White House Racism For Muslim Couple; Muslim Wife And Doctor Reveals Racist Encounter At Correspondents' Dinner

Racism, even at an event as popular as President Obama's White House Correspondents' dinner, is still an ongoing occurrence, says an Afghan woman doctor.

In a May 7 Huffington Post report, report, Dr. Seema Jilani wrote about her recent encounter with  bigotry when she attended the Correspondent's Dinner last month, hosted by President Obama and his wife, Michelle Obama.

Dr. Jilani and her husband, a noted journalist, attended the annual shindig, a "who's who" of Hollywood, Washington D.C. private and public life, but what happened to her turned out to be anything but fun.

Dr. Jilani told the Huffington Post that she never expected to become a victim of White House racism.

Jilani wrote in the Huffington article that some invited guests were given entry into the coveted event in the ballroom area, but those not having the social, business, or political "juice" were instead pointed to other areas of the hotel for cocktails and mingling.

At some point the doctor and her husband were physically separated. She realized her husband had her keys. She made her way back to the elevator that led to the ball, but was abruptly turned away by third-party security, who said, "You can't go down without a ticket."

Even after pleading her case and making it clear she had no intention to enter the ballroom, she was refused entry. She was told a ticket is required for entry; no exceptions.

Shockingly, for the next 30 minutes, the woman stood by and observed how countless white women were allowed entry without having to show a ticket beforehand.

In the Huffington Post article, she wrote:

"I explained my situation and that I just wanted my keys from my husband in the foyer and that I wouldn't need to enter in the ballroom. They refused to let me through. For the next half hour, they watched as I frantically called my husband but was unable to reach him.

"I asked why they were allowing them to go freely when they had just told me that I needed a ticket. Their response? 'Well, now we are checking tickets.' He rolled his eyes and let another woman through, this time actually checking her ticket. His smug tone, enveloped in condescension, taunted, 'See? That's what a ticket looks like.'

"I've come to expect this repulsive racism in many aspects of my life, but when I find it entrenched in these smaller encounters is when salt is sprinkled deep into the wounds. In these crystallizing moments it is clear that while I might see myself as just another all-American gal who has great affection for this country, others see me as something less than human, more now than ever before."

The White House security staff member was later seen happily escorting another woman inside the ballroom. Apparently, she indicated she did not have a ticket, but was still given entry.

Overwhelmed with the overt racism from the incident, the physician was reduced to tears, which soon led to her outburst of anger.

She explained, "We are all human beings and I only ask that you give me the same respect you give others. All I am asking is to be treating with a dignity and humanity. What you did is wrong," shaking in rage.

It's unknown if White House racism exists either by tradition or ignorance. However, to a Muslim woman and medical doctor who has encountered forms of racism in public over her race, it feels like a never-ending occurrence.