Specifically because I live in a hot climate, I’m always fighting the feeling of being suspicious of anybody I pass in the streets with a hoodie pulled up. I feel guilty because of racial profiling associated with hoodies, but gotta protect myself and my family, especially because in many cases the perpetrators of assault and murder seen in media are somebody with a hood and/or mask on.

  • octopus_ink@lemmy.mlEnglish
    1·
    7 months ago

    When you can find statistics showing crimes by people in hoodies are as common a problem as rape and sexual assault against women, then we can talk.

    I don’t think that pie chart shows that. Not percentages. Numbers of crimes.

    Because if the stipulation is that it’s just as reasonable for you to worry about hoodies as for a woman to worry about a strange man behind her (which is the only way the prior comment would have been relevant) I continue to hard disagree.

    I’m equally suspicious about sunglasses and dark caps, but there’s no guilt there because we haven’t historically racially profiled people wearing that.

    So then, you are already acknowledging that your reaction is from pro-police racist tropes. Where is the argument between you and I?

    • venusaur@lemmy.worldOP
      11·
      7 months ago

      let’s take it all the way back. you said i shouldn’t be concerned because crime rates are down. i say that doesn’t mean i shouldn’t be concerned. it’s all relative. i think it’s still too high where i’m from and there are a number of “uniforms” that criminals wear, including hoodies. i am conflicted about being suspicious about hoodies because of racial profiling. i am not concerned about being suspicious of a person in a trench coat because there is no racist past.

      we each have our own tolerance for risk regarding our safety, and not sure if you’re a parent, but that tolerance for risk goes way down when you are protecting loved ones. you have a fair point about crime rates going down, but it’s dangerous to lower your guard because rates have gone down a little.

      • octopus_ink@lemmy.mlEnglish
        1·
        7 months ago

        you said i shouldn’t be concerned because crime rates are down.

        I don’t think I said this.

        Overall my point is just - we all have our biases. If you feel guilty about being suspicious about folks in a black hoodie, and if bias against hoodies is likely to be of racist origin, your guilt is some portion of you being aware of that. If you weren’t, we wouldn’t be having this discussion.

        It’s OK to admit that, even if only to yourself. I don’t think you should feel guilty about it. But I do think you should acknowledge what’s contributing to that bias. We all have that in some way or another, and I don’t think you can move past it while denying it’s there.