Public Records indicate that black males stand a chance of being arrested when driving in much higher numbers than whites. Many high-profile black males experienced an arrest for no reason. Several years ago, I was driving my brother’s Volkswagen; an officer stopped me for no reason. There were no road checks, and the officer did not give a reason for the stop. Instead, he checked my license and registration and allowed me to proceed. Many blacks can identify with being monitored by security guards when they enter a department store. Additionally, numerous blacks can identify with the experience of being singled out and watched for no reason other than the color of their skin. Over the years, black males have gotten a bad rap. During the 1980’s many in the media said that the University of Miami Football team were thugs because they were an all-black football team. The players were highly skilled and had a lot of confidence and bravado. Many people wanted to see them fail because they were bold and outspoken. For many years newspapers placed black males on the front pages regardless of the crime. It made no difference if it was a felony or a misdemeanor. In many ways, the newspapers portrayed black males as criminals. In the past, blacks did not own any significant newspapers or media outlets; therefore, blacks had no control over featured front-page articles.
To make progress in race relations. The perception of black males needs to change. The media must report the positive actions of black males at the same rate as the negative news stories. Unfortunately, most of the positive news concerning black males goes unreported. Writing positive news in the black community will go a long way toward destroying the myth that black males are mostly dysfunctional and a menace to society. I desire law enforcement to become color blind and treat all races the same. Law enforcement needs to treat every human being with respect, and everyone needs to respect law enforcement, especially when they are approached or confronted.