This evening I had the opportunity to participate in the Hoodie March that was held in Charlotte, NC and synonymously in other cities all over the country with my sister and her friend. Before getting involved with the March, I had to really sit down and ask myself, in what capacity was I intending on voicing my opinions and beliefs in this situation that has been continuously surrounded in the media. The reason being is because the "media" has indeed made my head feel SO CLOUDY with so much mis-information and exaggeration that I sincerely felt that I needed the truth before I got whole heartily involved in the situation. I felt like I did not know what to believe completely. I did not want to be like a lot of individuals that get so riled up over propaganda and "hype," and jump on the bandwagon, kicking and screaming about a situation they truly know NOTHING about, besides the "he say, she say, media say." I really wanted to know the facts. And with that said I began to do my research on this case. Although things still are not completely "crystal clear," I will be honest and voice my opinion from all of the information I have gathered through hour long conversations, continuous research on the Internet and after listening to the police calls...I am not a police officer (nor do I ever intend on being), but I do feel that the fact that there is a dead 17 year old boy that was killed...especially by a stranger...someone is suppose to be in custody for this crime. Read the Miranda Rights, and place this man in jail and give him his court date! He is innocent until proven guilty...but the question is has it already been determined that he is completely innocent, and if so by whom and what law? ...NOW for this reason I felt I must March, the fact that injustice has been done REGARDLESS of race...INJUSTICE has been done, and like Martin Luther King said, injustice anywhere is a threat to injustice everywhere.
SECONDLY, this whole "hate crime" issue regarding the case, I really do not want to completely jump on the bandwagon with that situation. I honestly do not feel that the young man was killed because he is black. I honestly feel that Zimmerman, believing he was a police officer (in his own mind) hero complex, pride, whatever it was, shot this boy and now he is dead. (This is my opinion, my column...disagree then comment lol!) And I definitely feel that he needs to pay the price for killing an innocent young man that he harassed and was what I consider "stalking," while on the phone with the police, even after they told him not to pursue!!!
BUT I definitely must say, I do feel that this was stemmed from racial profiling. The fact that Zimmerman felt that this young man looked "suspicious" I still do not understand the grounds for his suspicion...because he was standing around in a hoodie? There has even been many comments that have been made that a young black male in a hoodie equals "thug." Who decided this? Who created this notion and belief?
STEREOTYPES!?!?! Due to a stereotype, racial profiling...it has resulted in a young man's death. Now I do not personally know Trayvon. There has been a lot of speculation regarding his character with found copies of his twitter page and pics (some identified as fake) with him holding up his middle finger. REGARDLESS of ALL that gibber jabber, at that moment when that young man was racially profiled, he had done NOTHING but go into a store and get a bag of skittles and a drink...he was minding his own business. Zimmerman knew nothing about him just like I didn't before all of these stories and blogs on the Internet, he knew nothing about this young man except he was black, with a hoodie, standing around...and looking "suspicious."
STEREOTYPES!!!! We all have used them and have been victims of them, If you disagree, I really would like to visit the Planet that you are from. When are we going to KILL these stereotypes, before they KILL US and look at everyone as an individual? Will it ever happen? Let's fight for the real issue at hand...every black male in a hoodie, or dreads that listen to rap is not a thug...some are, but EVERY black male is NOT, (believe me I have met some men in Corporate America that fit this description when they get off of work and take there business suit off!) Every well dressed man is not homosexual, some are but a lot are NOT, every blond is NOT stupid...this is non-sense to judge people, because of what they look like, or from the fear of the unknown.
Racial profiling with black males is a SERIOUS ISSUE! I am not going to sugar coat that. This is serious, but we must look at why. Why the FEAR is placed there! I will admit, I have pressed the lock button on my car door before when a black male has walked by fitting the identified profile of a "thug," (and I am a black woman) sagging jeans, dreads, gold teeth...we live in America, you know the profile... and it is mainly due to the visual imagery that has been portrayed in the media. Tupac, (R.I.P) brought this whole "Thug Life" concept as a way to embrace the culture of many minority black males that lived in the hood, in poverty in the 80's and early 90's, to not be ashamed of where they were brought up and where they were from....but now that image has been GLORIFIED and you see young males growing up in middle class neighborhoods with parents that work and provide opportunities, now choosing the "thug life," which was once thought of as NOT an option.
The media depicts Black males as being dangerous, aggressors, drug dealers, disrespectful, and fearless of life. These characteristics equate manhood along with the addition of money and being accompanied by many highly sexual females. Although these images are being glorified in the media, it in return is POISION to young black males that feed into the hype of this as what they need to "look like" or "act like" in today's society, and is resulting in the death of this group through murder from other races, our own race, and the increased incarceration rate. PLEASE LETS RID THIS STEREOTYPE THAT IS IN THE MEDIA! It is subconsciuosly destroying many young black males and creating a dominoe effect synonymous to the destruction of the sub culture "the black family." (Fatherless children and increase in single black mothers in single parent homes.)
I challenge us to fight these steroptypes! Lets find the positives in each other, yes we may have different cultures, but we still share the human culture! Don't be afraid to try and understand and get to know someone from another race, gender, age, or socioeconomic background status. Challenge yourself this week to step outside of your beliefs about a specific group, whether it is a young teen (which I must say some are more intelligent than some of us adults, and you would see if you have a convo with one), an individual from a different ethnic background, someone with a different sexual orientation...whom ever you have a stereotype with in your head (first be honest with yourself), reach out and have a conversation. And if you do not know what to start off with besides hello...ask them their stance on the influence of the media in their lives...I am pretty sure you will find out something interesting.
After the Zimmerman case dies down, as every situation does with the media, lets not let the noise of injustice, racial profiling and issues with stereotypes die. Continue to fight for change in America! Continue to fight for change in the Media!
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