Summertime is a time for many things. For teens all over the nation, it is often seen as a break from school — a time to hang with friends, earn a little money with a summer job. At least this is what summer might mean for the lucky ones. But, for too many minority teens, it is simply not the case.
The dictionary describes a hoodie as merely a hooded sweatshirt. A piece of clothing. Nothing more.
However, depending on who wears it, the hooded sweatshirt might mean different things to different people. To some the hoodie takes on an evil description if a black male is wearing it.
That perception was driven home recently with the killing of Trayvon Martin. The Florida teen was wearing a hoodie when he was return home from the store with a can of ice tea and a bag of candy.
Searching for literature review sources, the complexity of understanding racism in our modern day society can’t be overstated. Terminology angst filled me. What I thought would be a simple search for a working definition of racism turned into an exploration of the intricacies of such a negatively powerful and emotive term.
Since the election of Barack Obama as the first black President of the United States, the issue about whether he should play a direct role in addressing the race issue in America continues to resurface. Should President Obama take an active role in helping America confront racism? If so, what should that role be? Would doing so put him in a no-win position since he is a black man?
