Privilege and racial profiling

Something has been bothering me since September 11th this year. As this year was the tenth anniversary everyone was on edge. I find the whole affair exhausting since I find it hard to focus on the everyone come together patriotism camaraderie of it and tend to think about how difficult it has been for everyone in the aftermath with the increase in security efforts, racial profiling, and increase in American forces "spreading democracy" overseas.

What has been bothering me is this ordeal of the Jewish-Arab woman who, flying on 9/11 this year was among a couple of other people, was racially profiled by someone and was then escorted off the plane. Her story has been getting a lot of attention lately, especially by news sources such as CNN but it seems presented in a way that I find disturbing.

What frustrates me about this situation is that it seems as if her situation has attracted more attention because she is also Jewish, which puts her accuser and the law enforcing officials in a difficult place. In a time when President Obama is being criticized by Republican Presidential candidates for not being supportive enough to Israel everyone is so scared to be anti-semitic that although other people were indeed in this situation they haven't even been discussed.

Why in the ten years since 9/11 do we still think there isn't something wrong with a system that racially profiles innocent people. And if someone who seems even slightly white is accused of acts of terrorism it is all of a sudden a shameful thing and it should be blasted all over the news. But what about the people who are accused every day and are just as innocent? Racial profiling isn't just wrong when you accidentally profile someone who you have deemed to be "white" enough, it is ALWAYS wrong.

Not only that but what about the person who accuses? Not just institutional accusation, such as body scanning or detaining individuals in the terminal. There is something inherently wrong with a society that ingrains in people's minds that there is something dangerous about those who look, talk, or worship differently than you. I remember a few years ago when someone on a cross Atlantic flight accused a teenage boy of suspicious activities. When it turned out what he was doing was praying in the back of the plane, and his accuser cited scary looking things attached to his body, which turned out to be his tefillin.

Ignorance is dangerous. I sometimes find it frustrating when people ask me numerous questions about my beliefs or my diet or my relationship. But I need to remember, as should you, that it is important to stay open to the effort of abolishing ignorance and know that living your life as a example is the best way to do so.

Here is a picture of my goofy dog to lighten the mood.