The Law

“I definitely do not like the law”, said Simple, using the word with a capital letter to mean police and court combined.

“Why?” I asked.

“Because the Law beats my head. Also because the Law will give a white man One Year and give me Ten,” tried to explain Simple.

‘But if it wasn’t for the Law,” I said, “you would not have any protection.”

“Protection/’ yelled Simple. “The Law always protects a white man. But if I protect, the Law says, “What do you want, Negro?” Only most white policemen do not say’ Negro’.”

“Oh, I see. You are talking about the police, not the Police, not the Law in general.”

“Yes, I am talking about the police.”

‘You have a bad opinion of the law,” I said.

“The Law has a bad opinion of me,” said Simple. “The Law thinks all Negroes are in the criminal class. The Law stops in the street and shakes me down – me, a working man. I do not like the police.”

“You must be talking about the way-down-home-in-the South Law,” I said, “not up North.”

‘I am talking about the Law all over America,’ said Simple, “North or South. So far as I am concerned, the police is no good. It was the Law that started the Harlem riots by shooting the soldier-boy.”

“Listen,” I said, “you are generalizing too much. Not all cops are bad. There are some decent policemen – particularly in New York. Well, anyhow, if it wasn’t for the police, who would keep you from being robbed?’

“I have been robbed, “said Simple, smiling indignantly, “and there was not a cop to be found anywhere, I could not even find a P.D. car.”

“Did you report being robbed?”

“I did the first time, but not after that. Those policemen down at the police station looked at me like I were the robber. They asked me for all kind of identifications, from my driving license to my draft card. That was during the war. I told them, “How can I show you my draft card when it was in my pocket book and my pocket book has been stolen?” They wanted to lock me up for having no draft card.”

“That does not sound plausible.”

“It may not sound plausible – but that’s how it was,” said Simple. “I told the Desk Sergeant that those mugs had taken Eighty Dollars off of me at the point of a gun. The Desk Sergeant asked where I got Eighty Dollars. I showed him my hands. I said, “See these here calluses? I work for my money, “I said. “I do not steal.” The Desk Sergeant hollered, “Don’t get smart, boy, or I’ll throw you into jail. That’s why I wouldn’t go back to any police station to report anything since then.”

“Maybe you’ll be better treated next time.”

“Not as long as I am black,” said Simple.

“You look at everything; I regret to say, in terms of black and white.”

“So does the Law.”

Task 12. Answer the following questions:

1. How did Simple use the word “Law”? Why does he dislike it?

2. What does the Law think of Negroes?

3. What facts mentioned by Simple prove that in the eye of the Law a white man differs from a Negro?

4. What happened to Simple when he was robbed during the war?

5. How was Simple treated at the police station?

6. Why did the Desk Sergeant threaten to send Simple to jail?

7. Why has Simple avoided going to any police station to report anything ever since that day?

8. In what terms does the Law look at everything?

It’s interesting to know

“Uncle Sam”

The nickname for the American government is Uncle Sam. That name belonged to a man who lived in the United States at the end of the 18^th and the beginning of the 19^th century. In 1815 he marched in a parade in the style of dress that has been copied for the ‘Uncle Sam”, which people can see in newspaper drawings in all countries of the world. His name was Samuel Wilson, and he was born in Arlington, Massachusetts, in 1776. Later he settled in Troy, New York.

During the war of 1812 – 1814 Wilson was an inspector of provisions for the American Army, he supplied beef stamping his barrels with the letters “U.S.” this beef became known to the army as Uncle Sam’s and the soldiers thought that the abbreviation meant his name. Later on this familiar name became associated with the US Government.

Laugh

The presiding judge leans towards one of the other judges and says to him in his ear:

“This case must be held behind closed doors.”

“Why?”

“Because from that door there’s a cursed draught.”

“I warn you,” says the presiding judge solemnly, “that demonstrations of any kind are prohibited; therefore whoever shouts “Long live! Hurrah! Or “Down with! Will be sent outside.”

The accused from his cage begins to shout: “Hurrah! Down with! Hurrah! Down with!”

“Who, father, is that gentleman? said the small boy, pointing to a man standing on the dais of the

National House of Representatives.

“That, my son,” said the father “is the chaplain of the House.”

“Does he pray for the members? asked the small boy.

The father thought a minute and then said: “No, my son; when he goes into the House, he looks around and sees the members sitting there and then he prays for the country.”

A western politician running for office was very much incensed at certain remarks which had been made about him by the leading paper of the town. He burst into the editorial room like a dynamite bomb, and exclaimed, “You are telling lies about me in your paper, and you know it!”

“You have no cause for complaint,” said the editor coolly,

“What in the world would you do if we told the truth about you?”

Дата добавления: 2015-07-20