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A couple Saturdays ago, on my normal biking route, I pulled out of the street briefly and began to continue my journey. But as I began to pull back on the pavement, two of New York City's finest pull up and commenced the annoying procedure of ticketing me for riding on the sidewalk.
I pedaled less than 25 feet on the sidewalk, and I'm sure there were many other more serious crimes likely being committed within a two block radius at that time. But one of the officers basically explained to me that my action fit the pattern and my appearance (I was wearing black sweats) fit the profile of criminals in the area.
I thought it was ridiculous, and didn't realize I should be wearing a tuxedo for a morning bike ride, but what could I do other than let the cops run my license for warrants that I've never had, take the $25 citation, and resolve to fight it albeit on principle?
So when I hear that people are just as frustrated about having to submit to scanning and even pat-downs from the Transportation Security Administration, it makes me laugh.
Apparently, mainstream America seems to have a problem with what black folks have endured in this country since police forces have existed. For years, we've had to submit to pat downs, shake downs and beat downs from government agencies not in airports, but in our own communities, in our cars and even in our homes.
So the sweet irony tickles me to hear conservatives bitch and moan about their freedoms being intruded upon in an attempt to thwart terrorism, when they have no problem with it when it's done to us by the city or state police. I'm telling you I love seeing these squares, who have never once understood or cared what it's like to be racially profiled, get the business from Five-Oh.
They either kept their mouths closed or defended racial profiling, but when the baton is aimed at their anuses, now it's a problem. My God, it'll be worth it to hang out at airports this holiday season to laugh your a** off at these pricks who just a few years ago all but insisted that anyone who isn't white be subjected to a forearm-deep cavity search.
Now, I get just as frustrated as the next guy over the hassle of taking my shoes off as I go through security, putting my belongings into a bin as it goes through an x-ray machine, then, of course, getting my stuff together, and putting my shoes back on to make an O.J. Simpson dash to my gate in time to make a flight.
However, I do realize that screening is a necessary process in order to keep insidious types off of airplanes, just the same way I realize that cops patrolling a beat looking for actual criminals keeps the streets safe. Do I agree with pat downs, boob grabbing or crotch pulling by TSA screeners? No, that sucks and I wouldn't want it anymore than anyone else.
But why is it not okay for those who feel they couldn't be a threat because they are "regular Americans" as Sarah Palin put it, but it is okay for those of us who wouldn't be considered a "regular American" if we were caught in Beverly Hills unless we were making a delivery or tending a garden?
Look the point is, you can't have it both ways. If you don't want to be profiled, then get rid of profiling for everyone -- not just people who you think are safe travelers.
The plotters of 9/11 were men who set a new standard in how people would be looked at as they went through airport security and in doing so, fed America's typical knee-jerk fears. But the same people had no problem with a Harvard graduate, University of Michigan Ph.D., and assistant professor at University of California-Berkeley sending explosives through the mail simply because the man who turned out to be the "Unabomber" did not fit the profile.
Maybe America ought to take a minute to reassess who is dangerous and who isn't.
Comments: (14)
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By: blackbear72 on 11/24/2010 8:18PM
Where to begin? First off I agree, a $25 ticket for biking on the sidewalk is ridiculous, once he realized you were not a threat, he should have just given you a warning.
Thats about the only thing I agree with that you wrote. Profiling is very necessary for both TSA and law enforcement and yes sometimes the profiling has to be done based upon race. Lets say some one was going around lynching black men and leaving racist letters at each scene. Who would be the most likely suspect? A black man? No, a white male would be the only suspect and rightly so. LE would be looking for a white male, possibly with a bald head and swastika tattoos, not a black woman with dreadlocks and black power tattoos. Wouldn't that make sense? A serial killer is on the loose who would the suspect be? A black male? No. The profile for a serial killer is a middle aged, white male who is a loner and might live in his parents basement. That profile is a racial profile, but it is also the most likely suspect, just like the first example. What is the profile for a terrorist bomber? A middle eastern male, with a Muslim name, no luggage and a one way ticket. Would it make sense to profile a black, elderly woman whose name is Estel Johnson who has 4 checked bags and a round trip first class ticket? Of course it doesn't.
The point is there is no reason to grope Estel, a 3 y/o of any race or 99% of the average airline passenger including someone who is black, it is only done to be politically correct. It does nothing to stop terrorism. Dont bring up Tim McVeigh either, that was an isolated incident, but if a white ex-military male with a buzz cut drives up to a federal building in a Ryder truck and leaves it running and goes in the opposite direction, he should be followed and questioned.
When a regular American gets caught with a bomb on a plane then maybe the profile will change, but as of now, we all know who is most likely to bring a bomb on a plane. If you don't know you are either very stupid or have been living under a rock.
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By: Government cheese on 11/25/2010 4:56PM
Only a black author could make it about race. LOL
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By: alie on 11/25/2010 6:54AM
White people don't like it when you flick the switch, maybe they will realise how it feels, when people complain, this is only airport security for goodness sake, if they were to change places with us for a day they would clearly say no way would i want to endure what you endure and we are still enduring it.
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By: bob on 11/25/2010 1:09PM
this article is a joke! As if WHITE people are the ony ones complaining about the groping. Black do nothing but complain about everything in life that doesn't go their way! Allie when was the last time you were groped? You make it seem that black people are patted down for no reason all the time everyplace the go, You are full of it! If all this crap is true then blacks should have no problem getting patted down, since yall are so used to it. As long as whites get the same treatment right!
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By: levelsone on 11/25/2010 2:36PM
Hi Racist BOB. Stop your sterotypes of black people. You don't know anyone black. In fact, you know nothing. Repeat after me, " I am Racist and Stupid." AThere, there... Racism is actually a form of mental illness. Keep your thoughts to yourself and no one will know how dumb you really are. Now, on TSA pat downs. The best way to stop TSA harassment is for people to vote with their dollars and refuse to fly if they can't be respected.
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By: bob on 11/25/2010 6:17PM
No levelsone! You are the racist! You and allie. You just don't like the fact that I call you out! Racism is not a mental illness, it is a state of mind. So educate yourself before you talk shi.. For your info I know plenty of black americans. I just don't know any stupid, uneducated, racist african americans like You and Allie!
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By: Madam on 12/02/2010 10:27AM
how can u say anything like that! Black people dont deserve to be patted down, neither do white people. No one should be profiled due to the color of their skin, it's the year 2010, bout to be 2011, move on, this world is made up of all different kinds of mixes, no one single person has only one ethnicity running thru their blood.....if u dont believe me, then start studying ur family tree! of and.....Bob, "go suk out!"
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By: Deut818 on 11/25/2010 4:09PM
The TSA system is flawed to a certain extent.. the TSA scanner machines could be updated to not show private body parts(the radiation is the problem for me) I have no intent of going thru them -and so I will have to be patted down as MY OPTION-- to what extent I let them remains to be seen.
Look these are the times we are living... when it was said 9/11-changed everything..many didn't realized what type of changes was coming to America.
We are a SPOILED-ARROGANT but blessed nation..that GOD raised up out of the pits of HELL which was Europe..who turned their backs on GOD..and opt to make Kings and Queens and Dictators their GOD..but God took a native American boy who was taken from his native country, held captive in Europe's jail.. given a book to learn how to read english..that book was the bible.. who released from jail returned to his native country what is now known as America.. and united the native AMERICANS(Indians) with europe's outcast (pilgrims)..a nation was born...with its negatives(slavery and unrighteousness-racism)..but God prevades ANYHOW..to bless this nation... so ALL PPL can be free to BE happy..and GIVEN RIGHTS to such freedoms..
Anyway..
..its the TEA BAGGERS(not a legitmate party)-- who are doing the complaining.. it's a political stunt by them to demonstrate further idiocy nothing more-- AGAIN take the control of the gov't away from the TSA is their thought process. IMPO these PPL are anti-American. These TEA BAGGERS want the privatization EVERYTHING if they get a CHANCE. Again they are a movement of NO-- with NO formulation to solve problems outside of pointing the finger and complaining and right out LIEING--they lost my interest of support because of the racial overtones LONG ago and for me that makes them anti-american...and its PPL like Bob on this site who are their cheerleaders..(laughing)..
It's no secret this nation thrives on profiling/ exploitation that's race based--this nation's past-targeting non-whites-starting with the native AMERICA Indian and any other non-whites as NEGATIVE FROM THE START UPON RACE from its beginning ..WRONG, WRONG..did I say WRONG? And this nation is paying for it now.. you can't continue to oppress and depress PPL's freedoms and not treat them EQUAL upon America's promise...
Profiling today has its positives becuz of 9/11.. however I like ISRAEL idealism how to target terrorist...
Non whites have always KNOWN..this nation is FULL with plenty of Timothy McVeights--NEO-CON-NAZI's in every inch of this nation's infrastructure who are OUT to kill non-whites..covered up by this nation's justice system // the FBI knows it, the CIA knows it// and it starts with the State, County, City's jurisdictions who cover up for the crimes committed by white males against non-whites. The tables have turned.. other non-whites who pretend to love this nation--filtrate the borders of this nation..are HERE.. hiding behind this nation's freedom of religion.. out to target and KILL Americans...it is what it has become to be..and we as americans have to deal with it..
Stop complaining and realize we haven't had a major terror attack like 9/11 since..nor have any of our planes blown up in operation.
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By: bob on 11/25/2010 6:32PM
Deut818 How dumb are you! Let me educate you dumb racist,primate brain. Who started slavery? The Government! Who does the profiling? The government! Who is doing the patdowns? The government! Who beats down the black man? The government! Who keeps the black man down (welfare and government programs) The government! You, my racist resident black voices scholar are against tea party pro constitution anti government people. Instead you are for Government takeing care of you? You know the ones that enslaved you race! Idiot!!!!
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By: Deut818 on 11/25/2010 9:03PM
Laughing @ Bob.. you assume alot with regard to what you think you KNOW about me and many OTHERS..for ONE the Gov't doesn't take care of me.. turn away for FAUX NEWS..they are brain washing you.. and being a racist is a mental disorder/disease.. the more you comment the more you prove to be as what PPL say you are..BRAINLESS..IGNORANT, UNEDUCATED and a bottom FEEDER who feeds on race base ignorance and CAN'T think for yourshelf.. who can't put a sentence together without profanity..which further states if you can't get a point across without using profanity- you're UNEDUCATED and insecure.
And prove to me with MERIT that slavery was started in this naion by the government? When slavery started in this nation in the 1600's BEFORE the constitution was even thought of..and when the constitution began to be written your FOREFATHERS endorse slavery becuz it was BIG BUSINESS(sounds familar?)-because they were to LAZY to work for themselves.. who as RAPIST were busy raping black females making babies they denied as their own and sold them into slavery-great examples weren't they?..Plantation owners..who made THEIR money by selling HUMANS..
Why don't you go and cheerleader your idiot Protege' PALIN who doesn't know NORTH KOREA is not America's ALLY..(laughing)..you comments are just as stupid as she..
You can have the LAST word..(laughing)
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