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.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
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.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
LinkWithin
3 comments:
Thanks for posting this. I didn't see this episode but have watched others. It makes me sick and sad! Are you on facebook? I'm going to try to post it on their so more people can see it.
Wait, gotta wipe the tears from my eyes. This was a pretty clear demonstration of something I know happens but usually so well beyond my own experience (white male) that it still hit hard having it played out. Thanks for sharing. I hope I'd be one to step in, but racism is so insidious, so deep, that I can never be sure until I face an event myself. Especially since few "store clerks" would be as outrageous as this one, the incident would likely be more subtle, easier to overlook. I hope I am awake to it.
Thank you for posting this! It was eye-opening...and as a white women hoping to adopt a black daughter and an Asian daughter I need my eyes to be wide open.
Post a Comment