Over the past few months, Chris Rock has been documenting his encounters with police.
In April 2014:
On Feb. 13:
Again on March 30:
While we don’t know whether he’s been ticketed, it’s upsetting to see how frequently this happens.
For decades, black Americans have argued that because of racial profiling, they’re pulled over by police in situations where a white person wouldn’t be. It’s called “driving while black.”
Rock’s been vocal about racial issues and racial inequality throughout his career.
In the 2009, as part of The Black List Project, Rock recorded a video where he touched on racial issues within his own neighborhood, highlighting that all the black people living there were the best of the best in their fields, while his white neighbors were far less professionally exceptional.
That statement wasn’t meant to be a knock against his white neighbor. It’s an example of the extra steps black Americans need to take in order to reach the same levels of success as their white counterparts.
While some people might argue over whether Rock deserves to be pulled over, this is bigger than any one person.
For people of color in America, what he’s talking about isn’t brand-new information. They, like Rock, live with the consequences of racial profiling on a daily basis. But for people who don’t see that racism is still alive and well in 2015, his message is an important one. And the path forward begins with making sure it’s heard.
