Comedian Michael Jr. Reveals Time an Officer Put a Gun to His Head, and His Idea for Racial Healing
Comedian Michael Jr. shared a personal story about forgiveness in an effort to show people across the nation that there is healing when we are upset over injustice.
In a video, Michael opened up about a time when he was 19-years-old and working as an oil change technician in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
He worked tirelessly and saved his money with the hope of having his own oil change business one day. Michael explained that some of the neighbors in his apartment complex sold illegal drugs.
After returning home one evening, Michael noticed some suspicious activity near his apartment — leading him to believe that police had raided his neighbor’s apartment. He knew the police would want to speak with him about the incident, so he parked his car, rolled down the car window, and put his hands outside to show police that he was unarmed.
As Michael proceeded to open his car door and slowly exit the vehicle, 15-20 police officers moved forward and restrained him. Michael did not have identification on him but explained to the police that it was inside his apartment.
Officers escorted Michael to his apartment so he could retrieve his identification. He recalled that there was one police officer who was extremely aggressive and did not appear to like him.
"There was one police officer in particular who seemed to not like me for whatever reason," Michael noted.
Fearful of his safety, Michael stood there with the officers and explained every move that he made while he slowly retrieved his wallet. In that moment, the same overly aggressive police officer pointed his gun to the back of Michael's head, apparently prepared to pull the trigger.
"I'm so afraid, angry, and hurt because he could end my life right now and come up with some sort of story and nobody ever knows who Michael Jr. is."
Michael held his wallet out and the officers looked at his identification. The gun was lowered from his head and the officers left his apartment.
"I remember sitting on the floor — hurt, in serious pain, and just angry for probably 30 minutes."
During that grief-stricken moment, a hysterical woman with two children came to Michael's door crying and screaming to him, "they took everything." Despite his own pain, Michael listened to the woman whose boyfriend had just been arrested during the drug bust.
"Even though I couldn't understand everything she was saying, her pain matched and the communication was way more clear than it should of been," he explained.
Wanting to help her in some way, Michael gave her all the money in his wallet.
"I reached into my wallet and I only had $14 and some change. I gave her all the money I had and she was so grateful. She gathered her kids and they gave me a hug and left. I always thought that her coming to ask for that money was me giving to her, but she actually gave me a gift that was way greater," Michael said.
"In that moment when I was so hurt and I was in so much pain, I was able to see somebody else's pain and I found an opportunity to give to her. I can't tell you what that did for me. Immediately the pain and hurt started to subside. I should say the anger started to go away. I was still hurt — I was super hurt but I know that lady gave me a gift that I needed right at that moment. Because of that, I've been able to forgive that officer. I don't hold any anger towards him at all or any officers," he added.
Michael's message was intended to resonate with those who are outraged over the recent acts of racism and inequality. He explained that helping one another during these dark days can bring healing.
"There's a lot of us hurting right now, but the thing to do is to look for the person next to you that is hurting as well and ask the question, What can I give? There is healing in that because the people around you need you right now," he said. "They need you to be willing to give — whether it be financially, whether it be understanding or a hug, whether it be to listen. When you give in such a way, it's going to bring healing to you. The anger, pain, and hurt will start to subside. That's where the healing takes place. We need to ask the question, What can I do for someone else."
In a follow-up video, Michael explained that he hopes to ignite a change within the hearts of those who are angry and upset, but also in the legal system.
"What if we made it a requirement that every new and existing officer - 10 times a year - goes into their community in plain clothes and has a meal with a household. As you know, when you sit down with somebody, something changes. When you break bread with them, something changes."
Michael said he grew up fearing the police and this stigma still exists today. But if that image could change and communities knew their local law enforcement officers better, there would be less division.
"When I was a kid, every time we saw the police, we were afraid. Every time we heard that the police were called, we were afraid and we would leave," he said. "I imagine how that could have changed if an officer came over without his gun, without his badge and was just a dude who scheduled a meal with us and now we're going to sit down as a family and get to know this dude."
"I think you're slower to pull the trigger when you know somebody...you're slower to reach for your gun," he said. "You want to hear what's going on. If we made it a requirement that every officer breaks 10 meals with somebody in their community...ideally, somebody that doesn't look like them and the city should pay for these meals too."
Michael concluded the video by backing up change within the legal structures, but more importantly within the heart.
"I think that would be significant. I think what we're doing from the top down is awesome, but what if we started from the heart as well and started changing hearts. When you know somebody, it's much harder to hurt somebody.
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