Growing up in South Florida, having skin that wasn't white wasn't relevant to conversations or the way I was treated until 9/11. Even after 9/11, the changes I encountered in treatment were minimal at best.
My first instance of profiling occurred when I worked at Baskin Robbins in high school. It wasn't really anything but a customer trying to get what she wanted, in the language she wanted.
She spoke to me in Spanish, and since Spanish isn't a first language of mine, I informed her that my Spanish is rusty, and asked her to repeat her order in English. She refused, saying that since I live in South Florida I should speak Spanish. I didn't serve her.
Now I'm not, and never have been, under the impression that because people live in America, they should speak English as a first language. But I think it's beneficial for them to at least know some English. Just as it would be expected of me to know some Spanish if I lived in a primarily Spanish-speaking country, or German if I lived in Germany. This lady speaks English. I knew her children, but she didn't realize she knew me (probably because people rarely actually look at the person behind the counter- a rant for a different day). But that was the end of it.
My first encounter with profiling when I moved to Alabama only took about two weeks to occur (September 2006). I met an ex-boyfriend's mom and, I swear to you, the first thing she said to me was "You're not white!" I looked at my wrist, looked back up and said "When did that happen?!" I got back in the car. Only saw her one other time.
More recently, in 2009, while preparing with a group of people for a 2-month study abroad trip to The City of Knowledge, Panama, the president of the university was walking around to all the tables introducing himself to the participants. There were three other participants at the table with me. Each of them got a derivative of "Hello, what's you're major? What year are you in?" All these students are white. When he got to me, I received a "Hello, where are you from?" I responded with, "Florida" in a sarcastic tone. He never inquired of my studies or my year.
In general, I get searched at airports. Only once since 9/11 have I not been searched. Sometimes it's annoying, but sometimes it's funny because it's so predictable. I've never been told I look extraordinarily like a terrorist, though that seems to be the case.
Last year, Husband and I were in the wedding party for a Muslim wedding. Obviously this stirred up a lot of confusion for people (both those who have known me for a long time, and those who just met me). Of the 400+ people at the wedding, I think only the non-Brown people tried talking to me in English first (before Arabic, Bengali, or Hindi). That was about 10-15 people. But that's ok. It was an overly Brown setting.
Then today, a person came into my office. This a person who has insulted me before by calling me a midget (I swear to you, I can't make this up). Today he walked in and decided he need to talk to me about Muslim and Hindu traditions. Most people let up, after I explain that I know nothing of the traditions and that I was raised Christian. But this person didn't think it was time yet. He kept talking. Asking. Prodding for information. Information I didn't know. I kept telling him that I didn't know, and that he should find someone else to ask, but he kept asking. I'm not sure if I finally looked disgusted enough, or if he ran out of questions, but he left.
While I am happy people are interested in other cultures, I feel like you should know something about someone before inquiring about traditions that may or may not relate to them. He never asked me if I was raised in those ways. He never asked if I attended a church, a mosque, a temple or anything at all! He never asked if calling me a midget hurt my feelings. Yea, I'm short.. but there is nothing about my body shape or facial features that resemble those of a little person. And seriously, what if I was seriously insecure about my height?
And I'm glad TSA is doing their "random searches" at airports, but really? Let's try searching someone other than the Brown people and the little old ladies (another TSA favorite). How about the angry-looking guy? Or the person wearing chains and studs or grommets? How about the nicely dressed business-meeting woman? Every person, regardless of skin color is capable of hurting others, not just Brown people.
Frankly, I find it disgusting.
Besides, I don't really feel like I look all that ...scary?
Though maybe I'm wrong, and I am unknowingly striking fear
into the hearts of friends, families, small children, animals, and weirdos.
Am I wrong?
//Rant over.
Yes. Yes you do look scary.
ReplyDeleteHa. just kidding. I've been meaning to write a reply to this blog post for a while.
Honestly, I don't think you should take the part from the UAH pres too seriously.
But the boyfriend's mom and the woman at Baskin Robbins -- yeah, really rude. That's weird.
I am always flattered when anyone notices/inquires if I'm "something else." I think it's neat that anyone can tell I might have another ethnicity, though it's almost always non-white people who ask. It's fun to know what people's heritages are, and I don't think it's in the least bit offensive ... but I have never been discriminated against because my race(s), and it's never been a disadvantage in the least.
And as for the TSA? This may be where we clash. I honestly don't mind a little profiling. Would it make sense for them to single out the little white grandmas going through the line or the people who come from a place where bombers are being sent to take down American planes? Of course, sometimes, they just have to guess. They can't know where you're from or what your personal thoughts on jihad are. But if they're going to be checking at all, it makes sense that they go with what we know -- no other religious group is trying to take down planes at the moment.
Cute little Indian girls? Probably not as much of a danger ... But that said, I also get searched EVERY TIME I fly. And I don't look Middle Eastern.