While traveling north on Ga. Highway. 314 in Fayetteville on Sunday, Sept. 6, 1998 I witnessed an African-American teen being pulled over by Fayette County Sheriff's deputies when he appeared to be doing nothing wrong. This caused me immense concern as a U.S. citizen, as a citizen of Fayette County, and especially as the mother of African-American children.

For those of you who may ask, "How do you know there wasn't a legitimate reason for stopping this man?", let me go through the occurrence with you. Make your own decision.

I was traveling third in line behind two other cars. The front car was a 20-year-old, American-made, white car with darkly tinted windows. It appeared obvious to me that the car was occupied by one or more teens, and I pretty well suspected black male(s). Behind that car was a car occupied by a group of young white teens.All three cars were traveling between 50 to 58 miles per hour. I was traveling 56 miles per hour. The speed limit was 50 miles per hour.A deputy sheriff's car, traveling at a faster rate than all of us, pulled up behind me. After a few seconds, he pulled around me, passed me and hovered in the lane to our right just between the first car and the second car.

I knew then that the officer was intending to pull the white car over - an automobile that was likely driven by an African- American male. Cars of that style and decor are very popular with young, black males.

The white car pulled into a deceleration left turn lane and waited to make a left turn. Since I suspected what was about to happen, I lowered my speed to watch. The second car passed through the intersection and then the deputy crossed in front of my path and pulled behind the white car in the deceleration lane. As I passed, I intently watched in my rear view mirror.The deputy made the left turn onto Kenwood behind the white car.

I drove another mile or so down the road and then decided to turn my car around, follow and observe to make sure the young man was treated properly. As I proceeded south on Hwy. 314, another deputy sheriff's car turned onto Kenwood. I knew then they intended to stop this young man. I also turned onto Kenwood and drove one-half mile until I finally saw the young man and three deputy sheriff's cars parked behind him. He appeared to be 16 or 17.

The young man was still sitting in the car and officers were standing on each side of his car. I passed slowly, (we were on a two lane street, so I knew I could not stop without doing so illegally), made a left turn into a subdivision, turned around and parked so that I could view the police stop. The officers could also see me.

The young man was asked to get out of his car.The deputies looked through his car and had the young man open his trunk. (I assume he gave permission to have his car searched). The officers searched it. I saw one of the officers point in my direction. One of the deputy's cars pulled out of line, turned onto the street where I was parked and then pulled up behind me. I watched in my rear view mirror, but kept most of my attention on the young man. I didn't see the officer exit his car, but then heard two taps on my back rear window. This in itself was rude, as my front window was down and my elbow was pointed out of it. He needed only to speak, instead, he rapped the rear window. I turned my head toward him, smiled, and our conversation went something like this:

Officer: "May I help you"

Me: "No, I'm fine"

Officer: "I want to know why you are watching this stop."

Me: "Well, I was behind this young man when the deputy pulled behind him. We were moving at the same rate of speed and it appeared he did nothing wrong. It appeared to me that he was stopped because he may have been a teenager" (I was careful not to mention race so as not to incite hostility). I continued, "I returned to make sure he was all right."

Officer: "So you made the decision that he was illegally stopped?"

Me: "No, I don't know if he is a felon, or if his car is on your computer list of those to be stopped, but it did appear that there was no reason to stop him. I am not interfering with your work."

I then noticed that the young man was allowed to leave. His car passed in front of me on Kenwood Road. The officer directly behind him made a U-turn and went the other way. I returned my attention to the officer next to my car and said "I am a citizen of Fayette County and..." He interrupted me and said, "You can go."

I want criminals to be apprehended and tried just as much as the next guy. In fact, I'm pro-death penalty for heinous crimes. But shouldn't the police have a good reason for stopping any citizen and asking to search his/her car?

Apparently, however, in this society being born a black male is the only reason needed. Had the officers decided to stop us all, or just stop me for going over 50 miles per hour, I would have understood. But to intentionally allow an auto of young white Americans to pass, (who by the way could have been charged with following the white auto too closely), and allow me to pass (a woman over 40), and go out of his way to stop a car probably occupied by a young male of African descent angers me greatly.

My opinion is born of years of watching young black teens, and black males in general, being stopped by the police. I see it regularly in Fayette County and elsewhere. Whites are stopped, but when a black male is stopped for speeding, or just stopped, his car is searched and he is asked to leave his car. I lived in the city of Atlanta for 20 years and know that young black males are treated likewise. Many Morehouse College students have voiced the same complaint on numerous occasions.

The majority of African-Americans in Fayette County are high- income earners and don't raise criminals. But they have black male children who are treated like "criminals." Then we ask young, black males, "Why are you so angry?" Perhaps being stopped, time, after time, after time, would make anyone angry. The fact that this young man was released says that he had a proper license, insurance card and a seat belt on, and that the stop had no probable cause.

I'm not one of those "African-Americans" who constantly whine all about the continuing effects of slavery and its vestiges. But when I see discrimination so plainly, (as I did that Saturday afternoon), it is hard to overlook and pretend its non- existence. I urge Americans, and especially African-Americans, everywhere to be vigilant in protecting one another from unjust stops and searches by the police.

Denise V. Morse