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Watch his interview clip, it provides a better context to the situation.
Preface: One of the challenges of talking about race online is that it is very easy to miss the target. It’s easy to preach to the choir and not win any converts when talking about issues that evoke emotion. For me, it’s difficult to remove myself emotionally and to be objective all the time. Plus, my writing lends it self to being sensational and relying on generalizations. Hopefully you can see at least 1 of my three points, if not let me know where I’m wrong. I’m open to critique.
The Story: University of New Mexico football player, Deshon Marman was kicked off a plane and ultimately arrested yesterday because of his sagging pants. Marman had been trying to fly back to school after attending the funeral of a close friend. He was charged with suspicion of trespassing, battery.
After watching this video about the arrest of Deshon Marman and his apology I had a few thoughts.
Number one- I am proud of Deshon for keeping his cool and having an even tempered response. He is not waging a media campaign on race, he just wants to get back to his normal life. He took responsibility but also helped expose the airline for their inappropriate behavior.
Number two-I could be wrong but I feel like dress code issues always apply to Black people. On my 23rd b-day I couldn’t get into a club cause of my ‘baggy pants’ but several White dudes walked in wearing flip flops.
Number three* It’s paradoxical to me that when it comes to crime & punishment Black boys are often treated like men. They are never given a pass for their youth as other groups are. However, in terms of crime and punishment, Black men are not given the respect that a man deserves but rather they are often talked down to like they are boys. Perhaps, this is typical of all criminal interactions, but the history of Blacks and Browns with the legal system tells us otherwise.
I’ve had countless experiences like this where I have been talked down to or treated unfairly or threatened that someone would call the cops on me. Me? Smiley face Elliott? I was raised to be well mannered, respectful, and to look presentable, so it always caught me off guard when people would treat me like a street thug.
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9 Comments
It’s definitely an interesting story. I think both sides could have avoided the intensity of it. Regardless, there is a void in the story…an aspect we just can’t pinpoint unless we were actually there. I feel you a thousand times on the “flip flop” example. It’s as if people are expecting blacks to “misbehave” and act according to the potential rather than treat every individual with the benefit of doubt.
Race is always a controversial issue and I completely agree with everything you have said in this article, all of your points are very valid. Unfortunately, I believe this young man was targeted because of his race, and not necessarily because his pants were baggy. I have never in my life heard of a dress code being enforced on an airplane. This whole case is just ridiculous and all charges need to be dropped IMO.
Number One: I agree. You should have posted the video of him on the plane. For someone who just lost their best friend, he kept his composure very well. I think what he was charged with was ridiculous.
Number Two: It’s probably an excuse used in some cases.
Number Three: A lot of people are telling this guy (in the comments under the articles and videos) that he should know better, he’s 20 years old, etc. There’s many a college student who have probably worn pajama pants on an airplane. And many of them who have done it, when they’re 30, they’ll look back and think, what the heck was I doing? I think people just don’t have faith in a young Black male being the correct party in situations. Just like you say in your particular situation. Everyone would be like, “Really? Elliot? These people are definitely racist?”
Great comments, Wilkine I’m gonna add the video to this post, I think it spells it all out for us. Coco, I’m with you, they should drop all the charges and issue and apology. He has already apologized for his part in the siuation.
Deb, my homie. I’m gonna post that video in place of the one on the page now. As for dress code, I just want consistency. I went to a school with like 8 black people of 600 ppl and had to deal with dress code stuff that targeted me. Like durags, it’s a black thing, telling me I can’t wear cause it’s gang related, um no it’s culture related. C’Mon Son.
You hit the nail on the head my brother, I couldn’t argue with you even if I wanted to. LOL. (im always up for an emotional debate)
He apologized way more than I would have, I congratulate him on staying cool calm and collected. I dont see anything else he could have done except maybe pulled his pants up sooner. But what I want to know is who was on standby and got his seat after he was escorted off the plane. I bet it was someone white, most likely a crewman’s friend or family member. It’s just seems too extreme for something so petty as sagging pants.
I just watched the vid again, his apology actually pisses me of just a bit, I hate to see blacks kissing white folks ass. I understand he is trying to make things right, but I feel like we are back in the slave days. He might as well be saying “Massah” at the end of each sentence. Switch “Sir” with “Massah” and he would sound exactly like a slave!! But im happy to see that he is well mannered, but if he would have had his pants up around his waist like me should, then MAYBE he wouldn’t have had any problems.
Thought this was another interesting story – I wonder if there is a photography code for white females? http://www.pixiq.com/article/woman-escorted-off-us-airways-flight-for-snapping-iphone-photo
Seems like she provoked the situation, she could have merely wrote down the lady’s name without being noticed. In both situations the passengers seemed to be unaware of flight attendant power. Both protested, complained and were removed. The difference is the man was arrested whereas the woman and her husband walked away and caught another flight. Apples to apples my friend?
Another provocation huh? You can always find an angle if that’s what you tend to focus on… http://abclocal.go.com/kfsn/story?section=news/entertainment&id=8340352