Eugene Robinson: Black Men "never, ever, be caught on the wrong street at the wrong time"

[kpete]

Trayvon Martin and dangerous times for black men

By Eugene Robinson, Updated: Thursday, March 22, 12:45 PM

For every black man in America, from the millionaire in the corner office to the mechanic in the local garage, the Trayvon Martin tragedy is personal. It could have been me or one of my sons. It could have been any of us.

.............................

Today, young black men grow up in a society where racism is no longer deemed acceptable. Many live in integrated neighborhoods, attend integrated schools, have interracial relationships. They wonder why their parents prattle on so tediously about race, warning about this or that or the other, when their own youthful experience tells them that race doesn’t matter.

What could happen on the way home from the store with some Skittles and an iced tea?

Whether Zimmerman can or should be prosecuted, given Florida’s “stand your ground” law providing broad latitude to claim self-defense, is an important question. But the tragic and essential thing, for me, is the bull’s-eye that black men wear throughout their lives — and the vital imperative to never, ever, be caught on the wrong street at the wrong time.

The Rest:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/to-be-black-in-america-/2012/03/22/gIQAEKr4TS_story.html?hpid=z2

[Tumbulu]

1. it is not only black men who cannot walk on a street at the wrong time

it is all women who do not have a black belt in karate or some other strong means of self defense......

I was thinking about how- my entire adult life (i'm in my late 50"s) I have had to be aware of where I am, if it would be safe to be there at that time, how to protect myself from assault, rape, etc.

I was thinking about how amazing it is that most men never have to worry about any of this.

Now, I realize that it is white men in the some areas of the US, hispanic or black men in others......it is the predominant men of that culture, that can simply walk where they wish.

How many women can truly walk when and where they wish by themselves?

[emilyg]

2. In Chicago -

men, women, children.

[PDJane]

3. I am a woman..

I live in downtown Toronto. I have never worried about being accosted or raped; the two or three times I've had money stolen, it was women who did so, athough a man did once grab my purse; I put the 3" heel of my shoe on his instep. He did let go.

Rape happens more often here in the suburbs, one of the many reasons I prefer to live downtown.

I have been in places where I was afraid of the night, afraid to go to the store, afraid of my neighbours, but that was in a small town a long way away. I suspect that may be why I'm afraid of the suburbs.

To me, what Robinson describes is terrorism, and it's not far from lynchings in the south. It seems to me that large portions of the citizens of the US live in fear, and the "white minority nation" are part of the right's successful attempt to heighten that fear.

It's insanity.

[Tumbulu]

4. I visited Toronto once and loved it

in fact the places that I did feel safe walking about by myself are all outside of the US. Canada, Europe, Japan....

I just forget about all the effort I put into these considerations here in the US.

But when I heard about this case I thought at first something along the lines of "well why does anyone think it is safe to walk to a store by themselves?" and then I realized that many men have this idea, but certainly not many women here in the US.

I know that the kids at school are all told to walk in groups, to NEVER walk home from school all alone, lest someone kidnap them....the message of fear of violence is ubiquitous, it seems.