Now on ScienceBlogs: The Galaxy's Biggest Valentine
musings on medicines from the Earth
Abel Pharmboy is the nom de plume of David J Kroll, a US state university educator and cancer researcher who holds a PhD in Pharmacology and Therapeutics and BS in Toxicology. He writes on natural product drugs and dietary supplements, issues of under-represented groups in the STEMM disciplines, science and medical journalism, the science and culture of North Carolina, Florida, and Colorado, making and listening to music and, with the help of his colleague, Erleichda, wine appreciation.
"Why Terra Sigillata?" will tell you more about the origin of the blog name.
Please read the DISCLAIMER for details on the blog's intended audience, advertising and comment policy, and how not to use the information presented herein.
For the record, this is a personal blog and any content or opinions expressed are solely the author's and do not reflect those of his university employer or funding agencies. He does get a bit ornery from time to time.
« GFP slideshow at WSJ Health Blog | Main | Why we donate to DonorsChoose projects »
Category: Academia • Race in Science and Society
Posted on: October 19, 2008 11:29 AM, by Abel Pharmboy
. . .wheeling a brand-new, factory-packaged office refrigerator down the street of a predominantly African American neighborhood past a parked police cruiser at daybreak on a cold Sunday and having the officer roll down the window and shake your hand while wishing you a good morning.
(Feel free to fix my use of all those prepositional phrases, but I hope you get the picture.).
Humanities & Social ScienceTrackBack URL for this entry: http://scienceblogs.com/mt/pings/83813
casaubon's book 02.13.2012
denialism blog 02.13.2012
respectful insolence 02.13.2012
evolutionblog 02.12.2012
starts with a bang! 02.11.2012
Comments
...
( ... but I hope you get the picture.).
Actually ... I was kinda hoping for a pic ... but I guess not.
...tom...
.
Posted by: ...tom... | October 19, 2008 10:57 PM
tom, I know that you're the picture guy but I figured that pulling out my camera phone and taking a shot with the officer would be pushing it a bit, dontcha think?
Posted by: Abel Pharmboy | October 20, 2008 7:39 AM
White privilege - I know about that. I got stopped once by the Portland Metro Gang Taskforce (tm). They asked me a few questions while I got more and more indignant at being harassed this way (they were not the friendly, reasonable neighborhood officers), because they asked a lot of irritating questions and a few that actually offended me - something that isn't easy to do. Before it was all over, they were apologizing and while they were obnoxious, they didn't once ask to search me, nor did they raise their voices. Elapsed time, about three minutes.
Contrast that with one of my neighbors, who is black, with a Hispanic mother. They stopped him and instantly started yelling at him and pushing him to let them search him. They also weren't listening to anything he said, because he repeatedly told them they were welcome to search him, but could they please hurry it along as he needed to get the formula he just bought up to his infant son. They harassed him for about fifteen minutes before letting him get on.
The only difference between our encounters (i.e. we were pretty much doing the same thing and if anything, I wasn't all that cooperative, compared to his total respectful and cooperative attitude.
I sure as hell was at the next community policing meeting and I wasn't alone. About two weeks later our neighborhood gang taskforce was just that - our neighborhood's. Not perfect but things have definitely improved.
Posted by: DuWayne | October 20, 2008 2:11 PM