Facing the ‘Zimmermans’ in Our Own Communities
Many of us have probably heard stories about, seen on television, or even personally witnessed the woman who clenches her purse a little more tightly in her hands as a black man (or woman) approaches, but how often is that woman (or at least how often is she depicted in the media as) a black woman? However, reflecting on moments in my own life growing up in predominantly black neighborhoods, while I was always told to treat everyone fairly and with respect and even taught about the importance of not subscribing to society’s negative stereotypes about people (and especially men) of color, I can remember things like being told not to get out of the car until a group of males or a even a single male stranger walked past. I was never told to do these things only in the presence of black males, but there were rarely males of any other ethnic group where I grew up.
Still, how often do we as black people, openly complain about “thugs” and “hoodlums,” and usually not in the context of a troublesome white child. No, we should not ignore black people’s wrongdoings or criminal behavior, but as a people who know the dangers and pain of discrimination, we should remember that all labels are relative and that they usually don’t tell the whole story.
As black women, how many of us have rolled our eyes, quickened our stride, or flat out ignored a group of black men we passed on the street who spoke to us or attempted to approach or speak to us as we went about our day? Let’s be honest, it’s not always a matter of respect or safety. Would we speed past the men standing outside of a Wall Street office building? Everyone loves a brother in a suit, but not as many seem to be checking for the ones whose pants are sagging.
Speaking of sagging pants, taking the profiling blame off of the shoulders of black women, men and women alike—albeit usually older ones–have complained about black males wearing sagging pants. States such as Mississippi, Georgia, and even New York have proposed banning them. Where are the marches and social media movements for that? The legislators, some of whom are African American, pushing for those laws are engaging in their own form of profiling. Yet, many activists and legislators are championing against NYPD stop-and-frisk laws.
Translation: We don’t want law enforcement to target you, so we’ll do it from the legislature, or in the case of the complainers, just in the comfort of our own minds and neighborhoods instead. While many people may think that it helps, telling our youth not to wear certain things, also known as the Geraldo Rivera defense, says that profiling and discrimination are simply practices to which potential targets must adjust, which automatically assumes wrongdoing on the victims’ part.
People are people. We cannot stigmatize and judge them on one hand, while campaigning against it on the other. As we work to get society to stop stereotyping, judging, and fearing our sons, we cannot continue to perpetuate these attitudes ourselves.
@ Toppin I would like you to know that in my experience their are not many black men who engage in this kind of behavior. The fact that we are a minority and have been targeted by racisim in the media and by the law makes it seem like our race is full of ignorant degenerates that are hell bent on causing harm to other people. This is not the case. Neither I nor any of my friends have done harm to anyone. I would like to apologize for the picture that has been painted for you by several rap videos and BET bull crap infomercials, but let me assure you that black men are not the problem. It is the fault of men and women of our race buying into ignorance as away of fitting into a social norm. If women didnt have the idea that this bad boy image was so appealing what man would ever behave that way? If you have ever felt an attraction to any man because of a bad boy image I regret to inform you that you are partially respesonsible for this behavior because that is where the sagging pants and hoody crap came from. So please next time you racially profile a black man calculate the percentage of black men that are gulity of these crimes and multiply it by the number of white men in this country. Im pretty sure we are not the larger threat.
“If women didnt have the idea that this bad boy image was so appealing what man would ever behave that way? If you have ever felt an attraction to any man because of a bad boy image I regret to inform you that you are partially respesonsible for this behavior because that is where the sagging pants and hoody crap came from.”
- So you are just another person who believes that women are responsible for the behavior of men.
- Sagging pants did not come from women liking ‘bad boys’.
@Moz and JsaJsa28
I would like you to know that in my experience a white man has NEVER taken anything from me. The media has NEVER taken anything from me. When I’m out on the street I’m not thinking about a white man or the media running up on me trying to start some ish. However, a BLACK MAN has done all of the above.
I don’t live anywhere near the hood nor do I date black thugs (or black men period…which is a whole different topic). NONE OF THE ABOVE HAS STOPPED BLACK MEN FROM DOING THE FOLLOWING:
1). Breaking into my car.
2). Harrassing me on the street.
3). Following me around stores AND on the street.
4). Walking up to me in a menacing type of way.
5). Shouting profane words once shot down.
This list could go on and on. And no….it is NOT always the so-called “thugs” doing it.
It ain’t the media sweetie. I ain’t the white man sweetie. I ain’t black women sweetie. The problem here is BLACK MEN.
So you damn right I racial profile and I will continue to do so if it means my safety.
Furthermore, I suggest you learn your history and recognize the reality that black WOMEN don’t have jack ish to with black MEN sagging their pants or any of the other hoodlum treads that have been adapted. How typical of you, a black man, to TRY to pin the behavior of MEN on WOMEN.
+1 For Toppin.
“If women didnt have the idea that this bad boy image was so appealing what man would ever behave that way? If you have ever felt an attraction to any man because of a bad boy image I regret to inform you that you are partially respesonsible for this behavior because that is where the sagging pants and hoody crap came from.”
“The attention of women is a great incentive for a lot of things. Lets not pretend otherwise. I wouldnt blame a man’s bad behavior on a woman but women dont exactly punish men for being bad. They dont ostracize bad boys. This is especially true of young women.”
This argument is THE WORST. Something is always someone else’s fault right?
Please answer me this question, are men specifically black men the stupidest people on earth? Are they incapable of think for themselves because they are stupid mindless automatons that have been lobotomized from birth?
Because every time someone makes that argument that is what you are saying, that black men are so stupid they can’t think for themselves and so the let the perceived attractions of a few women dictate how they decide to live their own lives. Geez, if I were a black man I would get irritated by this argue ALL the time because it implies I’m too weak and feeble minded to think on my own.
People need to stop passing the buck to someone else and take f***ing responsibility for your own actions. No one forces these men/boys to act or dress this way, they consciously decide to do so. It doesn’t take a rocket scientists to see that not all women go for “bad boys” just like it doesn’t take a rocket science to figure out “hey, if the women I am around are attracted to criminals, rather than committing crimes and spending the rest of my life fearing anal rape in prison, i’ll just find a set of women to hang around and attract”.
Furthermore, I suggest you learn your history and recognize the reality that black WOMEN don’t have jack ish to with black MEN sagging their pants or any of the other hoodlum treads that have been adapted. How typical of you, a black man, to TRY to pin the behavior of MEN on WOMEN.
BW dont mind having sex with them “negative reinforcement”, their mothers dont mind how they look either. What ever behavior you see and dont like, its because the mother didnt remove that behavior.
A white man aka white community will never accept you as much as you accept them, you have to prove that you are not as ghetto as the other black folk that you love to point a finger at.
How about facing the Zimmermans in the comment section?….the Ku Klutch Klan….lol
Ugh, I know.
For the view men that have commented on here, stop denying that too many black men are quilty of menacing our neighborhoods. And the pack mentality is deep. Sure the women commenting are quite harsh in tone, but the message is true. Young black boys, especially, are frightening. Dont get upset with women for stating the truth, get upset with black men for creating the problem
FEW men…not ”view” men
It seems that ppl in general are really in denial about what really goes on in predominately black neighborhoods.
I profile all men. After 2 yrs of riding the bus and endearing harassment disguised as some sad excuse at “flirting”, I don’t get buddy, buddy with strange men. It’s sad, but I am hesitant to even smile and say hello on the street, because in my experience, it has led to unwanted responses. These men have just so happened to be black, but I think it’s more of saying things to people of your own race than some idea that all black men are bad and do this.
All that being said, so glad I have a car now! Finally learned how to drive 3 wks ago (I’m 21 and an obvious late bloomer, lol!) and the stress/burden off my shoulder has been tremendous.
I get you on the smile thing. You just can’t say hello or grin a little with out that being an invitation ugh
You can’t even accidentally have eye contact without them thinking it was an invitation to approach.