Princeton University Professor Imani Perry. Photo via YouTube.
Last week we were bamboozled by Princeton Professor Imani Perry.
She was pulled over for driving 22 mph over the speed limit on her way to work at Princeton University. Her license was suspended, and she had a warrant out for her arrest due to unpaid parking tickets. She was taken to the police station to pay those parking tickets.
She took to social media to make a clear connection between her perceived poor treatment and being a Black woman. She received national attention for her social media comments.
“I hope everyone reading will consider the possibility that the way I was treated had something to do with my race, and that we have a serious problem with policing in this society particularly with respect to Black people.”
Afterwards, the Princeton police released video documenting the police interaction with Professor Perry. In my opinion, the police were consummate professionals and nobody could have expected better treatment. She was driving alarmingly fast with a suspended license.
Video 1: The radar and initial stop.
Video 2: Princeton officer confirms Perry’s information.
Video 3: The officer explains to Perry the warrant for her arrest. There’s audio of the pat down.
Very quickly after video was released, she started receiving backlash. She has since issued an essay where she hypocritically tries to deny describing her treatment as “racism” — at the same time expressing gratitude for the support she’s received from the Princeton University community.
I read her essay. I think it’s reprehensible that a person with a position of authority, privilege, trust and credibility would associate her scofflaw activities with Eric Garner’s unjust death, or Sandra Bland’s mortal brush with racism.
I don’t care if the ticket was one week old or three years old; anyone with common sense knows that if you’re going to speed 22 mph over the speed limit, you better not have a warrant out for your arrest or you’re going to spend some time in handcuffs.
Her nonsense about parking tickets and being compelled to pay is a bunch of garbage. Those are the rules. Should there be a better way of collecting the money Of course there should. Should you handcuff a person to a table for nonpayment of parking tickets No. Does ignoring how life works give you an excuse to classify your perceptions of your injustice with people who lost their lives Only in Professor Perry’s world.
She’s a malfeasant narcissist. Princeton should show her the door.
