A Question...

  Have any of you seen the movie "Before I Self Destruct"?

  It is a rip-roaring comedy for the whole family about a young man who chooses an unusual career path after the unfortunate death of his mother leaves him with the task of raising his genius younger brother, and the creative ways he finds to deal with the challenges along the way.

  It was written, directed, and starred in by the classically trained thespian Curtis Jackson. ( AKA 50 Cent.)

  Here is an uplifting and inspiring song from the soundtrack.  (Put on your headphones. I don't care where you are...)

  If you have seen this movie, keep in mind that when given complete artistic control over a movie in which he could have portrayed ANYTHING he wanted, THIS is what 50 Cent did.

  While I was surfing around this morning, I ran across this article which showed a photo of Trayvon Martin, taken on the night of the shooting.

  He may as well have been wearing a 50 Cent Halloween Costume.

  Now, you may not have seen the movie I spoke about earlier, but I will guarantee you that Trayvon Martin had.

  Now, to my question.

  Let's say I am riding around looking for a place to eat lunch. On one side of the street I see a restaurant with a well maintained parking lot, beautiful landscaping, and a pretty new sign out front proclaiming that they specialize in my very favorite food. On the other side of the street, I see a dilapidated, run down building, a pothole infested dirt parking lot, and a "Sanitation Grade C" sign posted by the door.

  In which one of these restaurants do you think I am going to eat?

  That's profiling.

  Why can't I do that with people?

  There is a difference between Judgement and Prejudice. I use judgement to prevent myself from getting Ptomaine poisoning when I eat lunch, to prevent myself from buying a worn out lemon car, to make sure I am using the right tool at work. I use it to protect myself from snake bites, to stay out of car accidents, and to know who I can smart off to and still keep my job.

  Why is it somehow racist and wrong when I direct that same judgement toward people?

  If I were to buy a surplus military Humvee, an Army uniform, cut my hair really short and carry an M16, the people who saw me would assume I was in the Army. When I am wearing my work uniform, I don't have to show my badge to get my work discount at Zaxby's.

  Why is it wrong to assume that someone who is wearing the uniform of a street criminal may be up to no good? 

 


 

Just A Suggestion...

Here are a few simple tips to help make sure that what happened to Trayvon Martin does not happen to your child...

1. Don't raise a thug.
2. Teach your children to be polite and respectful to the people they may encounter.
3. Know where your kids are, and what they are up to.
4. If your child is already a thug, has his own burglary tool kit, has been suspended from school, and your neighborhood is experiencing a rash of burglaries, take him around and introduce him to the local Neighborhood Watch members, and give them your phone number.
5. Keep Skittles in your house at all times.

If you are a teenager, and you want to avoid Trayvon Martin's fate yourself, here are some tips for you...

1. Don't be a thug.
2. Be polite and respectful to the people that you may encounter.
3. If you are walking around alone in the dark, and someone is following you, go home.
4. If a person confronts you while you are walking around alone in the dark and asks you where you are going, politely tell them where you are going,and then go there.
5. Under no circumstances should you ever start beating on random people you know nothing about. You could get yourself shot.
6. If you live in a neighborhood that has been plagued with a rash of burglaries, you are suspended from school, have your own burglary tool kit, and you are out of Skittles, try to get by with Raisinettes, or M&Ms, or whatever else you may have in the house untli you can go to the store in the daylight.

By following these simple tips, you can help to avoid a repeat of the Trayvon Martin tragedy, and if this saves even one life, then it will have been worth the time it took me to write it.