Re-Thinking Rachel Jeantel — Todd’s Commentary

I must admit...upon watching and listening to Rachel Jeantel's initial appearance and testimony in court on Wednesday, June 26, I too had eyebrows raised and had an immediate reaction!

But after day two, when Rachel came back as a different person, I had to EXAMINE MYSELF and wonder what was REALLY WRONG the day before.  I came up wit something and want to share it with you and get YOUR feedback!

These are my thoughts, as I posted on Facebook:

I agree with SOME OF WHAT people are saying about Rachel Jeantel...but ONLY relating to the LEVEL OF RESPECT SHE EXHIBITED UPON HER INITIAL COURT APPEARANCE...I DO NOT AGREE WITH MOST OF THE IGNORANCE PEOPLE ARE COMING UP WITH RELATIVE TO HER APPEARANCE (DRESS), HER NECK, EVEN HER DIALECT... SHE HAS JUST AS MUCH RIGHT TO LOOK, SPEAK, AND PHYSICALLY EXIST AS A GAY PERSON HAS TO A SAME SEX UNION!!!!! Most of what's "ACCEPTABLE" socially is deceptive in that there's this facade of "coming up to 'THEIR' level", when there's actually nothing WRONG with whatever level another Culture chooses to operate within...in other words... if MR. DEFENSE ATTORNEY were to come to Rachel's neighborhood and be questioned and interrogated and he's using a number of BIG WORDS which no one understands... he needs to RISE TO THE OCCASION based on his being uneducated and illiterate with respect to another culture's level of intelligence... IT'S ALL RELATIVE...the difference is that THE ORIGINAL WHITE MAN IN THIS COUNTRY CLAIMED EVERYTHING AS HIS OWN.... so the perception becomes such that HIS STUFF is the STANDARD BY WHICH EVERYONE MUST ABIDE.... NOT!!!! I don't subscribe to that mode of thought... EVERYONE has just as much a right to have THEIR own preferences of speech, demeanor, etc...(relative to their Culture) while also realizing there is a manner of speaking and respect in ANY culture that is ACCEPTABLE, RESPECTFUL, and that one should be aware of. The issue with Rachel Jeantel is NOT ONE IN WHICH SHE IS NOT WHITE ENOUGH... the ISSUE IS THAT SHE "WAS" (because she cleaned it up)... NOT APPROPRIATE ENOUGH AS IT RELATES TO ANY CULTURE!!!! I'm not trying to be WHITE when I speak CLEARLY... I'M BEING AN EDUCATED MAN...WHO HAPPENS TO BE BLACK...AND MY MANNER OF SPEAKING IS REPRESENTATIVE OF THE BLACK / AFRICAN-AMERICAN CULTURE...NOT SOMEONE ELSES!!!!.... WHO GAVE ANY PARTICULAR CULTURE LICENSE TO CLAIM ANY LEVEL OF DECENCY, SPEECH, OR ANYTHING THAT'S SOCIALLY DEEMED "OKAY" AS SOMETHING THEY OWN.... HOW POMPOUS IS THAT?...PLEASE... A BLACK WOMAN RAISED ME.... NOT YOU!!!! For Example: if my oration is such that I'm saying... "Listen, "Son"...If you continue on the path you're on; you will definitely be experiencing an outcome that will be unequivocally uncomfortable for you... isn't that the same as a PERCEPTIVELY IGNORANT ORATION STATING.... If you don't get the *&%$ out my face nigga, I'mma beat yo' ass (please excuse that if you're Culture is one in which that is offensive but understand that...) the LATER would be VERY APPROPRIATE IN SOME SETTINGS IN WHICH SOME MAY HAVE NO DIPLOMA AND WOULD FAIL MISERABLY!!!!??? You FEEL ME"... "DO YOU UNDERSTAND"..."CAPEESH"..."YOU GET ME"..."YOU HEARD" ?

Please share your thoughts with me!