Columnist Carol Daniel
A caller to KMOX wanted to know why we weren’t discussing the ethnicity of the teenagers involved in last weekend’s shouting match at the Galleria Mall or the fight in the lobby of the St. Clair-10 movie theater in Fairview Heights, Illinois, saying it was our responsibility to find out who they were and calling the detail “critical information.”
By the way, the first person to be arrested in this latest Galleria incident was 33 years of age! So a proposed curfew wouldn’t have impacted him at all.
But, back to the question. Our answer during the Paul Harrish show was, “We don’t know.” So we then countered with the question, “Why do you think it’s critical information?”
His point of view was that, much like a well-known hotel, the mall would find out how it would be treated for its reaction to black customers. I had to point out how ridiculous the comparison was, given that the hotel settled a discrimination lawsuit for its treatment of otherwise law-abiding hotel goers, while the malls are reacting to some who are allegedly breaking the law by considering changing the rules for everyone. The Mall of America instituted a curfew as well, but the story never mentioned the skin color of the youth causing the problems.
I do think the caller was correct in his belief that many listeners, white, black and otherwise, were probably wondering if the teens in question were in fact black, with many African Americans quietly hoping, “Please, don’t let them be black.”
I still don’t know for sure whether they were mocha, paper-sack brown, beige or ebony, but what if they were? I know, for some, including that caller whom I believe was Caucasian, the kids being black might confirm some negative perceptions about black people and muddy any discussion about blacks and problematic behaviors. Who can argue that the attitude exists for some that criminal or irresponsible behavior is inherent in certain groups? Have you ever thought, “That’s just the way they are”?
Unfortunately, we have not really reached the point where we can discuss reality without prejudice seeping in. For instance, I don’t think all of us can discuss African Americans and poor parenting, the dropout rate or the criminal justice system without some, like the caller – or some “chip on the shoulder” black people – crying foul.
One side says, “You people are the problem.” And the other side says, “It’s racism that has caused the problem.” Tensions rise, and no meaningful debate takes place. Meanwhile, in the middle of the discussion is the reality and we don’t seem to have enough stamina to get past the emotional stereotypes to real solutions.
Richmond Heights Police Captain Craig Mueller was quoted on KMOX as saying, “When disorderly, misbehaving, irresponsible people go anywhere, they’re going to behave poorly.” Isn’t that true regardless of ethnicity, age, income or status?
Much has been made of the mostly black women who appear in rap videos and the clearly nasty and negative image they present. But those who appear in the majority of the “Girls Gone Wild” videos are white females usually drunk and clearly behaving badly. But if we were to discuss those videos (without actually showing them), would we need to point out that they are white women? Somehow, I doubt it.
And yet, if these are black teens getting into fights in movie theaters and shopping malls, I want to know some things. Where are they from? Where are their parents? Is this gang-related or just run-of-mill disagreements that escalated? Are others getting into shouting matches, with police or security officers overlook them but swooping in when the subjects are black? Where do white teenagers gather, and do they get into fights in those places too?
I want to know, because poverty, single-parent homes, juvenile crime and prison time disproportionately impact minorities. It’s really not a long walk from “disorderly and irresponsible” to “deceitful and criminal.”