A black couple bought a foreclosed house and were doing something to it prior to moving in when they were attacked by neighbors at gunpoint who thought they were burglars. To add insult to injury, because they did not have the purchase documents on them, the law enforcement officers whom the neighbors called did not believe they were the owners and arrested the couple and took them to jail where they were forced to spend the night.
This is yet another example of how the benefit of the doubt is extended only to some people, especially in some neighborhoods. When we bought our house, we were renting nearby and for several days before we formally moved in we were in and out of the house taking care of various things. Nobody bothered us or called the police to report suspicious behavior.
Considering that it is the United States, I am surprised that the vigilant neighbours did not use their guns.
S.
Follow-up: the gun-wielding neighbors have been arrested, though at the time, the police who responded to their initial call told them what good citizens they were. The couple moving in are having second thoughts about living next to these people.
https://www.ajc.com/news/newton-county-neighbors-charged-1424231.html
Northern Ohio is not Central Georgia.
I’m trying to imagine a scenario where I would assume that a new couple entering a house I knew had just been sold (foreclosures aren’t done in secret as far as I know) had to be burglars, let alone wouldn’t believe them when they explained that they are the new owners.
Either this is out and out racism or the foreclosure was mighty unpopular among some in the neighborhood. Either way, until I hear more about this I’m going to have trouble believing that the neighbors really did believe that the Kalonjis were burglars.
(Unless these neighbors George Zimmerman nuts. I guess that’s possible, too.)
At first I was hoping there would be a comment thread on that story. But on second thought, I decided I’m glad there isn’t.
What I’d like to know is why the cops arrested the Kalonjis. They had a legitimate reason for being at the house and made a reasonable request that the police call their son who could provide the appropriate paperwork.
I was reminded of the Henry Louis Gates debacle at Harvard: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Louis_Gates_arrest_controversy
Good point. Incredibly, I had completely forgotten about that one.
Also … very few burglars would be installing NEW LOCKS on the place they are breaking into.
What is all the fuss about? Blacks moving into a white neighborhood? Can’t have that, it lowers the property value.
From my view the neighbourly response is american as aplle pie..
apple pie of course.