WHITE RAGE–SOME THOUGHTS
When I read the book, White Rage by Carol Anderson, it set me free. I have been experiencing White Rage all of my life and did not understand it.
I cannot tell you what WHITE RAGE is but I can tell you what it feels like and what my experiences with it have been.
I experienced White Rage for the first time when I made the Honor Fraternity my first semester of College. I did not get invited to join because no Black had ever made the Honor Fraternity before. I challenged my denial and was accepted. I did not get my picture taken with the group. Later when I did get an invitation, I was followed home by some white males. They wanted to intimidate me. I made the Dean’s List every semester except one until my senior year. Then I experienced extreme discrimination in grading. This was the way they got you when you attended an all white college. They did not want you to challenge the whites in getting into graduate programs. They had to show you that you were not good enough. For example, I once made a 98 on an exam and was given the lowest grade in the class. I was the only Black in the class.
I experiencedWhite Rage again when I made three A’s, one B, and a C in my doctoral program and was told that I must repeat the entire year of work. They created new rules for me and stated the written policy of the school was not going to apply to me. There were two sets of standards for the privileged and Blacks and Browns at that time.
I experienced White Rage again when I was in law school and they created a new Honor Code Violation for me and alleged that I had committed Code Violation of Solicitation and “Attempt Plagerism even though no work of another was involved. They were angry at me for some unknown reason—White Rage. I was accused of trying to take over the law school by many students. I have never in my life asked another student to help me with my work without permission from the professor. Moreover, I did not violate his restrictions or instructions. Additionally, under the school policy no violation occurred as I had graduated before takin course–hence no violation had occurred–it was the translation of a foreign language and law school does not require a foreign language; so the entire project could have been translated without a violation occurring per the University policy.
I experienced White Rage again when denied a license to practice law in Michigan and they made up new rules for me that did not apply to other applicants and concealed the document indicating that I had graduated before I ever took the class. Thus, there was no Honor Code Violation. Texas, Michigan and Illinois concealed these documents to defeat my law suits and appeals. This was a character and fitness examination and they were engaging in unlawful and unethical conduct. Moreover, the same day that I was denied, another white student was licensed who had done prison time for killing a person whom he thought had stolen some drugs from him. He was either using or selling drugs at the time. He was considered rehabilitated because he served time for voluntary manslaughter and wrote a book about it. I was Black and poor. There was no rehabilitation for that.
I experienced White Rage when I moved to Brazos County in 2004. I was a licensed lawyer and Social Worker. I was stopped repeatedly. One time I was accused of going one mile over the speed limit. I was followed by the police and they engaged in warrantless searches of my home and bragged about it at my trial. Did I tell you that I was arrested without a warrant, not allowed to see a complaint, probable cause or anything. I was deprived of $44,100.00 in a cashier’s check and funds on deposit at my bank plus a wire of $17,000.00 plus $12,00.00 plus in silver and my receivables for my court appointed work. A trial was conducted and I was not allowed to see any exhibits admitted into my trial. When the trial was complete, I was never allowed a complete enough transcript for and appeal. The judge ruled that they were suspending the Code of Criminal Procedure, state statutes, the state and United States Constitution. All Courts including the United States Supreme Court ruled that this was okay if the applicant/defendant was Black, female and poor. The usual rules do not have to be applied to their case. The 10th Court of Appeals rules that I should not be shown exhibits admitted into court because “She should have known what was on the documents.” The incredible things is that there is nothing that the State could use as a crime against me without making things up because I had no criminal liability for anything at the time except an unpaid parking ticket which Lt. James Arnold freely admitted at my hearing to reduce bail. I was the victim. The only one who could prosecute me or file charges against anyone was myself. I DID NOT FILE CHARGES AGAINST MYSELF. I spent 31 months in jail for a crime with a maximum sentence of 24 months. Every time I file a Writ in the District Court, the prosecution lies, destroys my documents and the judge does not conduct a hearing which is mandated by the statute when you allege absolute innocence as I am alleging. The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals destroys my documents and creates new ones when I file them in their court. THIS IS TEXAS JUSTICE. YOU JUST HAVE TO BE BLACK IN TEXAS. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO COMMIT A CRIME.
