Thoughts from Sam Jones and Marcus Smart on racial bias and cops - Part II

You got to read about Sam Jones' views of racial bias, and here are some quotes from Marcus Smart on bias and the police. 

As a kid back home in Texas, I was followed by sales associates in stores and called derogatory names more times than I can count. When I was a sophomore at Oklahoma State, a fan decided that it was perfectly O.K. for him to call me the n-word after I fell into the seats during a game.

When I got to the league in 2014, the racism didn’t stop.

“I can’t believe that guy (Colin Kaepernick) would actually kneel like that during the anthem,” he (cop) tells me. “Can you believe that? I’m just really glad you’re not like that guy. Right? You’re not one of them.”

A year or so later, I got pulled over for speeding and it was just ... more of the same. “Nice ride. Are you a rapper or something?”

I was pulling out of the arena parking lot when I saw a white woman with her five- or six-year-old son crossing against the light right as the cars were starting to come at them. I had my windows down and realized something bad was about to happen, so I yelled to her, politely, that she needed to hurry and get out of the street so the two of them wouldn’t get hurt She swung her head around and it was...“F*** you, you f***ing n-word!!!!”

I mean, to openly spew hate like that? In front of a child? It just reminds me that racism is not something you’re born with. It’s taught.

Despite everything we’ve been through this year — all of it, as ugly as it’s been — I still have a ton of hope for the future of this country. And I can tell you straight up that it’s the kids who have me most hopeful right now.

Marcus is correct on so much here, including the fact that bias is "taught" - even to Police Officers. My dad was - what was called at the time - a half-breed, half white, half Native American - and plucked from his home in Maine and into foster care. Thus, I was never taught about bias as a child, but I did learn about it

But my rookie year in law enforcement saw my immediate superior tell me, "Never trust a n####er".  I ignored that advice, of course, and befriended one of the few black families in town. I always hoped that the two boys from that family could learn from my friendship, that all cops are not bad - most are good.

To paraphrase Sam Jones, you "can't judge one cop and put us all together so we're all bad". I will end with Marcus' uplifting statement, "And I can tell you straight up that it’s the kids who have me most hopeful right now".

Yes, it's the kids that will determine the future. My great grandson, Carson Thomas Lane, should never harbor racial bias. Marcus' kind act, after the death of Carson's mom, will go a long way towards making sure of that.