On Freddie Gray, another victim of police brutality

Members of the Baltimore Police Department stand behind barriers during a march for Freddie Gray, April 21, 2015, in Baltimore. (Credit: AP/Patrick Semansky)

Cops are the terrorists in our neighborhood: Where I live, the consequences of misunderstanding a cop could be death. Here's what young black kids need to know.

D. Watkins, Salon
Thursday, Apr 23, 2015 04:58 AM CST

GD is a high-energy guy, always turned to max. Happy or sad he’s bouncing off walls and jumping up and down and down and up, spitting emotions out like spoiled milk.

A few days ago I caught him during one of the sadder moments. Some of the people on the corner were quiet while others vented about how racist the Baltimore police department is, and GD slugged the street lamp like he was training for a prizefight.

“Yo them bitch ass cops! Scared ass cowards,” he bawled, kicking the same pole he’d been banging. “Freddie Black is gone. Man, he was a good dude!”

His sister and I walked over to console him, and he slang elbows at us, fell to his knees and asked god why.

* * *

“Freddie Black” is what GD and some of his other friends called him. His real name was Freddie Gray. Gray, 25, was minding his business near Gilmore homes when the cops tried to stop him for no apparent reason.

He ran, like a lot of black men do when we see cops, because for our generation, police officers have been the most consistent terrorists in our neighborhoods. Plus we are currently in a culture where a cop can shoot you if you put hands up, or if you follow their directions, or if you lie down, or if you are asleep. I swear they see black skin and think bull’s-eye.

A pack of BCPD officers pursued Gray in traditional bully fashion, caught him, found a legal pocketknife and arrested him for no reason. Who knew that running with a pocketknife is against the law in Baltimore? Once they got Gray into the van, he seems to have been taken on what we call a Nickel Ride, which is basically when cops throw you in a vehicle, drive crazy and beat you until you reach the police station.

(More here.)