James Green Was 'Driving While Black'? Video Shows Otherwise— He Flashed State Trooper Patch And City Marshal Badge When Pulled Over
Source: Youtube/@710keel
Shreveport City Council Chairman James Green might need to check his ‘privilege,’ his political privilege that is. During an August 22 city council meeting Green implied that the recent scandal around his unauthorized Council clerk office pay raises was motivated because the employees affected “just happen to be of color.” Green even went so far in his homily that “anybody in America know we that of a color we don't go by the same rules,” as to claim that he was recently pulled over “while driving black.” The video shows something different. Maybe it's 'driving while a politician,' or 'driving as a "certain person"
In context, he told the council,
“I inquired because I felt like these ladies and gentlemen do every if in fact if it were not for them we wouldn't even be able to have this meeting. They're the ones who make the wheel work. You would not have a council meeting if it were not for them. We would just be here because they are the ones who put it all together and make it happen. But they are so professional that it seem as though it's not even a drop in the bucket.
If we had some other folk up there working they would be making more money and it would be twice as many. These are the folk who make it happen but because they're the ones who make it happen and Tanya, Jackie, Miss Flemings, RJ, Terry y'all just happen to be of color.
Anybody in America know we that of a color we don't go by the same rules.
I've said to councilwoman Bowman I said ‘councilwoman I try to do everything right because at the end of the day I remember that I'm black when I go home.’ I remember that I'm black, I would not dare try to do what white folk do sitting in this chair because I got a conscience to know that I'm a black man.
I got stopped by the police driving black not long ago cause my windows was too dark they pulled me over while driving black in my community. Not even a block from my house. So I know the rules are different even with black folk there's some black folk they don't like me being in this position because I don't know how to kiss… I just didn’t learn it in school.”
WATCH:
Contrary to the Chairman’s account of being pulled over “while driving black,” as he noted he was pulled over for illegal tint on his vehicle, and the traffic stop only escalated when as 710 KEEL reported he, “proceeded to show the officer a State Police patch that was sewn onto the outside of his wallet, a Shreveport City Marshal badge, and a City Marshal commission card.”
Our colleagues at KEEL obtained video footage of the incident in question in which Green when stopped largely cooperates with the officers but questions why he was pulled over and then presents the patch, and City Marshal badge to the police. When the officer asks why Green has the badge Green answers confrontationally, "That ain't your business...”
He then appears to lecture the officer, “Let me explain something to you. I can get the person who gave it to me on the phone. But that's not your business.” The officer pressed and asked if he had a commission that accompanied the badge Green handed them a commission card and answered "Yes, I have a commission card for the.. uh.. the uh... City Marshal... yes I do."
When asked why he had a patch from the State Police Green answered,
“You can't ask me why I have it. These are given to certain people... I have the badge, I have the whole deal... they gave it to me... the patch, I have the patch..."
Asked again he replied, "The State Police give this to certain people." They said when it was given to me, I didn't have to explain why I had it. It's there because I'm a certain person."
710 KEEL reported that Shreveport City Marshal James Jefferson told the outlet he was not aware that Green held a badge and commission from his office and that the City Council Chair has “no authority to flash a badge during a traffic stop."
WATCH:
All considered this seems far less “driving while black” and far more driving while a politician, or perhaps even driving while “a certain person.”