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by IkmoIkmo 3891 days ago
> One example is not proving anything. You are trying to tell me on a systematic level, it happens.

Systematic? I told you you're wrong and that's a fact. You said if you just wear a suit etc, you're treated well. I showed you, that's not true. It's that simple. And no I didn't prove this with a comedy show, I proved it by giving an example of a correspondent of one of the most watched television shows in the US who was 'dressed splendidly in a tailored suit', yet he was stopped. That's not comedy, it's a fact that throws your contention in the trash. Obviously I can't prove anything systematic with anecdotal evidence (which I didn't allude to, but thanks for putting those words in my mouth), just like you can't prove anything systematic on the basis of your own personal experience. What I can do is merely refute you'll always get treated well as long as you simply wear a suit and I think that's obvious.

Either way it's a pretty sad state of affairs one can't wear normal attire or sports attire because you'd be risk getting harassed by police. The notion I'd want to wear some kind of civility-uniform just to not get wrongfully harassed by people who serve me, who I pay through my taxes, is silly. And it's especially painful when this requirement largely falls upon people who happened to be born with a certain skin color (as OP's example, supported by many, many studies of racial profiling, shows). To then even feel required to wear a suit, purely to not be treated wrongfully because you have a certain skin color, is degrading. And even then as my example (one of many) shows, you may still be stopped. But feel free to dress 'appropriately', whatever that means. Perhaps it's time for police to send us a manual every year on what we're allowed to wear, you know, what's appropriate, what prevents undue harassment.

1 comments

Its a show. I honestly dont believe anything i see on a comedy sketch show, especially one as heavily politicized as the daily show. Once again, this is not 'proof' of anything.

Im also not wrong. If you wear a suit, you will be treated better than if you wear casual/hip-hop clothes. Ive seen it myself (and with my friends white and non-white) plenty of times.

Its not just the police. Everyone has an impression of you based on how you present yourself and will treat you accordingly.

You dont need a manual, just common sense.