Enough Is Enough!

It's bad enough when we chain our bikes up on the side of our house, or park them in our garage or tether them to the bike rack at a library or our favorite restaurant only to find them gone when we come back for them.  But this latest stolen bike report send chills up my spine!  Got it via text this morning and it left me both astounded because of its brashness but enraged due to it's innocent victim.  Seems a young lady of sixteen was on her way home but was unaware she was being followed. Upon entering her door the assailant entered behind her, grabbed the key off a peg near the door and took of with her bike.  Obviously the young lady is VERY disturbed about this, I only thank God that nothing worse happened to her. The bike stolen was a Red Huffy 7-speed beach cruiser, with black fork, chrome fenders, a barrel lock (which they usually discard) and a broken bell. Any information you may have please share with us or the police!  This scum bag, low-life waste-of-flesh HAS to be brought in (or strung up).  Our prayers go out to her and her family.
While we are on the subject of crime, all in the news is the unfortunate death of the 17 year old Trayvon Martin.  As expected this has brought an outcry for justice, all laced with the standard "racial" overtones. And to top it off, someone who I'm surprisingly finding myself in wholehearted agreement with, Jeraldo Rivera is stating some REAL common sense advice on the whole thing.  Also, predictably, these comments (google the whole speech) have brought the ire of many a folk on line, to the point of viciousness. 
If I may, I offer up my own perspective.  Long before there were hoodies, when I was a teenager (back in the stone age) I was not what one would call a "conformist'.  I wore leather, torn jeans (this was when john Cougar Mellancamp made them hip) and my hair down to my butt.  Whatever reason motivated me to choose this "self expression" is not important (I'll leave that to the therapists), I only recall my fathers "Old fuddy-duddy" response to the few times a lamented what I perceived as myself being "unfairly, and unjustly" singled out by the powers that be (ie. School administrators and police) for scrutiny and accusations when I in fact had done nothing! ( OK, there were some things I did, but they weren't "illegal".  Seriously!  Riding on the hood of a car, holding onto the windshield wipers (at least in the 80's) WAS NOT illegal!  The officer who pulled us over told us so! ) My fathers reaction was simply "It's the costume's you wear"
Of course this only heightened my pubescent rage, and desire to rebel.  Eventually leading to black overcoats with army boots, BIGGER hole's in my pants, (a brief stint with black eye liner, admittedly, not my finest moment) not to mention earrings, ear cuff's, spiked bracelets, you name it (Joey Ramone eat your heart out) Surprisingly...it didn't help.  The harassment and preconceived perceptions of my character abound.
My point is, People will ALL WAYS stereotype when it is a safety or security issue.  look at our airports treatment of ANYONE wearing a head wrap or were olive skinned after 9/11.   When you are in a precarious situation with few options and your life or well being is at stake, and you have little to know raw data on the intent of the individual before you, your mind is going to make a snap decision in YOUR best interest.  Now given all the visual data in our lives from the News, movies and such Hoodies can be seen in abundance on episodes of COPS, America's Most Wanted, Law And Order...hey the list goes on and on.  Is it right to stereotype?  No.  But if it's all you got?
This was a tragedy that could have been avoided in so MANY ways! reports are still somewhat conflicting but a few facts are inescapable.  George Zimmerman should have left the gun at home, Should have stayed in his car as the police instructed him, Trayvon should not have approached George confrontational, and if eye witnesses are to be believed he certainly should not have pushed him down and slammed his head into the ground.
In the end, if you choose to be a certain way, or dress a certain way that IS YOUR CHOICE, self expression is a wonderful thing, however you can't be surprise and offended when your desire to make an impression...makes an impression.