Stereotypes

Last Friday as I was sitting in my Sociology class, a place I really did not want to be at 3:00 p.m. I was jarred from my deep thoughts by the loudness of a young man behind me.
I turned around to find out who the offending person was and I immediately dismissed him as having no home training and maybe he was just looking for attention. I took in his large diamond earrings, oversized Platinum FUBU and Jordans and dismissed him. I did all this based on how he appeared to me.
Now, I know better than anyone else does that this was wrong. But even in knowing that I was wrong I still did it , and so does the average person.
We as African-Americans have fought so hard to overcome limitations placed on our race due to stereotypes. I have witnessed first hand how we judge each other. I have heard so many people say, “Oh that girl is pretty to be so dark” insinuating that persons with dark complexions are not capable of being pretty.
I can only speak for myself, but I know why I looked at the young man in my class and dismissed him. It was because where I was born and raised only the ill mannered and those seeking attention acted this way.
I have witnessed stereotypes on so many different levels. I have had blacks from LSU seemingly write me off when I say I attend Southern University. They treat me and many other SU students like underlings, because I guess they think that we are only at SU because we could not get into LSU.
Even though we know we should not judge one based on their looks, home, job, the kind of car they drive, we continue to do so. By dismissing that young man in class, who knows? I could be missing out on my future husband or the man who may one day be the deciding voice on whether or not I get that loan I need to build a home for my family and me.
We should (myself included) should be cautious of judging others for as the bible says: “Judge not, that ye be not judged” Matthew 7:1.