On a woman of any color, a hoodie is used for warmth. It symbolizes sthat the weather is a bit nippy and one is trying to protect themselves from the elements. I believe this holds true for non-black men as well. However, a hoodie on a Black boy/man can symbolize being a part of a thuggish, dangerous, questionale lifestyle. Where does this stereotype come from? The Hip-Hop Culture. Black men already have a jacked up collective image but when a young one, like Martin, dons a hoodie particularly with a certain demeanor, people get suspicious. Think I'm lying? Ask Mark Zimmerman. Ask yourself. If you see a young black man in a hoodie with a certain "swag"...lol or even if he doesn't have "swag", you're not going to think too highly of him. Rap and Hip-Hop propogated by Black men have brazenly, carelessly destroyed black men's minds as well as their collective reputation all for the sake of money. A handfull of people g(o)et rich while millions of others suffer the consequences of rap and hip-hop's ususally negative portrayals of Black masculinity. I believe every black man has a story of how they were wearing casual attire and were verbally assaulted because the person thought negatively about them.
Black Men (or the race at large) needs to work on their image. And not just making themselves seem more kissable (RedTails, anyone) but on their image of being inherrently dangerous. This may start by stop giving the 5 o' clock news ample evidence that black men are dangerous even to each other. It also includes how Black men treat Black women. Black women are more likely to be the victims of domestic violence than any other race of women. It also includes Black men being family men. It definitely includes holding the rap and hip-hop artists accountable for their portrayals of black masculinity-which include that Black men are dangerous, promiscuous, and willing to sell their soul (and race) to the devil for a few extra bucks.
I'm just saying.
I totally agree with this but from what I have read and heard so many people are in denial about this! Point the finger at hip hop and gangsta culture and everyone tries to defend it. Everyone knows (or is totally ignorant or delusional) what a gangsta looks like and they are trying to act like they don't. They are pretending that if they see a big hooded man coming up to them at night that they won't feel anything.
ReplyDeleteI even saw a photo of a baby in a hoodie with the question "Do I look suspicious?" written beside it! Of course not! Women, babies, grandmothers, and most White people do not arouse fear in people because they have nothing to do with being gangstas. Well groups of White teenaged boys with skateboards are suspicious to me because they do stuff and skate off lol. I'm also suspicious of bikers because they may be in a gang so White people can be suspicious too.
I think people hiding their faces in public is antisocial and it makes them anonymous which is naturally suspicious. If a guy goes into a convenience store or bank with a hoodie I'm sure most people would be afraid. People are playing dumb so that no one in the Black community is held accountable and has to change.