Having the the “Talk”
I am not talking about the birds and the bees. I am talking about the talk that Black mums have to have with their sons. My brother turned 13 last month and my mum had to have the talk with him
When the police are trying to stop you
- Don’t make any sudden movements.
- Don’t reach into your bag
- Don’t reach into your pocket
- This is to prevent you from being shot
When the police are searching you
- Be compliant and passive
- No sudden movements
- Remain calm, don’t get worked up.
- Other than replying to their questions, remain silent at all times
- When speaking, keep your tone in check
- This is to prevent you from being shot or arrested
My mum told me that black parents have to have this talk. I asked her why and she replied
“We have to, for their safety and our sanity. Because in our collective memory, stories like Stephen Lawrencef still burns in our mind. For Black Moms, Having the “Police Talk” With Our Sons is Parenting 101”
There is a stalemate between the police and the communities they allegedly protect and serve. With good fucking reason. For black people, no matter how law-abiding we are, no matter how much we respect the dangers the police face as they do their jobs, history has instilled a fear of encounters with police officers, a fear that’s especially intense for our young black men.
the realest real talk :-(
(via buttahlove)
