Philando Castile Is Dead Because He Had A "Wide Set Nose" | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Politics and Activism

Philando Castile Is Dead Because He Had A "Wide Set Nose"

Also... America fears blackness

227
Philando Castile Is Dead Because He Had A "Wide Set Nose"
Wikimedia Commons

Finally.

An officer who racially profiled a black person and overreacted during an interaction with a black person would have to face the consequences; the consequences of killing a black person. The after math of the shooting was live streamed on Facebook. There was a child in the car. The victim's gun was licensed. No reports stated the victim even pulled the gun out. He politely told the officer he had a concealed weapon. The victim had no criminal history . This was a homicide. Right? This was racial profiling .

More telling than anything to the claims of racial profiling was the audio of the officer's call for back up which was later released in court . The officer stated the black passenger was being pulled over because he looked like a robbery suspect. But why did Jeronimo Yanez, the officer say Philando Castile, the victim, looked like the suspect from a robbery days earlier? Because Castile had a “wide set nose.” There you have it. He is dead technically because he had wide nostrils. But is that a specific enough feature to get a black person confused with another one? Many black people have wide nostrils. It is an evolutionary trait which came from ancestors who lived in hot climates . So when a non-black officer says a random black driver looks like another black person simply because they both have wide set noses , a trait which many black people have , it's just preposterous that American society and an American jury does not see the officer's actions as racial profiling . The officer at that point could have targeted any black man with wide nostrils; and there are a lot of them. So it's preposterous that Yanez's traffic stop was not deemed unlawful to begin with. A wide nose is not just cause to stop someone.

After the unlawful stop Yanez said he feared for his life . And the jury bought it . Yes, there is a possibility that he was genuinely afraid . His fear however was not because Castile was threatening . The audio released actually presents Castile as calm and polite. So Yanez was not afraid of Castile himself. His fear which he expressed to the jury was more of a stereotypical, non-specific fear of black people . And I know this fear . The assumption that you are always out to hurt someone because you are black. I have had so many jokes misconstrued and just general over reactions to things I say as a result of this stereotype. Aftet moving here six years ago, I quickly realized black people are seen as inherently threatening in American society. Not as threatening as Muslims, but pretty up there on the scale of one to threatening . So what Yanez felt was that general good ole American fear of blackness. We are feared even when we are good, kind and gentle like Castile . That is how many coworkers who were interviewed by the media described Castile.

But to Yanez , Castile and his wide nostrils were threatening. And it's nothing new.

It's in fact a "Tale as old as time . True as it can be. Barely even friends ... Both a little scared. Neither one prepared. Beauty and the Beast." We all the know the song . And it's a reflection of interactions between black and non black America. And black Americans are always the assumed beast. Never the beauty. Never the victim. Never the person whose death needs to be vindicated. Always feared, and the fear always seems justifiable to a jury . This is especially true when the person who fears us is a police officer . Because officers are princes in the eyes of the American public. And black men are beasts . The fear of a prince is worth his weight in gold and is it expected that he slay the beast. How else would everyone else have their happy ending?

This unfortunate story has been the nature of America for centuries. But can America change? Inquiring black minds want to know. Can America accept that officers are too quick to pull the trigger at routine traffic stops with black people?

Media portrayals show black men as disproportionately criminal. The American narrative (which is usually told by non-black people ) in general has painted black people as more likely to use drugs , even though evidence from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration has shown this to be untrue. Yet police officers who you would expect to be versed in truth believe the hype . They go out into the streets with these lenses colored by years of conditioning and when they interact with a black person they interact with us as if we are all beasts , until we prove otherwise. Most times however we don't have the chance to prove otherwise, as we are dead within minutes of officers arriving at the scene. You know , like what happened with Tamir Rice, the 12-year-old who was fatally shot for having a gun, before the police realized it was a toy gun. Does anyone else think if Rice was a 12-year-old Justin Bieber-esque looking white boy he would still be alive?

Philando Castile had been pulled over a total of 52 times according to AP News . For most Americans that is an outrageous number of times . But for black people in America it's believable . Because you know we all look alike, and are all criminals, breathing up all of white America's air with our large nostrils.

Even black celebrities are not immune. Earlier this week Trevor Noah , host of the Daily Show said he had been pulled over "eight to 10" times in six years. Trevor Noah is a half white, half black television host...still not immune. So think about how many times the average non mixed , dread locked , non celebrity black male like Philando Castile gets pulled over. I am a black female who drives a Mazda Miata (possibly one of the most non-ideal cars for gang bangers) yet I have been pulled over about 5 times in my six years living in the United States . I have 30-year-old Caucasian friends who have been driving for over a decade and have not been pulled over even three times . The bad driver stereotype is usually reserved for another ethnic minority in the US among comedians. But among the police force it appears black drivers are public enemy numero uno. And the disproportionate number of traffic stops we are pulled into, coupled with an unreasonable fear that black people are all beasts, many times results in our deaths for the smallest infractions or miscommunications.

All this while Dylan Roof who killed nine innocent church goers got gently walked out of his house with a bullet proof vest on. Police also admitted to the media that they bought this alleged mass murderer Burger King while in custody. Oh to be a white male in America. It sure is a stark contrast from being a black one.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Does anybody know how to study
Gurl.com

It’s here; that time of year when college students turn into preschoolers again. We cry for our mothers, eat everything in sight, and whine when we don’t get our way. It’s finals, the dreaded time of the semester when we all realize we should have been paying attention in class instead of literally doing anything else but that. Everyone has to take them, and yes, unfortunately, they are inevitable. But just because they are here and inevitable does not mean they’re peaches and cream and full of rainbows. Surviving them is a must, and the following five phases are a reality for all majors from business to art, nursing to history.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

How To Prepare For The Library: Finals Edition

10 ways to prepare for finals week—beginning with getting to the library.

2261
How To Prepare For The Library: Finals Edition
Photo by Clay Banks on Unsplash

It’s that time of year again when college students live at the library all week, cramming for tests that they should have started studying for last month. Preparing to spend all day at the library takes much consideration and planning. Use these tips to help get you through the week while spending an excessive amount of time in a building that no one wants to be in.

Keep Reading...Show less
girl roommates
StableDiffusion

Where do we begin when we start talking about our roommates? You practically spend every moment with them, they become your second family and they deal with you at your best and at your absolute worst. They are there to make you laugh just a little harder, cry a little less and make each day a little better. We often forget to thank them for the little things that they do to make college even a tiny bit easier and more fun. This list of 26 things are what you should thank your roommates for right this minute and every day that you live with them.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

20 Thoughts While Studying For Finals

I may or may not be stressing right now.

2589
Thoughts While Studying For Finals
StableDiffusion


That time of the semester has arrived once again, finals. The worst week ever. Who thought it was a good idea for all your classes to have exams all in the same week? Definitely not me. Here's 20 thoughts you may have studying for finals.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Disney magic for New Year!

The "Happiest Place on Earth" has a lot of characters with some pretty great advice.

7324
Disney magic kingdom castle on new years
StableDiffusion

Disney movies are well known and very popular in today's world. Although many people appreciate the plot and the storyline, not many people appreciate the wisdom these characters possess. Every Disney movie has unique advice that can be applied to everyday life. Here are 11 Disney quotes to help start your New Year off right:

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments