Amy Cooper’s Calculated Racism

America has a race problem and the depths of these issues are surfaced in the many tragic stories shared all too often. These stories are nothing new for African Americans and is a sad reminder that while our country claims to be equal, it is anything but. For years African Americans have fought for equal representation in the government, equal pay for employment, and equal protection under the law. While we've had great progress there are still issues that plague African Americans daily. The most recent issue where Amy Cooper was filmed threatening to call the cops on a black man for infringing on her perceived rights is a new low. 

Watching the latest incident provides an unsettling look at how some Americans view the role of police officers. As a child I was taught that calling the cops was a last resort and doing so can even be dangerous to my own safety. Parents of black children often have a very direct conversation with their kids about the risk of interacting with the police. These conversations often entail mature topics such as police brutality, civil rights, and personal stories that can force a child to grow up faster than their peers. I was 15 when I had my first experience with police officers and fortunately I had my dad with me. We were driving at night when an officer pulled me over and the fear that overtook me caused me to shake to my core. My father instructed me to turn on all the lights, roll down the windows, not to make any sudden movements, and keep my hands on the wheel at all times. As the officer approached the car my father fearfully told me that whatever happens next do not resist or fight back. I’ll never forget the look in my dad’s eyes, they were direct and stern analyzing my movements to make sure I did not look threatening. This is the survival guide his parents had passed down to him.  

The fear I have when engaging with the police was absent from Amy’s demeanor. “There is an African American man threatening my life,” “Please send the cops immediately, I am being threatened” - these are the words she used to describe the disagreement to police officers. The use of such specific language demonstrated her relationship with police officers who she viewed as her protectors. She spoke with such confidence as if she already knew what the verdict would be for this black man interfering with her perceived right to walk a dog without a leash. That verdict, death or imprisonment, is the constant reminder that African Americans are governed by a different set of laws. Why did she have a different relationship with cops? Why did she feel that such a simple disagreement warranted such a harsh escalation with false details? 

This behavior that Amy has displayed is nothing new and comes with a severe cost. It put African Americans at a higher risk for being wrongfully imprisoned or even murdered. This has a direct impact on African American families and what they are able to achieve in this country. Back when slavery existed, slave owners would separate the men, woman, and children in order to exert control. That same strategy is being deployed today where African Americans families are being attacked and controlled because of the color of their skin. When you remove the figurehead of a family you have successfully disrupted that family's economic progress. That broken family will have to figure out how to raise and financially support kids, with one less leader. The psychological impact the kids will have to overcome knowing that they are not equal and that the law does not protect them are enough to cause depression and anxiety. As adults they will always be nervous that the lady that clutched her purse as they walked by, is the same person who is calling the cops because she is uncomfortable with their blackness. The fear that the world is against you and there is no way out will never leave that small child. This fear exists because one family taught their children that the police is their protector, regardless of what really happened. 

In order for us to move forward in this country all American families need to tell the same story. It is unfair and dangerous for one set of Americans to believe that the role of the police is to be their personal protector, while another set of Americans are told to live in fear of police. These lessons will not be easy and will require us to confront the unequal justice that still lives in America. Making this small change could be the difference in life and death for African Americans. If a child is taught that disagreements do not always require police intervention - that will save lives. If a child is taught that the color of a person's skin does not define that person’s worth - that will save lives. If that child is taught that justice is for everyone and not for a select few - that will save lives. These small painful lessons will not only save lives it will reduce the heavy tax for being black in America. 

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