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Tom Weber and Jo Erickson

Marlon James reflects on race and police in 2017

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Marlon James is a finalist of the Man Booker prize
Marlon James is an author and a professor at Macalester College.
David Turner | Courtesy of Macalaster College

This past weekend marked six months since police officer Jeronimo Yanez was acquitted of all charges in the shooting of Philando Castile.

When Minnesota author Marlon James heard the news, he voiced his frustration in a Facebook post titled "Smaller, and Smaller, and Smaller." The post went viral.

"I go out of my way to avoid police, because I don't know how to physically act around them," he wrote. "Do I hold my hands in the air and get shot, Do I kneel and get shot? Do I reach for my ID and get shot? Do I say I'm an English teacher and get shot? Do I tell them everything I am about to do, and get shot?"

Six months later, Marlon James joined MPR News host Tom Weber to reflect on police and racism in the U.S.

Listen to their conversation by using the audio player above.