Wednesday, June 24, 2009

I Haven't Even Been In The Sun That Much; Or, Racial Profiling At It's Finest

Late Saturday night, I was driving home through some back neighborhoods when I saw the familiar flashing of police lights in my rear view mirror. But this time, I had no idea why I was being pulled over.

I put on my best innocent face and smile, prepared to plead my case to the officer as he approached my window...and started speaking Spanish to me. My face fell as I struggled to comprehend what was going on, and I managed to spit out, "I don't speak Spanish!!!"

The officer laughed and said, "Oh, I'm sorry. I guess I'm just used to seeing Mexicans driving these kinds of cars."

Yeah.

It took a few seconds for all the racial profiling and underhanded snarky innuendos (in YOUR end-os!) to sink in. I gritted my teeth and gripped my steering wheel. It took everything in my power to restrain myself from hurling stereotypes at HIM.

It's a good thing he let me off with a warning (for not using my turn signal) or else I'd be crying foul in a court room.

The really sad thing is that I haven't even been in the sun that much this year. My tanorexia has been severely impacted by the rainy weather, as this is the first week temperatures have even hit the 80's.

I plan to spend all weekend at the pool, so that next time I get pulled over, I won't feel so bad about being called Mexican...again.

10 comments:

em said...

Are you sure it was the car and not your "Yo quiero Mana" bumpersticker?

Bone Junior said...

See? I don't even know what 'Yo Quiero Mana' MEANS!!!

Kelsey M. said...

oh.my.gosh.
really??
really???
i am so sorry this happened.
ticks me off.
but kinda makes me laugh at the same time. :)
cops are stupid.
i too see those flashing lights all too often.

Ashley said...

Bring your tanorexia self up to SLC and we will hit the pool! I will even let you watch my kids so I can work my way up to the color of the palms of your hands.

$teve said...

Don't they know a Lebanese Lovely when they see one? Apparently he's not a detective. :)

andi said...

Buenos suerte next time, chica.

(Ha, good for a laugh, though!)

Erin said...

I"m stunned every time something like this happens to you. and only you.

em said...

Just FYI: ManĂ¡ is a popular Mexican pop/rock band from Guadalajara whose career has spanned almost three decades. (wikipedia)

photography by Mikki said...

So funny...Sarah, I love you! Wanna do lunch or dinner or a movie one of these days? Brade is going out of town for the week of July 21-24...wanna do something with me?

em said...

ALSO, (and I wasn't going to bring it up, but I JUST HAVE TO...can't...stop...typing...you don't have to publish this if you don't want to) that apostrophe in the title is, well, wrong. Should be "its finest" not "it's finest." Another FYI. Happy Saturday.