Recently, I took my fella to a concert along with his brother and one of his best friends. My fella is Egyptian, as are his brother and friend. I'm white. We turned over our tickets and passed through the security checkpoint where I sailed through, but all three of the men with me were pulled aside and searched. I'm still trying to figure out if I am more appalled about what the security personnel did (pretty obviously profiling) or that I didn't have the spine at time to say anything.
I don't think of myself as a racist. But I think I have become accustomed certain privileges my race affords me. I rarely get stopped at security checkpoints. I get warnings instead of speeding tickets. I am accustomed to quick service in restaurants, good seats, being treated well in stores and over the phone. All of these things I take for granted, and I see that more and more when I am with my fella.
I may not be a racist, but am I benefiting from a racist society and thereby promoting it?
So where was my spine this weekend? Why didn't I speak up to the security personnel? Not even a sarcastic "Profile much?" escaped my lips.
I'm still trying to figure that out.
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1 comment:
Mmm...doubtful. The security at concerts I went to always patted down the guys, but very, very rarely the girls--which is why the girls always snuck stuff in! Now this would happen perty much the same at the airport and then we could go ahead and mumble...fascists!
~Ummbadier
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