Police Degradation -- the Officer Timson Syndrome
The following is from a Richard Pryor bit of 40 years ago. He was a highly regarded humorist who was often able to throw some cold, hard illumination on many social issues -- when he wasn't letting too much hang out, such as the night he was forced to flee his house and run down the street with his face on fire, after having miscued while indulging in a definitely extravagant drug maneuver called "free-basing."
Cops put a hurting on your ass. They really degrade you. White folks don't believe that cops degrade.
"Aw, c'mon, those people were resisting arrest. I'm tired of all this harassment of police officers."
Police live in your neighborhood, see, and you know them as "Officer Timson."
"Hello, Officer Timson. Going bowling tonight? Yes, uh, nice Pinto you have there, hah-hah-hah."
Niggers don't know them like that.
White folks get a ticket, they pull over and say, "Hello, Officer Timson, glad to be of help. Har-har-har."
Niggers got to be talking about, "I AM REACHING ... INTO MY POCKET ... FOR MY LICENSE, 'CAUSE i DON'T WANT TO BE NO MOHFUHING 'ACCIDENT.'''
You wonder why a nigger don't go completely mad. You get your act together, finish a hard day at work making 80 dollars a week if you're lucky, you're taking your wife out for a night at a club, cops pull you over --
"GETOUTTHECARPUTYOURHANDSUPANDSPREADYOURCHEEKS
Cops put a hurting on your ass. They really degrade you. White folks don't believe that cops degrade.
"Aw, c'mon, those people were resisting arrest. I'm tired of all this harassment of police officers."
Police live in your neighborhood, see, and you know them as "Officer Timson."
"Hello, Officer Timson. Going bowling tonight? Yes, uh, nice Pinto you have there, hah-hah-hah."
Niggers don't know them like that.
White folks get a ticket, they pull over and say, "Hello, Officer Timson, glad to be of help. Har-har-har."
Niggers got to be talking about, "I AM REACHING ... INTO MY POCKET ... FOR MY LICENSE, 'CAUSE i DON'T WANT TO BE NO MOHFUHING 'ACCIDENT.'''
You wonder why a nigger don't go completely mad. You get your act together, finish a hard day at work making 80 dollars a week if you're lucky, you're taking your wife out for a night at a club, cops pull you over --
"GETOUTTHECARPUTYOURHANDSUPANDSPREADYOURCHEEKS
THERE'SBEENAROBBERYNIGGERLOOKEDJUSTLIKEYOU!"
Now what nigger feels like having fun after that?
"Let's go back home, baby, and beat the kids and stuff."
"--Degrade." That is the operative word and the key element in matters of this kind, yet it is usually -- and probably intentionally -- completely overlooked by most in the American public.
With reference to the Henry Louis Gates controversay, I'm struck by how relevant and right on target the above Richard Pryor comment still is today. Contrary to constant hopes and predications, people should have realized by now how mpossible it is to put anything behind when it comes to the Rainbow experience in this relatively recently slave-holding nation. The reason is that that experience, more than anything else, always lies at the heart of the way in which the country likes to see itself.
Now what nigger feels like having fun after that?
"Let's go back home, baby, and beat the kids and stuff."
"--Degrade." That is the operative word and the key element in matters of this kind, yet it is usually -- and probably intentionally -- completely overlooked by most in the American public.
With reference to the Henry Louis Gates controversay, I'm struck by how relevant and right on target the above Richard Pryor comment still is today. Contrary to constant hopes and predications, people should have realized by now how mpossible it is to put anything behind when it comes to the Rainbow experience in this relatively recently slave-holding nation. The reason is that that experience, more than anything else, always lies at the heart of the way in which the country likes to see itself.
posted by Carl (aka Sofarsogoo) | 6:55 AM
2 Comments:
I actually have to disagree with the comment that it is "probably intentionally" overlooked. I don't believe that those of us who have never lived through anything like the quotes from Richard Pryor are cruel, we are just clueless.
I loved listening to Richard Pryor and his honest takes on everyday life, hilarious.
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