Lethal Gear For Black Males

Later on today, I plan on banding together with many others in the Hoodie March in Philly from 30th Street to Love Park (7:17 PM). We all have heard by now about Trayvon Martin and how he was  MURDERED by George Zimmerman, the delusional vigilante who, against the will of police even, pursued young Trayvon and ended up shooting him for what I guess he would call ‘trespassing’ in his Sanford, FL community. He still has not had to answer for his actions. What ground my gears this morning was FOX News’ Geraldo Rivera’s tweets about how Trayvon’s hoodie was to blame for his MURDER. So, yes. It’s apparent that us in hoodies, due to rap videos and movies I suppose, is a threatening site for non-Blacks.

The point of this post is that, since fashion is such an issue in this, it won’t stop at hoodies. I’ve compiled a list of other clothing items that will make us look suspicious. Although these items are available to us anywhere you go, and you by all means should be able to dress however the hell you feel, maybe avoiding these could save your life:

WOOL CAPS

Although the weather has broken, and it’s not as cold out, try to avoid the wool cap. It is a staple in goon fashion.

 

BANDANAS

This one goes without saying. Don’t wear a bandana. It’s especially threatening if you wear one on your head, but don’t tie it around your arms or legs and don’t let it flap out of your pocket. No matter the color, the bandana will make you a gang banger, you know, dangerous.

DU RAGS

Yeah. I know, you gotta get those waves spinning. You may wanna confine and wave building activities to the privacy of your own home. Look at how much more thugged out Kip here looks. Someone might think he’s ready to mug or kidnap them.

SKI MASKS

Once again, the weather has broken and there’s no reason to rock one really, but avoid ski masks. You see it in the 7-11 window. Don’t wear ski masks. You’ll instantly become a jack boy/robber. Someone’ll think you’re hiding your identity in order to carry out a crime.

FITTED CAPS

The NY Times in 2010  fitted caps (namely Yankee caps) are an alarming trend in criminal-wear (although we’d been wearing fitteds for about 10 years before the article was written). So there’s that.

TATTOOS

Although, most of these are sarcastic to me, I am flabbergasted by guys getting tats all over themselves. I think it’s dumb, just because you shouldn’t want to be in public like this and it’s forever, but it truly is threatening. It clearly shows that you throw all caution to the wind and will do whatever.

CORN ROWS/DREADS

This isn’t gear, but braids in your hair are frowned upon too and may make someone look at you as a thug. My cousin recently was denied entry into a club because he had his hair corn rowed. 

SAGGED PANTS

An oldie, but still a goodie. I do it because it’s comfortable (a point justified by my late Grandpop), but try not to sag. You’re clearly a rebel and might be dangerous.

BLING

I love blingin’ as much as the next man, but now, you gotta be careful. You’ll fill a stereotype and folks’ll think you’re a dangerous rapper or drug dealer or something. Bling with caution

WHITE TEES

I know. These are simple. Need something to wear? Hit the corner store and for $4-5, you can get a crisp, immaculate white tee to throw on. I remember in school, after a while, we weren’t allowed to wear white tees anymore because it was ‘gang apparel’ (apparently, there was some ‘white tee shirt’ gang running around I never heard of). I’m guessing it’s the same now. Also, please don’t have anything “inflammatory” on your tee shirt either.

 

So there you have it. My suggestions on how to dress and not be bothered, accosted or even MURDERED like our young brother Trayvon. I would say wear a suit everywhere, but the recent NYPD mosque surveillance controversy shows that even a Black man in a suit (Muslim or not) may be threatening. Be safe out there.

 

 

 

What ‘Me We’ Means To Free

OK. I started this concept. It’s called Me We. It was conceptualized by me and designed by my bro. I plan on putting this on t-shirts. Trademark pending. I’ve come to learn that people have used  the ‘Me We’, but mine is different. There’s a philosophy.

First, the words. I learned this from ‘When We Were Kings’, the crazy doc about Muhammad Ali vs. George Foreman in the Rumble In The Jungle. That doc made Muhammad one of my heroes. I need another copy of that, but I digress. There’s a part in the movie where a writer said that the shortest poem on record is: ‘Adam had ‘em.” Well, the writer goes on to say Ali spit a shorter one: ‘Me We’.  I was impressed. I know he probably got it from the old African adage: ‘I am We’, but I’m impressed nonetheless. So that’s a part of the logo.

Another inspiration is the Occupy Movement. I was out a Occupy Philly and was astonished at the melting pot that assembled at City Hall. Color didn’t really matter. Folks were talking to each other about how pissed off they were at the government. So in the logo, I’m putting the nationality/nationality/race/persuasion that YOU are personally in the ‘Me’ part. The ‘We’ is an American flag, because at the end of the day, no matter what nationality/ethnicity/race/persuasion you may be, we’re all Americans at the end of the day.

Last, but certainly not least, but again pertaining to race is my own personal life. I’ve spent quite sometime being critical of White people. Sue me. I’m Black and people who were White did my people wrong. Now, due to recent events, that goes out the window somewhat. White people have willingly become members of my family. No one held a gun to their heads. They wanted to be a part of my Black family. First, my brother had a baby with his girlfriend Jen (RIP). He’s black, she’s Italian. Now my nephew and newest love of my life, Tyler Robin (middle name’s my mother’s name. RIP. Also the name of our brand new graphics company, Robin’s Wing), is part Black, Part White. Fully my family. Also, my cousin just married a White woman and she’s one of the most down to earth people I know. She’s not on that ‘looking for a Black guy’ shtick that so many girls are on. They genuinely love each other and she’s now my cousin and when they have children, I’ll have yet another half Black, half White, fully family tike in my life.

Another aspect of the logo is the way it’s configured. It may jump out at Philadelphians, but to some not as aware, it’s styled after the LOVE statue in Philly. Because at the end of the day end of the day, all we need to do is love each other. May be a stretch and sound soft, but, hey, that’s what this logo’s about. Solidarity, unity and love.  Just felt the need to explain it. BTW, below is MY Me We shirt design. Red, black and green because that the Black race’s flag: