I was hungry, hot, and tired. I came across a Dominoes Pizza dumpster and found a whole pizza in a box, at the top of the dumpster, just waiting for me. A cop was watching me from his car the whole time, and I decided to ignore him and take the expected. I found some precious shade under a mesquite tree by a curb and sat down. I opened the box, pulled out a slice of pizza and took a luscious bite. Yeah, it tasted delicious - I was so famished. As expected, the cop came around the tree, putting on rubber gloves, and asked me to put the pizza down. He said, "For your safety, I want to search you, so would you stand up and put your arms up and spread your legs?" I looked at him intently and asked him, "Am I being held for any reason?" "No," he replied, taken aback. "Then may I go?" I said. "Well, yes, but we are trying to help..." I interrupted, (I don't believe in interrupting unless the words are insincere hot air) "This is prejudice. I choose to live moneyless and I choose to live morally and ethically on this earth and I am constantly harassed for it." "But we're not harassing you," he said. "This harassment happens constantly. Thank you for honoring my right," I said, and I walked away.
Ecuador RPCV Daniel Suelo writes: Usual police harassment... ho hum
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Las Cruces to bear
[Excerpt]
Usual police harassment... ho hum
After I saw James off, I started walking across Las Cruces. I was hungry, hot, and tired. I came across a Dominoes Pizza dumpster and found a whole pizza in a box, at the top of the dumpster, just waiting for me. A cop was watching me from his car the whole time, and I decided to ignore him and take the expected. I found some precious shade under a mesquite tree by a curb and sat down. I opened the box, pulled out a slice of pizza and took a luscious bite. Yeah, it tasted delicious - I was so famished. As expected, the cop came around the tree, putting on rubber gloves, and asked me to put the pizza down.
He said, "For your safety, I want to search you, so would you stand up and put your arms up and spread your legs?"
I looked at him intently and asked him, "Am I being held for any reason?"
"No," he replied, taken aback.
"Then may I go?" I said.
"Well, yes, but we are trying to help..."
I interrupted, (I don't believe in interrupting unless the words are insincere hot air) "This is prejudice. I choose to live moneyless and I choose to live morally and ethically on this earth and I am constantly harassed for it."
"But we're not harassing you," he said.
"This harassment happens constantly. Thank you for honoring my right," I said, and I walked away.
Even though this young cop was blowing insincere hot air, I do have to hand it to him for actually finally honoring the law, and allowing me my legal right to walk away without further harassment. I applaud him, in fact. Cops wouldn't be that way in a lot of other countries.
Know your rights, excercise your rights, and don't let anybody step on your dignity, but never look down on cops or anybody, and never let yourself give way to anger. Be totally sincere & respectful as you stand your ground. Resist hot air and it will flee from you.
Oh, yeah, notice that the common mantra in this land is "for your safety." Notice how many times and in what circumstances the mantra "for your safety" is chanted.
