George Zimmerman Found Not Guilty

[sparks19]

Different individuals may be affected to varying degrees, but I can walk through my neighborhood looking as if I'm looking in people's houses (which I often do because I like to look at different styles of houses when I walk) or cutting through an alley or yard without someone calling the cops on me or following me around. Any one of us who have grown up with that privilege, if we had to live without it for a single day, would probably be singing a different tune.

Yes but you get a 17 year old white boy with a hoodie and pants hanging down to his knees walking around a neighborhood that has experienced a lot of "hoodlum" or young vandal crime and they are often treated the same way... with suspicion.

As a teen I liked the "hip hop" boys and I can honestly say on more than one occasion while walking with one of them at night or sitting somewhere with one of them at night, police officers have stopped to "check on me". and these were all white teenage males. One was pulled over one time and the officer said that the make of vehicle is a commonly stolen one and they just wanted to check. ???? Young, white male, hat on, loud music.

I'm not saying racism doesn't exsist or anything like that but young, white, males don't rule the world and never get questioned.

 

[Romy]

Well I know as a white woman I can do things like walk down the street without people clutching their purses, crossing to the other side, or avoiding eye contact with me. Nobody follows or hovers over me in a store. In fact, as long as I act like I'm entitled to be somewhere I can go just about anywhere I dang well please and get away with just about any sorta suspicious thing short of overt criminal behavior without anyone questioning me the vast, vast majority of the time. And if I am questioned, people listen to my explanation/excuse.

What's completely narrow-viewed is denying that white privilege exists. Different individuals may be affected to varying degrees, but I can walk through my neighborhood looking as if I'm looking in people's houses (which I often do because I like to look at different styles of houses when I walk) or cutting through an alley or yard without someone calling the cops on me or following me around. Any one of us who have grown up with that privilege, if we had to live without it for a single day, would probably be singing a different tune.

This. ^

I'm mixed, but am able to blend in with a lot of different populations. Here in the NW, it's like racial lala land and most people treat me like a person.

Then I moved to the SW. It's really sunny there. I got pretty dang brown. I also had a Spanish last name. And I was pregnant.

Hoooly crap. People are so racist it's not even, just, whoa. White privilege means you can be pregnant without strangers giving you dirty looks. It means complete strangers don't throw garbage at you and scream at you to go have your baby in Mexico. Really. People throw garbage at pregnant Hispanic women. I had no idea. It's beyond appalling.

Being a white pregnant woman means people don't call you a welfare mama and a lazy mooch. They don't tell you to "go home", even though your ancestors were here centuries before theirs.

That's what white privilege is. I experienced a GLIMPSE into what some people go through every day of their lives. It's not pretty. It's really really awful. And once you've experienced it first hand, you can't unsee or unfeel it. It's exists and it's more common than you think.

 

[Dogdragoness]

This. ^

I'm mixed, but am able to blend in with a lot of different populations. Here in the NW, it's like racial lala land and most people treat me like a person.

Then I moved to the SW. It's really sunny there. I got pretty dang brown. I also had a Spanish last name. And I was pregnant.

Hoooly crap. People are so racist it's not even, just, whoa. White privilege means you can be pregnant without strangers giving you dirty looks. It means complete strangers don't throw garbage at you and scream at you to go have your baby in Mexico. Really. People throw garbage at pregnant Hispanic women. I had no idea. It's beyond appalling.

Being a white pregnant woman means people don't call you a welfare mama and a lazy mooch. They don't tell you to "go home", even though your ancestors were here centuries before theirs.

That's what white privilege is. I experienced a GLIMPSE into what some people go through every day of their lives. It's not pretty. It's really really awful. And once you've experienced it first hand, you can't unsee or unfeel it. It's exists and it's more common than you think.

This.

My fiancée has to deal with (mostly white ... Sorry but it's true) people giving looks at him & has had people yell at him to stop taking jobs from US citizens. Uh ... But they are barking up the wrong tree because he DID come here legally & IS a citizen .

Mostly it comes out of the blue & we just look at each other & laugh it off. But he doesn't get that as much as some Hispanic men & women do, because he looks more Native American then Mexican. Also as an interracial couple we have also encountered some (not much down here ... But some) prejudice regarding that.

But I have found that it makes the haters madder if you laugh it off or whatever, hey ... Haters gonna hate ... :lol-sign:

 

[ACooper]

Yes but you get a 17 year old white boy with a hoodie and pants hanging down to his knees walking around a neighborhood that has experienced a lot of "hoodlum" or young vandal crime and they are often treated the same way... with suspicion.

As a teen I liked the "hip hop" boys and I can honestly say on more than one occasion while walking with one of them at night or sitting somewhere with one of them at night, police officers have stopped to "check on me". and these were all white teenage males. One was pulled over one time and the officer said that the make of vehicle is a commonly stolen one and they just wanted to check. ???? Young, white male, hat on, loud music.

I'm not saying racism doesn't exsist or anything like that but young, white, males don't rule the world and never get questioned.

This is very true. My oldest son (white male) who is currently serving in the army, was treated quite differently when he had hair touching his shoulders and rode his skate board all over town.

When he was around 19, he and his friend (also had hair touching shoulders) were followed (driving) by the police for no apparent reason....(LOTS of occasions).....once they were even followed right into the skate park here in town. When they parked, two officers approached and proceeded to search my son's car (then a 2001 silver saturn) They didn't ASK and they weren't given permission.........they just did it. There were witnesses but if my son (or we) had complained, I have no doubt things would have been much worse so we just chalked it up and let it go.

My son has never done ANY kind of drugs, he has never drank, he is a health nut. Never been in any kind of trouble in his life (except a couple traffic violations- speeding-parking-when he first started out, LOL).........but he "looked the part" of what society deems a "druggie" and that's all you need.

IMO, how you are percieved isn't all about, or even mostly about skin color. I will admit when I'm out walking and come upon people (males especially) how they are dressed, how they walk, talk, and act DEFINITELY plays a role how I feel around them. If they are dressed in baggy pants, hoodies, walking with that swagger 1/2 limp....ya, I get a few butterflies of nerves I don't care if they are WHITE, MEXICAN, CHINESE, BLACK.....whatever. Their skin color is never the first thing to register with me. NEVER.

We all have the freedom to wear what we want, fix our hair as we choose........get piercings and tattoos, walk, speak, and act as we like. It's wonderful we can, but we also know if we step outside the "norms" of society, we WILL be looked at differently. Right or wrong, we DO profile each other based on nothing more than what we see in the first 60 seconds.

 

[~Dixie's_Mom~]

IMO, how you are percieved isn't all about, or even mostly about skin color. I will admit when I'm out walking and come upon people (males especially) how they are dressed, how they walk, talk, and act DEFINITELY plays a role how I feel around them. If they are dressed in baggy pants, hoodies, walking with that swagger 1/2 limp....ya, I get a few butterflies of nerves I don't care if they are WHITE, MEXICAN, CHINESE, BLACK.....whatever. Their skin color is never the first thing to register with me. NEVER.

We all have the freedom to wear what we want, fix our hair as we choose........get piercings and tattoos, walk, speak, and act as we like. It's wonderful we can, but we also know if we step outside the "norms" of society, we WILL be looked at differently. Right or wrong, we DO profile each other based on nothing more than what we see in the first 60 seconds.

This.


When I was in middle school/early high school I was part of the punk/teen-angsty/loud music listening/big black hoodie wearing crowd. A lot of people I knew/hung out with weren't the best kids. They stole things, did drugs, drank. I didn't do any of those things. But I dressed like them and hung around them and I got my share of suspicious looks. I remember whenever I wore a hoodie I would always keep my hands out of my pockets because I didn't want people to think I was stealing anything LOL. I've always been a goody-two-shoes type of person, I've never done anything bad or illegal except I speed a little sometimes when I drive lol. But people make judgments based on appearance. There's nothing wrong with that IMO. And I've been on the other side of it. If I see someone who looks suspicious or gives me a bad feeling or vibe, I'm going to stay away from them. You should ALWAYS be cautious. Race shouldn't have anything to do with that. I grew up in Texas, and I think I had maybe one white friend. The rest of my friends were Hispanic. I never even thought anything of it. My latter high school years, all the kids I hung out with we're black. I was one of two white people at a lunch table of all black kids. I'm not racist. But I do judge people on appearances. NOT race, but appearance. I don't care if you're white, black, Hispanic, Asian, whatever, if you're all dressed up lookin like a thug and you're walking towards me at night, I'm gonna avoid your ass. Sorry if I hurt your feelings. Shoot, any man walking toward me I'm gonna be cautious about. I was raised to be cautious of men in general no matter how they're dressed. Does that make me judgemental? Maybe. But that's okay. If no one ever made judgements, how would you ever judge what is safe and not safe?

 

[JacksonsMom]

This is very true. My oldest son (white male) who is currently serving in the army, was treated quite differently when he had hair touching his shoulders and rode his skate board all over town.

When he was around 19, he and his friend (also had hair touching shoulders) were followed (driving) by the police for no apparent reason....(LOTS of occasions).....once they were even followed right into the skate park here in town. When they parked, two officers approached and proceeded to search my son's car (then a 2001 silver saturn) They didn't ASK and they weren't given permission.........they just did it. There were witnesses but if my son (or we) had complained, I have no doubt things would have been much worse so we just chalked it up and let it go.

My son has never done ANY kind of drugs, he has never drank, he is a health nut. Never been in any kind of trouble in his life (except a couple traffic violations- speeding-parking-when he first started out, LOL).........but he "looked the part" of what society deems a "druggie" and that's all you need.

IMO, how you are percieved isn't all about, or even mostly about skin color. I will admit when I'm out walking and come upon people (males especially) how they are dressed, how they walk, talk, and act DEFINITELY plays a role how I feel around them. If they are dressed in baggy pants, hoodies, walking with that swagger 1/2 limp....ya, I get a few butterflies of nerves I don't care if they are WHITE, MEXICAN, CHINESE, BLACK.....whatever. Their skin color is never the first thing to register with me. NEVER.

We all have the freedom to wear what we want, fix our hair as we choose........get piercings and tattoos, walk, speak, and act as we like. It's wonderful we can, but we also know if we step outside the "norms" of society, we WILL be looked at differently. Right or wrong, we DO profile each other based on nothing more than what we see in the first 60 seconds.

This, totally.

 

[Gypsydals]

This is very true. My oldest son (white male) who is currently serving in the army, was treated quite differently when he had hair touching his shoulders and rode his skate board all over town.

When he was around 19, he and his friend (also had hair touching shoulders) were followed (driving) by the police for no apparent reason....(LOTS of occasions).....once they were even followed right into the skate park here in town. When they parked, two officers approached and proceeded to search my son's car (then a 2001 silver saturn) They didn't ASK and they weren't given permission.........they just did it. There were witnesses but if my son (or we) had complained, I have no doubt things would have been much worse so we just chalked it up and let it go.

My son has never done ANY kind of drugs, he has never drank, he is a health nut. Never been in any kind of trouble in his life (except a couple traffic violations- speeding-parking-when he first started out, LOL).........but he "looked the part" of what society deems a "druggie" and that's all you need.

IMO, how you are percieved isn't all about, or even mostly about skin color. I will admit when I'm out walking and come upon people (males especially) how they are dressed, how they walk, talk, and act DEFINITELY plays a role how I feel around them. If they are dressed in baggy pants, hoodies, walking with that swagger 1/2 limp....ya, I get a few butterflies of nerves I don't care if they are WHITE, MEXICAN, CHINESE, BLACK.....whatever. Their skin color is never the first thing to register with me. NEVER.

We all have the freedom to wear what we want, fix our hair as we choose........get piercings and tattoos, walk, speak, and act as we like. It's wonderful we can, but we also know if we step outside the "norms" of society, we WILL be looked at differently. Right or wrong, we DO profile each other based on nothing more than what we see in the first 60 seconds.

Well said and so very true. I see it quite often at work.

 

[JacksonsMom]

This.


When I was in middle school/early high school I was part of the punk/teen-angsty/loud music listening/big black hoodie wearing crowd. A lot of people I knew/hung out with weren't the best kids. They stole things, did drugs, drank. I didn't do any of those things. But I dressed like them and hung around them and I got my share of suspicious looks. I remember whenever I wore a hoodie I would always keep my hands out of my pockets because I didn't want people to think I was stealing anything LOL. I've always been a goody-two-shoes type of person, I've never done anything bad or illegal except I speed a little sometimes when I drive lol. But people make judgments based on appearance. There's nothing wrong with that IMO. And I've been on the other side of it. If I see someone who looks suspicious or gives me a bad feeling or vibe, I'm going to stay away from them. You should ALWAYS be cautious. Race shouldn't have anything to do with that. I grew up in Texas, and I think I had maybe one white friend. The rest of my friends were Hispanic. I never even thought anything of it. My latter high school years, all the kids I hung out with we're black. I was one of two white people at a lunch table of all black kids. I'm not racist. But I do judge people on appearances. NOT race, but appearance. I don't care if you're white, black, Hispanic, Asian, whatever, if you're all dressed up lookin like a thug and you're walking towards me at night, I'm gonna avoid your ass. Sorry if I hurt your feelings. Shoot, any man walking toward me I'm gonna be cautious about. I was raised to be cautious of men in general no matter how they're dressed. Does that make me judgemental? Maybe. But that's okay. If no one ever made judgements, how would you ever judge what is safe and not safe?

This sounded like me too. I went through weird phases in middle school, I was like... sort of punk ish, used to wear a lot of Hot Topic t-shirts, but then I also hung out with all the black kids in the school and wore my Timberlands and Sean John hoodies Clearly, I was conflicted.

No, but really, I hung out with some kids who WERE doing some bad things. Stealing, skipping school, smoking in the bathroom, having sex in the bathroom (yes in middle school) and I was NEVER into ANY of that stuff. I never even touched a drink until I was like 18. And even now at 22, I hardly do it. I've never done drugs, I've never stolen in my life, I've always been a 'good girl' but if people look at me, they probably wouldn't know it. I never dressed like a typical 'preppy' type girl or anything like that. So people in school just assumed I was like everyone I hung out with.

I remember one incident where all these kids decided to pierce the inside of their lip (ohhh rebels) to hide it from their parents. Well, of course, parents found out. And I was at one friends house when her mom told me to "come here and open your mouth" and I was like what? She was going to call my parents and tell them I had done it, too, because she was calling all the other parents, LOL. I also got called up to the principal office once for something I didn't do just because of the people I hung out with. Things like that happened somewhat frequently in middle school. But do I blame them? Heck no, of course they would think I was involved in the same stuff. It's stereotyping sure, but honestly I brought it on myself. I think that no matter what color you are, if you are not speaking good English, wearing baggy pants down to your knees, your underwear all hanging out, chains down to your waist, in a hoodie, with your hands in your pockets, I would be more weary walking down the street at night with them than a person walking down the street in a preppy or nice shirt, maybe some khakis or normal jeans, etc, I wouldn't be as weary. It's totally stereotyping and I realize that, but I'm sorry it's the truth. It's also not just about clothing or appearances but how you carry yourself.

 

[Romy]

Okay you guys. Now take all those experiences of wearing punk clothes and imagine you could never ever take them off BECAUSE THEY WERE THE ACTUAL OUTSIDE OF YOUR BODY.

Then you might be starting to get an idea of what it's like.

I was a goth in high school. There is a HUGE difference between being discriminated against because of your clothes vs. who you are. Huge. You can change your clothes. And you can say to yourself, I chose to wear those clothes. But when it's a garment you can take off vs. your actual body, there isn't really a comparison.

 

[sparks19]

Okay you guys. Now take all those experiences of wearing punk clothes and imagine you could never ever take them off BECAUSE THEY WERE THE ACTUAL OUTSIDE OF YOUR BODY.

Then you might be starting to get an idea of what it's like.

I was a goth in high school. There is a HUGE difference between being discriminated against because of your clothes vs. who you are. Huge. You can change your clothes. And you can say to yourself, I chose to wear those clothes. But when it's a garment you can take off vs. your actual body, there isn't really a comparison.

No one is saying racism isn't an issue but there seems to be this idea that if you are a white male then your life is made in the shade and no one ever judges you based on how you look and that's not true.

 

[Greenmagick]

Okay you guys. Now take all those experiences of wearing punk clothes and imagine you could never ever take them off BECAUSE THEY WERE THE ACTUAL OUTSIDE OF YOUR BODY.

Then you might be starting to get an idea of what it's like.

I was a goth in high school. There is a HUGE difference between being discriminated against because of your clothes vs. who you are. Huge. You can change your clothes. And you can say to yourself, I chose to wear those clothes. But when it's a garment you can take off vs. your actual body, there isn't really a comparison.

:hail::hail:

No one is saying racism isn't an issue but there seems to be this idea that if you are a white male then your life is made in the shade and no one ever judges you based on how you look and that's not true.

No, but white privilege DOES exist. Being a White male in this society is starting you off at a better point across the board, no if, ands, or buts about it. Just one example is the payscale gap.

Teens in general tend to be mistrusted and viewed as suspicious which is ridiculous as well. That anyone seriously judges someone by the way they dress is just so sad to me. Yes, how they are carrying themselves, how they are reacting to the world around them, etc is a factor.

 

[~Dixie's_Mom~]

Okay you guys. Now take all those experiences of wearing punk clothes and imagine you could never ever take them off BECAUSE THEY WERE THE ACTUAL OUTSIDE OF YOUR BODY.

Then you might be starting to get an idea of what it's like.

I was a goth in high school. There is a HUGE difference between being discriminated against because of your clothes vs. who you are. Huge. You can change your clothes. And you can say to yourself, I chose to wear those clothes. But when it's a garment you can take off vs. your actual body, there isn't really a comparison.

Yeah but the point is, that EVERYONE is judged. We are human. You can't change that inherent nature.

Point in case, you just judged me. You assumed that I don't know what it's like to be judged by my body. But you're wrong. (See bolded part of your statement.)

In high school, when I sat at the lunch table with my friends who were black, we had food thrown at us, we're laughed at, called awful names. I say 'we' because it wasn't just the black kids at the table who got food thrown at us and called offensive names. It was me too, and the other white girl who sat with us. I have seen and heard some horribly racist things. I am not dismissing racism or discrimination of any kind. I was merely pointing out that there are ALL types of discrimination, not just race.

You'd be surprised how many times I've been discriminated against because of something as silly as my size/weight. Side long glances, dirty looks, even things like not getting hired for a job because of my appearance. It's awful, but I don't let it dictate my life. And guess what? Those kids that sat with me at that lunch table? They don't let it dictate their lives either. We would laugh that stuff off, and get over it, and move on.

People are judgemental, and hateful, and horrible, but you can't change that. People are also loving, and kind, and helpful, and giving, and wonderful. You can't change that either. You just have to know that both types of people exist.

 

[Greenmagick]

Yeah but the point is, that EVERYONE is judged. We are human. You can't change that inherent nature.

Point in case, you just judged me. You assumed that I don't know what it's like to be judged by my body. But you're wrong. (See bolded part of your statement.)

She didn't judge you. At best she made an assumption (though honestly, it did not say that racial discrimination is the only form it takes).

Yep, being judged for being overweight in rampant and it sucks. I feel it often when I go out (and I am not so overweight that it actually affects my daily life, I have to wear different clothes, or anything like that so its just a small taste). Its still not quite the same though.

I don't think anyone is saying people cant be judgmental asshats. But its just NOT the same.

And yes, we CAN change this. Fighting stereotypes, talking about them when we see them, discussing the ridiculousness of them, and teaching our children to work hard to fight them. The world is what we make of it and fighting and calling out injustices is a HUGE part of that.

 

[sassafras]

No one is saying racism isn't an issue but there seems to be this idea that if you are a white male then your life is made in the shade and no one ever judges you based on how you look and that's not true.

Acknowledging that white privilege exists isn't the same as thinking that white men (or women) have it made in the shade and are never judged. I just really, really don't think some white people understand how much easier it is to be white than not-white in most areas of this country, nor the day to day BS that not-white people have to put up with.

 

[ACooper]

Okay you guys. Now take all those experiences of wearing punk clothes and imagine you could never ever take them off BECAUSE THEY WERE THE ACTUAL OUTSIDE OF YOUR BODY.

Then you might be starting to get an idea of what it's like.

I was a goth in high school. There is a HUGE difference between being discriminated against because of your clothes vs. who you are. Huge. You can change your clothes. And you can say to yourself, I chose to wear those clothes. But when it's a garment you can take off vs. your actual body, there isn't really a comparison.

That pertains to some of what I was trying to say. If I see a......let's just say a white male..(you can pick hispanic, black, korean, whatever...doesn't matter to me)..on a neighbor's front porch and I don't recognize him.

scenario A) He is dressed in 'traditional street rat' attire, complete with bling and acting all 'gangster' I will feel nervous and alert that something is wrong.

Scenario B) Same exact guy, but dressed in 'typical' clothing....jeans, maybe a t-shirt, not acting 'gangster' but more 'regular' and friendly, maybe he even smiles my way. NOT going to be concerned, most likely I wouldn't think anything of it.

Scenario C) again, SAME guy dressed in slacks, shirt and a tie. Neat, trimmed hair. Friendly or not, I'm automatically going to assume he's there on business.....selling something, checking in on legal matters, just whatever official business.

So yes, black males, hispanic males, white males ANY color/race males DO have a choice in a large percentage of how they are percieved. If they choose to act/dress in a 'gangster/hip hop' type way THAT is how they can expect to be percieved...........again, right or wrong it is what it is. We know it and what's more THEY know it as well. My son knew how he was looked at wearing long hair and having a tattoo.......*shrugs, jmo*

ETA: Not saying racism is a fairytale.......it absolutely exists. Just saying if you play INTO it by your attire and actions, don't be shocked when that is how you are viewed.

 

[~Dixie's_Mom~]

She didn't judge you. At best she made an assumption (though honestly, it did not say that racial discrimination is the only form it takes).

Yep, being judged for being overweight in rampant and it sucks. I feel it often when I go out (and I am not so overweight that it actually affects my daily life, I have to wear different clothes, or anything like that so its just a small taste). Its still not quite the same though.

I don't think anyone is saying people cant be judgmental asshats. But its just NOT the same.

An assumption and a judgment is really the same thing. People are saying George Zimmerman ASSUMED that Trayvon Martin was a deviant, but they also say he made a judgement.

I don't see how there is a difference between judging someone based on their physical appearance not including race/color and judging someone based on physical appearance including race/color.

I do however see a difference in judgement and discrimination. Judgement is more of an internal thing and doesn't truly affect the other person until it becomes discrimination which is treating someone differently because of the judgement you've made.

I also disagree that all teenagers are treated suspiciously. If you see a teenage girl in a hoodie with chains on her belt loops and a cigarette in her hand walking with her hood up through your front yard, you're going to be WAY more suspicious than if you saw a girl of the same age and race walking through your yard in an Abercrombie & Fitch tshirt and an iPhone in her hand.

 

[Tahla9999]

Stereotyping and racial profiling are very different. What you all are talking about is stereotyping. The clothes you wear does affect how people perceive you, no doubt about that. The difference is that you can change the fashion you wear. You can't change the skin your in.

My friend who was disrespected in the guitar store does not wear baggy clothes, hoodie, any other type of "suspicious" clothing. He is actually one of the nicest guys you will ever meet and is also very religious. Yet, on that day, the owner saw him as a threat. My father was followed out of a store and no, he does not wear the "hip hop" fashions that would probably get you single out. My whole family once went into a store in a mostly white area for Christmas shopping. I wasn't paying attention, but my brother told me the people who work there had there eyes on us the whole time and no, none of us wear the "hip hop" fashions. I don't like going into stores just to window shop, especially in areas where there aren't a lot of us. When I have to, I make sure to keep my hands firmly to my sides, not picking up or inspecting anything unless I plan to buy it. A bunch of black teenagers go into a store to window shop. How do you think that will go? It does not matter what they are wearing, they will be singled out, probably told to leave or kept an uncomfortable watch on. A friend of mine told me how her and a group of friends went to an Iphone store. You know how they have phones where you can inspect and used? They all crowded around one Iphone and the people became so uncomfortable they told them, ''if your not going to buy something, you all need to leave."

Imagine putting on the most intimidating look you can think of and NEVER being able to take it off, no matter where you go. That is how it is like.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/micha...sm_b_983613.html?ref=fb&src=sp&comm_ref=false

http://wearenottrayvonmartin.com/post/55812333352/my-sons-are-not-trayvon-martin-but-while-one-was

Also, a show called "What Would You Do" did a scenario with first white teens vandalizing a car, than black teens. Here is how it went.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cCQU0jt4cs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLXCCcqnY-I

 

[Greenmagick]

I think we are talking about two different things here. Snap judgments based on clothing, actions, a brief period in time vs inherent and deep racism. Zimmerman only fits into a surface of this as this thread has evolved really beyond that.

And it also depends on where you are and what is the "norm" for that area. Out of norms will always stick out and make you notice a bit more, for good or bad. For me, a girl with a hoodie and chains and a cig would not look any different than and Abercrombie and Fitch shirt and Iphone. Actually my snap judgment would likely not be good on the second one, but that is something that I would then recognize and try to change.

 

[Greenmagick]

I think we are talking about two different things here. Snap judgments based on clothing, actions, a brief period in time vs inherent and deep racism. Zimmerman only fits into a surface of this as this thread has evolved really beyond that.

And it also depends on where you are and what is the "norm" for that area. Out of norms will always stick out and make you notice a bit more, for good or bad. For me, a girl with a hoodie and chains and a cig would not look any different than and Abercrombie and Fitch shirt and Iphone. Actually my snap judgment would likely not be good on the second one, but that is something that I would then recognize and try to change.

Ok, yes, much better said than mine. This ^^

 

[Dogdragoness]

That pertains to some of what I was trying to say. If I see a......let's just say a white male..(you can pick hispanic, black, korean, whatever...doesn't matter to me)..on a neighbor's front porch and I don't recognize him.

scenario A) He is dressed in 'traditional street rat' attire, complete with bling and acting all 'gangster' I will feel nervous and alert that something is wrong.

Scenario B) Same exact guy, but dressed in 'typical' clothing....jeans, maybe a t-shirt, not acting 'gangster' but more 'regular' and friendly, maybe he even smiles my way. NOT going to be concerned, most likely I wouldn't think anything of it.

Scenario C) again, SAME guy dressed in slacks, shirt and a tie. Neat, trimmed hair. Friendly or not, I'm automatically going to assume he's there on business.....selling something, checking in on legal matters, just whatever official business.

So yes, black males, hispanic males, white males ANY color/race males DO have a choice in a large percentage of how they are percieved. If they choose to act/dress in a 'gangster/hip hop' type way THAT is how they can expect to be percieved...........again, right or wrong it is what it is. We know it and what's more THEY know it as well. My son knew how he was looked at wearing long hair and having a tattoo.......*shrugs, jmo*

ETA: Not saying racism is a fairytale.......it absolutely exists. Just saying if you play INTO it by your attire and actions, don't be shocked when that is how you are viewed.

See I agre with this, I am much more likely apt to judge a person based on hat they are WEARING first anyone dressed "thug" or "street" or whatever they are calling it with bling & sagging pants to their knees is going to around my suspicions but someone of ANY color dressed nicely, normally or offically will make me more at ease.

As anyone who has been in a interracial relationship or has had an interracial friendship can probably say, yes ... White people can be judged too, & who judges worst? Other white people.