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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 17, 2016)
August 17, 2016 Page 7 O PINION Your Carpet Best Cleaning Choice Martin Cleaning Service Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning Residential & Commercial Services Minimum Service CHG. $45.00 A small distance/travel charge may be applied CARPET CLEANING 2 Cleaning Areas or more $30.00 Each Area Pre-Spray Traffic Areas (Includes: 1 small Hallway) 1 Cleaning Area (only) $40.00 Includes Pre-Spray Traffic Area (Hallway Extra) Stairs (12-16 stairs - With Other Services) : $25.00 Area/Oriental Rugs: $25.00 Minimum Area/Oriental Rugs (Wool) : $40.00 Minimum Heavily Soiled Area: Additional $10.00 each area My Mother, Stopped for Driving While Black Mistreatment isn’t new, nor is it surprising m ilen m ehari When the po- lice pulled their guns on my moth- er, I reached for my phone and told her to be calm and do as they say. My parents and I had just been swarmed by police cars, sirens blaring, as we drove on I-64 through Virginia. Shock and fear consumed my family as we came to a stop and were or- dered out of the vehicle at gun point. A third car even showed up to stop traffic. The officers then arrested my mother without any explanation. I felt helpless. As I questioned the police about why they stopped a family of three just driving along and minding our own business, a passing white mo- torist stopped his car. He gave the by police officers a thumbs-up and told them, “We support the great job you’re doing.” I was stunned. My parents sought asylum in the United States from Eritrea many years ago. We work hard and obey the rules. But that’s not enough. In a sad twist of fate, our family has stumbled into institutional injustice in a new form. Eventually the arresting of- ficer accused my mother both of going too slow and eluding his siren for 10 miles. Three po- lice cars, guns, and handcuffs for my middle-aged mom, apparently for going too slow on a highway. Being too cautious seems to be yet another thing that can get you stopped for driving while black. Two weeks later, police in Min- nesota stopped Philando Castile for an alleged broken taillight. When Castile reached for his identification, he carefully told the cop his every move. To avoid any wrong assumptions, he explained that he had a license to carry a concealed weapon, which he had in the car. Castile was then shot sever- al times and killed. What was his crime? Is a broken taillight a reason to be shot? Is driving too slow a reason to be handcuffed at gunpoint, surrounded by three cop cars? The mistreatment of black peo- ple by police officers isn’t new, nor is it surprising. According to the Justice Department, black people are almost four times more likely than whites to experience the use of force during police en- counters. Before Castile’s slaying by the St. Anthony Police Department, he’d been stopped by police over 50 times and acquired thousands of dollars in fines and fees. Cas- tile’s mother had encouraged her son to complain about the police’s racial profiling. But like many black people, Castile chose not to. Why bother reporting police harassment, they reason, to the very people who commit the as- sault? During our eight-hour drive to Alleghany County Court, I remember being so confident that the judge would be on my mother’s side. The police had no evidence at all, and they’d plain- ly exposed my family to unnec- essary emotional and financial hardship. Surely, the judge would see that. I was wrong. Not only was my mother found guilty of both counts, they also revoked her driv- er’s license. Our lawyer refused to press our case, demurring, “I’m not in the business of suing police officers.” We are but one of thousands of black families in America who are targeted, profiled, fined, incarcer- ated, and — as we saw with Cas- tile — sometimes killed by un- accountable police officers and a justice system that supports them. The American dream can’t be a reality if the very color of our skin makes us criminals in the eyes of the law. Milen Mehari is a Next Leader at the Institute for Policy Studies, where she researches the crim- inalization of race and poverty. Distributed by OtherWords.org. (Requiring Extensive Pre-Spraying) UPHOLSTERY CLEANING Sofa: $69.00 Loveseat: $49.00 Sectional: $109 - $139 Chair or Recliner: $25 - $49 Throw Pillows (With Other Services) : $5.00 ADDITIONAL SERVICES • Area & Oriental Rug Cleaning • Auto/Boat/RV Cleaning • Deodorizing & Pet Odor Treatment • Spot & Stain Removal Service • Scotchguard Protection • Minor Water Damage Services SEE CURRENT FLYER FOR ADDITIONAL PRICES & SERVICES Call for Appointment (503) 281-3949
