Don't Put Your Hands on Me!

White teenager vs Black teenager 

Two similar cases, two different outcomes and treatment

It’s no secret that police brutality and misconduct has been an issue in America for some time now.  This is deeply disturbing and has a devastating impact on historically marginalized communities.  What’s even more troublesome is that this is also a problem among our young people, especially young boys.

These two cases in 2019 of sixteen-year-old boys in the same communities in Maryland’s eastern shore towns near Salisbury, Maryland ended in police contact, domestic calls and differential treatment.  AC who we will call the teenager with a mother identified as Hawaiian and a father who is identified as Black had a situation that eventually involved the police.  John Jr., who we will call the teenager who has parents that are identified as Caucasian, also had a situation that eventually involved the police. 

Two children who were having some family conflict in their homes resulted in a domestic call to the police.  Two children who had no prior offenses in their communities and were good standing at their local public high schools ended up on my caseload.  What is the reason for the differential treatment by police.  First let’s discuss the incidents with the police. 

AC’s grandmother called the police on him after an incident in which he was playing a video game for hours and she wanted him to shower.  They got in a verbal dispute, she says he threatened to punch her in the face.  AC left the house and was sitting at a bus stop in the neighborhood trying to “cool off”. 

John Jr.’s grandmother called the police on him after an incident in which he grabbed her cigarettes and ripped them from her bra.  They got in a verbal dispute, she says he shoved her.  John Jr. left the house and was found nearby walking in the street. 

Now, let’s discuss the police response and different outcomes.  AC was placed in handcuffs and transported to the Charles Hickey School for Boys in Baltimore, while John Jr. got the pleasure of a ride back to his grandmother’s home without cuffs. 

Classic case where Police attack the victim and accuse the victim of attacking them.  “Black people have no voice in court other than what the white man gives them.  American Democracy and Justice.  Democracy is hypocrisy”.  (1964, Malcome X)

Malcolm X spoke on this issue that is still relevant today!

Have we made no progress?  Malcolm said that every case of police brutality against a negro takes you to court and follows the same pattern.  This pattern takes you to court and charges you with assault.

“Black men have no voice in court, and this will never be stopped unless we stop it ourselves.”

Please listen to Malcolms speech and let me know what you think:

https://youtu.be/qNfAFfu6VD0?si=K9CYtCy-9CTQnUI_

It’s interesting that Malcolm’s solution was that this differential treatment and outcomes of people of color interacting with police will never be stopped unless we stop it.  This young man, AC was charged and transported to a juvenile facility far away from home without no attempt to mediate between him and his grandmother.  Charges were eventually dropped by the court considering AC had no prior record, but grandmother said he could not come back home.  His Hawaiian mother lost her parental rights two years prior for heavy drinking and child neglect.  His father was in a correctional facility serving a ten-year sentence for selling drugs at this time. 

AC remained in the juvenile facility for over a year and assigned a social service case worker.  The case worker made little or no attempt to find him a placement nor attempted to reconcile with the grandmother.    

John Jr. was kindly escorted back to his grandmother, assigned a social services case worker and did not miss a day of school.  Grandmother also told the police and the case worker she did not want him to return to her home. 

What do you see as the difference between the two boys other than their skin color?

This will not stop until we stop it!