I Always Feel Like, Somebody's Watching Me!

Today my friend Moses Kinikini shared a link from an ABC TV show that seemed to draw a lot of attention today. I heard about it on multiple radio stations as well as on TV this evening. It created quite a stir and caused many people to really consider how they would have reacted if it had been them in the situation. 

ABC planted actors within a Barber Shop in Harlem to create a situation where a racially opinionated black employee was upset that the black customer’s girlfriend was a blond white girl. She expressed herself very openly and the blond girl became upset. The customer’s within the shop had many different types of reactions, some angry, some offended, some shocked. Many stepped up to defend the white girl. Others said nothing.

ABC then came in and interviewed the customers and asked them why they had reacted a certain way. The answers were quite revealing as to what most Americans think of those types of situations and how some react and others do not.

I like to think that I would speak up and defend someone in a similar situation. I’m actually surprised that more people do not just from the knowledge that everyone has cell phones and cameras that seem to capture every event of every day. Cameras are watching your every move when you are in public.

I see cops getting filmed beating suspects and I am appalled not only by the beatings but also that they have not become aware of the video evidence out there. 

I remember the song “I always feel like, somebody’s watching me” and it rings a little true today. 

But what would you do in a situation like in the Barber Shop scenario? Would you sit quite? Would you join in with the black lady and berate the blond girl? Would you be unable to sit still, and instead become a defender? Would you get physical? I don’t know what exactly I would do but I hope I would do something. 

I hope I would do something not because it might be caught on video, but because it is the right thing to do. There is right and there is wrong. Do I stand and defend what is right no matter the circumstance? Do I reject the wrong at all costs?

As a Christian I hope so. At the end of the day, whether there is a video camera or not, someone is watching. Perhaps it’s God Himself. I believe He is, every time. 

However, you may not believe in God. Does that make right and wrong any different to you? 
I guess what I’m saying is, that it shouldn’t matter if anyone is watching or not. Do you have the integrity to stand up for what is right when the only one who will know it is you?

If not, perhaps you should always remember the old saying that “Hindsight is 20/20”. Hopefully you don’t find yourself looking at your actions on 20/20. Then everyone will see you for who you are.

That’s my scoop. What say you?

Here is the link to the ABC clip:

http://freepatriot.org/2013/12/10/happens-black-man-brings-white-girlfriend-harlem-barbershop-watch/