Shopping While Black- or What Would YOU Do?

Even if  the majority of White America doesn't know about it, ask any Black American and they can tell you a time when they were caught "shopping while Black".  SWB (like it's counterpart Driving while Black) is the result of someone (almost always) White assuming that the Black individual is committing (or about to commit) a crime.  It is probably the most common form of racial profiling and results in innocent individuals being followed, searched and accused even in the absence of ANY evidence of wrong doing.  It is racist and disgusting but as this video shows- there may be something even worse than that.  Even more disturbing is what the bystanders who witness this racism do.  See- racism won't change until ALL people, whether it effects you directly or not, stand up for what is right and just.  

The video is a little on the long side but it is an eye-opening (and nauseating) glimpse of bystander apathy even in the face of blatant racism.

A fine example of penmanship...

So D has started preschool and is beginning to understand the concept of "writing" and she has begun to enjoy using pens and writing. The other day she was sitting at my desk writing on some scrap paper with a pen while I was working on my lecture for my college class. At some point she must have run out of paper and rather than ask for more she grabbed some from my file box and used that. At about the same time she decided that pens were boring and she switched from a pen to a Sharpie.

This is the result

Now my readers who are parents of internationally adopted kids probably already recognize what D used for paper- but for those of you who haven't had the joys of dealing with USCIS-

this is K's CERTIFICATE OF CITIZENSHIP.

D had outlined K's picture several times. I was able to get a lot of the Sharpie off (is there anything a Mr Clean Magic Eraser can't clean) but it began to rub of the certificate ink, too.

We were already annoyed that we had to pay $420 to get the thing in the first place (since D's was free) and if we have to replace it that will be another $380. B is going to take it to the social security office soon to see if they will accept it to change her status in their system. If they take it, then we will try to see if the Passport folks will accept it. If they do, then I go to the bank to deposit the certificate into the safety deposit box. If they don't then I go to the bank to withdraw $380.

Either way, it will be a long time before anyone finds the Sharpies again.