Black Writer Harrassed and then Ignored in Small Southern Town
For those of you reading this from out of town, Tony Kendall is an African American male who writes a liberal leaning editorial column for the local newspaper. Our town of Paris, TN has a population of approximately 10,000.
I keep trying to envision the conversation between the Po-Po who pulled over Tony Kendall, and his boss.
I can’t imagine it was super enjoyable.
Well, I would like to imagine it wasn’t super enjoyable, but I don’t know.
I guess it says something about readership when a cop pulls over Tony Kendall and then does all of the wrong things we’ve learned about since George Floyd in 2020.
Let me go over these things real quickly.
First, he’s stopped because of a broken headlight.
Second, he’s asked to get out of the car…. because of a broken headlight.
Third, he’s asked if they can search his car…. because of a broken headlight.
And fourth, he’s threatened if he doesn’t allow him to search his car, they’re going to call in the K-9 unit…. because of a broken headlight.
When questioned about the necessity of these things, the policeman uses “officer’s discretion” as his reasoning.
I want to believe this is an isolated incident. I want to believe our small town policing departments are more….um.. judicial in the use of this “officer’s discretion.” But now, I don’t know.
I’ve listened to some white folks’ remarks regarding Tony’s column of Friday, September 22nd. They certainly don’t know.
Seriously, I’ve asked learned white people in our community about this. They almost laughed it off. It disappointed me. It shocked me.
I can’t understand how any person of any racial descent isn’t upset by this situation. But a whole lot of white folks simply aren’t.
They don’t have any problem with a police officer pulling you over for a faulty headlight.
Okay. I get that. I got a rear taillight short on my F-150 that goes out occasionally. I am paranoid about being pulled over while driving in that condition, simply across town to work. I’m not kidding. No sir.
I once drove a Toyota Tundra from Nashville with a low beam headlight out. I was paranoid about that.
So even though I have never been pulled over for any of these issues. I suppose I understand the stance of white folks here.
But what about when the police officer asked him to get out of the car?
When was the last time that happened to you, Henry County Caucasians?
Or what about the police officer asking if he could search his car?
Have you ever been asked that, White People of Paris?
I haven’t. As a matter of fact, I haven’t had either of these things happen! And I have been pulled over many times!
I’ve been pulled over by Paris City cops. I’ve been pulled over by Dover cops, by Murray Kentucky cops, by Medina cops, by Trezevant cops and by Gibson cops. I’ve been pulled over by Sheriff patrols far and wide. I’ve been pulled over in an absolute speed trap down in McNairy County. I’ve been pulled over by THP in multiple counties and cities across our fair state.
I have a habit of driving briskly.
Not once did they ask me to get out of, or search my car! Not one time!
Zero. Zilch. Nada.
What’s up with that?
How many of you white folks have had a K-9 unit called on you?
None of you. Well, none of you capable of reading this.
White people don’t want to learn. They don’t want to think about this issue. It doesn’t happen to them.
And so, they don’t want to ask more of their police departments.
Look I’m not anti-police. That’s stupid. Every day they have a potentially very dangerous job. Personally I would pay them more. I’d pay them a lot more. But if I was paying more, I would expect more.
This situation is less. This situation is rock bottom police pricing!
This situation is not even a minimum wage standard. It’s sad. It’s pathetic. And it’s dangerous.
You know what the next level of this is, don’t you?
The next level is beating someone. The level beyond that is beating someone to death.
Don’t think it can’t happen in our community. Our beloved courthouse was the scene of many mob lynchings. Our white people have it in them. It’s part of their DNA.
It could happen.
Lack of training, lack of critical thinking and lack of intelligent discretion is exactly how you get there. I’m worried one of our boys is working on the recipe.