Anna, I could care less what you think. This message is more for the person who bears a questionable status and might run into the same problem. No vengance, just a warning for someone who might share a similar circumstance to avoid disclosure.
How do I know I wasn't getting mugged? Usually someone taking such an action would be interested in something from me rather than demonstrating a strong interest in message delivery. He didn't take anything. Rather, he delivered enough information to let me know where the message was coming from and what was expected of me. Prior to the event, the expectation to leave also came from some more polite sources in 'friendly' personal conversations. When it got aggressive, he made sure to disclose the connection.
My expereince had demonstrated a lesson called toooooo much information. I disclosed information with the expectation that newer federal laws would respect diversity and protect me. However, I learned a hard lesson that federal laws are seperate from mezzo norms and cultural mores. In some outdated communities, many will still fight to protect what is considered "clean." Someone stereotyped my circumstance, jumped to a false conclusion and decided that I was the dirt of the community. When I didn't listen to the personal warnings to leave, someone did a favor for someone else and delivered a stronger message with a signature that made the connection.
You go do your best to blame me. If you have never experienced an applied minority status, you may never see this part of our culture. Some communities are not yet ready for diversity and without exposure to a questionable status you just wont see it.
