Worst Thing Is, I Went Right on Enjoying My Evening...

Not more than five hours into my stay in NYC, I am ashamed to say I witnessed a robbery. While walking towards Times Square in search of a restaurant, a young man passed me at a sprint. Within seconds, a second man rushed behind him yelling "Police! Police!" Although I had passed at least four policemen in the last half-block, no one stopped the thief, and I, along with a hundred other tourist-gawkers, heard the man's cries for another several minutes.

I say I am ashamed to report the incident because it struck me as a sad example of stereotypes realized. Manhattan is certainly not the crime-ridden pit that many in my home state are inclined to believe, nor is it the safest place on earth, as New Yorkers often claim. The truth is, as most truths are, neither black nor white, but somewhere in between. There is no reason to be afraid of NYC, nor is there reason to be complacent about your safety (in my opinion, that holds true anywhere you go). I'm still not sure whether most onlookers, including myself, thought of it more as an aberration or an occurrence that, regrettably, is still par for the course in a big city.

The other stereotype that this small incident reinforced, I should sadly note, is that both men involved were black. I can't offer any meaningful comments, but have been wondering what messages about race in America the foreign tourists who saw the incident are going to take back to their homes.