You can say you were wearing a maroon jersey in the picture and I can say it was red. Doesn’t mean you or I are right.
I’ll say it again. You are right, I was not there. But that doesn’t mean that I can’t have an opinion about how you feel the situation went in comparison to how it really played out. It’s all about interpretation. And as for "your people", they are my people, white people, and every people. I don’t feel it’s right to segregate yourself by race. Doing so is a step in the wrong direction.
BTW, that cop looks like the undertaker from Phantasm.
@ardavis1979: the issue is not whether or not you are welcome to an opinion. You certainly are. The issue is the pompousness and dismissiveness by which you stated your opinions. I’m not even personally offended. And in fact would have just ignored you had I not been contacted personally and privately by several individuals, both black and white who stated how offended they were with your ignorance. I’m actually going out of my way to be fair to your opinions where others might not. At the end of the day, what it comes down to is I was making a statement about a situation that I was in, and was applying certain expertise and life experience I have to that situation. You on the other hand are applying your own life experience to a situation which you acknowledge you have no actual firsthand knowledge of and worse you are using it to generalize about people (in particular black people) as a whole. Something you are of course welcome to do, but you have to understand that when you take a stance like that, wrong or right, you’re going to meet opposition, especially when you do it in as belligerent a way as you did. Trust me, I take unpopular viewpoints and argue them ALL the time. I’m simply prepared for the response.
In this case, you have the unpopular opinion and don’t really have any evidence to back it up other than your misunderstanding of my personal experience. It comes across as pompous and asinine, and as a service to you, I am letting you know that is how many others received you. That may be true. It may not. It may bother you, it may not. But it certainly isn’t doing you any favors in making others take your account seriously. I have in fact gotten several messages telling me to ignore you as you’re obviously a troll. You may or may not be. But in any case, you aren’t presenting yourself anywhere near as well as you seem to think you are.
Well so far you have called me pompous, dismissive, ignorant, troll, and a host of other names. All of which were only contained in your last response. And all of which with the premise of not being offended and respecting my opinion. Tactics I am fully aware of being hypocritical and condescending.
With respect to your original post, let me quote.
"The trials and tribulations of being a black man"
"If my people have learned anything over the years, it’s to be as polite and cordial to the police as possible. I certainly wasn’t looking to have my ass Rodney Kinged tonight."
"The cops rushed to the scene to apprehend the suspicious looking 5’8 black man"
"I’m glad I didn’t wear my "I’d rather be fighting the man" T-shirt today."
"I wonder if they would have arrested me on the spot if they knew I was boinking a white woman."
Now come on. With phrases like the above, how am I or anyone else supposed to interpret your attitude? In fact, based on the above, you are the one who comes off being pompous, ignorant, angry, and borderline confrontational.
As for your PMs, I have had a few myself, good and bad. Non issue to me as if anyone has something to say, they can say it in the open air. I thank you taking the time to respond. Even if you think I am some sort of an internet troll.
My beliefs on what happened prior to the picture are now irrelevant. What is relevant is how you portray yourself, and how it effects others. And your original post coupled with the subsequent responses do effect others. And I believe that they feed fuel to fire.
Now here comes the seventy thousand dollar question. If you read the quotes above (which are not even out of context) how would you see yourself?
@ardavis1979…just out of curiosity, what are you doing on Flickr? You don’t have any pictures. You haven’t marked any pictures from others as your favorites. You don’ t have any information about yourself on your profile. You haven’t joined any groups.
So far as I can tell, you’re here specifically to give people a hard time. I think anyone who has followed Mav’s picture stream for a while can tell he’s not a bad guy. He’s always come across as a funny, smart, artistic, talented, warm, decent guy.
I think you’ve expressed your views. To Mav’s credit, he’s allowed you to essentially hijack this picture thread so that you can spread your feelings about a situation you know nothing about.
You’re obviously a book-smart, well read, person. So, why don’t you find a more effective place to express your opinions?
awww man, i see what all the commotion about this photo is all about now… i know you aren’t sporting a cleveland jersey are you! Aww hell no: Shaq, D Wade, Alonzo all healthy… brother this is the Heat’s year!
Well travelinjim, I just ran across this photo and started an account because I was frankly offended by the original post.
I apologize if the conversation between myself and maverick has hijacked the comment section. Perhaps him and I should take it to PM.
I am not trying to give anybody a "hard time". However I feel strongly that attitudes and comments made here are what keeps people in a slave mentality. I know that seems like a harsh statement, but I see it all the time here in Los Angeles. And not only that, there are people who feed off it and ultimately turn their own bad attitudes and views toward society into the trials and tribulations of being a black man.
My feelings on the matter are simple. I feel that anybody who segregates themselves, claims the term "my people" in relation to the rest of the post, or items of that nature are counterproductive to moving forward in not only their own life, but in their effect on society as well.
While I do not think that maverick is guilty of this 100%, the comments made in his original post don’t help. The issue is the post, not the photo.
Mav, if willing, we can discuss this further in private.
@ardavis1979: oh, absolutely. I do not at all dispute that I was being pompous and insulting. Hell, my flickr stream is nothing. You should see my blog. I’ve spent years amassing a following to my arrogant rants. I used to write a regular column called "1000 words of free flowing hostility." I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with being pompous. In fact, I specifically said "I argue unpopular viewpoints all the time." I was just pointing out that the reason why I am bothering to spend so much time on you. I appreciate your viewpoint. But I need you to know that frankly you are coming across as an asshole, and other people are being offended. I have told several of them its ok and I am quite willing to debate this with you as long as you like. If I were offended by you I could have simply banned you.
I even said earlier I don’t even entirely disagree with you. In fact, despite how it may seem, I choose all of my language EXTREMELY carefully in everything I write. Whether I’m using $5 college words or swearing and ebonics. I said "My People" specifically to be separatist. So in that respect you are right. However, that is completely lost in everything you’ve said because you’ve not presented your argument well. All anyone see is you essentially saying that racism doesn’t exist (which actually isn’t what you said) because you denied that racism was involved in my incident without any actual firsthand knowledge. That may be your opinion, which is fine. But not only do I disagree, common wisdom in this country (and certainly among my readership) is that you are wrong. So you’re already fighting an uphill battle. Your attitude is making it worse. My attitude doesn’t matter. Essentially this is my blog. My forum. People come here because they like me. This makes it an unfair ground to you for a debate. Sorry, thems the breaks, kid.
In essence, you made a racist judgement. You saw a picture of a blackman with text complaining about racism and you assumed that I was therefore overreacting and calling wolf because that’s what black people do. The fact that you’re a blackman yourself is irrelevant. Unlike the rest of the readers here, who have been following my internet rants in various places from anywhere between 1 and 15 years and know my background, my intelligence and my writing style, you made a snap judgment. Which, by the way is human nature, and which also is the cause of racism. You made the same mistake that Badcop did (again, the guy in the picture is actually Goodcop) and the same mistake that person who called the cops in the first place did.
Don’t worry about "hijacking the comments." I have the power to stop you anytime I want, and I choose not to. You are welcome to argue as long as you like. Just know that 1) if you do so, I expect you to actually consider what is being said, rather simply spewing your beliefs. Believe it or not, I have paid attention to everything you’ve said, and I think I’ve been more than fair in my responses to it. And 2) you’re never going to win the debate. As I said, its an unfair arena for you. Most people (not all) here are preconditioned to agree with me, hence them being here. And moreover, and don’t take this personally, I’m just a lot better at this sort of thing than you are. I know that sounds like an insult. It’s not meant to be. I’ve made a career (multiple careers actually) out of my gift at rhetoric.
@jwill9311: dude… I’ve a Cavs fan born and bred. For life!!!! Also, this is Pittsburgh. It’s not a basketball town. No one cares. Other than the fact that in the neighborhood I was in, people might just assume "black man in a NBA jersey, that’s a thug right there" despite the fact that I was 200 yards from a basketball arena (where the wrestling show was).
@Travelinjim: it’s fine, really. I don’t mind him expressing his views. If I didn’t want other peoples views, I wouldn’t have written the story in the first place. Given what I said, and who I am (my modest notoriety, being what it is) I was certain that I’d be linked to elsewhere in the blogosphere and I knew I’d get comments here, and on my primary blog about it. I’m fully prepared to deal with it. If anything its just tiring because I think that ardavis has gotten to the talking in circles point by now.
Flickr readers are probably more likely to follow me for interest in my life than say LJ readers who follow me for interest in my opinions. But it is what it is.
We certainly live in a world where you do not have the right not to be offended.
Fact is that I am totally unaware of your collected works. Frankly, they aren’t really relevant either. Someone can express their opinion for years and one Freudian slip to the contrary and it’s all over. And as such, I came across your post and here we are. After quickly browsing your pictures, snap judgment tells me you have a thing for white women. No big deal, but it is what it is; first glance.
I never once said racism does not exist implied or otherwise and I am surprised that you would even suggest such a thing. Racism does exist. However I strongly believe that in many cases of "police racism" it is all in the mind of the person being contacted. I feel that was the case here. Just my beliefs. And in the absence of facts, one can only speculate.
I have never read one blog of yours. I do not know what kind of person you are. I have no way of judging your motives for the post. So at first glance I can only take it at face value. And I think I have expressed what they make you look like.
You are right on one point. This is your forum, your blog, your space and it is an uphill battle that I will never win no matter what the topic right or wrong. I knew that when I posted.
I made a racist comment? Does that make me a racist? Interesting thought but not at all accurate. As for the crying wolf syndrome, it happens more often than not. At least it does around here. Snap judgments are what people do here on the internet. Again, it has to do with the face value of what you write. You can’t expect otherwise. Example, guy walks into a gas station holding a gun. Snap judgment says he is there to rob the place. Now does that mean that a black man eating a cookie at two in the morning is up to no good? No, but someone called and guess what, you were the recipient of that complaint.
The fact that I am a black man is relevant in that I would have likely been called white devil by now if I wasn’t.
Your stipulations for posting amuse me. I already have considered, complimented, and offered a retort to much of what has been written. Though your career at rhetoric should be applied to politics. You would do well here in Los Angeles.
I do not dislike you sir. I do however dislike the content of the original post.
@ardavis1979: again you ignore key facts, so I’m going to make it nice and simple 1) I was not the only person at the gas station. I was the one who was called. This is racist behavior on the part of the caller.
2) One cop was extremely over the line in what is acceptable behavior for a call. He made it clear that he believed that I was up to no good and had no business being where I was.
3) The point being they (the caller and the cop) made a snap judgment, based primarily on either my color, or my choice of late night munchie, as they had no other information to go on.
4) I do not expect otherwise. As I’ve said repeatedly, I wrote the way I wrote on purpose. I actually expect responses like yours far more often than I get them, hence my humoring you as much as I have
5) the rest of my posts are relevant for two reasons. First, it goes to the point that if you knew me (as you do not, and the cops do not) you might realized I’m a much different person than your first impression might lead you to believe. Second, you wanted to know why I’m allowed to be a pompous asshole and you’re not. That’s why.
@ardavis1979: I have a simple counterexample for you. I would never, ever, ever, expect that to happen to me as a nicely-dressed white man. If it did happen, I would be so incredibly mad that I’d try to come up with some way of being punitive to the police department itself, in addition to the specific officers. Being in that situation itself is unreasonable.
@rmitz: and I on the other hand wasn’t surprised by it at all. In fact, I was amused enough to take a picture with them and write it up as a 365 entry since I didn’t have anything better to talk about that day.
Wow! This has gotten interesting…!
The only relevant thing I have to say is that if Chris Maverick were the "crying-wolf-about-racism" type, at his level of intelligence he would likely be a humorless guy where racism is concerned, and would have ripped me a new one for my LMAO comments and the thing about taking his own mugshot to keep his 365 Days project going.
Wait — there’s a big chunk of my lily-white ass missing! Goddammit, Mav!!
@phlewght: oh… wait… you mean you were joking? 🙂
Just came across this in the 365-Mug Shots thread and had to see the story! I can’t belive he agreed to pose for you. I always get too scared to ask but next time I will. My friend wants to have a cop pretend arrest her and beat her with a fake fish and take pictures of it. THAT would really throw ’em! lol
@tiffs pictures: well, I certainly wasn’t going to go out of my way to get a shot like this like your friend wants to. But when it happened, I was just thinking "ok, I totally can’t miss this opportunnity."
I just remembered, I have a couple pictures of me getting cuffed by a cop.
flickr.com/photos/jimwlamb/216365865/in/set-7215759423860…
flickr.com/photos/jimwlamb/216365864/in/set-7215759423860…
@Travelinjim: that’s kind of interesting. What’s the deal?
It’s kind of a tradition for when someone completes their last flight on the plane. Handcuffed and then a wetdown.
@Travelinjim: oh… neat idea. I love traditions that basically involve torture.
Chris,
I love the picture. It’s in my "wallpaper" directory now.
It is just a truly fun shot.
Too bad everybody has to get so worked up about it.
Keep the camera handy!
@kb1awv: I try to take it with me everywhere I go. Thank you.
OMG what a great picture! Very cool.
And so sad a story… I hope the prejudices die out very, very soon!
(Seen it in the 365 days picture pool)
@JSchoeck: I don’t think there’s much chance of that, but hey, maybe they’ll at least get better. Glad you like it. Thanks.
Haha! This is so ballsy.
The last line is so true, too… my ex-boyfriend used to get SUCH evil looks when we were out together.
@O moon, do not keep her…: yeah, people suck. Oh well. I like to think things are getting better.
Love the picture Mav! More so I love the story. A lot of people never have to deal with those types of situations. Sadly just because of your skin color you have. I don’t think most people would understand this. I guess it’s because of how and where they grew up. Head in the clouds I suppose. Although a lot of people find it easy to ignore or pretend that a lot of things in life doesn’t happen or isn’t possible. Why should it be? It hasn’t happened to them. It hasn’t affected them. I’m glad that you handled the situation like an adult and got a great picture out of it. Sadly, the caller, to me, seems to be a racist ass who doesn’t actually know how to act like an adult. Hope you enjoyed the cookie!
@OKCThunderFan: thank you for commenting.
this is a great picture!! I was just with a cop the other day, I wish I had had my camera on me to snap a photo!!! good job 🙂
Amazing shot and history!!!
Wow, great photo. Thanks for sharing that story. Glad they decided to leave you alone.
So if your girlfriend hadn’t shown up yet, and presumably you didn’t have a tripod, who was holding the camera? Did you get the other cop to take the picture?
Wow, at first I thought this was a still shot from a movie set with Donald Faison (you have a striking resemblance to him in this photo – of course with more hair). Very sad that it turned out to be about that awful experience you had! But thank you for sharing it…
Hehe nice story and even nicer photo
Haha your look totally cracks me up. "Get a load of this guy, calling me out for my cookie."
(Seen on the Flickr blog.)
Cops also don’t think it’s funny if you ask them if they’re ordering a donut, when you meet one in line in Starbucks. Or if you ask them if they are wearing a Batman Utility Belt. But I guess I can get away with more than you can, sadly!
That’s a great photo! 🙂
The photo description absolutely makes this picture. Hilarious, and I’m glad you got a great shot and a funny story out of that night. 🙂
LOVE love love the expression made me smile instantly
He is the prototype of Cop.
Your expression with his…made me laugh out loud. Made my day.
This is both a serious testimony of a sign of our times and comically narrated, congrats man! That policeman was a good sport too.
Awesome! He makes the Flickr Blog!!
@Great Beyond: I did in fact have a tripod. Rule #1 of 365 Days is always be prepared
Everyone else: Thanks for commenting. It was great getting a chance to relive this again a couple years later.
LOL!! i love the story! it’s hilarious, if you don’t mind me saying so.
btw, i wanted to say good luck with your 365 days project, but i guess you don’t need it seeing that you’re on 358th day, just a little more now! 🙂
i failed mine at day 48th :p
@celtsaga: This picture was from my first year of 365. I’ve edging up on 1500 days now.
ooops! silly me!
i didn’t look at the date taken. i saw it on yesterday’s flickr blog and automatically thought it was taken recently. hihi.
btw, 1500?! are you addicted to it? haha 🙂
Chocolate Chip cookies and Aquafina? Surprised you weren’t executed on the spot.
can’t believe you got him to do this! awesome!
You’re a great story teller. This picture was a great start to my morning!
Very true story, NO DOUBT…. I’ve been there before. Try being a 5’10 Black man that likes to wear trench coats ! LOL
10 years later & it’s still true. That ain’t right!
10 years later & it’s still true. That ain’t right!