As a white-passing clearly upper middle class person, I have been in situations where I just told the cop exactly what I was doing and why I was there, and got told “well you can’t be here now, go home”. It helped that I wasn’t up to anything illicit, but the determining factor was my Pantone ranking and grooming.
If I’d said “I won’t say anything to you without a lawyer”, I probably would have been in for a lot of hassling.
I’m not saying “be respectful and it’ll be good” or any of that bullshit (got biracial kids, that isn’t the talk I’m going to have).
The bit from formerly-funny Dave Chappele where the white guy tells the cop “I’m sorry, I didn’t know I couldn’t do that” has a chunk of truth in it.
Ok, counterpoint.
As a white-passing clearly upper middle class person, I have been in situations where I just told the cop exactly what I was doing and why I was there, and got told “well you can’t be here now, go home”. It helped that I wasn’t up to anything illicit, but the determining factor was my Pantone ranking and grooming.
If I’d said “I won’t say anything to you without a lawyer”, I probably would have been in for a lot of hassling.
I’m not saying “be respectful and it’ll be good” or any of that bullshit (got biracial kids, that isn’t the talk I’m going to have).
The bit from formerly-funny Dave Chappele where the white guy tells the cop “I’m sorry, I didn’t know I couldn’t do that” has a chunk of truth in it.
You don’t have to spit on cops and antagonize them to not speak to them or offer them any info.
Wait until you’re in a protest with knowledgeable people who have your back to square up against the police.