>I think you're giving too much importance to something quite insignificant here, his race and background.
It's not insignificant. People from non-privileged backgrounds know that things can happen to them if they cross some lines.
If it was a black man in the 60's (same era as Mott) he would know that he could be beaten up for just going to the wrong restaurant, or sitting at the wrong side of the bus, in his own home country.
Which means he would for that reason alone think thrice about crossing an international border of a cold war enemy illegally...
>It's not insignificant. People from non-privileged backgrounds know that things can happen to them if they cross some lines.
So do most "privileged people". The propensity to ignore borders has a lot more to do with your views of the countries and international politics than it has to do with privilege.
It's not insignificant. People from non-privileged backgrounds know that things can happen to them if they cross some lines.
If it was a black man in the 60's (same era as Mott) he would know that he could be beaten up for just going to the wrong restaurant, or sitting at the wrong side of the bus, in his own home country.
Which means he would for that reason alone think thrice about crossing an international border of a cold war enemy illegally...