Clothes Break the Man

Last week, Geraldo Rivera got into it with his comments on the Trayvon Martin killing. His exact words were, "I think the hoodie is as much responsible for Trayvon Martin's death as George Zimmerman was. I am urging the parents of Black and Latino youngsters, particularly, to not let their children go out wearing hoodies." Facing a backlash, Rivera walked back his comments a little bit earlier this week and offered an apology of sorts.


I remember when it was us that were afraid of men wearing hoods. Now, for many Americans, it's the hooded black man who is the symbol of terror. There are plenty of Americans who would probably agree with Rivera's sentiment. For them, the black teen in the hoodie is something to be concerned about and someone to fear. Our nation is so screwed up on racial issues that I am tempted to meet the profilers halfway: you get to be afraid of us, but we get to avoid being shot. Even that would be an improvement. Look how far we've come, America: Our children aren't being judged simply by the color of their skin, but by the content of their clothing.


What Rivera said was insidious -- but like most insidious comments, there is an element of truth to them. I've told my son not to wear certain outfits lest he be perceived the wrong way. I've grown up watching kids being killed over their Jordans, leather coats, jewelry or even if they were simply wearing the wrong color. When I transferred to Locke High School, I showed up wearing red because I assumed they were Bloods like in my neighborhood. Well, they weren't. Those Crips chased me down after school and kicked my ass, black and blue.


So maybe instead of having the police, we need to have the fashion police. They can roam the streets and let urban youth know if their get-ups are spooking the people. You have the right to remain fabulous, but anything you wear can and will be used against you in the court of public opinion.


Sounds ridiculous? But in many ways, this absurd reasoning is being touted as a solution to racial conflict. France famously banned the burqa, and now there is no conflict between native Frenchpeople and Muslim immigrants. Except for the fact that neofascist Marine le Pen is third in the polls, and except for the fact that Mohamed Merah went on a murderous shooting spree. But other than that, French/minority relations have never been better, right? Closer to home, it is easier for a black man to end up in jail than in college. The conservative solution? School uniforms. It's the clothes, stupid? Really?


To be perfectly honest, I wish changing mindsets were as simple as changing outfits. What a small price that would be to pay if we could eliminate animus and hatred in America. But it's not that easy, of course. If you're so predisposed, any article of clothing can be evidence of evil. When a white man wears a suit and bow tie, he's a hipster. But when Nation of Islam members wear a suit and bow tie -- the very symbol of dorkiness -- they're ominous and dangerous. It's not simply a matter of disagreeing violently with their views. Most Americans don't agree with Michael Moore, but they're not afraid of him.


Styles come and go. Hoodies, like everything else, will eventually be out of fashion. But every season, racial intolerance seems to be the new black. Coco Chanel, who brought us the little black dress, advised people to take one thing off before leaving the house. If that thing were hatred, then surely we'd all the better for it.



Written by D.L. Hughley
original credits http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dl-hugley/trayvon-martin-geraldo_b_1389832.html
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Howard University Trayvon Martin "Am I Suspicious?" Campaign Video

A must see
This video was put together in response to the killing Of Trayvon Martin & the national epidemic of racial profiling of people of color all colors not just African Americans


Howard University Trayvon Martin "Am I Suspicious?" Campaign Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rH5bB8HUWFs

Boogeyman 3.0

Boogeyman 3.0 A powerful thought provoking glimpse into life's stark realities for people of color

When we were kids, we all feared the boogeyman. He'd be waiting under the bed to grab us as soon as we fell asleep. He'd be hiding in the closet, counting down the seconds until our parents turned off the light and left us defenseless. Our parents would roll their eyes and tell us that we were being silly. They knew the boogeyman simply personified the typical childhood fear of the dark.


Now that I'm a parent myself, I know that the boogeyman doesn't live under the bed and doesn't hide in the closet -- but I also know that he is real. For a black parent, the boogeyman lives on the other end of the phone. Our greatest fear is that he'll make that phone ring and tell us that something has happened to our son. I can't imagine the nightmare that Trayvon Martin's parents are going through. What happened to Trayvon is the most recent example in a very long list of incidents. It doesn't have to be a crazy racist or police brutality. If anything, it's more likely to be a bullet meant for someone else.


I grew up in South Central Los Angeles. As a kid myself, I witnessed children gunned down. Me and my friends quickly learned the rules to minimize danger. But the danger wasn't ever gone. As an adult, I taught my son Kyle how to read and how to catch a ball. I tried to teach him the rules about what it means to be a young black man in America. He rolled his eyes at me. After all, Obama's president now! Kyle doesn't roll his eyes anymore. Not after he walked into a Beverly Hills jewelry store dressed like a rapper -- not long after the jewelry store had been robbed. When the security guard pulled a gun on Kyle, it spoke clearer than anything I could have said.


I knew something like that was inevitable, since I'm not the only person who believes in the boogeyman. For many Americans, their boogeyman is the urban black male. Most of us know someone who stole, say, a candy bar as a kid. When white parents find out, they march their son to the store. He is forced to return the candy and makes a full apology, bursting into tears. The storekeeper and the parent exchange winks, knowing the child has learned his lesson. But black parents don't have that option. The black child who takes a candy bar is perceived as being a thug in training. "It's candy bars today," they'll say, "but it'll be muggings tomorrow."


The image of the black male as a savage predator has been with this nation since the beginning. It's what kept us in chains, lest we run free and ravage the oh-so-innocent daughters of the South. It's what led to drug criminalization, since narcotics allegedly released our true bestial nature. People are pleading to "let justice run its course" in the Trayvon Martin case -- when the legal system wasn't even interested in investigating.


What I found most telling about the Trayvon Martin case was how all the media pointed out his many academic achievements, as if he needs to wear a shirt that says "Don't shoot; I'm one of the good ones!" The impetus is to point out that Trayvon wasn't the "typical" black youth. When many Americans hear that a young black man has been shot, their assumption is, "Well, he must have done something to deserve it."


When a black man is shot to death in this country it's regarded as normal. Black men are the most likely of any racial group to be murder victims -- and I don't mean per capita. More black people are murder victims in this country than any other group, even though we are only about 13 percent of the population. But just because an event is common, that doesn't make it normal. Common practices change all the time. On a basic level, everyone used to sneeze into their hands. Now, people know to sneeze into their elbows to stop spreading disease through routine contact. Just because something happens a certain way doesn't mean it has to remain that way.


The dehumanization of the young black male is not a liberal issue and it's not a conservative issue. It's a human rights issue. Human rights are the basis of any civilized nation, from capitalist America to socialist Sweden. It's the first thing Thomas Jefferson mentioned in the Declaration of Independence, so important that it came before the "declaration" itself! If we can't respect human life in this country, how can we claim to be an example to the world? It seems to me that Ronald Reagan's "shining city upon a hill" has become a gated community, where certain "undesirable elements" are not welcome -- and are not important.


Our parents sat us down and explained that the boogeyman doesn't really live in the closet. They had a conversation. But until our nation gets mature enough to have a similar discussion, we'll always be looking over our shoulders -- and children like Trayvon Martin will end up paying the price.

Written by D.L. Hughley

original credits http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dl-hugley/trayvon-martin-black-boys_b_1379979.html
 Follow D.L. Hughley on http://www.twitter.com/realdlhughley
Pic courtsey of http://sleepingresources.com

I'm not concerned with your liking or disliking me... 
All I ask is that you respect me as a human being. 
- Jackie Robinson

Afrah Nasser: No Amnesty for Gross Human Rights Violations

No Amnesty for Gross Human Rights Violations in Yemen

GENEVA – UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay on Friday urged decision-makers in Yemen to respect the prohibition in international law against amnesties for gross human rights violations.

“I have been closely following the events in Yemen, particularly the very contentious debate about an amnesty law to be presented to Parliament shortly,” the High Commissioner said. “International law and the UN policy are clear on the matter: amnesties are not permissible if they prevent the prosecution of individuals who may be criminally responsible for international crimes including war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide, and gross violations of human rights.”

“Based on information we have gathered, there is reason to believe that some of these crimes were committed in Yemen during the period for which an amnesty is under consideration. Such an amnesty would be in violation of Yemen’s international human rights obligations.”

Pillay stressed that a victim-centred approach to justice is essential to restore stability to a society emerging from a period of violent conflict.

“Victims have the right to justice, to the truth, to remedy and reparation – these are rights that are well-established internationally,” she said. “Any adopted legislation would also need to respect the principle of equality before the law – meaning that there should be no discrimination between individuals who are pro-Government or in opposition and no distinction based on family connections. Every individual who commits a crime is accountable and should not be allowed to escape justice.”

The High Commissioner thanked Yemeni authorities for their cooperation during the recent mission to the country by the UN Human Rights office, undertaken to prepare for the next report by the High Commissioner to the Human Rights Council regarding Yemen. She reiterated the availability of the office in assisting the Government to fulfil its human rights obligations.

story posted courtesy of Afrah Nasser 

http://afrahnasser.blogspot.com/2012/01/no-amnesty-for-gross-human-rights.html?spref=bl

The Rule of Respect

While he may not have had personally said it, there is still truth to it!

This sign speaks Volumes I'm sure you would agree!