" I see your point, but I don't feel that what I said was offensive in any way. Seeing two Arab people in that car, both filming a bridge, did look more suspicious to me than if I saw to preppy white kids. It has nothing to do with where they were born. It was what I feel to be a "healthy amount" of stereotyping."
And...
"USA doesn't have a monopoly on suffering at the hands of terror, and it certainly doesn't give people the right to carry on in such an offensive manner, especially in front of people who are visitors to the country. that's probably the worst memory i have of my trips to the USA, a country i enjoy visiting apart from that constant sour note that seems to follow me."
Monty, the comments you heard are completely inappropriate, disgusting, insulting and most of all ignorant. But why would they?
The American attitude is molded and programmed from many years thanks to the American media, especially Hollywood, love to depict Middle Easterners as "the bad guys" repeatedly and reliably. This sort of programming comes face to face on the streets today.
(Face it, ALL walks of life, race, religion, profession have there bad eggs)
And nowadays in the US its considered "OK" to partial, to be racist, be suspicious of all Middle Easterners regardless. And of course is not a written law. Citizens feel its normal. Its common and cool to let out little slurs in public. They feel comfortable with it. After all its totally supported by the present administration. And "they" are to blame for it all (pick something negative, war, gas $, bad weather, whatever--it will fit)
Just try (read-never happen) if Hollywood would produce a movie that would so completely tarnish, threaten and insult another race as a whole and get away with it!
....and justice for all.
( I feel a locked thread coming on)
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