What can black people do to make you feel safe?

Question

I am a black man who is an executive at a major corporation. However, I noticed that people immediately make sure that their car alarm is turned on when they see me in the parking garage or see me walking down the street. I have tried every approach. I smiled, I said "hello". I even make it a point to where my corporate badge on my belt buckle so they can see that I am an executive.

Also, I noticed in allot of cities, people tend to move when a large number of black people move into their neighborhood. This even occurs when the people who are moving in are black executives with a high income.

So what can black people do in your presence to make you feel safe?

Answer 1

What can we do to make white people feel safe? Are you joking? Why should I have to change MY behavior to accommodate some racist's belief that Blacks are criminal or unsavory individuals.

Answer 2

I went over your Q&A you seem legit so I'll try to answer your question the same:

First of all good for you for working hard and becoming someone important, role model's are a good start towards change.

I really think it's the media's fault, a lot of whites end up living in the suburbs, while more blacks tend to migrate toward large cities. When you watch the news thats all you see in forms of crime, its always the black man shooting the cop, or robbing someone, ect...

The prisons are also overpopulated with african american's If you compare the percentage of population outside of prison vs inside prison. I can see things changing for the better though.

Yesterday my black neighbor came to my door working on starting a neighborhood watch program, a house had been broken into recently. That's a real stand up thing to do, it shows you care about your surroundings and really gained my respect and admiration.

There's probably nothing you can do personally more than you already are, just present yourself well; and hope others do the same. If it makes you feel any better if you said hello to me I would definetly say hi back.

Answer 3

What you described I tend do to any bigger males black or white when I am in the city, but I am a small girl usualy walking alone. Smiling is good, if I feel nervous around someone and I see them smile that puts me at ease almost instantly. Just ignore it though, people are stupid.

Answer 4

Dont take it personally. A few bad apples have spoiled the bunch. Ghettos, gangs, violence, and drugs (and the fact they're proud of these things) are often affiliated with black people. Ask yourself how your white friends act, are they apprehensive towards you, or have they gotten to know you and realize that your a good person?

Answer 5

Wear colorful sweaters, like Cliff Huxtable.

Answer 6

Wow. That must be awful. I'm sorry this happens to you. I don't like to label people by the color of there skin. We are all humans, brothers and sisters, God's children. You have no control over other people's actions. I'm receptive to any smiling face no matter what the pigmentation of their skin is. The answer is to spread Christianity which teaches that all people are precious to God and therefore have great value. It's not you that needs to change, it's society.

Answer 7

We can't do anything about it.You dont have to tire yourself by trying to prove anything.They will get used to it.Problem is theirs.You can not force your neghbour to stay if it uncomfortable to them.Let them feel unsafe if their instinct directs them so.Your conscience should be very clear.If you are good you are good,if you are bad you are bad.To them black is the same.

Answer 8

The only time anyone makes me feel unsafe is if they look shady. I might lock my door around you if you were squinting at me and sort of pretending you were doing something else. Or if you approached with clenched fists.

Where are you anyway?

Answer 9

Well, i'm white, if that's a category to belong in. I am an Irish decendant and my family came over here 4 generations ago.

I'm sorry you have this prejudice against you. There are some people who do things in each racial group that gives a whole lot a bad name. We have an area here, where I live and it's the projects. It is mostly made up of black people, there's a high crime rate. last yr we had 4 teenagers killed down there, innocent teenagers. Noone is sure who did it still. When I lived in Illinios, I lived in Waukegan it was mostly mexican immigrants and the worse problem was a few had sticky fingers. Then there was a raid recently where some illegal immigrants were found working with stolen identities of actual american citizens, I also recieved an email with pictured of illegal immagrants hanging a mexican flag above an american flag and placed the american flag back, but upside down on American soil. That gives a bad name to those groups. And then there's the white folks. and everyone thinks we're all stuck up snooty people who drive BMW's and have a 4 bd room house overlooking the lake. Well we don't. A good majority of white people here, live in a trashy trailer park, smoke 6 packs a day, even while pregnant, missing several teeth and living on welfare, they don't care about doing anything for themselves and like being dumb redneck hicks that come out of the woodwork for sears annualy lawn and hardware sale.

but I am white famale, married with 2 kids and I try very hard to teach them how to be good to everyone and to be good people. I have a degree in interior design (still can't find a job here) and my husband works very hard building mining machines. We are good people and my husband works very hard for me and our kids to have something good. And i'm sure you do too.


Oh and another thing for the racial tension between black and white people. For me and from my point of view, I don't like the word niger, I think it's a discusting word and should never be used and I am VERY offended when I hear one black person say it to another. In terms of slavery, I don't appreciate black folks saying that the white folks owe them something because of slavery. Like I said before, my family came over here from Ireland, just because I am pale doesn't mean I had anything to do with it. Additionally, you can't move on to the future if you're not willing to let go of the past. From what I read up, slavery was something that happened as a result of wars in Africa who ever lost was sold to the dutch, they inturn sold them again to americans. So if there is any anger about something that happened hundreds of years ago the blame needs to be put on some dead dutch people by dead slaves. Think about it our country was founded by deception. the english came over here, not to excape religious persecution but because they took being a christian to a crazy extreme and were kindly kicked out, then once they got here, they lied to the NATIVE AMERICANS and stole the land they were living on. then slavery occured. and yet again the english bought that then lied once slaves were supposed to be set free. 40 acres and a mule, right.

OMG I just went out there didn't I. Sadly, steriotyping is a coping mechinism. I try to make sure I don't do that, I stay out of peoples way, speak up when I need to and try to make my kids good people. I don't care what color you are, or where you come from. I will be good to you, just be good back.

As for a more direct answer to your question: cause people are ignorant and like being that way, and they're too lazy to care.
I'm sorry for what you go through. I'm sorry that my race is to ignorant to get to know your race.

I'm sorry I stared rambling

Answer 10

People that are afraid of you will probably never change. So have some fun with it. Walk toward them. Squint, and flash a gang symbol.