The Murder of Trayvon Martin

[knight_shadow]

Originally Posted by I2K Beta Mu

I feel you there, but dude wasn't on an interview so he should be able to dress how he pleases. Geraldo is full of shit as far as I'm concerned.

Obviously, an interview is not the only place where you should be concerned with appearances. (General) You are grown, so dress however you want, but you can't get mad if you are stereotyped as a "hood" or "thug"

[I2K Beta Mu]

Originally Posted by knight_shadow

Obviously, an interview is not the only place where you should be concerned with appearances. (General) You are grown, so dress however you want, but you can't get mad if you are stereotyped as a "hood" or "thug"

Folks are going to stereotype you regardless of what you wear. You can wear a Hugo Boss suit, but depending on how you are as a person, most folks will judge or stereotype you based on that alone. I don't really give a shit how folks stereotype me, because they're going to do that anyway.

[knight_shadow]

Originally Posted by I2K Beta Mu

Folks are going to stereotype you regardless of what you wear. You can wear a Hugo Boss suit, but depending on how you are as a person, most folks will judge or stereotype you based on that alone. I don't really give a shit how folks stereotype me, because they're going to do that anyway.

Yes, some folks will stereotype regardless of your look (as I stated earlier, I'm willing to bet Zimmerman would have found Martin suspicious if he wasn't wearing the hoodie), but that doesn't mean you should happily run around perpetuating said stereotypes.

[I2K Beta Mu]

Originally Posted by knight_shadow

Yes, some folks will stereotype regardless of your look (as I stated earlier, I'm willing to bet Zimmerman would have found Martin suspicious if he wasn't wearing the hoodie), but that doesn't mean you should happily run around perpetuating said stereotypes.

Like I said in my post, you should wear what you feel comfortable wearing (when you are on your own time) regardless of what folks say or think.

There is no excuse for what happened to that kid, point blank.

[knight_shadow]

Originally Posted by I2K Beta Mu

Like I said in my post, you should wear what you feel comfortable wearing (when you are on your own time) regardless of what folks say or think.

Again, folks can do what they want, but just realize that it may or may not cause others to perceive you a certain way.

There is no excuse for what happened to that kid, point blank.

Agreed (as I said multiple times lol)

[DaemonSeid]

Originally Posted by knight_shadow

Yes, some folks will stereotype regardless of your look (as I stated earlier, I'm willing to bet Zimmerman would have found Martin suspicious if he wasn't wearing the hoodie), but that doesn't mean you should happily run around perpetuating said stereotypes.

Exactly and that is the problem.

You have a freedom but you ALSO have a responsibility.

Part of what bothers me about our younger kids coming up today is that some are not being TAUGHT that they are already stereotyped by looks alone and BY ACTING OUT those stereotypes they further along those stereotypes.

[knight_shadow]

Originally Posted by Senusret I

Yes, you can.

(No shade) I obviously disagree, but I'm curious why you feel that way. IIRC, I've seen you post to aspirants telling them to dress/speak appropriately when seeking membership in GLOs or face rejection. Why wouldn't the same hold true outside of the Greek world?

I think that, ESPECIALLY in the AA community, we should mindful of these things so that we're not "setting people back xx years" (for lack of a better phrase).

Originally Posted by DaemonSeid

Exactly and that is the problem.

You have a freedom but you ALSO have a responsibility.

Part of what bothers me about our younger kids coming up today is that some are not being TAUGHT that they are already stereotyped by looks alone and BY ACTING OUT those stereotypes they further along those stereotypes.

Yep.

And like DrPhil said, this side "issue" is taking away from the situation at hand, but what do we expect from a former "shock" journalist?

-----

Restating one more time: No, I don't think that a hoodie caused his death or that a mini-skirt invites rape.

[agzg]

Originally Posted by knight_shadow

(No shade) I obviously disagree, but I'm curious why you feel that way. IIRC, I've seen you post to aspirants telling them to dress/speak appropriately when seeking membership in GLOs or face rejection. Why wouldn't the same hold true outside of the Greek world?

I think that, ESPECIALLY in the AA community, we should mindful of these things so that we're not "setting people back xx years" (for lack of a better phrase).

But isn't giving in to the way white people think you should dress setting people back xx years? Why should one dress for the comfort of white people, or people in general?

When certain items of clothing are "ok" for Justin Bieber to wear, but not "ok" for Trayvon Martin, doesn't that say more about the problem than "young black men should not wear hoodies because it makes them look 'hood'?"

[DaemonSeid]

Originally Posted by agzg

Why should one dress for the comfort of white people, or people in general?

We are already at a disadvantage and negatively stereotyped just by the color of our skin. Add onto that what we are wearing and then how it's worn. Finally, take said us and put us into a public situation and and watch how we act. Does it increase or lessen the stereotypes that non blacks have towards us?

In most cases it doesn't even matter what we wear, but I think part of the issue is the attitude of those who play right into the stereotypes by acting out in public and do nothing BUT reinforce what non blacks believe about us.

Still, at the end of the day it gives no one the right to chase another down and kill them just because they 'fit the description'.

[knight_shadow]

Originally Posted by agzg

But isn't giving in to the way white people think you should dress setting people back xx years? Why should one dress for the comfort of white people, or people in general?

If you want to make it in a "white man's world," you sometimes have to dress the part. As long as we're a power minority, it's something we have to deal with.

When certain items of clothing are "ok" for Justin Bieber to wear, but not "ok" for Trayvon Martin, doesn't that say more about the problem than "young black men should not wear hoodies because it makes them look 'hood'?"

Yes, it is a problem. That's nothing new.

ETA: Bieber is on Access Hollywood right now wearing "urban" attire (including a hoodie). Speak of the devil...

[Senusret I]

Originally Posted by knight_shadow

IIRC, I've seen you post to aspirants telling them to dress/speak appropriately when seeking membership in GLOs or face rejection.

Originally Posted by agzg

But isn't giving in to the way white people think you should dress setting people back xx years? Why should one dress for the comfort of white people, or people in general?

When certain items of clothing are "ok" for Justin Bieber to wear, but not "ok" for Trayvon Martin, doesn't that say more about the problem than "young black men should not wear hoodies because it makes them look 'hood'?"

This exactly.

[DrPhil]

"I'll be damn gag me with a spoon."

~ Greg Nice, Nice & Smooth, Hip Hop Junkies

[Senusret I]

Originally Posted by knight_shadow

Obviously, an interview is not the only place where you should be concerned with appearances. (General) You are grown, so dress however you want, but you can't get mad if you are stereotyped as a "hood" or "thug"

Yes, you can.

[sigmadiva]

Originally Posted by knight_shadow

Obviously, an interview is not the only place where you should be concerned with appearances. (General) You are grown, so dress however you want, but you can't get mad if you are stereotyped as a "hood" or "thug"

It depends.

If you are Black wearing a "hoodie", then yes, you are most likely stereotyped as a thug. If you are White wearing a "hoodie", then you are most likely stereotyped as cool.

[knight_shadow]

Originally Posted by sigmadiva

It depends.

If you are Black wearing a "hoodie", then yes, you are most likely stereotyped as a thug. If you are White wearing a "hoodie", then you are most likely stereotyped as cool.

True.

I was trying to think of this outside of the Trayvon Martin context, though, so I'm not only referring to hoodies.