Walking While Black

North Carolina Father goes viral with his account of taking a 'black walk' through a white neighborhood and admits he can't enjoy 'blue skies and birds chirping' because he's instantly pursued by a cop car

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Originally Posted by Daily Mail A father has gone viral across the globe with his insightful description of walking through a 'white neighborhood'. David Summers, 37, from North Carolina, took to his Facebook page last week to explain what happened when he decided to take a morning stroll. However his experience of the walk was quickly dampened when he noticed a patrol car following him down the road, before rolling down their window to give him a 'menacing' look - presumably because of his race. His post, entitled 'I took a black walk this morning', has struck a chord with people as far as Scotland, racking up 50,000 likes, shares and comments online. In the post, the father-of-one wrote: 'I took a black walk through a white neighborhood. When I take black walks, I think black thoughts. I am conscious of where I've placed my gun, my gun, and my gun. I mean, my phone, my wallet, and my keys. Because Peace Officers have a hard time telling the difference.' Describing the discomfort he experiences as a black man in a white neighborhood, and the precautions he has to take, he revealed the steps he has to take in order to ensure that he remains safe. 'I rehearse what I'll say if a concerned resident, or a law enforcement employee has questions about why my black body is walking through their white space,' he wrote. 'And I remind myself to make sure the law enforcement employee has his body camera recording. Sometimes it helps if there is video evidence to accompany the hashtag.' David observed how white neighborhoods comprise of a 'sophisticated security system' of 'nosy neighbors, doorbell cameras, and white women walking their dogs'. He then revealed the lengths he goes to in order to 'make white people feel safe', explaining: 'To say 'Good Morning' and flash a smile that shows confidence and deference at the same time'. But David's 'peaceful' walk was short-lived, as he described how he 'felt' a squad car behind him before he saw it. He recounted how the police car followed him slowly down the road, before parking at the end of the road and waiting for him. He continued: 'No more stalking. This was a show of force. This was a roar. This was a reminder that I was trespassing. I kept walking.' 'As I approached the corner, the front window began to roll down. The occupant didn’t speak. Didn’t smile. Just stared. I was being warned.' Revealing how he crossed the street to show the car he had acknowledged them, he shared his sadness at having been unable to enjoy what should have been a relaxing morning walk.' He concluded: 'I however, couldn’t help but wonder what I’d missed during my black walk. It’s hard to hear the birds chirping, or to smile at the squirrels playfully darting along the branches when you’re on a black walk.' 'It’s easy to miss the promise of a light blue sky, or appreciate the audacity of the red, yellow, and purple daisies declaring their independence from the green grass when your mind is preoccupied with black thoughts.' 'I took a walk through a beautiful neighborhood this morning. But I missed the whole thing.'...

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/a...hbourhood.html

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