Oh these Moroccan days…
In my travels throughout Morocco, one of the biggest things that stood out in contrast to the United States was the lack of police presence. I kept count of the amount of times I saw police officers in the five weeks I was in Morocco, and the number did not exceed ten. In stark contrast, on my drive to work in Los Angeles I usually see police officers five or six times a day. It felt nice not to have to tense up so often in Morocco whereas in LA I am constantly thinking what the police officers are going to use as an excuse to stop me now. Even in the so-called “rough neighborhoods” in Morocco I did not see officers. In LA “rough neighborhoods” are swarming with police officers waiting for someone to commit a crime. Now I’m not sure if this difference is due to Moroccans’ peaceful nature or part of the Islamic way of life, but it felt safer in Morocco than in many parts in the United States. There was no need for police presence to “guarantee” my safety. There is much we can learn from Morocco to learn how we can live a more peaceful life.
Eddie, I told Jelani that the Moroccan police man reminds me of the Maytag man- they are both waiting to be of service. It was certainly refreshing not to tense up when I saw an officer in Morocco. I enjoyed the peace and tranquility they bring to a tourist, especially, one of color.
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