What does it feel like to be a black man in America? (1587 hits)
We live in a complicated world, and America is no different. There are layers of complexities borne out of a history that is multifaceted, where deep darkness, human degradation and astronomical accomplishments all collided to produce what we have today: a magnificent but complex nation called the United States of America. But does this country live up to its name—are we “united”? The term “melting pot” is often overused to categorize the multicultural, multinational, multi-ethnic and multi-religious makeup of the US. I say overused because “melting” signifies a fusing of many into one commonality, with no individuality, taste or defining difference. And though people of all colors, from all corners of the globe, live united under one national banner called America, there are multiple “worlds” existing within our borders—worlds like class, social status or socioeconomic backgrounds made up of the haves and the have-nots; religions; political affiliations; education; ideologies; and ethnicities. My teenage son said something to me one day that many who look like him echo. We were having a discussion on color in America. He was upset that he was stopped yet again by police officers for no justifiable reason. He is frustrated, and I am forever trying to keep that frustration from growing into anger, for I know that could be dangerous for my child. After my long spiel of “all cops aren’t racists or bad, and there are genuine police officers who look out for our safety,” he asked me if I had ever been stopped by a cop. My answer was no. He then said, “Mom, no disrespect, but you do not know how it feels; you do not know what it is to be a black male in America.” “They don’t stop you, because you are a woman and you’re pretty; they don’t see you as a threat and profile you,” he added. Those simple words felt like a ton of bricks smacked right into my chest, for at that moment I knew I couldn’t possibly know what it felt like for him or other black men—young or otherwise—walking the streets of America. Of course, I know what racism feels and looks like, for I am a black woman. I know what it feels like to be followed around the store, to be snubbed or ignored in high-end stores, to be passed over for a job or other opportunities. I know what it feels like to be affected by our grossly slanted political and social systems. I know all that, but I do not know the black male experience as he knows it, and he has not even begun to live yet. I know what it is like to be profiled in a store or professionally, but I do not know what it is like to be stopped and frisked in the subway or on the streets, to have my bags searched, simply for being a young black man. I do not know what it feels like to be profiled to the point of being murdered, shot like prey on a hunting trip or fatally shot in the bathroom of your own home because cops thought you were flushing weed down the toilet. I do not know what it's like to be shot over 50 times the night before your wedding. Or to have cops descend like a battalion on students having a party on a college campus, while white students from the same college, having similar fun across the street, are left alone. I do not know what it feels like to be stopped simply because I am driving a nice car while being black. I do not know what it feels like to be harassed even in the home you live in, because I am deemed a thug or potential criminal. I do not know what it is like to feel as if a heavy boot is constantly on the back of my neck every time I exit my door. That invisible, crushing weight must be debilitating for those not equipped or taught how to throw off that yoke or lay it down. And left to fester, it can whittle away at the very core of those carrying that burden and turn promising young men into bitter, angry, self-destructive members of our society. When the scandal of the IRS "profiling" of the tea party broke, there was widespread outrage, with some of our elected officials like Speaker John Boehner calling for prison time for those responsible. Conservative news raged nonstop—and are still raging over the audacity of that government agency's singling out one group. Why wasn't that kind of outrage shown over stop-and-frisk practices in New York City? Or racial and religious profiling of black and brown folks as well as Muslims? In fact, some of the very people raging on Fox News now have loudly called for profiling Muslims after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks. Again, are we really living up to our "united" banner or is it just a moniker? VeronicaS is based in New York City, New York, United States of America, and is an Anchor for Allvoices.
