Nov. 4 should have been one of the best days of my life. However, that historic moment was tainted for me by the actions of a UF police officer. As I was walking into the Reitz Union Grand Ballroom to join my friends for the Elections Bash, a police officer grabbed me by the arm and pulled me toward her. While wagging her index finger in my face, she told me three times, "Don't you ever push me when you walk past me."
The first two times I apologized because, frankly, I hadn't even realized she was there, let alone that I had touched her, but she still had a firm grip on my upper arm and was yelling at me like I was a child.
She let go, and I walked back into the room. I was completely shocked. I was humiliated and hurt, but after I thought about it, I became angry. She was supposed to serve and protect, but instead she hid behind her badge and bullied me. I tried excusing her actions and blamed it on a bad day, but in the back of my mind, I couldn't help but think about it.
Did she do it because I am a female? Did she do it because I am black? What if no one was around, would she have beaten me?
Then I realized no matter how far our country comes, there will still be a lot of ignorant people calling themselves Americans.
