||| FROM SUSAN MUSTARD |||
On April 30th, I was at SeaTac Airport. After having been thoroughly vetted (passport, etc), we were finally ready for our overseas flight. The airline called for our boarding.
My travel companion was behind me as we rolled down to board plane. A short dark skinned middle aged man was in front of me. Three ICE guys in black were standing on the gang way to my left. The tallest fellow stopped the Asian man in front of me. We were a couple of steps from the plane. All loading stopped.
Jackboot loudly asked the Asian fellow “are you a citizen?” The fellow said yes. I felt my gasket getting ready to blow. Jackboot continued in his loud voice: “where are you going?” Frankfurt Germany. “Why?” My son lives there. “What does your son do?” He’s in the army. “What does he do in army?” Inaudible reply. Jackboot motioned for him to “go on”.
I went ballistic. It was my first time to actually experience the horror we are living in up close and personal.
I knew there was an audience behind me. Further, I knew that Jackboot was about showing off his power, his ability to intimidate. In a loud voice I said: “what are you doing?” Jackboot mumbled “random checks.” I very loudly asked (because I knew lots of folks behind me were listening and watching a WHITE older woman) “you wanna question ME?” There was a pause. I don’t think JB expected to be challenged. I started rolling my bag into plane. He yelled at my back “Yea, you wanna come back and be questioned???”
I was shaking with anger. I told the fellow in front of me that I was sorry it happened to him.
This cannot be the new normal. It is more than time to speak up, to act.
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Susan – So outrageous. Thank you for sharing your experience and for speaking up.
I agree with you, Kristen.
Picking on people because they do not look “white” is outrageous.
Thank-you for speaking up, Susan.
Thank you for your courage to speak up and express your anger at what is happening all around us, Susan, but not so much on Orcas Island. And if we don’t speak up, take actions ourselves, it will begin to happen here, too.
Thank you for speaking up – we all need to listen, react, and call out this behavior when we see it. Especially if we are white!! Now is the time to stand up for our minorities and make sure they feel supported and seen.
Thank you, Susan! It takes courage to do that, alone, in the moment, especially when you are trying to leave yourself. I would hope that, in such a situation, others would be encouraged to join you.
Way to go, Susan! Thank you for standing up to the bullies …. and sharing your experience.