Its not that absurd after all. (article about chinese separatists/terrorists). The real absurdity lies in racial profiling. First, because non-desis/arabs can be terrorists too (john walker lindh, jose padilla, richard reid, at least one of the london bombers) and second, because if screening procedures are as obtuse and inaccurate as focusing on race as a primary red-flag indicator, I’d feel DOUBLY unsafe.

One because I’d be the (continued) target of undue scrutiny at the airport, and two, because all Al-qaeda would have to do is recruit a “chinese grandmother” and she’d get by with no problem.

Intelligence should be intelligent.

I agree there’s something about holding on to your fear that allows you to turn that against the person you are afraid of. I think being fearful of african americans, african american males particularly, helps to make it more likely that african american males will be criminilized for behavior that others might not be

Here’s the book Culture of Fear.

Mike Davis wrote Ecology of Fear more to explain why fighting nature in LA is a bad idea. But the book explains succintly why and how certain architectural and urban planning decisions aren’t accidental, how they seperate the rich from the undesireables, and how it all contributes to a constant level of anxiety.

William Upski Wimsatte has many detractors, and I for one think his “cool rich kids” idea is a joke. But the man does practice what he preaches. (I met him on the subway. He’d been riding the rails to New Lots and back, selling No More Prisons to passengers.) Some of his ideas might be a bit far-fetched and amatuer, but he does make a heartfelt, compelling case for how corporations, politicians, and advertisers prey upon our fears to get us to buy more stuff, elect without questioning, and buy even more stuff…all the while deepening racial and social divides.

raju, you are right on the money with this. the difference is the “culture of fear,” as it has been aptly termed. at the moment, people in the u.s. and britain are being acculturated, by government, media etc., to fear brown folk. just as in the past and in other places, other folk have been stigmatized.

in the context of the u.s., this is part of a broader trend of cultivating anxiety that manifests itself in countless arenas from popular culture and television to architecture and real estate development. there’s political capital in instilling and catering to fear, and there’s even more revenue potential, as fearful people tend to want to buy products to make them feel more secure.

the only way to liberate yourself is to decide not to fear. i don’t mean be stupid — of course bad things happen and one must be aware. but this is why i like your comment — it tries to situate where the line exists between common-sense awareness and consenting to a culture of fear.

we must decide not to fear. it’s one way in which the solution lies within — part of the spiritual dimension.

peace

appreciate your commments. I think I understand a little sizing up a person when you’re walking home late at night. but I think that being on an airplane or using public transportation is different. I do understand someone having a fear cross their mind. but in these circumstances letting that fear germinate, I think, can be a concious decision. maybe thats just me, but I can have one hundred assumptions of who to fear in a given circumstance, but there seems to be a point when the fear switches from something uninvited in my mind to something else. I think that something else is the problem here, whats making life a bit harder.

But you are right. It is sad that I size up the folks I board a plane with. But “rise above your situation,” as you say, and put yourself in the shoes of a female for a day. I admit that I do a face-value assessment of those around me all the time. When I walk home alone late at night and I hear footsteps behind me, you bet your ass I turn around and size that individual up. And you know what? It IS sad that I have to do that. The logical part of my brain says, “Hm, G. 80% of sexual assaults are committed by acquaintances, and y’know, the logical part of you KNOWS that you’re more likely to get attacked by one of your male friends, then, say, this stranger who is probably just looking for his car. It’s OK. I could probably outrun him anyway. I’m wearing sneakers.” Trust me, that is NOT a comforting thought in that situation. Unfortunately, violent crimes against women are a reality that all women are aware of and so yes, I admit it. I size people up. I do it all the time. I get scared sometimes. It ain’t all fun for us gals either. It is so, so sad.

On a much lighter point, I think I’m saying that we all size people up all the time, and yes. It is sad that we do so. Most of the time, however, it’s lighter fare than “rapist” or “terrorist.” And most of the time, the reasonable part of our brain is able to hold things down for us, so we don’t freak out. Yeesh. Let’s get out of this conversation already.

Everyone was able to pick up and get back on the tube to go to work the day after the explosions. I know I didn’t have any particular fears, except a small one that someone might associate me with “terrorism” and be mean, among other things. I wasn’t nervous about another explosion, but I didn’t see anything on the tube that made me nervous. Who knows. If there was a scruffy looking South Asian male on board, I might have experienced just a notch more relief when I arrived at my destination safe and sound, just as I would have expected.

I understand the frustration this brings about to many young men. (Er..not being a brown male, I’ll never understand. Just as you will never understand what it means to be a minority female — but that’s a whole different conversation But I appreciate your frustration and I’m glad you responded to me.)

i know someone, a brown male, who was looking at flight info when a man called out to him, you’re looking at that list a long time. you know what? who told the guy off? his sister. who ordinarily will take the piss out of him 24/7. i don’t think this situation is understandable if understanable means reasonable. there’s what, 1 billion brown males in the world. you think you’re actually being reasonable to suspect us because we look fobby? its understandable, in my opinion, if you think lazy stereotypes and gross generalizations are something to defend. sorry to get harsh, but this stuff is very not fun.