Tracy Press

Are you for real???

I hate to be the one to break it to you, but if you dress and act the part... well... you are the part. Have you not heard the old adage, if it walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck... its a duck.

If you are intelligent enough to recognize the stereotype, yet choose to dress or act in a way in which you could be perceived as part of that stereotypic group, then you deserve any of the results of your actions.

Let me break it down one last time... if you don't want to be treated like a hood, then don't dress or act like one... simple!

Are you for real???

So because someone chooses to dress a certain way they should be harassed. You know some of the worst serial killers in history seemed pretty normal (see Dennis Rader) Maybe the Tracy police should harass you for wearing a polo shirt....what an idiot!!!

Yes... I am.

I would first like to point out that your argument is flawed. I am not saying that there are bad people out there that don't "look the part" of hood, or criminal, or whatever role you would like to stereotype. What I am inferring is that there are good people that DO "look the part" and if you are intelligent enough to know that, then do something about it.

I think your most intelligent criminals get this concept (as you may have well validated). They recognize there is a stereotype and likely do what they can to avoid being cast in that stereotype. In fact, I'd argue that a large number of people recognize and accept that there are certain social norms regarding how we act or dress within many circumstances in life. Why else would someone (any one) looking to land a new job, dress up (although this is subjective), and act a certain way (again... subjective) even if it is not their norm? Maybe in order to maximize their chances of getting the job??? Elicit a certain response??? Your average teen going for a fast food job, may not look at this in the same manner as even an adult going for the same job. However, I think both make an attempt to put their best foot forward in an effort to increase their odds of getting the job they desire. In essence they recognize that they may need to meet certain social norms in order to manage perceptions. At any rate, this topic is very complex and it is not the basis for my argument.

What I am challenging is… if you KNOW the way you are dressing or acting can impact the way people perceive you... and those perceptions are incorrect… then why not change the way you dress or act in public to elicit responses you would like. As opposed to going out of your way to dress like a hood… I mean why represent a hood unless you are a hood? Am I over simplifying?

Personally, if you dress like a hood, I think you should continue. I am a believer of the Darwin's theory and one more person being targeted by police or gangs makes for one less target for the rest of the population.

Darwin’s theory, huh? How does the fact that life evolves in slow increments based on the genes that provide the best likelihood of future survival relate to the way some kid is dressing??? Your entire argument in which you attempt to look educated boils down to the fact that you are an idiot who likes to stereotype people, and in the Darwinian world you live in the predator (aka, kid with baggie pants…LOL!!!) that is going to attack you probably already evolved into a guy with a business suit and a 9MM for better concealment...!!!

Wow... you really are a live one aren't you?

Now pay attention... I am only going to explain this once.

Between 1842 and 1844, Charles Darwin outlined his theory of evolution by natural selection as an explanation for adaptation and speciation. He defined natural selection as the "principle by which each slight variation [of a trait], if useful, is preserved". The concept was simple but powerful: individuals best adapted to their environments are more likely to survive and reproduce.[1]

Now... if that is too difficult for you to understand, here is another angle... maybe you have heard of the Darwin Awards? The Darwin Awards are tongue-in-cheek honors named after evolutionary theorist Charles Darwin. "Awards" have been given for people who "do a service to Humanity by removing themselves from the Gene pool", i.e., lose the ability to reproduce. It is for people who kill, or in rare cases, sterilize themselves accidentally by attempting to do stupid feats. You can review some examples of these awards at: http://www.darwinawards.com/

What was essentially saying was... if you want to dress like a thug, you increase your chances of early loss of reproduction (i.e. "sterilize themselves accidentally by attempting to do stupid feats" (or putting themselves needlessly in harms way)".

Your feeble attempts to discredit and put me down only reflect your own deficiencies. Like I said in my previous response, I do not disagree with you. I am making a different point that you are trying to manipulate because you obviously like to argue. So have fun arguing with yourself… I have made my point and am done with you.

Source:[1] Origin of Species, Chapter 3, pages 61-62

The point you have made is nothing more than you like to stereotype people for their appearance. I think that is fairly obvious don't you? The type of clothing that someone wears DOES NOT indicate the actions (whether good or bad) or intelligence of that person. THERE IS THAT SIMPLE ENOUGH FOR YOU TO UNDERSTAND? You can do your best to try and hide that fact with all the data that you have managed to cut and paste from other websites and Darwin’s "The Origin of Species" but it's pretty easy to see right through you. I mean come on you just wrote:

QUOTE:
What was essentially saying was... if you want to dress like a thug, you increase your chances of early loss of reproduction (i.e. "sterilize themselves accidentally by attempting to do stupid feats" (or putting themselves needlessly in harms way)".

Read this nonsense and tell me you don't think you sound like a candidate for a Darwin award yourself. Please next time you are at the vending machine and you don't get your soda. Make sure you shake the machine violently....

P.S. If you are as smart as you think you are you’ll stop here since, again, the only point you have managed to make clear is that you like to judge people based on their appearance. End of story!!!