There's no way to verify the confessions in the tweets, which reached over 600 per minute last night, but the hashtag represents an expression by whites who are disturbed by the continuing racial disparities in the criminal justice system. It should be noted, however, that the position is not a widely-held one:
Most white Americans think bias against them is worse than bias against blacks, while just 37 percent of whites said the Michael Brown case raised important questions about race. Eighty percent of blacks did.
A sampling of tweets under the #Crimingwhilewhite hashtag:
I've been pulled over for some ridiculous reasons in DC & I always argue/mouth off. The worst outcome is just a ticket. #CrimingWhileWhite
— Amy Sullivan (@sullivanamy) December 4, 2014
I dined and dashed-cop found me at the movies, I paid the bill and he left. I was rude but not arrested and not killed. #CrimingWhileWhite
— Robyn Kopp (@filmfixation) December 3, 2014
I shoplifted when I was 14 and they let me go because my parents came down and we "looked like a nice family." #crimingwhilewhite
— Joel Watson (@hijinksensue) December 4, 2014
Many white friends pulled over for DUI In college. Cops followed them home to make sure they got home safe, no arrests. #CrimingWhileWhite
— firedupandreadytogo (@Firedup2020) December 3, 2014
As thousands of people tweeted on Wednesday night, many of the messages were serious. Others were random, highly political, and, indeed, irrelevant. Follow a live feed here:
