Identities

The world would be a disaster when the ones who are there to protect and serve citizens, shoot and kill them instead. In the 2006 short story, “Identities” by W.D Valgardson, a suburban man goes on a long drive. This drive causes him to end up on the bad side of town, he is followed by the police once he gets to the bad side of town. This ends with the driving man to have a horrible encounter with a police offer, whom is terrified of working in the bad side of town. The police officer scared of his job led to shoot the unarmed suburban father due to little stereotypical remarks like unshaven with a hood on. All led the police to believe that there was a gun that the suburban man was holding a wallet in his back pocket, causing him to be shot. The shooting was caused by the misunderstanding about the wallet for a gun. However, this is due to the stereotypes that made the officer and suburban man felt more unsafe than they needed to. The officers privileged mindset caused him to believe that things around him were out to get him, however this was never the case. “Identities” is based on a white man driving from the “North” of town also known as the white suburbs, to the ghetto of Winnipeg. During 2006, the ghetto of Winnipeg had a high violence and car crime rate. The officer is a privileged man who was most likely never left the side of town where, “cabins left unlocked, filled with supplies for hapless wayfarers,” (Valgardson 5) where the town is so friendly and nice that you can walk to blocks without seeing a crime. Due to living a heavily privileged life, it creates one to become entitled. The police officer had his own issues of being a police officer, “The officer who is inexperienced, who is nervous,” (Valgardson 5) fear and inexperience does not validate violence. Police officers have the ability of calling for back up when they feel endangered. One cannot blame being inexperienced for the reasoning of shooting an innocent unarmed man. The reason for the shooting and following of the car was all due to the stereotype of them being in a bad neighbourhood which created a judgmental thinking forcing stereotypes.  In the short story, “Identities” by W.D Valgardson readers are able to see how the shooting only happened due to stereotypes which created unnecessary fears. The shooting was not okay and should have been avoided in all cost because the police is supposed to protect and serve citizens, not shoot and kill them.

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