stereotyping

Well you know that the Son was home for winter break last week. We bounded and had a good time together. he left over the weekend and here is a snyposis of what transpired.

On Saturday morning ah took the Tall One to the airport. We checked him in and made sure that he had all his documents to clear outgoing immigration hey in Caracas wid no problems. Cause de officers is bare problems and don't speak a lick of English. I've had my encounters with them. After we had seen that he was cleared an onto his gate, we left the airport and made a few stops before we took the 40+ mins drive back to Caracas. Well yuh know before we got home good, my mother called and asked why was U.S imigration calling the house for Tall One, I said I ein sure and of course all the red flags went off in my head. She proceeded to tell me how some officer from Immigration called and asked her if she know who Tall One is...she said yes, my grandson, dey wanna know where he is and whey he coming from. She tell them dat he should be on a plane right now returning from visiting his mom in Caracas. They asked her if he's in Miami, she tell dem no, it's a direct, non-stop flight Caracas tuh JFK. She ask is there a problem, dey tell she no and hang up de fone. Just so.... No explanation or anything.

Now yuh see dat, de first thing dat come tuh my mind, ah young black boy travelling by himself, he's a target. he wearing typical hip-hop clothes, he's a target and I mek sure he look decent before he left this morning tuh avoid this kinda thing. What we had realized earlier was that when he came into Caracas last week, that the same immigration people at Caracas, didn't stamp either his passport or de immigration form...who fault that, not his...so when he was leaving out, duh mussee wanna know know wha gine on, plus he ein had nuh carry on bag, just he lil backpack wid his rap music and NBA magazines. so while he was on de plane, relaxing and listening tuh he music, dem done had he red flagged and call U.S immigration who in turn call muh mother (good thing ah had she as he contact person) ... but muh question is this? what woulda happen if when they called, she din home to answer the questions and verify that it's her grandchild....poor Tall One woulda be in custody at JFK on suspicion on whatever thrumped up ideas they had of him.... chuupppsseee...

In the end, my mom made sure to be at JFK to see that he got out safe and good...but can yuh imagine dat shite? You think if it was some Tall white boye that the immigration woulda call for him or even be suspicious of him. I really ein into the racist or sterotypical thing and try to stay away from such topics here, but this one smells nothing else to me like stereotypical racism. I'm not angry, but to me this just goes to show, that that whoever you are when you are a black male in the U.S or most anywhere you are always a target for some kind of unjust sterotypical treatment. The sad thing is that my son wasn't even aware of what was happening and therefore the suspicions didn't have an impact on him. But such is life being a black male in the good ole US of A. I wish you could say it's all good, but sumtimes it just isn't.