Be courteous and at the same time protect yourself : Day 28

This is the teachings of Cameron's mother. In the beginning, I was laughing but at the end I was sad.

– Don’t put your hands in your pockets.

– Don’t put your hoodie on.

– Don’t be outside without a shirt on.

– Check-in with your people, even if you’re down the street.

– Don’t be out too late.

– Don’t touch anything you’re not buying.

– Never leave the store without a receipt or a bag, even if it’s just a pack of gum.

– Never make it look like there’s an altercation between you and someone else.

– Never leave the house without your ID.

– Don’t drive with a wifebeater on.

– Don’t drive with a do-rag on.

– Don’t go out in public with a wife-beater or a do-rag.

– Don’t ride with the music too loud.

– Don’t stare at a Caucasian woman.

– If a cop stops you randomly and starts questioning you, don’t talk back, just compromise.

– If you ever get pulled over, put your hands on the dashboard and ask if you can get your license and registration out. (by Brittany Wong, HuffPost)

In Edo era (1603-1868) over 250 local lords had to go to Edo where Tokugawa federal lord family lived every 2 years. While a local lord and his servants and samurais went to Edo, people who encountered this procession must sit on the street and put their heads on the street to make the deepest bow. Otherwise, these people were killed due to disrespect.

When I was young, my mom taught me that I have to take my hands out of my pockets when I am talking with people who are older than me. I have to take my hat off inside the house, and I have to make a bow when I meet an acquaintance. It is courtesy I should know in order to live in harmony with others in society. But Cameron’s mother’s teaching is an essential skill in order to protect oneself from discrimination and brutality. What Cameron's mom taught is different skills but a similar concept for learning these skills in order to live safely in Japan 400 years ago. At that time there were 4 categories of occupation classification among people. It was discrimination and as I said samurai could and would kill lower rank of people such as farmers or merchants who did not make the deepest bow before the local lord procession. And this is happening in a different manner in the U.S. as institutional racism. That is why I was so sad when I watched this video.

https://www.aol.com/article/lifestyle/2020/06/05/black-teen-shares-the-rules-his-mom-makes-him-follow-when-leaving-the-house/24513168/