Just some thoughts....
So I realize that I've kinda fallen behind on this whole blog thing, I'll try not to let it happen again. The last few weeks of 2014 were kinda nuts for me. Lots of deadlines to get photos done before the holidays. I
Anyway, I had an experience tonight that I've experienced numerous times, and it brought to mind a lot of thoughts that I've had recently with events here in the US. I debated all the way home on if I should write about it on here or not, and I finally decided screw it. It's not what you might find on most photographers blogs but then again I don't want to be most photographers.
Tonight I was grabbing some groceries at the store, just the usual type stuff. It was busy and we were all trying to keep from getting in each others way. I started down one aisle with only one lady on it. She was middle aged and when she saw me she grabbed her purse tighter , gave me a look of disdain, and scurried past clinging to the other side of the aisle. To be honest, at first it kinda bummed me out, then I started thinking....
I have no reason to be bummed out. I have no reason to apologize. I did absolutely nothing wrong. The idea that we are judging people based on the way they dress, their tattoos and piercings, or heaven forbid, the color of their skin is just sick. We seriously have gotta wake up. Wake up to the stereotyping that we've been programmed to believe. I have tattoos. I wear baggy pants, metal shirts, a hoodie, and a beanie MOST of the time. Get to know me and you'll find that I'm really not a bad guy.
And here's what I usually get told, "it's about the image that you project is how people will view you." Really? See that's a you problem and not a me problem. Look at Ted Bundy and John Wayne Gacy, at the sex offender list online, or even a weekly "just busted" paper. You know what? A lot of those people APPEAR to be clean cut, well to do members of our society, so why do I gotta look like them to be treated as such? It's a shame.
Here's where we go wrong in our country, we are so focused on appearances instead of on actions. Not gonna lie, when I was younger I judged on appearance. It was the way I was brought up. Now, I'm just as cautious as ever when I'm out, but it has nothing to do with appearance and everything to do with actions.. I am mindful of peoples actions, behaviors, and their energy.
If I kept my distance from anyone that didn't project a "proper image", I'd be a pretty lonely person, and I would have missed out on some amazing friendships that have had a huge impact on my life and on my faith the last few years. I just thought it's something to think about.