The Trayvon Martian tragedy has forced me to think about black men. Or more to the point, how I act and think around younger African American men.
Of course I like to think I’m not at all prejudice, but that’s a lie, every one is. But not everyone admits it or is honest with themselves.
I’m naturally a pretty friendly person. I talk to strangers all the time, I visit with people in the produce isle, I know the bank tellers by name and ask about their kids, hell, I even start conversations at traffic lights. I visit with just about everybody including older African Americans just as much as white folks, but I started taking note of my own actions around young black men and those who seem less fortunate.
Guess what? I tensed up around a group of black teens in the mall. At the Dodge Store there were three African American men in their early 20s standing outside the door. Again, I tensed up. But why? I’ve never been attacked or assaulted in anyway by a black man. I’ve argued with friends who happened to be black but I’ve never had a confrontational moment with any African American.
So, for the past three days I’ve made a point to be friendly to young black men and those less fortunate.
1. As I walked out of a building three homeless (or so they appeared) black men rode past on old bikes. They looked at me with blank expressions until I smiled and said, “What a great day for a bike ride.” All three men smiled back, one waved and one guy said, ‘Yeah it is!”
I was a friendly lady in a red dress why wouldn’t they smile.
2.In Walmart there was a African American young man, probably 20 in line behind me. He was sagging, had on a white tank top and a lot of hair. I smiled and said, “I like your shoes.” He was wearing a good looking pair of high top Nikes with orange trim.
He smiled back, nodded and looked at his shoes. Thanks”.
I don’t know what the hell happened in Sanford, Florida and I don’t understand why George Zimmerman wasn’t arrested. But it’s got some of us thinking. Hopefully, that’s a good thing.
**Let me know what you think, comment, e-mail me at hampoland@gmail.comor friend me on facebook.
I think his twitter name is an absurd thing to consider in the murder of a 17 yearold football player. I also think people shouldn’t try to find reason in the victims life and we should probably focus on the guy with the gun, who shoot the kid with the skittles.
Mary, I think you are like me, it’s the details that hurt my heart with this kid. He was eating skittles and drinking ice tea, talking to his girl friend. He sounds just like my son at 17. And zimmerman should have had blood on his shirt in this morning’s video if his nose had been broken, right?
If that’s the only pic you’ve see of Trayvon Martian you might surprised to how he presented himself on face book about the time he died. Also the Twitter name he chose was “No Limits Nigger” His words, not mine. I’m not saying his killing was right but he wasen’t the sweet kid frist reported
It’s crazy, everyday new details are coming out about both of them. I did see the picture of trayvon flipping off the camera I didn’t know about the twitter name. I’m afraid well never know the entire or true story.