Is it racist to be suspicious of Muslims with backpacks on the gym floor?

[emn1964]

Tre-do you get offended or annoyed when a store employee follows you around, keeping an eye on you like you're gonna steal something?

[Mars]

[Tre]

Is it racist to think a black guy driving a BMW stole it?

If it's a 6-series, that would not be racist at all. 

Tre-do you get offended or annoyed when a store employee follows you around, keeping an eye on you like you're gonna steal something?

This actually doesn't happen to me.  Maybe it happened once in a Korean-owned grocery store I visited in NYC when I was 14, but even though I typically dress like a bum, I don't get followed in stores.  I have observed it with other young Blacks, however.  When I worked retail (yes, I've had shitty jobs before, too), I hawked everyone, because thieves make up a majority of mall shoppers. 

Paranoia=fear

racism=fear

letting a gym bag ruin your workout = fear

No question. 

But I'm very much an in the moment sort of person.  After quickly recognizing that the bar wasn't going to move itself, I forgot all about the twink and his bag, refocused, and went right into my routine.  I got untracked for a maximum of 25-30 seconds, which I can live with since I'm not a bodybuilder.  

That's one benefit of being as ADD as I am.  Something that seems like a big deal at the time can be completely irrelevant just seconds later. 

[240 is Back]

it's okay to be a little paranoid.  there are a lot of bad guys in this world and you have to be on the lookout for them.  I've been a paranoid bastard for about 15 years now, always watching my mirrors, others peoples' hands at gas stations, etc.  family always tells me to relax.   

A few years back I'm pulling into a pizza joint to run in, and a car with two youths pulls up behind me, blocking me in, and 2 men start to get out in my direction, hands on something below window level.  I had my own glock of course, pointed down, and I mouthed the words 'no' to them as they started to open their doors.

whatever they were doing there, they mumbled to each other and got back in and calmly drove away.  of course i believe they were about to take my money or the car.  no other reason to block me in, approach, freeze, then drive away like they got caught with hand in cookie jar.   

it's good to keep an eye on others.  The world would be a better place if everyone did this.  If 15 years of being paranoid means I wasn't robbed once, it was worth it.

[haider]

Not to take attention away from the LA Fitness shooter, but here's the situation from my gym yesterday:

Although I've been able to focus pretty well during each set of my workouts, I'm still battling the hyper-awareness issue that I've had for the past few months. 

So, I couldn't help but notice the little Ethiopian twink with his backpack there on the gym floor.  As some of you may be aware, I belong to a totally frou-frou gym, so bags are definitely not allowed in the main workout areas. 

But instead of thinking, "What a douchebag" because he had his bag there, my first thought was, "He might have a bomb in there".  Because I was unable to mind my own business, it took a few extra seconds for me to re-focus and then get back into the squat rack. 

Now, I know that most Ethiopians are Christian and not Muslim, but if an open-minded realist (with optimistic leanings) like me can be so suspicious of another dark-skinned individual, is there any hope for our nation? 

In all fairness to me, he should not have had his bag on the gym floor and if he hadn't, I probably would never have seen him at all (he was a really tiny thing) and you would've been spared another 'my gym is so unfair!' post from me.

So, how many of you would've beaten him senseless and then investigated the contents of his backpack? 

doesn't matter what label you put on it.. but could that be called an irrational fear? I think so. How many times a day do you sus[ect the roof is gonna fall on you? 

[HTexan]

Serious question... Do we think someone is trying to blow up a gym now?

Of all the shit to blow up... A gym?

You think people in the UK thought the IRA was going to blow up a gym?

Just seems overblown to me.

Maybe he is trying to get one last workout in before his sees all those virgins. 

[SAMSON123]

Not to take attention away from the LA Fitness shooter, but here's the situation from my gym yesterday:

Although I've been able to focus pretty well during each set of my workouts, I'm still battling the hyper-awareness issue that I've had for the past few months. 

So, I couldn't help but notice the little Ethiopian twink with his backpack there on the gym floor.  As some of you may be aware, I belong to a totally frou-frou gym, so bags are definitely not allowed in the main workout areas. 

 But instead of thinking, "What a douchebag" because he had his bag there, my first thought was, "He might have a bomb in there".  Because I was unable to mind my own business, it took a few extra seconds for me to re-focus and then get back into the squat rack. 

Now, I know that most Ethiopians are Christian and not Muslim, but if an open-minded realist (with optimistic leanings) like me can be so suspicious of another dark-skinned individual, is there any hope for our nation? 

In all fairness to me, he should not have had his bag on the gym floor and if he hadn't, I probably would never have seen him at all (he was a really tiny thing) and you would've been spared another 'my gym is so unfair!' post from me.

So, how many of you would've beaten him senseless and then investigated the contents of his backpack? 

- First off how did you know he was Ethiopian?
- So called "HYPER AWARENESS" is also better known as PARANOIA
- "Frou Frou gym"?... A gym for (Eh Hem) "girls"
- "A bomb in a gym bag"...Cuz there is nothing makes a political statement like       
  blowing up a frou frou gym...Maybe he wanted to blow up the gym becasue he
  does not like fruits:pineapples, oranges, berries, tarts (is this a fruit)
- "Unable to mind your business"...so you were checking him out... Just say it.
- Open minded realist?...Just say your a simple minded white "male"
_ Beaten him senseless?...Prefer to bash your skull in with a sledge over this
  post...stick to things BB related.

[tu_holmes]

Why not? They did attack a post box, a pub and a "Wimpy". So a gym would be just as soft a target.

Simple.

It's more likely to die driving a car or eating a sandwich.

To fear a backpack seems a bit paranoid.

[The Wizard of Truth]

Is it racist to think a black guy driving a BMW stole it?

No,hes a drug dealer

[lax]

Simple.

It's more likely to die driving a car or eating a sandwich.

To fear a backpack seems a bit paranoid.

better safe than sorry

We are all for profiling.

[lax]

240, didn't your phramicist brother gun down a couple of would-be robbers?

[emn1964]

- First off how did you know he was Ethiopian?
- So called "HYPER AWARENESS" is also better known as PARANOIA
- "Frou Frou gym"?... A gym for (Eh Hem) "girls"
- "A bomb in a gym bag"...Cuz there is nothing makes a political statement like       
  blowing up a frou frou gym...Maybe he wanted to blow up the gym becasue he
  does not like fruits:pineapples, oranges, berries, tarts (is this a fruit)
- "Unable to mind your business"...so you were checking him out... Just say it.
- Open minded realist?...Just say your a simple minded white "male"
_ Beaten him senseless?...Prefer to bash your skull in with a sledge over this
  post...stick to things BB related.

Tre is ummmmm...colored...

[The Showstoppa]

Never trust anyone who starts the majority of their sentences with "yo."

[Signifying Monkey]

I live in London and we've had the irish, the  Muslims and David Copeland blowing the place up.

Way to date yourself.  Maybe you're also worried about the return of the plague?

[emn1964]

Way to date yourself.  Maybe you're also worried about the return of the plague?

LMAO...only if you live in Asia

[Signifying Monkey]

LMAO...only if you live in Asia

To be fair, the subway bombings were recent, but a subway seems like a more tempting target for a muslim terrorist than a gym. 

[lax]

To be fair, the subway bombings were recent, but a subway seems like a more tempting target for a muslim terrorist than a gym. 

just wathced 'Traitor' with Don Cheadle in it

the FBI head said Izzy Fundamentalists now look for targets which otherwise would not be considered / expected

[240 is Back]

240, didn't your phramicist brother gun down a couple of would-be robbers?

shot him in the belly.  but didn't shoot his friend.  kid already had his back turned.

[lax]

shot him in the belly.  but didn't shoot his friend.  kid already had his back turned.

did he die?

Did his friend escape?

[ag2]

The vast majority are Christians, but a lot of them are Muslims, yes. 

A little backstory...

I was at Six Flags last week and observed 2 Ethiopian men and 1 woman videotaping one of the rides from a position that didn't make any apparent sense.  I'm thinking, "Why would they choose that location from which to film?"  So, I snapped a few pictures of them.  I can't say exactly why I thought they were up to no good, but that's the climate of fear and paranoia that's been created. 

Of course amusement parks are great terrorist targets, but that doesn't mean that the little African family looking to preserve some memories of their day are involved in anything like that. 

When the young African boy and an older guy got off the ride and joined the others, I did feel a little bad about having been suspicious, but I never confronted them and I didn't do anything to infringe on their fun. 

So, I'm quite comfortable with what I've become.    (the hyper-awareness thing could grow to become a problem for me, though)

Could have used you on Sept 11, 2001 around 7 am eastern bro, but you should always be vigilent or else.....

[240 is Back]

did he die?

Did his friend escape?

dude lived.  45 cal round went in his belly, wedged in spine.  i think he craps in a bag now.  the both were caught, plead out, got 12 years or soemthing.

[kiwiol]

just wathced 'Traitor' with Don Cheadle in it

the FBI head said Izzy Fundamentalists now look for targets which otherwise would not be considered / expected

Did you like it? I thought it was a pretty good movie.

Body of lies wasn't too bad either.

[Signifying Monkey]

Did you like it? I thought it was a pretty good movie.

Body of lies wasn't too bad either.

Body of lies was a waste of time and talent.

[240 is Back]

Body of lies

This isn't a thread about the Bush Adminstration.

[lax]

Did you like it? I thought it was a pretty good movie.

Body of lies wasn't too bad either.

yes
very good
and why we need profiling here