CRS
Chandler, Arizona, United States

There's an old saying. If you don't want someone to join a crowd, you ask them, "If everyone were jumping off of a cliff, would you?" Well, I have. So my answer would be "Yes". True story.
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Uncomfortable Subway Car Situations

Sunday, June 24, 2007

this entry brought to you by queens of the stone age, "turning on the screw"


I was reading something earlier today, and the author mentioned a question he was asked that was meant to be a trick question to bring out any racism inherent in him, and while the author did answer the question in a satisfying way, I felt like I would've answered in a different way that I thought I'd mention.

The author was asked, if you were alone on an otherwise empty subway car that you are riding past dark, when twelve black men loaded onto it, would you feel safer or less safe?

I think this is a silly question, because if twelve of anything got onto a subway car all at once when it was previously empty save for oneself, I think anyone would feel less safe. If twelve goateed, backwards-hat wearing white boys got onto a subway car in the middle of the night, I'd feel threatened. If twelve hare krishnas got onto a car, even if I knew that it's not in their nature to harm me, I'd at least feel uncomfortable. If twelve police officers loaded onto a car, you'd bet your ass I'd feel less safe, because what in the world could possibly be going down if twelve policemen loaded onto a car?

I think another part of the equation is context. How are these people dressed? If men-- black or white-- all loaded onto a car wearing, say, red and purple, I'd feel less safe, because I would assume those were gang colors. On the other hand, if twelve black men came in wearing electrician's clothes and had appropriate tools in hand, I think I'd feel more comfortable. But perhaps even that would be temporary, because then my mind might wander, what in the world is wrong with this subway car that it needs twelve repair men?
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on this day last year frampton fans are all on drugs.
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with love from CRS @ 9:42 AM 

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