Prejudice is a burden that confuses the past, threatens the future and renders the present inaccessible. Maya Angelou
Racism is alive and well in America; that is no surprise either to the recipient or the perpetrator. The past four years under Donald Trump’s tenure clearly indicates race relations have become increasingly worse since he has been in office. The Southern Poverty Law Center nevertheless, has reported an astounding increase in hate crimes and other racist incidents since he became president. Trump has fanned the flames of racial hatred, and one area in society that reflects the consequences is in our police departments.
That leads me to the humiliation of Anjanette Young. The incident happened in February 2019. Americans are just now hearing about it. The Chicago police department raided her home and broke the front door down. Once inside they found a naked Anjanette Young about to change her clothes.
She told the police officers 43 times they had the wrong house, but they refused to believe her. She said, “I’m a social worker, I follow the law.” Young continues to scream at the police they had the wrong house. One callous officer said, “You don’t have to shout.” “I don’t have to shout? This is ridiculous,” Young says, using an expletive. “You’ve got me in handcuffs. I’m naked and you kicked my house in.” Any one in their right mind would be outraged and frightened.
I have seen various accounts of what happened, despite the cop cams. However, the best case scenario was bad enough. The best account stated she was totally nude with no cover on her until after the cops handcuffed her, and then after a minute later she was handed a blanket. Another account stated she stood nude for over 40 minutes. And then another account stated she was allowed to change into some clothes 12 minutes later.
Her sobs and tears on the police cam were utterly gut wrenching – Young was distraught beyond consoling. The number of police officers has varied according to different sources as we, but there was a minimum of 10, with most sources saying 12-15 were present as Young stood bare for them to see. This is appalling and inexcusable.
But most incredulous of all - come to find out the Chicago police raided the wrong house. The culprit lived in a nearby house in the same neighborhood. Unlike Breonna Taylor at least Anjanette escaped with her life. She was not riddled with 6 bullets, nor did her home sustained 32 casings s like Taylor’s.
But she will be traumatized from this incident the rest of her life. She was humiliated to a point no person should ever have to endure. Her life, her personal dignity meant absolutely nothing to these police officers. Make no mistake - their blatant disregard and lack of respect for her emanated out of prejudice and racism.
Shall we get frank here and this is going to strike a nerve. The lives of black people in America mean very little to a great many in this country. People with black and brown colored skin are for the most part devalued and are seen as less. People of color are almost viewed as subhuman and they are underestimated in their abilities and most everything that encompasses their lives. It is easy to pay lip service, but the big question is what is in your heart?
You have white conservatives and evangelicals who for the most part devalue people of color. However, there are a number of white liberals who are unaware of their prejudices that lie within. You have our vice-president Mike Pence refuses to say “Black Lives Matters.” You have many now who want to chant, “White Lives Matter” – but I ask, was that ever in dispute? Donald Trump has brought tidings of ill will to the racist which when decoded means, “You no longer need to hide your hate.”
Time for a brief introduction into Social Psychology 101. Sociologists have dubbed the term “master status;” which some may have heard of. One’s “master status” indicates a specific variable a given individual has that others use as their most defining characteristic. It could be race, male or female, rich or poor, etc. For example, most people will say, “That man over there missed the bus.” But if the man is black, most people will say, “That black man over there missed the bus.” “Black” in this case is the man’s master status.
By default, unless one’s race is specifically mentioned, there is the supposition that an individual is white. Usually, the master status has subconscious barnacles attached to it; like that black man might be a gang member, mean, lazy, angry, or dangerous. Another consequence of the master status is usually black employees are often deemed less capable that their white counterpoints. Rest assured, almost in all cases the master status will result to some extent a person of color being perceived as less.
These Chicago police officers deemed Johnson as less; like some kind of animal without feeling or intellect. Her being perceived as less, resulted in her nakedness requiring not even a single ounce of sensitivity towards it. Anjanette was met with disdain and was deemed unworthy of clothing as she stood totally nude in front of more than 10 police officers; like I said earlier, some say 12-15.
Her nudity clearly indicated she was not in possession of any weapon. There was no reason for the police officers to fear for their safety, and there was no reason to inflict shame like this on any person other than hate; whether they knew it, or were not cognizant. There is no way they were not aware of how humiliating and embarrassing this had to be for Johnson. Even if she was the person they were looking for, their actions would still be inexcusable.
The master status in Johnson’s case outweighed decency, sensitivity, and just basic respect for a human being. The master status overrode Johnson’s humanity, and she was reduced to less as she stood nude in front of the police officers. Her master status diminished her intellect; yet being a clinical social worker for over 20 years I would believe she likely has a master’s degree, but definitely a bachelor’s degree. You tell me, how would these police officers feel if that happened to one of their own daughters?
Where the officers getting some form of sexual gratification from the act? I don’t know, but the issue behind what happened transcends sexuality. This is an issue of a hate – of perceiving someone as less. It is likely an issue of contempt for women as well, but hands down the master status comes in first place. It is the primary catalyst behind Johnson’s treatment by these Chicago police officers.
I was a little taken back to find out Chicago’s Mayor Lori Lightfoot fought to keep the police bodycam from being released to the public. Chicago’s chief prosecutor, Kim Foxx contested the move, and felt the video should have been released to the public (the nudity in it was blurred out). Foxx stated, “The audacity that the city calculated its embarrassment over the release of the video, is a clear violation of Ms. Young’s body and autonomy,” Foxx tweeted. “This was a complete and utter dismissal of her humanity. Her humanity was, literally, stripped from her.”
I agree with Kim Foxx, although I speculate Lightfoot was afraid the video would incite violence. I can understand that, but this is an incident that the public has a right to know. The video was finally made public by WBBM-TV, a CBS affiliate in Chicago. A few sources claim Lightfoot said she was for the video being released, so in all fairness I wanted to put that in. But other sources said she was made aware of this shortly after the incident happened.
Do I believe police departments are systemically racist? Yes. Do I believe police officers target minorities? Yes. Do I believe cops profile black individuals? Absolutely! Do I believe in defunding the police? No, I do not. I believe we need the police; they are a necessary part of keeping some form of order in society – otherwise it would be simply chaos. However, there are so many instances of police brutality among black communities that something needs to be done.
I will go to my grave seeing the life fade away from George Floyd’s eyes as he was suffocating to death from the hands of four Minneapolis police officers. I see his face now, I hear his voice; that video hunts me and it always will. Terrence Crutcher ultimately died because his car broke down on a road in Tulsa. Breonna Taylor, a paramedic fast asleep, until the police broke the door down and shot her six times in Louisville. Phillip Castillo, again Minneapolis, a police officer ask for his car registration and when he reached for it, the officer shot and killed him.
So, why do I blame Donald Trump? I blame Trump for pouring gasoline on the fire; his predicate ensuring racial hatred stay intact. Trump has made being overtly racist in vogue – he’s made it move from a position of shame, into a position of pride. In the past, especially after the Civil Rights Era the racist preferred to operate behind the scenes. As Trump has emboldened white nationalists, it is now more acceptable to show your hate. Police departments are stacked with white racists, and thanks to our president, he has emboldened both them and white nationalists.
I feel terrible for Anjanette Young. The shame, the embarrassment, the degradation she experienced from this will stay with her the rest of her life. These police officers should be fired – how could they not know this was grossly inappropriate and dehumanizing? She did not deserve this – no one does and it is inexcusable. No human being deserves to be treated in this way.
