Opinion | Driving while Black: How police racism endangered three generations of my family

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Opinion | Michael H. Cottman: 'As my father — and life — taught me, it doesn't matter how carefully you drive or how respectfully you behave. And now I must teach my daughter this, too.' - NBCNewsTHINK

Today, I call the area of that infamous line my home; people here now call it the"DMV," for the District , Maryland and Virginia. The District of Columbia is plurality Black; the metropolitan area is plurality Black, Indigenous and people of color. But venture too far from the confluence of the Potomac and Anacostia rivers and it isn't hard to feel the weight of that history again.

Just last month, for instance, to take a weekend break in a more serene mountainous setting, I decided to take a drive through the Virginia countryside with my girlfriend, Alison.At some point, though, our relaxing road trip turned stressful."Michael, slow down," Alison said with a tightness in her voice — even though I wasn't going very fast.

Without thinking, and unbeknownst to us, we had followed the Shenandoah Trail to just 10 miles from Windsor, Virginia, where Army 2nd Lt. Caron Nazario — who is Black and Latino — had recently been and pepper-sprayed by a police officer during a routine traffic stop. Nazario — though this should go without saying — was polite, unarmed and wearing his military uniform.

 

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THINK 'I remember seven years ago when, for the first time, Ariane adjusted my car's mirrors, gripped the steering wheel, looked both ways, pressed the gas pedal and slowly turned onto a busy street. Ariane was looking for oncoming traffic; I was looking for the police.' POIGNANT!

THINK How about teaching your daughter how to act when she comes into contact with the police?

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