In more recent racial news, the 11th United States Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission who filed a lawsuit against Catastrophe Management Solutions, forcefully ruling that refusing to hire someone because of their (dread)-locs is now legal. As if being young black and educated was not already hard enough, now we have to worry if someone will hire us because we rock loc's.
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed a lawsuit on behalf of Chasity Jones. Jones' job was recently revoked from Catastrophe Management Solutions located in Mobile, Alabama. As stated by the case file, Jeannie Wilson, a human resource manager for Catastrophe Management Solutions, commented on Jones' Locs during a hiring meeting to discuss some of her scheduling conflicts, Wilson told Jones' "they tend to get messy, although I'm not saying yours are, but you know what I'm talking about." Wilson then told Jones "that CMS would not bring Jones on board with dreadlocks."
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In the lawsuit the EEOC stated that CMS violated the Civil Rights Act of 1964's Title VII, arguing that Loc's are a "racial characteristic" that have been historically used to stereotype African-Americans.
What happened to freedom of expression? Can someone please explain to me exactly how what's on the top of my head determines what is in my head?
I do agree that in a professional setting that those who rock Loc's should tend with the up keep of their Loc's on a weekly to biweekly bias. But that same general principle should honestly apply to any and everyone with hair on top of their head. I find this ruling to be nothing but another chess move in the game of how can we keep African-Americans in bondage.
A brief history lesson on Locs, are a matted pieces of hair are tangled that have not been combed or brushed. Locs date back to as far as 2,500 BC; most people think Locs originate from the Jamaican culture. But locs actually have been noted to originate from Egyptian and Indian culture, Locs shifted into Jamaican culture once the process of Indian slavery began. Once slavery commenced Locs were then began to be called dreadlocks, due to the fact that "white superiors " found them to be dreadful. Which is why you will often hear most Loc heads say "Nothing about me is dreadful."
This is a serious issue to me, because I rock Loc's. Loc's promote and teach those self-love, patience and the beauty within a journey. I have met many people with Loc's and hearing their testimony of growth and determination while growing their Loc's is nothing short of inspirational. This ruling can possibly destroy a culture and also prevent someone learning to love themselves; and that is the message in life, "Self Love."
