Originally when I started brainstorming ideas for writing this post, I was going to speak about a conversation on Twitter from an educators' chat. I was going to speak about how the mindset of telling children to do something and the expectation that it will be done because you said so will not work ALL the time in a school setting nor in the real world. But as I type this, I am doing so as a situation just happened to me while sitting at a restaurant.
I came to a restaurant after church and the place was rather full. To get in, eat, and get out, I just sat at the bar. There was an empty seat between myself and a lady. This lady, who happened to be Caucasian, began to look at me up and down and clutch her purse. Her face looked at me with a mix of fear and disgust. I'm going to be honest, I nearly lost it. It was at that moment I realized her perception immediately when she saw me (keep in mind though, I'm wearing a dress slacks, a dress shirt, and blazer) was that I was black and male and that I would steal her purse. My perception as a result of her response was that I was being viewed as a Nigger!
Sad, but true. I do not think I have been as angry as I am now. Well I take that back. I think I was angrier when I was followed in an Apple Store one time. An assumption was made about me that was completely false. I just saw everything I have worked hard to accomplish just vanish in an instant. Here it is, I have never been in trouble with the law (I mean I had a speeding ticket before, but I was 19). I graduated high school at 18, earned my Bachelor's at 22 and now at 24 going on 25, will have my Master of Education in May. I am not late with my bills and not in debt. I give back to others constantly. I did not have my first alcoholic beverage until I was 22 going on 23 and I never smoked cigarettes or anything illegal for that matter.
To make a long story short, I was hit with reality again. I was reminded today that no matter how hard I work to be a decent human being, some people will still have certain views of me. I am just going to end with this video. I shared it before, but I think it is very fitting for what occurred in my mind when everything happened today.
I came to a restaurant after church and the place was rather full. To get in, eat, and get out, I just sat at the bar. There was an empty seat between myself and a lady. This lady, who happened to be Caucasian, began to look at me up and down and clutch her purse. Her face looked at me with a mix of fear and disgust. I'm going to be honest, I nearly lost it. It was at that moment I realized her perception immediately when she saw me (keep in mind though, I'm wearing a dress slacks, a dress shirt, and blazer) was that I was black and male and that I would steal her purse. My perception as a result of her response was that I was being viewed as a Nigger!
Sad, but true. I do not think I have been as angry as I am now. Well I take that back. I think I was angrier when I was followed in an Apple Store one time. An assumption was made about me that was completely false. I just saw everything I have worked hard to accomplish just vanish in an instant. Here it is, I have never been in trouble with the law (I mean I had a speeding ticket before, but I was 19). I graduated high school at 18, earned my Bachelor's at 22 and now at 24 going on 25, will have my Master of Education in May. I am not late with my bills and not in debt. I give back to others constantly. I did not have my first alcoholic beverage until I was 22 going on 23 and I never smoked cigarettes or anything illegal for that matter.
To make a long story short, I was hit with reality again. I was reminded today that no matter how hard I work to be a decent human being, some people will still have certain views of me. I am just going to end with this video. I shared it before, but I think it is very fitting for what occurred in my mind when everything happened today.