12-01-2014, 09:53 PM
I've seen Oden, MS.
My point was that while some children and teens look older than others, that, of course, doesn't mean that they are any more mature or adult in thinking and experience than other kids of the same age.
Black male children and teens, especially those who are larger than their peers, are often viewed as menacing simply due to their appearances and, IMO, are often perceived in a negative way. It doesn't make a lot of sense to me, but that's the way it is.
My comments/observations on this topic were in response to user's general comment about the perception of black children vs. white children and the implications for black parents. My comments had nothing to do with Michael Brown. Michael Brown is not only NOT a poster child for wronged black youth in my eyes, he's not even an example of the general condition/observation I was describing.
Michael Brown carried himself more aggressively than most teens, IMO, based on what I saw in the liquor store video. I don't have any reason to believe that he was judged wrongly to be more menacing than other teens based on his color and largeness alone. Instead, I suspect that he used his largeness to intentionally appear and behave menacingly (at least sometimes).
I'm sorry Michael Brown is dead, for his parents and his community. But, I personally believe it's more likely than not that he did initiate the physical altercation with Darren Wilson. However, I am not convinced completely that Wilson shot Michael Brown because Michael Brown was charging towards him after being shot at (that's difficult for me to accept as a certainty) and that Wilson was in fear for his life. I believe it's possible that Michael Brown had instead turned around to surrender, stumbled forward, and Wilson shot in panic or anger.
Wilson's description of Brown in his grand jury testimony gives me cause to wonder about Wilson's clarity and his confidence when confronted. But, having doubts about Darren Wilson's account is not the same as making Michael Brown a poster child for wronged black youth, MS. I have little doubt that Brown acted wrongly. I have some doubt that Wilson believed he had to shoot for fear of his life. Therefore, I would have understood and supported a grand jury indictment even though I don't object to the grand jury's decision not to indict. I think Wilson probably would have been acquitted by a trial jury anyway for the same reasons the grand jury came back with no true bill.
My point was that while some children and teens look older than others, that, of course, doesn't mean that they are any more mature or adult in thinking and experience than other kids of the same age.
Black male children and teens, especially those who are larger than their peers, are often viewed as menacing simply due to their appearances and, IMO, are often perceived in a negative way. It doesn't make a lot of sense to me, but that's the way it is.
My comments/observations on this topic were in response to user's general comment about the perception of black children vs. white children and the implications for black parents. My comments had nothing to do with Michael Brown. Michael Brown is not only NOT a poster child for wronged black youth in my eyes, he's not even an example of the general condition/observation I was describing.
Michael Brown carried himself more aggressively than most teens, IMO, based on what I saw in the liquor store video. I don't have any reason to believe that he was judged wrongly to be more menacing than other teens based on his color and largeness alone. Instead, I suspect that he used his largeness to intentionally appear and behave menacingly (at least sometimes).
I'm sorry Michael Brown is dead, for his parents and his community. But, I personally believe it's more likely than not that he did initiate the physical altercation with Darren Wilson. However, I am not convinced completely that Wilson shot Michael Brown because Michael Brown was charging towards him after being shot at (that's difficult for me to accept as a certainty) and that Wilson was in fear for his life. I believe it's possible that Michael Brown had instead turned around to surrender, stumbled forward, and Wilson shot in panic or anger.
Wilson's description of Brown in his grand jury testimony gives me cause to wonder about Wilson's clarity and his confidence when confronted. But, having doubts about Darren Wilson's account is not the same as making Michael Brown a poster child for wronged black youth, MS. I have little doubt that Brown acted wrongly. I have some doubt that Wilson believed he had to shoot for fear of his life. Therefore, I would have understood and supported a grand jury indictment even though I don't object to the grand jury's decision not to indict. I think Wilson probably would have been acquitted by a trial jury anyway for the same reasons the grand jury came back with no true bill.