Rants, Raves, and Rhetoric v4

Not Black Enough

Because of racial profiling, I get false positive screened for extra security screening in airports. So, I need to look more African American. Some suggestions so far:

  • Grow out my hair and wear it in an afro / dreadlocks / cornrows.
  • Clothing improvements: baggy jeans, Jordans, tall teeshirt or sports jersey, one stud earing, chain, gold watch, diamond cut grill.

Any other suggestions?

When my ticket is purchased by my employer, I don’t have any problems. So, I only need to worry about this for personal trips. 🙂


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10 responses to “Not Black Enough”

  1. LauraG Avatar

    I think you’d look great in dreadlocks. Not the cornrows, definitely not.

  2. Artemis Avatar
    Artemis

    This is hillarious!

  3. Ezra F Avatar
    Ezra F

    Another suggestion was to watch Dave Chappelle’s show. I did do this both just before going out to Vegas and just before returning. It was a government bought ticket still.

  4. […] Ezra F: Another suggestion was to watch Dave Chappelle&#8217 ;s show. I did do this both just before going out to Vegas and just before returning…. […]

  5. Heather Avatar

    Do you buy your tickets online? My mom and sister always get checked as well (they’re the only two who have been flying much lately) and we figure it’s because we bought their tickets online and had them printed out at the airport.

    Also, I totally think you should give the dreads a try! 😉

  6. Ezra F Avatar
    Ezra F

    Not sure how work buys them. One of the ones where I was searched was online. One of the ones where I wasn’t searched was online. The others where I was searched were through a travel agent.

  7. […] I knew Ezra is relatively rare as a name. That just means people cannot pronounce is correctly, think it is a girl’s name, or think it is a pseudonym.  […]

  8. […] People transitioning into different classes know there are other things beyond clothes one can use to mitigate the identifying characteristics such as how one talks, gesticulation, body language, etc. Mixed people used the same techniques to “pass” as white. Many people look at me with my mannerisms and assume foreigner not black. By Leila McDowell’s standards, I guess that makes me not black enough. […]

  9. […] I should use my best African or Caucasian for airline agents so as to not get selected for the extra TSA check. […]

  10. […] I didn’t understand his point because I am not Black. See, I wasn’t kidding in that not Black enough post. By the two generation ratio of blood-lines, I am just as Black as […]

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