Victim of Racial Profiling

I am a victim of racial profiling, but not by the NYPD. Although I am a person of color, I hardly consider myself menacing enough to be stopped by the police.

Some would dismiss my case as trivial, and it probably is. And I don’t want to trivialize the experiences of those who have been profiled by the police by comparing it to my situation because I understand the former is worse. I did not have to endure the humiliation of being stopped and frisked in public and hauled off to jail over night as countless other people of color in New York City.

In fact, I was not singled out by my tormentors. Instead, I was ignored. Those who have profiled me are the minions of the politicians standing on street corners throughout the city collecting signatures, and handing out pamphlets and brochures to New Yorkers.

First, a little background on myself. I am a Puerto Rican male in my early forties who used to live in Lower Manhattan. Currently, I live on the upper west side.

Second, I have voted in every election since 1982 – including primaries. I even take the time to study the proposals and referendums on the ballots.

In the beginning, I was a registered Independent, but I switched to the Democratic Party because there really is no viable Republican Party in New York City. Except for Mayor Giuliani’s two election victories, and current Mayor Bloomberg, the winner of the Democratic Party primary won the general election in November. To be heard as a New Yorker, I had to become a registered Democrat, but I have voted for Republicans in general elections.

Third, I have an MA and BA in Political Science, and I consider myself to be a political junkie even though I don’t see any politician that inspires me at this time.

As someone who is politically savvy, I know Hispanics and African Americans don’t vote in the same numbers as whites, but I believe in the truism said by Tip O’Neil that if you want someone to vote for you, then all you have to do is ask.

Early in my voting life, I was amused to see white campaign volunteers handing out pamphlets on the streets of New York to everyone within arms reach except me. “If they only knew,” I would say to myself.

But as I’ve grown older, I have lost my sense of humor. I’m no longer amused when the minions ignore me. In fact, I feel insulted.

Granted, I can’t expect the minions to know I have 2 degrees in Political Science, or that I’m a registered voter. These facts are not stamped on my forehead, and I don’t feel the need to have a tee shirt made listing my educational credentials.

And I also don’t expect whites to engage me in political debates, but something happened one Sunday afternoon that really disappointed me.

I was on my way to the supermarket, and a saw a card table with pamphlets and brochures of my local councilman, and at the table were two campaign volunteers who were minorities. They handed out material to everyone, except me.

It’s one thing to be racially profiled by whites, but it hurts to be racially profiled by another minority group.

I’m sure if the councilman was standing in front of the supermarket engaging New Yorkers, and asking for their support, he would have walked up to me as well.

It has been my experience that politicians will ask anyone within their line of vision for their vote, but I wonder if the candidates for public office – from the presidency to local district leader – knew volunteers and paid staffers who represent them engage in racial profiling.

Every election year I ask myself if I should bother voting. I find the candidates and their causes lacking, but I always find at least one reason to get involved, one person or one proposal to vote for. But if I’m not worthy to be asked, then maybe it’s time I quit voting.

Racial profiling by the police is wrong because of the assumption that minorities are potential criminals or possible suspects of crimes.

Racial profiling by all the candidates’ staffs – from the presidency to local district leader – is insulting because I’m treated as a nonentity. By ignoring me, I’m being told I’m not worth the effort, that the paper these volunteers pass off to New Yorkers is much too valuable to be wasted on me.

As I listen to the Democratic candidates, during every election cycle, promise to end racial profiling in the NYPD, I ask them: How can you end racial profiling in the police department when you can’t control racial profiling within your own campaigns?