BTWAM Response

Pop Your Bubble

The attached photo was taken in Paris, but this situation occurs all across the world. It is of a homeless man sitting helplessly on a staircase, being ignored by affluent individuals. The individuals are walking as to not crease their shoes. Their Neiman-Marcus coat collars are popped up to prevent them from becoming slightly chilly. One individual is making a call. However, what do they all have in common? They are blind to seeing the struggling man. They are not empathizing, interacting, or understanding the struggler because they are stuck in their own materialistic bubbles. Many of us can relate to subconsciously ignoring struggling people because we are floating in our own bubble ourselves. From observing this image, I myself relate to being in a bubble. By knowing that, I am able to briefly pop it, and am able to view Coates’s work with a more honest and empathetic lens. Material things keep us from empathizing with those who struggle because they disconnect us from the real world and current issues.

   Coates writes about his experience of his African-American son being shoved by a Caucasian lady at a movie theater. “A white woman pushed” Coates’s son in an attempt to enter the theater faster (95). The word “pushed” indicates it was a violent action, and it wasn’t a passive “hurry up” gesture. At first, I thought how horrific this incident was. Nobody should ever push someone else’s child. The woman who “pushed” Coates’s child wasn’t arrested, interrogated, or even scolded. She was actually defended by others for her terrible actions. But, from a materialistic standpoint in my bubble, the woman who pushed the boy didn’t scuff my shoes, tear my hoodie, or mess up my hair. This event was sad, but I lacked a real connection. However, going outside my bubble I am able to empathize and sympathize very much. What if an African-American adult were to push a Caucasian parent’s child? Surely the African-American would be immediately hit, arrested, and charged to the fullest extent of the law. That would never ever happen to a Caucasian person, and of course, that is mirrored in the book. This is a double standard in society. Caucasians are given leniency. I am able to realize that I am actually benefiting, safety and justice wise, from this. From being Caucasian I simply won’t be unfairly subjected and treated in society, and I won’t be placed in malicious situations that African-Americans might be. If I weren’t able to disconnect from my materialistic items, I wouldn’t understand the unfair disadvantages that African-American people face in society. 

Another experience Coates writes about is the time he was pulled over while driving. He said that the officer gave “no explanation” for the stop, and then let him go (76). “No explanation” indicates that there was no probable cause for the traffic stop and that it was completely unjust. If the officer had nothing to say, it most likely means that he pulled Coates over for no reason. Coates said police can do this because they receive “minimum” consequences because they’re “protecting” the community. (80). At first glance at this scenario, I wasn’t touched. Ok, Coates got pulled over and the cop didn’t say why. Big deal? Was my car pulled over and was I at risk of paying a fine? No. Why does this matter to me? Stepping out of my bubble, I am able to realize that I will never have to worry about being unjustly pulled over. I will never be seen as a threat to the community. According to the Washington Post, African-Americans are pulled over at twice the rate of Caucasian people and have four times the chance than Caucasians of being searched. Why does this happen? Racism. It is not me who is being targeted. It is African-Americans. It is taught in society that African-Americans are deemed more dangerous than Caucasians, and therefore need to be monitored and asserted by the law. By stepping out of my bubble I am able to realize that I won’t be targeted unfairly by law enforcement officials. I have the privilege of feeling safe while others don’t.

America was founded on racism. Since day one, African-American people have been facing de jure and de facto segregation. Now that we have popped our own materialistic bubbles and noticed that we are living in a world filled with racism, what is the cure? What can we do on an individual level to stop racism? If we become color blind and ignore black skin color we ignore the hardships that African-American individuals face in society. If we recognize skin color we identify even more differences between one another and become more separated. Do we pay African-American’s reparations for slavery? What if you’re a Caucasian immigrant in the 21st century who went to America? You had nothing to do with slavery, so should you pay taxes? Many proposed solutions, yet no good answers. What would you do to end racism?