In “The Dangers of Driving While Black,” we hear the painful feelings experienced by a person of color after having been stopped by the police. In this case, a black seminarian is pulled over by the police for no reason. Once the officer notices the presence of white males in the car with him, the black seminarian is let go with only a warning slip, but one which nonetheless contains a derogatory accusation.
All too often, we’ve heard about routine police stops of black drivers during which resistance has led the stop to turn ugly and sometimes fatal. But have we ever thought about what it must feel like to be an innocent person singled out as suspicious for no reason except your skin color. The author of this article, now a priest in the Archdiocese of Atlanta, Georgia, gives us an important insight and a brief glimpse into what it is to walk in his shoes as he recounts this dehumanizing experience.
In this excerpt from a prayer by Pax Christi, let us ask God to
“Give us the grace and the strength to rid ourselves of racial stereotypes that oppress some of us while providing entitlements to others. Help us to create a Church and a Nation that embraces the hopes and fears of oppressed People of Color wherever we live and work, as well as around the world.”
To read the entire article in America Magazine, Click here.
*Picture and article provided by America Magazine.