Actress Daniele Watts's horrific suffering at the hands of California police had me in tears - especially what she wrote afterwards

According to Ms Watts, who starred in Django Unchained, she was questioned by California police after being seen kissing her white husband in the street. According to the actress, the police suspected her of being a prostitute. (She also claims that her arm was cut when they handcuffed her - oh, the horror!) They let her go after a few minutes. What she wrote and posted about the incident afterwards is a classic of its kind, and certainly puts the suffering of aid workers and journalists being beheaded by savages in Iraq into context:

As I was sitting in the back of the police car, I remembered the countless times my father came home frustrated or humiliated by the cops when he had done nothing wrong. I felt his shame, his anger, and my own feelings of frustration for existing in a world where I have allowed myself to believe that “authority figures” could control my BEING… my ability to BE!!!!!!! 

I was sitting in that back of this cop car, filled with adrenaline, my wrist bleeding in pain, and it occurred to me, that even there, I STILL HAD POWER OVER MY OWN SPIRIT! 

Those cops could not stop me from expressing myself. They could not stop the cathartic tears and rage from flowing out of me. They could not force me to feel bad about myself. Yes, they had control over my physical body, but not my emotions. My feelings. My spirit was, and still is FREE. 

I will continue to look any “authority figure” in the eye without fear. NO POLICE OFFICER OR GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL IS MORE POWERFUL THAN ME. WE ARE EQUALS. I KNOW THAT I WILL ALWAYS BE FREE BECAUSE THAT IS THE NATURE OF MY SPIRIT. 

And moreover, I deeply enjoyed connecting with the cops who detained me. I allowed myself to be honest about my anger, frustration, and rage as tears flowed from my eyes. The tears I cry for a country that calls itself "the land of the free and the home of the brave" and yet detains people for claiming that very right. 

Today I exist with courage, knowing that I am blessed to have experienced what I did today. All of those feelings, no matter how uncomfortable. These feelings are what builds my internal strength, my ability to grow through WHATEVER may happen to me. 

That internal knowing is what guides me in this world. Not the law, not fear, not mistrust of government or cops or anything else. 

In this moment there is a still small voice whispering to me. It says: You are love. You are free. You are pure.

So remember - if you ever find yourself being questioned by a policeman and find yourself crying tears for a country that calls itself England, just keep telling yourself: "You are love. You are free. You are pure." Alternatively, you could just answer their questions, receive an apology for having been bothered, and get on with your life. The choice is yours.