Sir, I boarded a plane from Texas with a white man wearing a T-shirt that read: “The Second Amendment: The original Homeland Security” with a scull holding two guns crossed in its mouth. I had two thoughts: firstly, wow. White privilege at its finest. I’m not sure people who don’t have this issue understand the pains we take to not look threatening because it can cost us our flight, and for some their lives. Yet he felt totally comfortable wearing that T-shirt to the airport.

And secondly, had I complained to the pilot about “not feeling safe” because of his openly pro-violence expression (not speaking a different language or praying) would this gentleman get kicked off the plane and face 13 hours of interrogation about his political and religious beliefs? The reality is if I had said anything the only one getting kicked off that plane would have been me.

Yours
Dalia Mogahed
Online submission