Racial Profiling - That's Just Wrong

I was in the bank the other day and the next window over is a well-known area doctor. He was dressed very casual, apparently it was his day off. This was not the least bit odd or anything. But the story he was relating to the teller just made me angry.

This gentleman is from India so he is fairly dark skinned and has a thick accent. It is quite cultured and very musical and you can tell from his speech that is he a well educate person. You can also tell from the accent that he isn't any other race than what he is, the tones are very distinct. Oh yeah, he drives a silver Jaguar. Got all that? Well here's what made me angry (on his behalf).

He had been driving on a state route a few miles north of our area (and south of Detroit). He admits that he was speeding so when the state trooper pulled him over he figured he deserved a ticket.

But that's when it went wrong. The trooper did not just give him a ticket for speeding. Oh no! The trooper did not believe our good doctor that he was in fact a doctor (an oncologist no less) and accused him of stealing the car. The doctor wasn't dressed in his lab coat and a tie see, he was casual. Well yeah, it was the weekend!

Even though he had his driver's license, registration and proof of insurance on hand the trooper refused to believe him. Now I know that the driver's license photos are bad but come on! He had to resemble the photo at least a little. And since his name is about six syllables long it isn't one some car thief is just gonna make up.

The trooper actually told our doctor that "people like" him "don't have cars like this so (he) must have stolen it".

The doctor ended up having to call the hospital, tracking down someone in administration (on the weekend mind you) to verify that he was in fact who he said he was.

The really sad thing that the trooper did not apologize, admit to any error he wrote the speeding ticket for the maximum amount and stormed off. Even if he thought he had probable cause to be a jerk an apology should have been offered for the inconvenience (and the over an hour all this took).

I'm sorry but that is racial profiling and terrorist "threat" or not, it was simply wrong. On so many levels.

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