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Capt. Mike, there is nothing immoral, illegal, or unethical about going with your feelings about someone, particularly when being wrong could mean your life.
You were absolutely right in deciding to err on the side of safety. In the worst case, you might have just given offense (if they even were aware that you left because of them) -- and in that case, tough crap, because hey, if you don't want to be judged as though you are a potential danger to me, don't act and present yourself as mimicking exactly that kind of person. In the best case, you might have removed yourself and your son from a robbery scene in which bullets may have flown.
We can't afford to dance this b.s. dance about how "it's wrong to judge people based on their appearance." That's utter crap. There is no utility to treating everyone as though they are all undressed plastic mannequins going about their day, no different-looking, different-appearing, different-acting from anyone else. There ARE differences, and an adept, astute observer can often tell the difference between someone who poses an elevated threat level from someone who does not. Will I act less defensively around a 48-year-old guy in a business suit who is holding his 5-year-old daughter's hand at a restaurant than I would around three black guys in baggy clothes, with gold teeth, one ankle of their sweats high and one low, lolling around on all the seats, not staying in one place or appearing to have any business there, and talking loudly and brashly with each other, possibly making rude comments about other patrons? You bet your @$$. Who is going to say I am wrong for doing it? I should just pretend that the appearances and behaviors are equal to neutral? No. They have a justified influence on how I interpret the level of threat.
-azurefly
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