During some recent research I did with youth, the topic of racial profiling came up. A group of teens, most of them white, argued vehemently that black youth get followed around by store personnel because they are young, not because they are black. One of them (an African American female) also mentioned that kids get followed around in stores if they "look suspicious." I'm not exactly sure what she meant by this, but I think she was referring to dress and posture.
Here's an interesting op-ed by Ta-Nehisi Coats about an experience that Forest Whitaker, the famous actor, had in NYC. Whitaker's Experience with Racial Profiling. I guess Whitaker must have looked suspicious.
Man, I don't think I'd have the nerve to frisk Idi Amin!
ReplyDeleteIt's sad, that this still goes on.