When Prejudice Embarrasses

[Jermyn Davidson]

Every human has done this, in regards to speaking about something when they don't know all of the facts.

It's just a bit disappointing when it is the President of the United States. I am speaking in regards to the Harvard Scholar and Cambridge Policeman fiasco.


I was EXTREMELY ANGRY when I first heard about what happened in Cambridge.

When I saw the white officer on the tv at work, I cursed him in my thoughts (I used the big words too--compound sentences!)

I was really, really angry and could not understand how something like that could happen TODAY, how it could have gotten so out of hand so quickly TODAY.

Of course I blamed the Policeman and thought the worst of him.

The next day, I read that the police officer was an expert on racial profiling, deemed so and placed in the appropriate position by one his Black supervisors.

It was only then that I remembered a lesson that I had forgotten about judging a matter ahead of time.

Now President Obama admitted that he did not have all of the facts when he called the actions of the Cambridge policeman, "stupid". That was an attempt to cover himself for the remark he was about to make.

Sure he thought about what he said before he said it, he just didn't think about it enough.

His choice of words was strong, so was my outrage, and I can imagine that the initial outrage of many folks, not just Black folks, may have been strong.

It is here I will add, but especially Black folks. I'm no expert, but I have about 32 years of experience in the field.


Sometimes, somewhere along the way, all of us have to take the time to THINK and to remember to not let our prejudices embarrass us.


Falling back on the premise based on fact that police officers are more likely to abuse their powers with a Black man is another example of prejudice-- the same kind of prejudice that allows some to look at a group of young, Black adult males walking down any given street and feel threatened.


Premises based on fact are not always factual for every situation.

This is the point at which prejudice embarrasses.

Human beware!