Beyond this, though, the shooting has opened up an entirely unexpected can of worms.
On Friday morning, veteran television reporter Geraldo Rivera remarked that the teenager's wearing of a hoodie almost definitely had something to do with his demise. Why? Because hoodies are a garment of choice for street thugs and other criminal elements. It is a simple reality that young men walking through an urban setting in such attire, especially during an unseasonably warm spring, are likely to be profiled for gangsterism. As media expert Marshall McLuhan sagely observed years ago, "the medium is the message."
Of course, the media and the keyboard warriors of social networking immediately pounced on Rivera for highlighting the facts. No reasonable rebuttal, to my knowledge, has been offered, but what does that matter at a time when all too many are ready to riot? One can imagine what might have happened had Martin been walking down the block dressed in jeans and a golf shirt. For starters, Zimmerman would probably not have felt threatened. If there were no perceived threat, then the events which led up to the gunfire would not have come to pass.
Rivera also mentioned that to prevent more tragedies, it would be best for the parents of ethnic minorities to monitor how their children dress. It's lamentable that people of all races profile those around them on such criteria, but ignorance is ignorance. Over the summer, Michael Nutter, the ever superb Mayor of Philadelphia, told inner city black teens that their garb often promotes horrid stereotypes and makes it difficult for them to assimilate into the mainstream of society. A few months later, he scored a resounding reelection victory, proving once again the enduring appeal of ordinary common sense.
The armchair crusaders, professional activists, and profiteers of peril may never join the rest of us down on Planet Earth, but, by taking adequate precautions we can work toward a future in which incidents like the Trayvon Martin tragedy are as rare as they should be. At any rate, common sense is something that is desperately needed. Things have gotten so bad for local law enforcement officers that the chief of police and his family have received death threats. What should be a routine police procedural matter has become a buzzword of pop culture.
Article comments
1 - Dan(Miller)
I agree that the whole mess is depressing at many levels. The mass media are making the most of it, with few facts but great gusto. Whether it was a race or hate crime does not seem to be important, provided that it can be portrayed as one.
2 - Lis
I fail to understand Mr. Cotto's, and Geraldo Rivera's, fixation on the hoodie. So many teens, children, and adults I know - of all walks of life - wear hooded sweatshirts that I simply cannot understand how anyone can justify thinking "thug" when seeing one. And I absolutely cannot abide by anyone justifying what happened by writing such trite drivel as this. Seriously.
What happened was wrong. Period.
3 - Lis
Do you feel threatened, anyone, by seeing me in a hoodie? I would like to know.
4 - Lis
It saddens me that no one has spoken up in defense of hoodies. I fear that all the comments have probably gone to Warren (not the actor) Beatty.
Mr. Cotto, learn to walk in others' shoes. It would do you well, and us even more so.
5 - Christopher Rose
I hate hoodies! Not because they convey any sense of menace at all but simply because, along with tee shirts, jeans and long hair with a parting in the middle, they are an offence against fashion and good taste!
6 - Glenn Contrarian
Found it! Here's what really happened!
7 - Glenn Contrarian
And here's a very interesting observation about the world from the black perspective:
Miki Straughan recounted a story from 50 years ago in New Orleans where she hired a woman to help with her ironing. After lunch one day, Straughan’s blond, blue-eyed, five-year-old daughter played with the black woman’s 4-year-old grandson.
The grandmother proceeded to tell her adorable, chubby little black grandson NOT to get on the swing, NOT to touch the little white girl, Not to push her too hard on the swing. Not to run after her.
I said, “For heaven’s sake, he’s just a little boy.” I never forgot her response. She said: “You’re going back to Seattle but he has to live here .?.?. and I’m saving his life.”
8 - Igor
Good post, Glenn.