5 Ways You’re Treated Like a Criminal Every Day

Most people are not criminals. Sure, everybody breaks a law or two, here and there. But for the most part, we’re all a pretty law-abiding bunch. So when you’re not breaking the law, being treated like you are should piss you off. Here are the five most common ways people are treated like criminals, even when they’re not doing anything wrong whatsoever.

1. Flying

After September 11, 2001, everybody was so afraid of the next terrorist attack that we’ve allowed the government to make it more difficult to get on an airplane than it is to buy a sub machine gun. Nowadays, you have to remove all jackets, shoes, metal or anything else that might seem mildly suspicious. You can’t bring liquids, your laptop has to be unpacked, and after all of that, you still stand a chance of being wand-raped by a 200-lb man wearing rubber gloves. Talk about degrading – especially when you’ve just spent hundreds (or thousands) of dollars on a ticket. I know, we all want to be safe and not die in a ball of exploding jet fuel. But this has gotten completely out of hand.

2. Bag Check

This one is so common, we’ve all just resigned to the fact that we have to hand over our personal belongings to complete strangers when entering a store. So it probably doesn’t seem like that big of a deal. And maybe it’s not. But if you ask me, this is just another instance of how retailers have lowered their shopping-experience standards for all costumers because of the various bad apples that any store has to deal with. Thing is, if you don’t want to hand over your bag (or at least have it rummaged through), you’re probably not going to be allowed to shop at that store. The choice is yours.

3. Talking to The Police, About Anything

If you’re a police officer, most of the people you talk to over the course of your life are lying to you. Because of this, cops are an extremely distrusting bunch. Which is why anytime time you talk to them, about anything – even reporting a crime, they act like they just caught you hanging outside a jewelry store while wearing a ski mask. Then, after they’ve made you so uncomfortable, you start questioning whether you are actually guilty of something, they start asking you why you are acting weird. Unfortunately, the only remedy for this one is to talk to the police as infrequently as possible – they’re sure as hell not going to change.

4. Receipt Checking

I cannot think of a single instance that makes me want to punch someone in the face more than having my receipt checked when trying to exit a store. To have just spent money at somewhere only to be blocked from leaving, and treated like a petty shoplifter simply for having the audacity to shop there, is enough to make anyone dream of going on their ass ‘Fight Club’. Sure, it “greatly reduces” stealing. But so what? That’s not your F’ing problem.

So don’t be intimidated: Unless you’re shopping at stores like Sam’s Club or Costco, which require signing a contract to shop there that can include receipt checks as part of the deal, you are not legally required to show them anything (though they are legally allowed to ask). So the next time that Best Buy door jockey asks to see your receipt, feel free to politely tell him to f**k off.

5. Doing Anything (While also Being Black or Hispanic and Male)

What? It’s true…