"No, he is not following you. He lives here too."

[Amerigo Vespucci]

Ama Yawson
Co-Founder of LoveEssence.com
I Am George Zimmerman
Posted: 04/ 3/2012 12:38 pm



http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ama-yawson/george-zimmerman-trayvon-martin_b_1399944.html

The story of Trayvon Martin has not only outraged many of us, it has also unraveled our hope that racial prejudice in America is ending. The fact that a 200 pound white Hispanic man exited his SUV, followed and eventually gunned down an unarmed teenage black male pedestrian without facing any legal repercussions whatsoever baffles us. Trayvon Martin, with his baby-face and scrawny 140 pound adolescent frame, was a victim of what seems to be a mucky cocktail of racism or prejudice, vigilantism and just plain tragedy. Many of us are disgusted that George Zimmerman, our fellow American, appears to view boys who look like Trayvon Martin as "suspicious" "assholes" who "always get away." However, fewer of us are taking this opportunity to examine our own prejudices.

One of my brother-in-laws used to live in a fancy high-rise apartment building in Manhattan. One evening, a white-female neighbor was walking towards the apartment building. My brother-in-law was behind her walking home too and when their eyes met he smiled and waved because he recognized her from seeing her countless times in the elevator, halls and laundry room of their building. She immediately became nervous and started running towards the doorman. In between her huffs and puffs, she told the doorman "that man is following me" and pointed to my brother-in-law. The doorman responded, "No, he is not following you. He lives here too."

The white-female neighbor was embarrassed. My brother-in-law, a foreign-born black man, attributes her behavior to the anonymity of city-life. He believes that she did not recognize him because people don't really get to know their neighbors in Manhattan. As an American-bred black woman, I suspect that her behavior reflected race, gender and age-based prejudice against young black men. She probably has black male friends and colleagues. She may even have black mentees. But none of those facts would necessarily prevent her from being scared and "suspicious" when she sees a young black man walking behind her at night. It is remotely possible that certain older African-American adults, who are privy to the same biased media that stereotypes young black males as thugs and gangsters, have found young black males "suspicious" for no objective reason.

The pervasive nature of race and age-based prejudice and stereotyping do not in any way excuse George Zimmerman's behavior. When such prejudice evolves from a thought in one's mind to the fatal shooting of an unarmed teenager, athlete, student, son, brother and child of God, then we clearly must demand that all facts are brought to light so that justice can be served. We must keep up our activism because precious lives are at stake. But I personally can't cloak myself in absolute moral superiority because I am not yet able to observe all others in a completely neutral fashion without ascribing some negative or positive values to them based on the combination of their race, ethnicity, age, religion, clothing and or other characteristics. To the extent that George Zimmerman has come to represent prejudice then "George Zimmerman" dwells within me. Does "George Zimmerman" dwell within you?

[Tx4obama]

1. I am a white woman and I get scared ...

every time I'm out at night and there is a man walking behind me - no matter if he is white, black, brown, green, etc.

Hell, even when I was in Italy there were three white guys (tourists I assume) ran up from behind and harassed me until I gave them the pack of cigarettes that I had in my pocket.

We women we should be scared of ALL MEN when we are out at night alone - we should NEVER let our guard down.

Just my two cents.

[GopperStopper2680]

3. No disrespect but..

I think that's one of the most discriminatory and down right sexist things I've heard in quite a while. If the only thing a woman has to fear in all the world, is that I happen to be walking behind her on the street at night, she's golden. Not all men are rapists. In fact the majority of us aren't. I'm not sure you're aware of this but sexism goes both ways. It works against men also.

I'm sorry you had a bad experience with some bad men but please do not take it out on all of us.

[Tx4obama]

5. My Italy example was to show it can happen ANYWHERE when you're not expecting it to

and that was not the only time that I've experienced harassment at night by men.

Now, when you become a woman and have had experiences out at night alone then get back to me

It's true not all men are rapists, but when you are a woman out at night alone there is no way to tell who is and who isn't so it is best to be suspicious of ALL MEN in order to be safe.

Have a great week

[JDPriestly]

6. I would expect that in Italy. Not in Germany, but in Italy.

Maybe. I experienced worse in Italy -- but it was a long time ago. My niece also experienced worse in Italy. But I'm sure things are changing -- as they really are here. But change is much too slow.

This Zimmerman/Trayvon Martin case is really discouraging when it comes to believing that race relations have improved.

Living in California, I assumed . . . . .

But it has been only 20 years since Rodney King and the riots.

[mainer]

11. It's not sexist. It's women's situational awareness

and it's something that men have no concept of, because they don't feel like prey animals the way women do. Every time we venture out at night, we are fully aware that we are weaker than most men, and we pay attention to who and what is around us.

There's a lovely park nearby where my husband likes to walk at dusk. But I would never go there alone, only with him. And he once remarked, "it sucks being a woman and having to think of those things."

Of course most men would never hurt us. But women aren't worried about the 98% who are OK -- we're worried about the 2% who are predators.

And it doesn't matter if the woman is white, black, or red. It doesn't matter what race the man is. Women still think of those things.

[got root]

7. that is a common feeling, black, white, rainbow, especially if you live in a city

with a high crime rate, and i know what you mean, and I'm male.

i didn't noticed it until i lived out of the country for a few years... man, so much stress, and you don't really notice it, unless you really think about it or your environment changes.

thanks for sharing

[Mojorabbit]

10. I pay attention when any man is walking behind me at night

and I believe most women do this also. It is taught in self defense courses for women to always be aware of your surroundings, to walk in well lit areas, to not project vulnerability etc.
An example for me, I had a man walk up to me and ask me for a light years ago. His vibe creeped me out. Nothing overt but still. I changed direction and instead of the dark way to my car instead walked blocks out of my way to stay in a well lit area. A few days later there was his face drawn in the paper and that night he had raped a woman near where I encountered him.
If I am out on the street at night I am watching everyone around me.

[GopperStopper2680]

2. There's probably another factor at work in the story above.

Class. It wasn't just a matter of age, race, gender, etc. The white female in the story above was obviously of some upper class. Upper class white people tend to be more prejudice, or racist or nervous about black people than lower class white people. Poorer white people tend to believe along the lines that all poorer people are in it together. African Americans tend to be at least statistically poorer in America. I'm a poor white male. When a black man is walking behind me I don't jump to the conclusion that's following me. I assume he's headed in the same direction.

[HockeyMom]

4. "Certain" men

You learn very young growing up in NYC to size them up. It doesn't matter their race. You learn to trust your gut instinct. I grew up in Manhattan among all races and ethnicities of men young and old. I knew all my neighbors in all the areas of lived in. Some were trustworth. and others weren't. I learned it had nothing to do with race but with the individual man.

I feel the same living in Florida now as an old lady. There are old men that I would never want to be alone with. In fact, there is one of my neighbors in this very white gated community that I will never talk to or EVER open my door to. He gives me the creeps.

I trust my NYC born and bred instinct over any "profiling".

[discriminated77]

8. "No, he is not following you. He lives here too."

I am a brown man, of east Indian origin. I have a Goatie and I live in an area where there are lot of Hispanics. The reason why I talk about my Goatie is that I get weird looks by white women, not that there is anything wrong with or anything, or some might say...oh come on, that's just in your head, that not what what they are thinking, cut it out. I have noticed one thing...regardless of where you are in this country, it seems like most white women start turning around if you are a brown man behind them, either at a store or in the park or on the street where other people are also walking. I think a white woman wont care if a white guy was walking behind them at a store following them or just anywhere in public, be it day time or night, but when a brown man is behind them, they start getting nervous and turn their heads or pause. It's a racial thing and have noticed that. When you out of nowhere end up behind them, and I am just walking to the direction they are walking and minding my business and there they go, start turning around. I have not noticed that around black women or brown women...they don't feel threatened by someone of similar skin tone, maybe some depending on their experiences, but white women, regardless of their experiences, are still prejudiced and its in their blood...no matter how much they try not to be racist, but deep inside their guts, they have a sense of prejudice, stereotype, whatever you wanna call it...its there..they cannot deny it. Its in their blood and if any white woman comes up here and denies what I am saying, she is in denial of the truth, just to prove something by defending themselves. I mean I don't really care if any of them get upset and have a reason to get back at me, but the truth is hidden way beyond sight. What proof do they really have that they are not prejudiced, except accuse me of being racist against them. Well listen, white women. I have no problem with you, but you have shown enough prejudice to a brown man, but what is in your veins is something that can never be removed except, be conditioned on the outer surface. You are what you are. A race of people that was born with prejudice, lives through it all their lives, shits through it and dies with it too.

[Ruby the Liberal]

9. Well, I'm a white women who has dated men of many different races.

Of course, not any with an attitude like yours.

Perhaps that could be the problem as opposed to the color of your skin?

[polly7]

12. +1 nt.