I was just profiled by a white guy who pretended not to profile me.

[JRLeft]

This happened in Livermore, CA. (Good old liberal Bay Area/Alameda County/California) I pulled over to use my phone I needed to access the Internet. I pulled into a parking lot, I was there for 2 minutes when I noticed a 4×4 pickup truck exiting the property. Well he stopped at the edge of the street and waited for a few minutes, backed up behind a building and waited until I left. He pulled out when I did. I waved him up to question him, but he drove away I caught up with him at a stop sign and asked if he thought I was attempting to commit breaking and entering.

He said:"Nah, I watched a pickup truck with some guys in it." "White guys".

I replied:"Dude you're full of shit. You fucked up! You were caught and now you have a ridiculous excuse. You just happen to pull out when I did? GTFOH!

Then I said:"What you just did right there gets people who look like me shot to death. I'm tired of this shit it's old. All I want is to be treated like everyone else."

[Mira]

1. Taking the stand you did is

-cumulatively- and done over and over even when fear makes it difficult - the only way change will come. It's like sowing seeds under the snow. Some will sprout. It is when the citizenry stands up and forces equality, and shows up inequality and calls out racism in hundreds of ways and thousands of places, that is when we begin to see the light.
I wish we could start it right this minute, all over this country.

[JRLeft]

2. I never bite my tongue,I'm going to say what needs to be said.

He knew what he did, and was embarrassed but afraid.

[rusty quoin]

3. Afraid of what?

I know what you mean but it is absurd these white guys acting as police. They are afraid of their own shadows because they are dark.

[JRLeft]

4. When they see dark skin, they're afraid to approach us.

They believe we're all dangerous.

[brer cat]

6. I think the most critical agent for change

will be white people confronting other white people over racism, and yes, it must happen over and over. JRLeft was courageous, but it was a dangerous situation; we all know it could have ended with the truck driver pulling out a gun.

It is very hard to get people to come out of their shell and speak up, especially in situations where there is perceived danger in confronting someone who is belligerent. I am a 69 year old woman, and I would not have even considered chasing down the driver who profiled JRLeft. Whether it is lack of courage or too much common sense, I don't think I would ever be that aggressive.

I am willing to speak up in other settings, although I often find myself hesitating when confronting a stranger. I believe that repetition is key for me, that I will reach the point where I am reacting without that moment where I stop to think "do I really want to get involved in this?" If not me, then who? needs to be first in my mind.

[JRLeft]

8. I understand, you have to protect yourself. I'm a lot younger than you and I do not expect everyone

to react the way I did. That's just who I am. I'm like my father in confronting people.

[brer cat]

10. Standing up to bullies is the way to go

whether it is a racist or just a jerk. An elderly woman like myself can often create a sense of shame that a younger person or male can't. For me, it is a matter of quickly figuring out whether the situation is too dangerous to consider. Jumping in a car to chase him down is a no. Confronting him face to face in the parking lot should be a yes, but for me it is a maybe, and I often lose the opportunity while I dither about it.

[JRLeft]

11. I've been followed in stores, had white women grab their children, clutch their purses,

I've been pulled over by police time and time again even in front of my house. The idiot asked me where I lived I pointed to my house. He called me a liar I told him to run my plates, then he told me to slow down. I wasn't speeding.

I know racism when I see it.

[brer cat]

12. I have seen all of the above

and there is no question it is racism. Confronting it, calling it out is the only hope of stopping it.

[JRLeft]

13. I confront it every time. I tell those women, I don't want your kid or you.

Every time you see black people committing crimes in the eyes of a lot of people we all did it.

[tblue37]

5. You were brave but that is a scary situation. He could shoot you and then claim you

threatened him--and his automatic suspicion of you is the sort of thing that leads panicky white people, whethercops or wannabe cowboys who carry, to shoot first and ask questions later.

[JRLeft]

9. He could have and he would have gotten away with it even though there

aren't many CW holders in the state.

[90-percent]

7. I applaud your courage

and good citizenship. im a 62 year old white guy and i have FB friends that view BLM just like Guliani. They think the victims deserved it and the dallas massacre was committed by a BLM member. Or instigated the shooting. i posted a recent seth meyers piece on the subject that clarifies whats really going on with BLM.

I have a friend that said racism in America is now over because we elected Obama. I think racism is still rampant along with white priviledge, which I've experienced first hand.

We're moving forward as a nation, but, then again, racist Drumpf is neck and neck with Hillary.

-90% Jimmy

[JRLeft]

14. You're right, we need more white people to help confront it.

[awoke_in_2003]

15. It is my hope that,

thanks to the proliferation of smart phones, my fellow white people will wake the fuck up about what is going on. We saw a similar thing happen during the 60s when northern white Americans saw what was happening to those marching for equality (fire hoses turned on them, beatings, use of police dogs). One good thing is, because of social media, we don't have to depend on the media, which is likely to sweep such things under the rug these days. Cops may be turning off their cameras, but now cameras are everywhere.

[JRLeft]

16. More cameras are good, police aggression is out of control as well as vigilante white people.

[awoke_in_2003]

17. This country has always been crazy

but it went off the rails in 08

[YoungDemCA]

20. I seriously cannot believe that (white) people can say with a straight face

that "racism in America is over because we elected Obama." Have they all been living under a rock for the past 7 and 1/2 years? Have they not noticed the way in which our first black President has been treated by white conservatives (and a shamefully high number of white liberals as well)? To say nothing of the routine and outrageously disproportionate murders of black and Latino men by police officers, or horrific hate crimes like the Charleston massacre.

Such a fucking ridiculous notion, and one that is quite frankly, deeply offensive to many people - especially black people and other people of color. The NERVE of these people...

[JRLeft]

21. They don't believe that, they use it as a shield, to hide their racism.

[greiner3]

18. People like him will never treat you with anything approaching respect

Or treat you as a member of American society. It's the AOWG's last gasp as in another generation he'll be powerless. But on second thought that will make him more dangerous

[JRLeft]

19. My hope is to make him think instead falling back on prejudices/fears.

[heaven05]

22. testicular material

on exhibit here. The pickup guy needed to hear every word. I hear him now cursing and damning black males who fits his racist view, which is probably all black males. I stare every one of these type ass***** down every time.....you can be in my foxhole anytime.......

[JRLeft]

23. Ditto, to you. Confrontation is needed, we should not allow them to portray us as convicts.