As we drove thru ND last night I remembered when I lived in Grand Forks. I had taken my kids aged 11, 7 and 3, to Walmart. As we pulled in this woman in the vehicle ahead of me slammed on her brakes. It was winter, icy and moves like this were not only bonehead, they were dangerous. Being an empowered Native woman who is not afraid to speak her mind, I pulled behind where she parked. As she got out of her car I asked her what was her problem? She couldve caused an accident I told her. She stood about 5 ft and probably weighed 100 lbs. This middle-aged empowered white woman came at me telling me get outta there and she shoved me, hard. I was like wtf?? Her mother got out of the car and SHE start yelling at me. She threatened to call the cops. I said, in all my naive dumbness, Yes, CALL THE COPS! In a matter of minutes, literally 5 minutes, a cop pulls up. He gets out, glares at me, mad walks over to the white women. I watch as they flail their arms around and tell him their side. My 12 yr old said Mom, whats gonna happen? I said itll be ok. Imm just gonna tell him what happened. Hell probably give her a warning and we can go. This cop came over to me and said You need to get in your car and go home before I arrest you! I said For what? She assaulted me! He took a step toward me and said, I told you to get outta here before I arrest you and throw your kids in foster care. Then he looked in the window at my kids and said and they better be in car seats or Ill call CPS and they can take them for the night. I looked around at the parking lot, there wasnt a brown face to be seen. I thought of my father, of my Nation, they were thousands of miles away. All of a sudden I felt so alone and no longer with any power. I looked at the cop and he said again Get outta here! I got in my car and pulled away. The tears started immediately as did the burning in my stomach. It was so intense I almost threw up. It isnt in me to back down, or accept something so unfair. But I wasnt about to lose my kids. I realized how fortunate we are in Onondaga and how much we take for granted. You can say I wouldve done this or that. But until youre faced with pure racism and your kids are being held in front of your nose as the domineering race laughs at you and holds your freedom under their foot, you dont know what you would do. I ate breakfast in Fargo, and I couldnt shake this uneasy feeling. I could not WAIT to get the hell out of ND. Minnesota I am in you.
Posted on: Thu, 07 Nov 2013 16:00:19 +0000
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