Monarch.jpg

A neighborhood chat board recently provided a platform for a discussion about race and suspicion on this street

(Roy S. Johnson)

Last Saturday morning, I took a walk on Monarch Avenue, a Norman Rockwell-ish street in Crestline that stretches less than a mile from Haygood to a dead end just past Montavello. It was a beautiful day, comfortably cool with a warming sun--perfect for the few people I saw strolling with their dog, out for a brisk walk, or prepping their mower for the long-overdue lawn.

The street is just over a mile from where I live, so not long ago, I joined the neighborhood's social network on Network.com. Like many similar sites, it is a place where neighbors share what neighbors have shared from generations--things they're trying to sell, opinions on local businesses, the minutes from neighborhood association meetings, missing pets and more.

It's also a digital version of the traditional "neighbor watch." People in the area alert each other of any break-ins, pranks, misdeeds, or anything untoward they see while peeking through the curtains--anything they deem suspicious.

I wasn't on Monarch Avenue for the exercise, but because the night before, my phone lit up with an "urgent alert" (a Nextdoor.com feature that prompts the message to be sent to all neighborhood members immediately).

It read: Two young black guys walking up Monarch. No car in sight.

For real. You can imagine my reaction (Hint: the first two words were, "What the...") I actually had to read it a couple of times, but then slipped the phone into my pocket.

I was having a wonderful evening attending the Birmingham Museum of Art's 60th annual Ball, so I didn't have time for this mess. But later, I pulled my phone out and stared at it again. By this time the "alert" had generated 16 responses, as well as two "Thank you" clicks.

The mix of views was both heartening and alarming, which is pretty much how one may feel about the dialogue around race that occurs every day in America, all across our nation, and on every media platform, particularly social media, where cowards typically hide behind anonymity to spew hatred, ignorance and worse.

I am purposely choosing not to reveal the names of anyone in the Crestline exchanges, including the person who authored the original post. Who they are is not as important as what they said, and what it says about, well, all of us, not just Crestline.

The first reaction post made me chuckle, softening the fire that had been ignited by the original: What is this the 1950s? This has got to be some of the most racist bs I've seen in quite a while. The last time I checked, there were no "no negros" (sic) ordinances in our neighborhood. Their (sic) are a number of nice black families that live on our side of town. What makes you think this ok? What a disgrace.

Then someone tried deploying a sense of humor, albeit one based in a racist stereotype: Could be going to Saws? (Okay, I actually, chuckled.)

Another neighbor offered: Calling people out for the color of their skin is pretty sh----. I can usually tell if I think someone's up to some sketchy stuff and it definitely doesn't have to do with their race.

Then another: No reason given to suspect them of anything except walking??? Geez. I'm a bit horrified by this post I have to say.

Not that there weren't neighbors who supported the original author. One told us: Well, the last black male I saw was just next door ... was rattling the door to gain unlawful entry. And if they're going to Saw's there (sic) on the wrong side of Monarch.

Soon the original author re-engaged with the thread: I apologize for my quick remark. I will remove myself from this community.

One neighbor then asked for anyone with the "courage" to speak personally about the discussion rather than online to send them a personal message. Otherwise, keep your presumptuous and judgmental comments to yourself.

At that juncture, many neighbors, including me, encouraged her not to leave the group; some even offered support, one noting: her own home on another street was broken into that week around the same time where was a police report of 2 black males walking around Monarch. [Original author's] observation was is pretty on spot to me...For what it's worth, the detective who came to our house said, "it's (sic0 not racial profiling, this is an entirely white neighborhood and anytime we stop younger African American males walking around we usually find they've been trying to get into cars or houses". (sic) I would welcome any African American families into our neighborhood--but black or white, you can usually spot people that don't live over here and are, therefore, suspect. Thanks for your post [author]--I appreciate it.

One neighbor followed, saying she could see where [the post] sounded rather blunt and I hope these peoples' feelings were not hurt if they read the post.

One even offered a bit of a defense (albeit one that prompted a side-eye from me): I bet all the people who were "offended" are all white... It's not racist--I'd again reiterate wat the detective in charge of break-ins/robberies/etc..in our area said "there aren't any 20-something African American American males that live in your area, your neighborhood (specifically the mountaindale(sic)/warren side) isn't really a "pass through" for anything so people walking around over here generally live here or are coming to a specific house"--vis-a-vis--people who are walking around that look out of place (regardless of skin color) likely are up to no good. I've seen suspicious white men reported on this board as well..."

In a sense, the neighbors rallied around the author, not so much in absolute support of her post, but in recognition that, in the morning (and for days beyond), they were all still neighbors, living, working and playing alongside each other.

Roy S. Johnson after a stroll on Monarch Ave

For me, it was most troubling that two young men had caused alarm simply for walking while black. A few years ago, when I lived in New Rochelle, NY, a New York City suburb in Westchester County, one of the wealthiest counties in the nation, one of those young men could have been my son. He walked everywhere in New Rochelle, and at all hours of the day and well into the night and through all kinds of neighborhoods, and many quiet dimly lit streets.

Like any parent, I was concerned for his safety. But as African-American parent, I was also concerned that, yes, some neighbor--or the local police--might deem him suspicious and, at best, stop and question him, or more.

I taught him, of course, at a very, very early age how to respond to the police: be polite, use "sir," keep your hands visible at all times and absolutely make no sudden moves.

That is the age we've lived in for some time now, and, sadly, it is the age that caused one person in Crestline to post an "urgent alert" because to two young blacks were walking on her street on Friday night.

After reading through the posts, I offered this to my neighbors, though more specifically to the original author: This was pretty interesting. [Author,] don't remove yourself from the community. Just know that as an African-American man your remarks absolutely stunned me and, yes, came across as racist, at worst. Just know that words matter and that you chose poorly tonight. Suspicion (and yes we should all be protective of our neighbors) should be judged by truly suspicious actions--nothing more. Not walking. Not black.

Five neighbors "thanked" me.