I realize this is a fully appropriate legal response but there's the not-too-subtle component of "who has the power in this particular conversation".
If I am approached by a person, any person, who has a holstered gun and an official looking outfit (or hell, just a holstered gun), the position I'm in is not one of "what am I legally allowed to do", it is one of "a person with a gun wants me to answer a question". A gun is danger signal to most people and the result is compliance regardless of rights. And if you have some place to be, most people figure it's going to take less time to sort out proving their non-involvement in whatever they're being questioned on than getting taken to the station for proper questioning with legal counsel.
On your "I'm a white person and have been stopped by the police several times", I didn't read that the author was particularly angry that the police stopped him because he was black. He was angry because they simply didn't believe him despite his collection of circumstantial evidence that he was not involved.
It was logical that he police questioned him -- he was in proximity and matched the description. Obviously the police weren't similarly grabbing white people off the street in this situation -- that would be idiotic -- the witness said the person was black. I don't think they (the cops) behaved particularly badly in this situation but I don't blame the guy for being completely shaken up.
Being accused, even mildly, by the police is an extremely stressful situation. When I was a kid (yes, I'm a white guy), I was in a parking lot of a strip mall in front of a large chain store that had closed 30 minutes prior to my arrival. My girlfriend and I had just gotten into an argument and were finishing it up in the car before heading to a restaurant next-door and I chose to park in front of the store because I was driving my new car (my first, paid for with my own savings) and didn't want to get a ding from a carelessly handled door on a neighboring vehicle. Twenty minutes into the conclusion of our argument, flashing lights appeared behind my vehicle.
I was questioned, my word was completely disregarded and my girlfriend was put in the awkward situation of having to prove she wasn't a prostitute I had paid for (they took our IDs and asked her what my street address was). Evidently she was too far out of my league for the police officer to believe she was actually my girlfriend! The experience was awful. My anxiety went through the roof (further giving the appearance of guilt) and it was about as embarrassing a situation as I could have found myself in.
If I am approached by a person, any person, who has a holstered gun and an official looking outfit (or hell, just a holstered gun), the position I'm in is not one of "what am I legally allowed to do", it is one of "a person with a gun wants me to answer a question". A gun is danger signal to most people and the result is compliance regardless of rights. And if you have some place to be, most people figure it's going to take less time to sort out proving their non-involvement in whatever they're being questioned on than getting taken to the station for proper questioning with legal counsel.
On your "I'm a white person and have been stopped by the police several times", I didn't read that the author was particularly angry that the police stopped him because he was black. He was angry because they simply didn't believe him despite his collection of circumstantial evidence that he was not involved.
It was logical that he police questioned him -- he was in proximity and matched the description. Obviously the police weren't similarly grabbing white people off the street in this situation -- that would be idiotic -- the witness said the person was black. I don't think they (the cops) behaved particularly badly in this situation but I don't blame the guy for being completely shaken up.
Being accused, even mildly, by the police is an extremely stressful situation. When I was a kid (yes, I'm a white guy), I was in a parking lot of a strip mall in front of a large chain store that had closed 30 minutes prior to my arrival. My girlfriend and I had just gotten into an argument and were finishing it up in the car before heading to a restaurant next-door and I chose to park in front of the store because I was driving my new car (my first, paid for with my own savings) and didn't want to get a ding from a carelessly handled door on a neighboring vehicle. Twenty minutes into the conclusion of our argument, flashing lights appeared behind my vehicle.
I was questioned, my word was completely disregarded and my girlfriend was put in the awkward situation of having to prove she wasn't a prostitute I had paid for (they took our IDs and asked her what my street address was). Evidently she was too far out of my league for the police officer to believe she was actually my girlfriend! The experience was awful. My anxiety went through the roof (further giving the appearance of guilt) and it was about as embarrassing a situation as I could have found myself in.