General Discussion

Last edited Sat Jul 9, 2016, 08:17 PM - Edit history (2)

out of the many thousands who live on the residential streets that I run on. Where black people running down these residential streets is a very rare sight (in fact I don't recall ever seeing a black jogger in the area for many years), particularly one clutching a plastic bag. And like anywhere, they encourage people to call 911 if they see something "suspicious" or "unusual".

I'd be surprised if 911 has never been called on me, even though I'm white. I'm guessing if ever a 911 dispatcher takes such a call seriously, they'd just send a squad car that would drive by, and see that I'm just a jogger, and that would be it, and I'd never know. (And I have no doubt it helps that my appearance blends in with the local demographics).

Sometimes I intently eye property that I go by, e.g. looking at concrete steps that railing has been put into -- but I try not to be obvious and to continue jogging or fast walking by as I'm taking a quick look at it.

(My concrete steps crumbled after a few short years of a railing being put in, and so I'm curious how often that occurs - very rarely it seems, but I do "catalog" it when I do see -- I carry a voice recorder with me and use it frequently). So that would be another cause for "suspicion" in some people's mind.

I remember Obama talking about walking down the street (back when he was just another young black male) and hearing car doors being locked as he went down the street. Its never happened to me, but maybe its because I'm hard of hearing, as well as being white.