Halt!
Today, on the front page of our city's most infamous rag, the New York Post, the headline read, "HALT! Cops ordered to search subway bags." Accompanying the banner was a rather unfortunate photograph of a brown-skinned, probably South Asian young man having his black rucksack searched by a New York City police officer.
Two thoughts arose in my mind when I saw this: Either this gentleman was the only passenger having his bag searched within range of the camera's lens, or the Post chose to publish this picture only.
Being the sleaze engine that the Post is, I'll wager that a disreputable editor for this toilet roll carefully chose the image that he thought would resonate most with its reactionary readership. A photograph of somebody's grandmother having her handbag rifled through would not have stirred the desired emotions in its patrons.
Incidents of hate-crimes in the city usually jump after any well-publicized act of terrorism, regardless of where it occurred. That's why I believe it's irresponsible to subtly sow seeds like the one carelessly flung out into the ether today by the Post.
In a sad twist, the Indian Sikh community will shoulder the brunt of the hostilities of a fanatical few. They are the most visible of immigrants in America, and are often mistaken by roving vigilantes for Al Qaeda operatives. Last fall, the owner of one of Manhattan's most famous bars dragged a Sikh out of a taxi and commenced brutalizing him right in the middle of the street. All the while letting loose a barrage of slurs pertaining to Muslims. Figure that one out.
This is what happens when utter dolts begin racially and ethnically profiling members of our community, at the subtle and continuous prompting of media outlets.
The Post should take care not to incite or feed animosity as loosely as they did today.
Two thoughts arose in my mind when I saw this: Either this gentleman was the only passenger having his bag searched within range of the camera's lens, or the Post chose to publish this picture only.
Being the sleaze engine that the Post is, I'll wager that a disreputable editor for this toilet roll carefully chose the image that he thought would resonate most with its reactionary readership. A photograph of somebody's grandmother having her handbag rifled through would not have stirred the desired emotions in its patrons.
Incidents of hate-crimes in the city usually jump after any well-publicized act of terrorism, regardless of where it occurred. That's why I believe it's irresponsible to subtly sow seeds like the one carelessly flung out into the ether today by the Post.
In a sad twist, the Indian Sikh community will shoulder the brunt of the hostilities of a fanatical few. They are the most visible of immigrants in America, and are often mistaken by roving vigilantes for Al Qaeda operatives. Last fall, the owner of one of Manhattan's most famous bars dragged a Sikh out of a taxi and commenced brutalizing him right in the middle of the street. All the while letting loose a barrage of slurs pertaining to Muslims. Figure that one out.
This is what happens when utter dolts begin racially and ethnically profiling members of our community, at the subtle and continuous prompting of media outlets.
The Post should take care not to incite or feed animosity as loosely as they did today.
posted by SD at 1:23 AM
1 Comments:
yes. just coplicate lives. the lodon blast asian origin people were all BROUGHT UP IN BRITAIN! idiot idiot people. i have a friend who has to take a train from london to york, to college, and take his bags with him. we are, in all seriousness, trying nto find a way he, a south asian, can carry two bags on the train without being harrassed.
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