I’m scared to break into my own storage closet
Brad and I have finally moved into our new place (pictures will be up next week). We’re almost done unpacking, but our storage closet lock is broken, so we can’t put our boxes away. This morning, I had the idea of breaking into it using a credit card. I find an old debit card, and go out to the balcony where the storage closet entrance is, and get to work. Then I realize, crap, I probably shouldn’t be doing this, I don’t want anyone to think I’m breaking into my own storage closet. I decided to wait until Brad wakes up, and let him do it.
This incident from this morning made me think about the events that have occurred over the past couple of weeks in Cambridge, Massachusetts . Racial profiling is still very much a reality for people of color and other marginalized groups. Although I would probably be fine breaking into my storage closet, I’ve been taught by my parents and other to keep my receipt out if I’m going through a department store with a bag of merchandise I’ve already purchased, or to keep my hands where people can see them in stores, to not “look suspicious,” go to the mall dressed in a manner that makes people think I have money to spend, etc etc. Not many of my White friends have been told these messages.
The bottom line is people still make assumptions about people based race. People are more likely to think I have bad credit, don’t have money or a college degree, and the list of stereotypes goes on and on. This doesn’t automatically make people racist; these assumptions are a function of our society and we ALL need to be aware of them. I grew up with the same dominant narrative and stereotypes about my own race and others that every other citizen has.
There are a lot of facts that we don’t know about the incident with Dr. Gates and Officer Crowley, but both parties made assumption about the other base on appearance and skin color. We all need to be aware and willing to take ownership of mistakes that misinformation causes us to make.
In the mean time…I’m just going to leave the boxes in my apartment, until the landlord comes to fix the door knob. Brad couldn’t break in either, it’s the wrong kind of lock for the credit card trick.
