Good on this woman:
If the police were on your front lawn, questioning someone you know about a call they received, what would you do? If you’re Jody Westby, you defend your people. And you do it sternly, with an air of authority only reserved for people who perceive themselves as having as much power as the police.
It’s all on display in the above video, in which Westby comes to the aid of an elderly black man who has been stopped by a pair of police officers. The level of comfort with which she communicates with the officers due to her knowledge of the law and lack of fear of retribution offers a lesson about how the intersection of race, class and privilege can impact the interactions between police officers and some residents.
To begin, this is all taking place on Foxhall Crescent. If you’re not familiar, that’s an area of tony cul-de-sacs, tucked between the Palisades and Wesley Heights. To call it upscale would be an understatement.
This reminds me of the piece a month or so back by Emily Bazelon, in which she described why she is hesitant to call the police on black people, because a lot of the time (see John Crawford) it could be a death sentence for something innocuous. And having a command of the law is definitely an added plus, notwithstanding the fact that she has the right skin tone.
BTW- the “Now get out of our neighborhood and find the 4600 block” at the end was, I am 100% sure, accompanied by a mental “BEEOOCH!” She’s dealt with these types before. More of this, please.