First of, let me start by saying that I am a liberal black man who lives in NYC. I have never voted for any republican and do not see myself voting for one in the near future.
That said, I am sick and tired of people constantly criticizing the stop and frisk program without offering any viable alternative.
In my neighborhood, there are way too many knuckleheads who think carrying a gun is what makes them a real man.
Most of these knuckleheads walk into our local barbershops brandishing their guns like it's the latest cell phone. A few of my friends have even complained about been robbed at gun point while playing a friendly game of poker at the barbershop.
It has gotten to the extent that anytime I notice two young black folks walking behind me after getting off the train on my way back from work (usually around 7pm), I am nervous to death because I don't know what might ensue afterwards.
This is ridiculous because I am a black man who should not feel threatened by other black people especially when walking in a black neighborhood.
More below the fold.
Which brings me to why I favor stop and frisk. First let me start by saying I don't think any law abiding citizen will appreciate being stopped and frisked for illegal guns or drugs they dare not carry. It is probably very humiliating and degrading. Unfortunately, there are way too many thugs trying their very best to blend themselves in with law abiding citizens. Compounding this problem is the fact that most black people will go out of their way not to assist the police in finding these thugs within us.
Which leaves the police to two possible outcomes. One is to let those minorities continue killing each other; "after all they seem to like harboring these thugs". Or allow the police to randomly "profile" those blacks who tend to fit the description of troublemakers. I favor the latter if it will reduce and intimidate would be gang members from freely carrying guns publicly.
I don't believe most policemen enjoy stopping and frisking people for the fun of it. I believe they do it simply because they believe stop and frisk is one of the best ways to prevent gang members from freely carrying guns and killing our neighbors.
Finally to the NAACP and most black civil rights leaders, we need to do our best to educate our youth and forge better relationships between them and the police. It seems to me that we spend most of our capital being outraged at everything. There has to be a way to prevent the number of thugs who are terrorizing our neighborhoods.