March 10, 2009

Driving While Black ... Tenaha Texas style


I have lived or worked all over the country. The concept of 'Driving While Black' is well known from coast-to-coast. Rare is the African American driver who hasn't personally been stopped for 'Driving While Black' by the police. If it hasn't happened to you ... then you know someone that faced a DWB experience. Ordinarily, we were at risk for a ticket.

They don't settle for giving African Americans tickets in the tiny Texas town of Tenaha. In this town, you risk losing your car, your cash, your jewelry or other valuables.

That's because the police here found a way to strip motorists, many of them Black, of their property without ever charging them with a crime. Instead they offer out-of-towners a grim choice: voluntarily sign over your belongings to the town, or face felony charges of money laundering or other serious crimes. No wonder the town offers its own special driving lessons!

More than 140 people reluctantly accepted that deal from June 2006 to June 2008. Among them were a Black grandmother from Akron, who surrendered $4,000 in cash after Tenaha police pulled her over, and an interracial couple from Houston, who gave up more than $6,000 after police threatened to seize their children and put them into foster care, the court documents show. Neither the grandmother nor the couple were charged with any crime. [SOURCE]

Last month we talked about Paris TX being the most racist city in America. Now we have these criminal cops from Tenaha TX. Can someone tell me what's up with small towns in Texas?

6 comments:

Liz Dwyer said...

I hope lawsuits are being filed by those folks who were ganked out of their money by these racist police. So wrong!

Unknown said...

Los Angelista - OK ... I had to go look up 'gank'. I had never heard or seen that word before! But, I agree with you...I hope that the town treasury gets GANKED!

Roux said...

Who is the officer in the picture?

Unknown said...

Roux - It is a generic photo of a Texas state trooper...

Unknown said...

Texas Troopers are some of the most professional peace officers in the world. Small town Texas cops are a different matter and I say that as a native white southesat Texan. Anyone that abuses the power of the badge should be tarred and feathered at a minimum.

Unknown said...

Greg - I know that I truly enjoy watching the Texas Rangers in those westerns on television (smile). Anyhow, I've not heard anything new from Tenaha, TX since back in Mar 2009. Hopefully, they have discontinued those bad practices...