In Our Corner: Balancing in America: The Illusion of Whiteness and Realness of Blackness

“Our hope is we can put this unfortunate case of ‘wrong place, wrong time’ behind us and continue to represent the community that we serve.”

–        Statement by Lansing Police Department (08.13.23) following a police officer unholstering his weapon, detaining, and handcuffing 12-year-old black boy who the police misidentified as an adult suspected of car thefts. The 12-year-old boy was in the process of taking out the trash to the dumpster when accosted by the police.

My Dear Readers,

Recently, I received a strong rebuke from a mental health colleague, suggesting I was being naïve in comparing Jim Crow of the 1940’s to the present days of 2023. The colleague John Genovese psychotherapist wrote:

“America has a bitter history of oppressing persons of African, First Nations, Hispanic, Asian, and Southern European heritage. We are also a nation that continues to evolve, sometimes in [the] wrong directions and many times on the right path. That we have legal protections of speech and free assembly [and] a Constitution that is adaptable and expandable are examples of this right path. It is the means by which slavery was abolished and formerly disenfranchised citizens were eventually granted voting, employment, and housing rights. While it is naïve to believe that all vestiges of racism and economic oppression have been eliminated, it is equally naïve to think that we are the same Jim Crow society of the 1940’s. No, America is not a disgrace. It is, as [with] all human endeavors, imperfect. It is a work in progress. And what we need right now is unity, not division.”

Several months ago, while traveling in Eastern Europe, I wrote a series of blogs in which I examined James Baldwin’s worldly acclaimed book, The Fire Next Time, 1963.  In his book, Baldwin focused on the life experiences for Negroes in 1963, contrasting their lives with the Colored population during the Jim Crow era of the 1940’s. 

In my six-segment blog, “The Perilous Journey”, I sought to understand and compare the differences in the treatment of the Coloreds of the 1940’s, the Negros of the 1960’s, and the African Americans of today and realized that Jim Crow was alive and doing very well in 2023.

In my most recent blog posting In Our Corner: Growing Up Black and Male, Wrong Place, Wrong Time, which focused on the racial profiling and misidentification of a 12-year-old black boy. He was in the process of taking out the trash and was accosted by the police with drawn firearms, handcuffed, and detained, traumatizing the child in the process. 

I spoke of The Illusion of Whiteness & The Realness of Blackness and the understanding that both groups reside on the same planet, are citizens in the same country, and yet reside in two separate consciousness.

Illusion of Whiteness

There is an illusion of whiteness in America.  An illusion is something that deceives by producing a false or misleading impression of reality. There is an illusion that black people enjoyed the same rights of free speech and the right of assembly.  There is the false and misleading impression of disenfranchised citizens eventually being granted voting, employment, and housing rights, there is the illusion that “America is in progress”.

Realness of Blackness

There is a realness of blackness in America.  Realness is described as the fact or quality of being real, reality, truth.  There is the realness that black people in America are responding to 403 years of racism, discrimination, and oppression. There is a realness that black people understand. That white people live in fear of black people, particularly black males, that results in profiling and targeting of these individuals. This reality of black people results in psychological distress, hyperawareness, and tension as the community becomes strained and overwhelmed while they seek to protect their children, in particular, males.

There is the realness of blackness when white fear causes the restriction of blacks from access to voting, employment, and housing. There is the realness of blackness that white America abolished one form of slavery only to create another in the form of incarceration. Particularly of black males. This act has similar psychological impacts on children and families as seen in slavery times when parents were forcibly separated from their children. Finally, in returning to the “understanding that both groups reside on the same planet, are citizens in the same country and yet reside in two separate consciousnesses”,there is a polarizing difference in how both communities view the police.  The illusion of whiteness is the desire to view the police as “protectors” acting in the supportive role of community policing.  This directly opposes the experience of the realness of blackness. The history of policing began as slave patrols. These slave patrols utilized racial profiling and misidentification against black males. These similar tactics and actions today by the police serve to create psychological distress reinforcing the inability to protect oneself or one’s children.  

Concluding Words

“While it is naïve to believe that all vestiges of racism and economic oppression have been eliminated, it is equally naïve to think that we are the same Jim Crow society of the 1940.’s.”

–        John Genovese, LPC Psychotherapist.

This quote affirms the illusions of whiteness in America which is in direct opposition of the realness and the experiences of Blackness in America.  This quote is disturbing as it is being made by a mental health professional specializing in PTSD treatment.  It provides worthy concern that black people seeking mental health treatment interview prospective therapists questioning not only their experiences working with members of the African American community but also their belief systems and the foundations of their personally held views.

There is a realness in the blackness of America of balancing the illusions held by others and holding one’s breath, awaiting the next shocking media development or announcement psychologically impacting and traumatizing a hyperaware and hypersensitive community.  Yes, as indicated in the statement by John Genovese the psychotherapist, there are “legal protections of speech and free assembly, a Constitution that is adaptable and expandable”. However, the Fourth Amendment’s guarantee of “protection from unreasonable searches and seizures by the government” means very little, when a Black parent lives in fear of sending one’s male child out to do a simple household task; the fear that the child will be misidentified and killed by the police.

 The First Amendment’s guarantee of the “right of the people peacefully to assemble” means very little when a Black parent lives with the fear that their child will be racially profiled by the police.  Such awareness must be communicated to the child to keep them safe if they are detained by the police.  

Lastly, the First Amendment’s guarantee of the right to “petition the government for a redress of grievances” means very little, following repeated attempts by the black community through its leaders and parents to the government to address the concerns of racial profiling and misidentification of black males.  With the resulting grievances and responses being silence or apologies such as the recent incident where the 12-year-old was handcuffed and detained while taking out the trash, police chief stated,

“As the chief of police, I want to apologize that this incident has such an effect on this young man and his family.”

–        Police Chief Soebee, Lansing Police Department

Noted in the apology is the repeated misidentification of the 12-year-old boy as a “young man”. Clearly as this misidentification is coming from the leadership of the policing authority, the same message of misidentification is being communicated and reinforced to those working under his leadership.  The resulting view of realness in blackness, our children, particularly our males remain at risk from those who seek to “enforce the law” under the cover of “community policing.”

The realness of blackness as to the perception of helplessness in protecting our children particularly males extends in other domains as well. Recently, a black adolescent in Jefferson Parrish School District, LA was psychologically traumatized while attending a classroom viewing when a virtual screening of a brown stick figure hanging from a noose with a racial slur (ni**er) with his name attached. (08.12.23)

The response from the Jefferson School District?  An apology.

In closing, I want to respond to my colleague’s illusions of whiteness in his closing quote, Mr. Genovese stated:

“No, America is not a disgrace. It is, as all human endeavors, imperfect. It is a work in progress. And what we need right now is unity, not division.”

I recently saw the following quote in a LinkedIn posting:

“I want them to have everything that I have.  I want God to bless them as much as he blesses me, but Pastor, I just can’t be in the same room with them.  It just bothers me.”

– Uncredited

The truthfulness and honesty of this statement affirms the illusion to pretend that America is not a disgrace.  In the realness of black people, America has been a “work in progress” for 403 years.  What we have is division and as long as whiteness resides in a state of illusion, such illusion will prevent unity and continue to result in division.

In recalling the words of James Baldwin:

“The really terrible thing, old buddy, is that you must accept them.  And I mean that very seriously.  You must accept them with love.  For these innocent people have no other hope.  They are, in effect, still trapped in a history which they do not understand, and until they understand it, they cannot be released from it.  They have had to believe for many years that black men are inferior to white men.’

–        James Baldwin Author, The Fire Next Time (1963)

Until the next time…

Remaining … In Our Corner.

In Our Corner: Growing Up Black and Male in America-“Wrong Place Wrong Time”.

“Our hope is we can put this unfortunate case of “wrong place, wrong time” behind us and continue to represent the community that we serve.”

–        Lansing Police Department (08.13.23) following a police officer unholstering his weapon, detaining, and handcuffing a 12-year-old black boy who the police misidentified as an adult suspected of car thefts. The 12-year-old boy was in the process of taking trash to the dumpster when accosted by the police.

“Upon review… the police chief concluded ‘the officer was respectful and professional during the child’s temporary detention’. Nevertheless, he stated ‘We understand that something like this has an impact on all parties involved.  As the chief of police, I want to apologize that this incident has such an effect on this young man and his family.”

–        Police Chief Soebee, Lansing Police Department

“They traumatized my son. Tashawn is traumatized so much that he doesn’t want to go outside anymore.”

–        Michael Bernard, father of 12-year-old who was detained and handcuffed by Lansing Police.

“Too often, Black bodies are harmed while law enforcement hides behind the phase “they fit the description.” While law enforcement calls it an “unfortunate misunderstanding,” they don’t know what kind of harm they have done to the psyche of this child, this family or the community.”

–        Whitney Alesse, Social Justice Advocate

“The family is exploring all legal options including the possibility of filing a lawsuit”, the lawyers said.”

–        Guardian Staff Writers (08.13.23)

My Dear Readers,

Recently in Lansing, MI a young 12-year-old Black boy just taking out the trash was accosted by police, held at gunpoint, handcuffed, and paraded through the parking lot while being detained and questioned regarding recent car thefts occurring in the area.  It was only after the father realized that his son had been gone for an extended period of time that he came out to see him surrounded by police officers and vehicles. 

The child was detained until it was determined that the 12-year-old boy, other than being Black, did not fit the description of the adult male suspect. At that point he was released, returned to the custody of his father and “apologies” extended for the “misidentification.”

The Illusion of Whiteness in Contemplation of Police Involvement

“No harm done…right?”  “Simple mistake, right?”  “Could have happened to anyone, right?”  “A simple misidentification, right?”  “The police were just doing their jobs, right?”  “The police have difficult jobs to do, right?”  “So, they are going to make a mistake now and then, right?” “Got to give them some room to maneuver, right?”  “The boy didn’t get hurt, right?”  “It’s not like the boy was shot or physically hurt, right?”  “He’ll be over it in a few days…hanging out with his friends…laughing like kids do, right?” “His father probably overreacted and that’s understandable, right?”  “Besides, they are going to file a lawsuit and make some money from this. Right?” “It’s going blow over, right?  I mean… it’ all going to be, okay? Right?

Wrong…very wrong indeed.  It is not going to blow over.  And it will never ever be okay. 

The Realness of Blackness in Contemplation of Police Involvement

Suspicious behaviors: Racial profiling…driving while black…walking while black…shopping while black…riding a bicycle while black…being in the wrong location while black… and now taking out the trash…while black.

“Are you okay?”  “Are you safe? Did they hurt you?”  “Is my boy alive?”

“Our hope is we can put this unfortunate case of ‘wrong place, wrong time’ behind us and continue to represent the community that we serve.”

The Illusion of Whiteness

This is simply an unfortunate case of the 12-year-old being in the wrong place at the wrong time.  An unfortunate mistake was made, so let’s put this behind us, move on and let us continue to represent the community that we serve.

The Realness of Blackness

This is another example in which a Black boy was racially profiled by the police.  He was accosted, detained, and handcuffed while performing the simple chore of taking out the trash. An unfortunate yet common mistake of racial profiling and misidentification almost cost this innocent boy his life.  Because the police continue to racially profile and misidentify black males, we are too frightened to put this behind us.  And no, because of racial profiling and misidentification, the police do not represent or serve the community in which these “unfortunate mistakes” occur.

“Upon review, the police chief concluded the officer was respectful and professional during the child’s temporary detention. Nevertheless, he stated “We understand that something like this has an impact on all parties involved.  As the chief of police, I want to apologize that this incident has such an effect on this young man and his family.”

The Illusion of Whiteness

The police officer was respectful and professional.  The child was not physically harmed.  The child’s detention was temporary.  There was a meaningful apology to the young man and his family. and understanding that this impacted all parties involved included the responding police officers. 

The Realness of Blackness

Understanding that the police officer was respectful and professional does not transform the reality that he pointed his firearm, handcuffed, and detained a 12-year-old boy taking out the trash who he had misidentified. The apology loses its validity as the 12-year-old boy is described as the “young man” and his family.  Once again, being miscategorized as a young man when he is a child only adds to the psychological trauma being experienced by this family.

“The community to consider the all the facts of the situation before making a judgement.”

The illusion of Whiteness

Let’s not be hasty to rush to judge the actions of the police.  We as the community want all the facts.

The Realness of Blackness

Black males are repeatedly judged as criminal by the police due to the color of their skin.  Those suggesting the concern about being hasty continue to ignore ongoing incidents of racial profiling and misidentification by the police. Black people with many years of experience with police understand what has occurred in this situation.  The held beliefs of black males by the police and the community they serve will continue… It is for Black people living under law enforcement to identify ways in which to protect their children when they come under the control of the police.

When a Black Male Encounters the Police:

• Know that the police officer will ask you for identification, and it is legal for them to do so.
• Know that your identifying information will be compared to a national criminal database to identify any warrants or other notices against you.
• Know that the police officer will be looking for suspicious behavior from you or from anyone with you.
• Be prepared for a possible stop and search of your personal space and belongings.

Actions a Black Male to do during the Encounter:

• Keep your hands in plain sight and away from your body.

• Immediately tell the officer: I AM UNARMED.  I AM NOT A THREAT TO YOU.

• Always comply and follow the police officer’s instructions.  Speak in a respectful tone.

• If you are under the age of 18, inform the police officer of your age.

• If you are under the age of 18, request that your parent, legal guardian, or legal representative be present.

• If you choose not to speak, inform the police officer of your intent to remain silent until you have representation.  After that, immediately stop talking.

• Use your powers of observation.  Document the incident and any concerns regarding any behavior during the encounter.

• Remember to get the date, time, and location of the stop as well as the license plate, vehicle number, and the badge number of the police officer and the name of the police department.  All the necessary information is visible.  Do not ask the police officer for this information.

• If needed, file a complaint with the local police department.  Do not attempt to resolve the issue with the police officer in the streets.  This is the purpose of administrative and judicial hearings.

• Remember, that the police officer is entitled to use deadly force if he/she feels physically threatened.

Concluding Words:

The Illusion of Whiteness & The Realness of Blackness

Both groups reside on the same planet, are citizens in the same country and yet exist in two separate consciousness. Whites generally view the police as “protectors” committed to serve the community.  Blacks generally view the police as “enforcers of law and order”.  The views of Whites are true to themselves which allow them to live in an illusion when it comes to how they view the relationship between the police and the black community.  An example of the illusion is the statement by the police following this incident:

“Our hope is we can put this unfortunate case of “wrong place, wrong time” behind us and continue to represent the community that we serve.”

The truth is that the police want to get this unfortunate case behind them. However, the illusion is the community they serve. The police like the community they serve, live in fear of Black males. This deep-seated fear grants the conscious power to racially profile, intimidate and create psychological trauma as a means of controlling the population.

The police in unholstering a weapon, handcuffing and detaining a 12-year-old simply got caught “with its pants down” and now seeks to do damage control using words such as “respectful”, “professional behavior” and “temporary detainment”.  And then there is the plea by the police chief:

“The community to consider all the facts of the situation before making a judgement.”

And what community is the police chief referring to?  Can he be referring to the Black community in which his police officers racially profiled black males which led to a 12-year-old being misidentified as an adult responsible for car thefts?  Or is he appealing to the White community where such mistakes are understandable but no such incidents being reported?

There is the illusion of the understanding “that something like this has an impact on all parties involved”. Yet, what about the realness of Black people that the simple act of one’s child taking out the trash could have resulted in his death? There was no follow up with the father who is powerless in protecting his son from those who are sworn to protect them.

And there is the reality that this 12-year-old due to no fault of his own now has a permanent psychological wound because trauma in its permanency never ever goes away… only to be relived, reexperienced and intrusive in childhood and will continue into his adulthood.

Whatever meaningful understanding this terrible incident has will be forever carried by this child all while his family was destroyed by the those reporting of the incident.  The reporting staff stated:

“The family is exploring all legal options” including “the possibility of filing a lawsuit”, the lawyers said.”

So now… it all about the money.  Let’s downplay what happened.  Let’s focused on the reality…money.  That is going to resolve everything.

Until the next time.  And of course, there will be a next time.  Living in fear of black skin demands… a next time.

Regarding the “White Illusion”, James Baldwin stated,

 “The really terrible thing, old buddy, is that you must accept them.  And I mean that very seriously.  You must accept them with love.  For these innocent people have no other hope.  They are, in effect, still trapped in a history which they do not understand, and until they understand it, they cannot be released from it.  They have had to believe for many years that black men are inferior to white men.” The Fire Next Time, 1963.

Until the next time…

Remaining … In Our Corner.