This is completing politically incorrect, but when it comes to saving yourself and family from violence you are probably like me and don’t care about being politically correct. I care about keeping my family safe. I define racial profiling as just profiling. I profile people by the their appearance, how they act, how they dress, and the environment they are in. Skin color is really not a factor and only means something if they are in the wrong area.
In California I lived in a low-income part of Orange County, predominately Mexican immigrant area and highly infested with gang members (no one isn’t an effect of the other). I think my roommate and I were 2 of 4 white people in the neighborhood. It didn’t bother us at all. They left us alone and we left them alone. In fact, the culture was great. It had some of the best food in the city and produce was locally grown and sold out of the back of trucks on our street.
The one dirt bag (career criminal) that came through the area was a rich white guy. He drove a brand new bright red Ferrari, had a $2,000 suit and the locals held parking spots for him. While he was inside one of the local gang members would guard his car. I called the cops a couple times, but they never could do anything about it. My wife joking called him Daddy Warbucks hoping that it wasn’t what it looked like.
Profiling shouldn’t have the negative connotations that it does, you should use it to keep you safe. In self defense you are looking for the person that are out of place for that area. Look at dress, mannerism, attitude, and the person’s actions. Does that person fit where you are? Then look at what that person is paying attention to. If the person is out of place and he is paying attention to you, you may have a problem.
Next time you are out look at the people around you. There is a culture (for lack of better word) everywhere you go. Even your local Walmart will have it’s own feel. People will dress a certain way, look a certain way, and have mostly the same attitude. Don’t believe me? Go to your local Walmart and then go the next closest one. If you are paying attention you’ll see the difference. Pay attention to the culture of the area you are in and look for that person that is out of place. As you go through life, pay attention to the culture around you and then look for those people that are out of place. Very few criminals truly blend into their environment, mostly because they don’t care to. After you practice it for a little while it will become second nature and you will notice things and people that you didn’t before. It makes life more interesting. Try it the next time you go out.
Stay Safe,
Ben
Just wanted to drop you a line, and tell you great job on TSP! I have been (still am) in Security and it is vital to pay attention to details and mannerisms of people.
Thanks for the feed back. I was super nervous talking to everyone.
Hi Ben,
Just heard your episode on TSP–awesome. Prompted me to come to your blog. Great post. I’ll be paying more attn to my surroundings. It really makes sense for improving situational awareness.
I agree that profiling shouldn’t be “politically incorrect”. The Israelis do it all the time along with using dogs in airports to prevent terrorist attacks on airlines. They are more successful at keeping individual flights safe than we are with all of the expensive “high-tech” equip and TSA “agents”.
Thanks for the feed back! I totally agree. We could learn a lot from the Israelis about airport security. Rumor has it that after 9/11 the government had some Israelis come in as consultants, but the US refused to do any of their suggestions because it was politically incorrect. Everything is a work in progress and hopefully TSA will get better. But as long as we take responsibility for our own safety the world will be a safer place.
Thanks for the great comment.