The Message

July 14, 2013

The worst thing is the message that this sends

I assume you know me, as we are Tumblr friends.
I assume you know my temperament.
I assume you know how prone I am to search for peaceful resolution.
I assume you know that I am generally articulate and respectful.

Let’s for argument’s sake assume that it was me walking through that neighborhood on the way to see my father. Or my wife. Or maybe. I’m looking to buy some property. Or maybe, God forbid, I just want to go for a walk.

I can guarantee you that if I thought someone was following me, I would at some point confront the person following me.

The verdict in the Zimmerman case sends the message that, I had better not confront the follower.
The stranger.
The possible vigilante.
The could be racist.
The self appointed John Wayne.
Because he could shoot me and get away with it.

So I have to walk with my plume in check.
Shuffle with my eyes down and turn my face towards the ground.
Make sure that I’m not wearing a hoodie.
And just to be safe, I should have on some dockers.
And above all, not stand MY OWN GOD DAMNED GROUND.

Because even if a 911 operator advises the stranger that is following me to stand down, he can shoot me and get away with it.

That’s the message that is being sent here.

So I walk with my plume in check.
Shuffle with my eyes down and my face towards the ground.
And I make sure that I’m not wearing a hoodie
And just to be safe, I wear dockers.
And above all, I’ll surrender MY OWN GOD DAMNED GROUND.
To get from point a to b

That ain’t living.
No matter what your race is.
Gun culture wins.
Stereotypes survive.
To all the dark skinned kids who get this message and turn down their shine so they don’t get shot, I apologize.
That ain’t living. I know.