Oregon moved to crack down on racially motivated 911 calls on Monday, responding to a series of publicized incidents across the country where predominantly white civilians called the police on black people going about everyday activities like napping or barbecuing.
Victims of those police calls would be able to sue the caller for up to $250, under a measure overwhelmingly approved by the state Senate.
The move is a joint effort by the Oregon Legislature’s only three black lawmakers and is meant to “shine a spotlight on an issue African Americans have known for far too long,” according to sponsoring Rep. Janelle Bynum.
“When someone gets the police called on them for just existing in public, it sends a message that you don’t belong here,” said Bynum, the only black member of the House.
A black family in Oakland had the cops called on them for barbecuing in the park. A Yale graduate student was questioned for sleeping in her dorm’s common room. And a pair of black men were arrested in a Philadelphia Starbucks after one of them tried to use the restroom, sparking public outcry and the closure of 8,000 stores across the country for “racial bias” training.
Bynum proposed the legislation after being on the receiving ends of such a call. She was canvassing door-to-door for her re-election campaign last year when a woman called 911 because Bynum looked “suspicious.”
She said although she was able to get an apology from the woman, she realized that most people have no way to hold these callers accountable.
“This creates a legal pathway to justice for those of us who have to worry about getting the cops called on us for existing in public,” she said.
Land of the free, home of the brave.
Reminder that this will be done worldwide over the coming few years, they are already making steps toward it.
No decent person wants loud annoying blacks loitering about. They’re correct to call the police. Because even if you allow a rare law abiding black to remain, it won’t be long before he invites his criminal friends.
Do they want the public just shooting criminals instead of calling the police? Last time I checked, dead people can’t file lawsuits.
Isn’t calling the police on criminal behavior just how society works?
Good post Triangle. Black people should be able to have a bbq in the park or take a walk on the street without having the police called on them.
Sure - they should be able to BBQ in the park if they act like civilized human beings. Instead they usually are causing some kind of public disturbance, swearing, blasting obscene music, and generally ruining the park for everyone else. The claim that this type of behavior is part of their culture - which is bullshit. They should not be permitted to act this way in public. There should be consequences.
Yes it is indeed. But when the police come out and all they find is a family enjoying a bbq, no justice has been served.
Sure, but that’s NOT what this law is intended to protect.
We just couldn’t wait till whites were ~20% of the population before we started passing laws like this, could we?
Do these legislators understand the consequences of such retarded legislation, or do they just hate white people so much that they want them to lose their defense against violent crime?
Amazing they have issues in other places and Oregon passes a law preventing said actions even though they have experienced none to date…
Are they now opening the door to lawlessness as people understand they have legal recourse against anyone calling the police? Imagine the increase in crime headed their way.
So much for “If you see something, say something”