Rude People or Racism?

This post deviates from my usual content, but I feel like I need to talk about it somewhere. 

Recently, prior to the Boston Bombings, I was flying back home from Canada. As we were taxi-ing to take off the announcement for switching electronics off came on. As someone who flies nearly every other month I knew I had a time to send a quick message to my parents before shutting off my phone. I also know that many people do not turn off their phones while taking off and their flights go perfectly alright. Anyhow I was sitting next to a middle-aged (on the older end) couple and the wife, next to me, turned to me and rather curtly said "hey, you're supposed to turn that off." I politely replied with a half chuckle to lighten the situation and said "haha yes, just sending my mom a message." Her husban on her left leans over looks at me and says "you better turn that off, I don't want to die because of you."

Uh.

I understand the fear that comes with flying in general, but I couldn't help but wonder if the couple was being rude/nervous due to my skin color or if they were just rude people in general? Being born and raised in America, I've grappled with this situation many times "are they equally rude to everyone or am I being targeted" fortunately this crossed my mind more later in my life than earlier. 

I hate playing the "racism" card because I like to believe that people who are rude are just rude in general... equal opportunity rude, if I may. I am an American through and through (so American my favorite dessert is apple pie) so it is frustrating when people of my own country (America) are potentially targeting me for not being one of "them." A year or so ago a letter was sent to my home (with horrific spelling, might I add) asking my family to go back home. How do we go back to America? My siblings and I were born here while my parents have spent more than half of their lives here. I often say immigrants/children of color have a better understanding of the beauty of America and its rights because we get to exercise it.

 I love this country. 

And that's my little rant for today. I'm not even going to get started with the misconceptions of Muslim Americans (a demographic I fall into).

God bless America, y'all.