Racial profiling is a longstanding tradition in the United States of America. If you’re brown and weren’t in the movie Slumdog Millionaire, odds are someone in a position of authority thinks you’re either a terrorist, a burglar hell bent on ransacking the homes of prominent Harvard Professors, or worse, a socialist Nazi who wants to turn us all into a helpless gaggle of able bodied citizens with guaranteed health care. Tradition aside, it had seemed like the practice of profiling had died down over the past few weeks in the wake of some sort of controversial incident in Massachusetts of which we’re totally unaware of the specifics.
Leave it to the great state of New Jersey to bring back a grand ol’ tradition just in time for the torrid news period that is the month of August. Over the weekend, the vigilant officials at Newark Airport (i.e. The Center of the Universe) had their suspicions trained on one particular passenger. Maybe it was the movie star good looks of Shah Rukh Khan that caught their eye, or his Muslim name, or the fact that they knew he had that certain something that screams I’m either a really big star or I want to kill a lot of people, people who are currently asking for my autograph. Unfortunately for the Newark Airport officials, they would come to find out it was the former.
Shah Rukh Khan, one of the biggest actors in Bollywood currently on the road promoting a film about the racial profiling of Indian Muslims after 9/11, was ironically detained and questioned as part of a “secondary inspection” for over one hour by airport authorities, who subsequently found out that he was not planning on doing evil. The false detainment has caused a good level of embarrassment for the US and outrage from Indians, some of whom called for retaliation against the likes of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie on their twitter accounts. Ambassador Timothy J. Roemer attempted to appease those outraged by stating that Khan was a “global icon” and a “very welcome guest in the United States.” As a further goodwill gesture he offered the Indian government Carrot Top provided they lock him up and throw away the key.
“…Racial profiling is a longstanding tradition in the United States of America. If you’re brown and weren’t in the movie Slumdog Millionaire, odds are someone in a position of authority thinks you’re either a terrorist, a burglar hell bent on ransacking the homes of prominent Harvard Professors, or worse, a socialist Nazi who wants to turn us all into a helpless gaggle of able bodied citizens with guaranteed health care…”
Are you serious?? Don’t you realize that you are a star-tup company looking to compete with serious, established businesses? You can’t afford to express this… Let alone believe that “its a longstanding tradition”. You’ve lost a blog reader, and worse, a user.
I’m not quite sure what you believe us to be expressing, here - I *think* it could be a misunderstanding?
The examples used by my writer to illustrate his point (those which you highlighted) all represent recent occurrences of situations in which racial profiling undoubtedly played a role. It may sound politically incorrect, but with good reason - racial profiling IS incorrect.
The role of this blog is to provide commentary around the stories and issues that the social web cares about, and this story fell within those lines. However, we do approach our writing with a strong voice, and you are absolutely right that companies should be mindful of what they publish under their name. That said, some social issues are innately controversial, and for us to ignore them for safety reasons is an an attitude not natural to this generation. I’m very sorry if our approach offended you - and if I am incorrectly understanding what it was that offended you, please email me - chagen@oneriot.com
Perhaps we should consider using the word “problem” or “issue” with the word “tradition.” It’s clear Evan had no desire to shed positive light on racial profiling, but rather he felt it was necessary to exhibit its longstanding existence in American culture.
Matt - It’s a mixup I could see happening, but clearly not one that should result in the loss of a user as passionate enough to comment as you.
Evan - Awesome post regardless.
I love you guys…in a platonic work way…not in that sexual harassment work way.
Thank God…I get enough of that at my day job as it is.
Hey, I love too! …Damn, I missed the love fest by a few hours. Alone again…on my birthday, no less.
If you’d like to check out any of the posts by Evan Kessler on this blog or any other, you’ll get an idea of his style and would see the stance he takes on things, not to mention you’ll laugh your ass off. Before drawing a conclusion, please check out more of his work.