Stereotypes - Cops and Thugs

Stereotype: a simplified and standardized conception or image invested with special meaning and held in common by members of a group:

Profiling: the use of personal characteristics or behavior patterns to make generalizations about a person

These terms are pretty much always used in a negative context as if they are wrong, but if we're honest, we all do it.  It's how we process our world.  We make an instant judgement about a person on sight.  We then can choose what we do with it, but there is a first impression that we all have based on similar situations we've encountered previously.  If guys in cowboy hats have always called you ma'am or sir, the next cowboy hat you see, you will probably expect the same.  We recognize patterns and create expectations based on those patterns.  

I believe this is an important issue to be aware of when we consider how we present ourselves to the world around us.  Let us look at the hip hop/rap culture.  These boys that dress like gangsters/ thugs give off a certain expectation about their character.  When one chooses to align with a music scene that promotes violence, drugs, crime, sexual violence, promiscuity, lack of respect for authority and who knows what else.... I personally am going to be much more inclined to not trust them.  I don't know why anyone would like listening to all that if they didn't aspire to that lifestyle.  That is just my opinion, but isn't that what we're talking about here?  It is my opinion that one will primarily choose to fill their eyes and ears with things that align with their moral standards.  

This has been on my mind with the current news line.  I have not intentionally looked at anything related to the Ferguson case, just heard the bare bones basic idea, so I won't pretend to know anything about it. (as if watching the news really tells us anything about anything)  I'm just thinking that this isn't new.  We hear stories often about authority figures abusing people, be it cops or teachers, and the news creates this huge hoopla about it and incites the people to riot.  It is something that I am trying to be understanding about.  I am not saying it is right, but I feel like I understand how it happens and that the authority figures aren't really the problem.  

I remember an incident back in middle school where a teacher grabbed a student by the throat and pushed him out in the hallway and up against the wall in anger.  I realize now that wasn't ok, but at the time, I think we all thought the kid deserved it.  He was always acting up and being a turd.  No one liked him.  He pushed the teacher to the breaking point.  Years later I heard another teacher that I really liked had been suspended and accused of slapping a student.  I'd been in his class for 3 years, he was a great guy, so my thought again was, what that kid must've done to push the teacher to that point.  My point is that cops and teachers deal with troublesome individuals on a daily basis.  The growing number of punks that just smart off and fight back is something I would never be able to deal with.  I would totally want to slap them around.  Think about it.  How much disrespect could you take? I'm surprised more of them don't snap.  

So back to my original word, the cops have for sure got a certain idea in their head about how these punks will behave, and that includes pulling a gun.  If I'm an officer facing off with someone that looks like every other punk I've dealt with, the threat of a weapon coming out is running on red alert.  Have you ever had a gun pulled on you?  These cops have I'm sure.  A few months ago I just happened to drive right past a situation where a cop shootout was happening and I know what happened inside of me.  My racing heart, shaking hands, two hours trying to calm down, not thinking straight ....  How much time do you have to make a decision in that situation?  I would never want to be in their shoes.  

I hope we as a nation can learn to have some compassion.  Yes, bad things happen, mistakes are made, but we all make them.  Can we choose to not vilify cops when one of them makes a mistake (or alleged mistake)?  Can we try to understand their circumstances?  Can we forgive? If you can't forgive others their mistakes, how can you ever expect yours to be forgiven?  Can we address the real problem?  Can we seek to provide resources for the cops to turn to when the stress builds up so they don't snap?  Can we acknowledge how much crap they deal with on a daily basis and give them our respect for doing it? 

And secondly, how are you presenting yourself to the world?  I would venture a guess that not all black people are automatically suspected of being criminals, but only those who dress and act in a way that lumps them in with the sector that is.  If you associate yourself with criminals, don't whine when you are assumed to be one at first glance.  Realize that stereotypes exist and you will be treated as such on first impression, just as you do it to others.  

And lastly, let us do our best to get to know people beyond first impressions.  They might surprise you.  I'm challenging myself on this one, I'm not very good at this myself.  :) 

The Woman Caught in Adultery

I have often thought of this story found in John 8 and thought that it may be the most important passage that begs us to reflect upon our own lives.

For anyone who doesn't know, the religious leaders catch a woman in the act of adultery and they bring her to Jesus in an attempt to find another excuse to accuse Him.  They remind Jesus that the law says she should be stoned to death.  Jesus tells them, ok, whoever of you is without sin can throw the first stone.  The religious leaders all leave the scene.  Jesus, the only sinless one present, tells the woman that He doesn't condemn her, she should go and sin no more.

I think it shows us three different groups we might fit into, and I think we can probably find ourselves in all 3 at some point in our life.  What can we learn from each group?

1 - The "sinner" -- We've all been here.  The wages of sin is death, and we've received a pardon.  Consider the gratefulness this woman would have felt in this moment immediately following a horrible shame and fear filled situation as she receives the grace of Jesus.  It is good to remember where we have come from and thank God often for His grace and mercy on us.  It was the greatest love that Christ died for us while we were still His enemies.

2 - The religious -- The Pharisees are always the bad guys in the Bible, but oh how often I have been them, or I run into people standing in their shoes?  Self-righteousness is such an easy trap to fall into.  How quickly we can forget that we too were sinners and Christ saved our butts.  We turn our nose up at people who don't do the things we do, or do the things we do not do.  We love to cry out for their blood.  We love to see those who do wrong get what's coming to them.  Oh the hypocrisy!  I would recommend that we all examine our own attitudes often to see if we are falling into this pit.  The world won't see our love if they first see our judgement and spite.

3 - Jesus -- Of course we all want to think that we'd be like Jesus in this story.  Jesus sees our hearts and He knows the hurts and lies that have assaulted us.  He wants more than anything to restore us to our created ideal.  Justice for Him is to see us healed and delivered from the enslavement of sin.  He was the only one in the story that had the right to stone her, but He chose to love on her instead.  We never hear what happened to her, but I would guess that her life took a drastic turn after that incident.  I want to be the person that loves people that do things I don't do, things I don't think are right.  I want to see past the surface and see the heart.  Jesus sees our golden centers and He calls us up into that path.  We, as His disciples must learn to do the same.  The world has enough hurt and judgement and hate, we don't need to add to it.  The kindness of God is what leads us to repentance.  Let us strive to be more like Jesus.