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I'm going to tell you something that happened to me a month ago. This is the first time I'm talking about it but I can't keep this to myself anymore. I was going home with my husband at night, after a party. We were having some fun while he was driving, if you know what I mean. Suddenly, the police started following us and told us to pull over. My husband did it and two policemen got out of their car and got close to his window. They asked him if he had been drinking an he answered them negatively. Those men didn't believe him so they asked him to go outside. I couldn't let him alone so I decided to do the same. They kept saying: ÂŤGo back to the carÂť. Due to the fact that I had been drinking some alcohol, I started yelling at them. They told my love to get close to the car and he obeyed them. Why? Why was he following their orders? I know they're policemen but does it gives them all the authority? While the blond and apparently younger officer was controlling my husband, the taller man approached me. He told me to put my body close to the car and when I tried to resist, he pushed me against it. Who did this man think he was? We weren't doing anything illegal! While I was shouting bad words, this man told me he had to search for guns or anything dangerous on my body. I was wearing a cocktail dress, where the hell would I hide something? I started to feel those hands on my arms and he started going down. I looked at my husband with teary eyes, screaming silently for help... He didn't do anything. The policeman put his hands on my legs and touched me inside my dress. How could someone do that? Why me? What was he doing? And my husband just stood there watching me being abused! I was so scared. He hadn't the right to do that! I was begging my love to do something, to yell at him, to beat him... He was so still. I was crying and disgusted about that animal. They finally let us go home with a warning. I got back to the car and couldn't even look at my husband's face. Why didn't he do something? I've been abused for God's sake! He let a stranger touch my body. I felt so bad about myself. A policeman... The figure of authority! How could I trust the justice? They're the most disgusting creatures in the World! It's so unfair, he couldn't do that! When we got home, I asked my husband why he didn't stop the policeman. He said he couldn't. He couldn't?! He preferred to see his wife being abused than beating that animal! I don't want to be with a man who doesn't protect me. I've been thinking about this nightmare every single day. I can't get over it. That officer ruined my life. I can't stand having physical contact, not even with my family. My life will never be the same. Mariana Gomes, 11Âş7
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I was driving a patrol car when in suddenly I saw an overturned car on the street. There was traffic and people were parking their cars to see what had happened. I got out of the car and I ran as fast as I could to the accident place. When I got there I saw a woman who was trapped in the overturned car. I looked at her and I understood that she was fearful, praying to get out of the car. I began to feel nervous and fearful that the car could explode and the woman could die. My heart was beating so much and the only thing I was thinking of was in a possible way to help her. There was nobody else that could help her, I was the unique person there, so I didn’t waste any time calling my partners because I had only two options: I would help her or so she could die. The responsibility was all mine, so I gave my arm to help her get out of the car. She didn’t want my help; better, she refused my help because she recognized me from the day before. I was trying to convince her but she didn’t accept my help. One minute later she understood that unless she accepted my help she would die burned. She finally accepted the only help she had and I could save her. She said “thank you so much” and I was so happy to have saved a person. Tiago Pestana, 11º6
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I’m driving in the motorway, listening to a CD with my favourite songs. The day is calm, with the sky clear and the sun always shinning. There are a few cars here, there is no traffic, but I’m driving slowly, I have a lot of time. I’m singing very loud, like I’ve said, these are my favourite songs and I just can’t avoid feeling them and sing. The music changes and suddenly my control of the car too. I lose the control of the car and it overturns. It’s complicated to breathe here, the belt of the car doesn’t let me and to make the situation even worse I’m with the head turned down. I’m always trying to release my belt, but I just can’t, it is sticked or something like that. I know that I must bring always with me that little knife, but I do always the same, I forget it always! Well…maybe it’s better to scream or try to push my phone and call for help. Well, I don’t even know where my phone is, but I’m already seeing a police officer running in my direction. I can’t see his face yet, but his voice, isn’t strange… -
Ma’am are you alright? Are you bleeding?
For god’s sake, I can’t believe that it’s him again! With thousands of police officers in this city and it’s him who comes here so save me. - Yeah, I can’t breathe but you’re not gonna touch me or anything! I don’t want you to help me, call another person! - Ma’am I’m the only one here, and the gasoline is leaking from the tank and running down the hill. You really need my help and I’m just here to help you, I’m not gonna do anything with you or to you! Well, I really need help and there’s no other options so…I have to let him help me… - Alright, I try to take my belt away but I can’t, so you need to cut them with a knife or something… -
Right! I have a knife here I gonna take it to cut the belt, can I?
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Sure, but slow moves!
Then he takes the knife and cuts my belt. It isn’t be easy to get out of here but I’m finally breathing free. I just can think in the car, fulled of flames and I’m dying, second by second. Ryan is now trying to pull me out of the car. First try: failed! The other police officers think that the car will explode now and they want to run away. Ryan doesn’t give up and comes gets inside the car again to pull me. Finally I’m out of the car, and some seconds later it explodes. I’m so glad to be alive and to have survived! I still don’t trust Ryan, but he has just saved my life, he isn’t so bad like I thought he was. Now, I’m receiving oxygen and soon I’m going to home. Mónica Laura Rodrigues, 11º7
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Hi , my name is Anthony, I live in Los Angeles and I’m twenty-seven years old. I’m Black and I don’t like white people!!! I’m a thief and I have a partner whose name I will not say, he’s more open minded. We stole a SUV from the couple Cabot, and we ran over a Chinese man that was so embarassing. We wanted to sell the SUV but the man didn’t buy it because the SUV was a modern car, and he knew the cops would be looking for that SUV. We attempted to carjack cameron but he was in no mood for this and pushed back,the police officers arraived, and Cameron got in the car and drove with me away, the cops had to talking with cameron, when I looked to Cameron he was so angry. After that Cameron gave me back my gun and dropped me at a bus stop. I don’t like any bus!!! The bus is the first step to the discrimination, because we see always black people on the buses, people who don’t have money to buy a car. I returned to the place where I ran over a Chinese man and I saw the white van with the keys still in the door. I picked it up and drove to the same place where i wanted to sell the SUV but when the man opened the Blackdoor, we saw illegal people there, he offered me 500$ fer person but I didn’t accept and I released them all. That was the worst experience i have ever had, that happened all in one day. Today I feel great, happy to have saved thoe people who were victim of human trafficking. Tiago Rodrigues, 11º6
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Ok,first of all,im Daniel Ruiz,im 34 years old,and you know,im just another guy from L.A. I’m writing this letter while seated on my backyard with my daughter Kara. Probably no one will read this,but that`s good for me, i`ve never wanted to be famous or rich, im just letting my feeling and my thoughts fly their way out of my head. I`m going to tell you fellows,just a little thing that pisses me off,injustiçe and racism. My life hasn`t been like this all the time,no, my life has been a road full of bumps,and crashe`d many times, but somehow,i survived. My job as a lock-fixer is hard,very hard indeed, but let me tell you a true story. One day,it was about 8pm,i was fixing a door, on a big house,for sure there was money rolling on that house... I was fixing the lock,and then i heard a women saying to her husband: -Hey honey,tomorrow the locks must be changed again,i don´t trust that tattooed guy,im sure that when he finishes changing that lock,he will give those keys totheire friends,and when we know it,all of our stuff will be gone. So i heard that,told that ignorat women that i`m not a thief,left the keys on the table,and walked my way out of that house,i really wanted to knock that woman out! But hey,im a nice guy,I have a wife,a daughter,I allways try to gather my thoughts,instead of boiling in cold water,i need to keep me and my family alive. So,long story short,racism is everywhere,one has to deal with it daily,every day is a fight,but every day ends,bu, the hardest part of ending is starting again. Luís Caldeira, 11º7
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Hello, I’m here to tell you a story, about a woman who has always been angry and annoyed all the time…. But after an experience she change and realized things, than she hadn’t realized before. That story I’m going to tell you, it’s about me. One day, at night my husband and I were victims of carjacking and the criminals were two black guys. I have to tell you, something, like a little secret, I’m superstitious about people of colour, and when I saw these two african-americans coming closer to us (my mind blows up, about bad ideas). What were those two men going to do, to us? (And my fear proved to be right…) After this episode, I argued with my husband and he seem not to listen, and what happened to us it’s just a coincidence. I’m becoming even angrier to know that my husband doesn’t care about my thoughts and feelings. In the house we had a little stress, and we called a locksmith, but I didn’t give to him any word, but if I could go back in the time I would have told him “thank you”. In a bad lucky day, I fell down the stairs, and I hurt me really seriously. I called my friend, to help me and make me company, but she couldn’t. So, I called my husband I told him, I called my friend, but he for a reason I didn’t realize did not seems to care but he told me, he couldn’t be at home because he was at his work. So my housekeeper, who is with me all the time took me food (to my room) and helped me to sit down in my own bed, I realized on that moment that the friend I was looking for all the ties was there. And I felt so satisfied, when I told her, you have been my best friend “all my life” and I hadn’t realized. I think that people only realize they have good friends when something really bad happens to them in their own life and experiences. Rocio Achique, 11º6 7
Two days ago, something really bad happened to me and Christine. Something really humiliating, with no sense of justice. When me and Christine were coming back from the Awards, we thought that we could have a little bit more fun, so she did something kind of private, if you know what I mean... Five minutes later, a police car that was after us, told us to stop (because they saw Christine getting her head up from... you know...). Well, obviously I stopped. The officer made some questions, which I responded with no problem. I hadn't drunk anything, because I was going to drive, but Christine was a little bit drunk, so she said stupid things. Then, he asked me for my papers and stuff and I gave it all to him. I hadn't anything to hide. Then, he said we needed to get out of the vehicle and he and his partner started to search us. I was really confused because I hadn't done anything wrong! Christine started to say more stupid things, like the 'F word' and I told her to shut up, because she was drunk! Then I said that we had just left a party and that bastard was doing stupid questions like 'Oh, do you have any knives with you?' and Christine said something like 'Are you dumb? I'm on a cocktail dress, do you actually think that I have anything with me?'. I was getting really annoyed, because he was making me really mad and Christine didn't shut up, and in that way we could get problems! And that's when the things got out of control: he started to 'search' her with those filthy hands, almost rubbing her body, pratically harassing her sexually! His partner was kind of worried, Christine started to cry and he was provoking me, saying bad things. I was so so sooooooo angry, because I couldn't do anything or else we would probably go to jail! It was really hard seiing my wife being humiliated like that! I was so nervous, so angry, with so many rage that I did and said all that he wanted, just to let us go, just to let Christine alone. He finally let us go, with a worning. I didn't even care about the warning, I was worried with Christine, she went through something really really mean. But she didn't see that. She wanted me to defend her like a man should do for his lover, but I couldn't do anything at all! After we got home, we had a huge and ugly discussion and she said hurtful things to me. I felt so said, so coward, so... I don't even know how to describe it! She made me feel that was all my fault! I ran to the bathroom, looked myself in the mirror, and to be honest, I started to cry. I cried because men have feelings too, and mine were really hurt. Christine only talked to me the next day. Well, I don't want to relive this no more. It was a night to forget, but unfortunately, we cannot forget this, unless we have Alzheimers. That man was a pure racist from my point of view. I hope that this episode does happen to any more people. It's really painful, not just 'there', but also 'now'. I've done my memoir, and I made a big effort to tell this, because it's a little bit embarrassing, not just for me, but also for Christine. Take care, Cameron Thayer. Ana Margarida Vieira, 11ยบ6
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Hello, my name is Cameron Thayer and I’m here to talk to you about something that has happened to me a few years back. I was having a “good time” with my wife in the car, after a very nice party. I drank a little but I wasn’t drunk, unlike my beautiful wife. All of a sudden, a police car showed up and told us to pull over. I wasn’t doing anything wrong, but I respected the police office and stopped. A suspect looking cop told me to get off the car, and so I did. He made me do a sobriety test, of course, I passed because I was careful at the party. It felt a little weird, being in that situation but I just wanted to get home so I wasn’t in a mood to complain. Then, my wife started mouthing off, like she always does when she has drunk a little too much. I told her to keep quiet, but she didn’t listen. The cop told her to get out of the car and had her placing her hands in top of the vehicle while I did the same. They were looking for a gun. Something I did not understand because she was clearly drunk and I was behaving myself the way someone should in that situation. At a certain point, while the filthy cop was searching my wife, he started touching her in inappropriate places. My wife screamed to me, to do something about it. While I was watching that disgusting scene, I felt livid. I could not believe he was doing that to my “baby”. I had to restrain myself from attacking that pig. I was so sorry for my wife and I felt terrible that she had to go through that… but I couldn’t do anything! He was a police office and if I tried to pull some stunt in order to stop that situation from happening, it would just get us both arrested. I couldn’t have that, my career as a TV producer would suffer if I got arrested. He let us get back in the car and drive home. While we were on the car, I tried to explain to my wife why I just stood there doing nothing but she wasn’t buying anything and was just so pissed at me. At that point I just felt like a coward, more than I did in my entire life. If time could go back, I would try to do something in order to save my honor. In that moment, I made a promise to myself that I will never let anything like that happen to myself. I don’t deserve that! A few weeks later, I still thought about it… “Why would that happen to us?” after another few weeks, I just stopped thinking about it. Yes, it changed my life, but now, that is over. Now in the present, I’m still happily married and I love Christine more than ever. That episode is pretty much forgotten between us, and we no longer talk about it. By the way, I’m ecstatic that my wife is six months pregnant, and I can’t wait for my boy to be born. Pedro Gomes, 11º6
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