While many so-called “Leftist” and self-described “Progressives” continue to proffer arguments that racism is a product of economic inequality, People of Color, of every socioeconomic status, continue to experience similar treatment by law enforcement. For example, there is a current rec-listed diary about noted astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson's racial profiling by police. Obviously, Tyson’s SES did not prevent the numerous times he was targeted for special treatment by LEOs. But he is far from being alone as an upper-SES Black man whose Black skin trumped any and all other considerations as to who LEOs view as a potential threat.
Yesterday (7/13/2016) Senator Tim Scott (R-SC), the first African-American senator from the state of South Carolina, and the first black Republican elected to the United States Senate since the election of Edward Brooke in 1966, spoke about his racial profiling experiences from the floor of the Senate.
From The Huffington Post:
In the course of one year as an elected official, Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) was pulled over seven times by law enforcement. Another time, a Capitol Police officer demanded that Scott show him his ID because the special pin on Scott’s suit jacket ― a pin assigned to United States senators ― evidently wasn’t enough.
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Scott is hardly alone. When The Huffington Post asked several black congressmen about their experiences with racism after the 2013 killing of Trayvon Martin, they had remarkably similar stories to tell.
I strongly encourage everyone reading this to follow the HuffPo link above to read the details of Sen Scott’s encounters with “da law”. After all, Scott is the only GOP senator who is able to say:
There is a deep divide between the black community and law enforcement ― a trust gap. We cannot ignore these issues. Because while so many officers do good ― and we should be very thankful in support of all those officers that do good ― some simply do not. I’ve experienced it myself.
Hopefully, there will come a day when Scott will fully internalize his Black & Blue experiences and realize that by remaining in the RepubliKlan party, he is actively supporting those who are actively oppressing him. Ideally, this will occur on November 9, 2016 — the day after he wins SC’s US Senator election — when he announces that he is switching parties.