In Theory!

In theory, Men are not accepted by their positive qualities, attributes or their accountability! Men are conformed through society to gain acceptance by the concept of being "a man". So the challenge is to get men to engage in changing this traditional acceptance of being "a man". Big task at hand!

I was walking down the sidewalk at school yesterday while I was on my phone txting, as usual lol! I was approaching a couple of bench's occupied with about 7 to 10 black men. As I passed I heard back-to-back comments "damn, look at that" .. "boy she don't know what I'd do to that" ..."i'd **** the **** out of her".. (Let me make something clear, I'm not discriminating or saying that white guys or any other race of male wouldn't have acted in the same manor.) So I stopped dead in my tracks, looked up and seen a girl walking about 10 or 15 feet infront of me with some low cut shorts on. I stood in my spot for about a little over a minute I would estimate, pondering if and what I should say. They didn't even acknowledge that I was there. Granted I was right in the center of them, and arms length away. They were to preoccupied gauking at the female walking infront of me. So I continued on my path, fustrated at the pathetic behaviors of these "men" and with myself for not saying anything. Why didn't I say anything? In reflection, (thinking like a man does)- I was totally out numbered and unanimously by a different race. It's a very intimidating scenario. Why do I or Men think like that? Because we think that the resolve to every and any conflict is violence. Which is completely the mind-set that i'm working to change. That doesn't justify me not saying anything, but I was so upset by their antics that it was probably best I didn't say anything, because it would have came out wrong. I walked on I felt sorry for the girl ahead hoping that she didn't hear any of those ignorant comments made. I wanted to ask her to make sure she didn't, but she had entered the building before me and by the time I did she was out of sight. So of course I felt even worse after that. In prevention we think intervene with our own safety in mind first. So, In theory was I acting with my own safety in mind first? Not taking action based on assumption that my intervening would have led to violence? I'm still contemplating my action, or lack there of and trying to come to a conclusion of whether it was right or wrong. At first glance, I think I'm in the wrong for not speaking out. Looking back, Im wondering if I did the right thing for the benefit of my safety (given it was probably a majority of hypermasculine young teens and early twenty-year-old kids).
Something I'm still battling with!....

Jeremy 8-25-09