Racist school board member complains about racism

If you watch this traffic stop video it will refresh your memory in the case of the South Orange-Maplewood school board member who called the police chief a 'skinhead'. It was almost a year ago when Stephanie Lawson-Muhammad, a black woman, was caught speeding by a white officer. See the NJ.com video below.

While he was polite and professional at all times during the stop, she was anything but. She bounced back and forth between hysterics and anger, between aggression and name dropping. Immediately upon addressing the officer she lets it be known that she is on the school board and twice during the stop she says she's going to call "Sheena", referring to South Orange Village President Sheena Collum. She berates this officer throughout the stop and then refers to his police chief as a "skinhead cop." If you watch the video, the skinhead comment comes as the traffic stop is wrapping up.

For her lousy behavior the School Ethic's Commission recommended she be suspended for 6 months. Her reaction?

"Their action delegitimizes, disregards and belittles the very real and justified fear, anxiety, disorientation and even trauma that is nearly always experienced during even a routine traffic stop, particularly if that motorist is African American. The commission members were completely ill-suited to judge my fear and the real intentions of my words. They lacked corroborating evidence, expertise and, most especially, personal experience. I am in the process of considering my options," Lawton-Muhammad said in a statement to The Village Green.

South Orange-Maplewood ought to be ashamed of this idiot. Because the commission rightfully decided she was wrong to use her position to get out of a traffic ticket not to mention how rude she was to a law enforcement officer, she now plays the race card. Her suspension would delegitimize and belittle the fear black people feel in a traffic stop. Go back and watch this video. Fast forward through the several minutes when the cop is not in the frame. Ask yourself if this woman seems afraid of the officer in any way. She seems hysterical, angry and entitled. But afraid? Absolutely not! Her arrogance is astounding. She's even 'considering her options.' What, you're going to sue? Sue who? For what? You're the only one who did anything wrong here!

First of all, she needs to curb her ego. You're a local school board member. Big deal. That doesn't entitle you to get out of tickets. Second, stop with the racism. This has nothing to do with race. You were speeding. He was polite and professional. You were obnoxious and racist in calling the police chief a skinhead. Imagine this the other way around where a white school board member used a pejorative in describing a black police chief.

This is a case of the biggest racist in the room being the one to scream about racism. Shame on her. She needs to step down.

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