Judging books by their covers

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Odinvalknir
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Judging books by their covers

#1

Post by Odinvalknir »

So this may not be the correct area for this thread, if so hopefully the mods will move it to its proper place.


I live in the area of Clear Lake/ Webster on the Southeast side of Houston and lately there has seemingly been a increase or uptick in violent crimes. People have been robbed and or carjacked, others have had people knocking on their doors late at night and forcing their way in, among other seemingly random and violent crimes. And as I watch Surveillance videos and police reports if and when they are caught, these people look exactly how you would imagine them to look. Usually younger, wearing dark clothing and either wearing hooded sweatshirts or team jerseys. I'm not sure how else to explain their clothing other than Hoodrat looking. And I'm hesitant to say because of the world we live in currently due to all of the sjw nonsense but about 98% of the time they are either Black Or Hispanic.

I cannot help but notice lately since this stuff keeps happening bad when I walk to the local grocery store about a block or two away from my house or if I'm just downstairs about a block or two away from my house or if I'm just outside with my kids or a couple friends I catch myself looking at people very suspiciously. I live in a decent neighborhood but its surrounded by low-income "ghetto" apartments. The apartments closest to my house are a hotbed of drug and other unsavory activities. Comically located 2 blocks from the precinct 8 constables office.

Perhaps my heightened sense of awareness is due to these recent crimes taking place, but I cannot help but look at some people and immediately judge them to either be up to no good at that moment, or capable of doing something shady sooner or later. I myself am over 6ft tall with a longish beard and tattoos, so I'm sure I garner some of the same looks, maybe this area is just getting worse because that's what happens to certain areas as others flourish. Maybe I'm just being paranoid, anyway long ranting post over.

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Re: Judging books by their covers

#2

Post by WTR »

I would say you are the new norm. I know more people with ink than without. Beards are popular also.
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Re: Judging books by their covers

#3

Post by Odinvalknir »

WTR wrote: Fri Sep 21, 2018 6:48 pm I would say you are the new norm. I know more people with ink than without. Beards are popular also.
That is probably true. I had visible tattoos during the time when it was still kind of looked upon as being a rebellious thing and kind of look down on by a lot of people. But was lucky enough to work in a industry that didn't care. Same thing with beards I've had some sort of long facial hair since I was 18 or 19 going on 31 now. So I'm sure the way people view me is not as shady as I might think nowadays.

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Re: Judging books by their covers

#4

Post by Alf »

Are you the infamous Techno Viking? :shock:
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Re: Judging books by their covers

#5

Post by Odinvalknir »

Alf wrote: Fri Sep 21, 2018 7:05 pm Are you the infamous Techno Viking? :shock:
I can neither confirm or deny :leaving

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Re: Judging books by their covers

#6

Post by WildRose »

Odinvalknir wrote: Fri Sep 21, 2018 6:36 pm So this may not be the correct area for this thread, if so hopefully the mods will move it to its proper place.


I live in the area of Clear Lake/ Webster on the Southeast side of Houston and lately there has seemingly been a increase or uptick in violent crimes. People have been robbed and or carjacked, others have had people knocking on their doors late at night and forcing their way in, among other seemingly random and violent crimes. And as I watch Surveillance videos and police reports if and when they are caught, these people look exactly how you would imagine them to look. Usually younger, wearing dark clothing and either wearing hooded sweatshirts or team jerseys. I'm not sure how else to explain their clothing other than Hoodrat looking. And I'm hesitant to say because of the world we live in currently due to all of the sjw nonsense but about 98% of the time they are either Black Or Hispanic.

I cannot help but notice lately since this stuff keeps happening bad when I walk to the local grocery store about a block or two away from my house or if I'm just downstairs about a block or two away from my house or if I'm just outside with my kids or a couple friends I catch myself looking at people very suspiciously. I live in a decent neighborhood but its surrounded by low-income "ghetto" apartments. The apartments closest to my house are a hotbed of drug and other unsavory activities. Comically located 2 blocks from the precinct 8 constables office.

Perhaps my heightened sense of awareness is due to these recent crimes taking place, but I cannot help but look at some people and immediately judge them to either be up to no good at that moment, or capable of doing something shady sooner or later. I myself am over 6ft tall with a longish beard and tattoos, so I'm sure I garner some of the same looks, maybe this area is just getting worse because that's what happens to certain areas as others flourish. Maybe I'm just being paranoid, anyway long ranting post over.
All this makes you is someone who is aware of your surroundings and the associated risks with where you live. It doesn't make you a racist or anything else.

You are profiling based on a common description of people committing crimes in your area. Next you need to learn to profile based on the actions of the individuals you encounter.

People who are looking to victimize you won't be walking around calmly, coolly, or be at ease, they will obviously be looking for obvious soft targets or prime targets.

Learn to spot the predators and to then casually avoid putting yourself in a position where they feel confident in approaching you.
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Re: Judging books by their covers

#7

Post by crazy2medic »

If your not paranoid, you ain't paying attention!
Government, like fire is a dangerous servant and a fearful master
If you ain't paranoid you ain't paying attention
Don't fire unless fired upon, but if they mean to have a war let it begin here- John Parker
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Re: Judging books by their covers

#8

Post by Jusme »

WildRose wrote: Fri Sep 21, 2018 7:21 pm
Odinvalknir wrote: Fri Sep 21, 2018 6:36 pm So this may not be the correct area for this thread, if so hopefully the mods will move it to its proper place.


I live in the area of Clear Lake/ Webster on the Southeast side of Houston and lately there has seemingly been a increase or uptick in violent crimes. People have been robbed and or carjacked, others have had people knocking on their doors late at night and forcing their way in, among other seemingly random and violent crimes. And as I watch Surveillance videos and police reports if and when they are caught, these people look exactly how you would imagine them to look. Usually younger, wearing dark clothing and either wearing hooded sweatshirts or team jerseys. I'm not sure how else to explain their clothing other than Hoodrat looking. And I'm hesitant to say because of the world we live in currently due to all of the sjw nonsense but about 98% of the time they are either Black Or Hispanic.

I cannot help but notice lately since this stuff keeps happening bad when I walk to the local grocery store about a block or two away from my house or if I'm just downstairs about a block or two away from my house or if I'm just outside with my kids or a couple friends I catch myself looking at people very suspiciously. I live in a decent neighborhood but its surrounded by low-income "ghetto" apartments. The apartments closest to my house are a hotbed of drug and other unsavory activities. Comically located 2 blocks from the precinct 8 constables office.

Perhaps my heightened sense of awareness is due to these recent crimes taking place, but I cannot help but look at some people and immediately judge them to either be up to no good at that moment, or capable of doing something shady sooner or later. I myself am over 6ft tall with a longish beard and tattoos, so I'm sure I garner some of the same looks, maybe this area is just getting worse because that's what happens to certain areas as others flourish. Maybe I'm just being paranoid, anyway long ranting post over.
All this makes you is someone who is aware of your surroundings and the associated risks with where you live. It doesn't make you a racist or anything else.

You are profiling based on a common description of people committing crimes in your area. Next you need to learn to profile based on the actions of the individuals you encounter.

People who are looking to victimize you won't be walking around calmly, coolly, or be at ease, they will obviously be looking for obvious soft targets or prime targets.

Learn to spot the predators and to then casually avoid putting yourself in a position where they feel confident in approaching you.


:iagree:

Situational awareness, is what keeps you alive. Not everyone who wears a hoodie, is a thug, or criminal, but when that is the preferred clothing choice for criminals, it naturally draws your attention to them. Being aware of who is around you, is a good thing. And despite what some leftists, want you to believe, profiling, is a two way street. Criminals, don't pick their victims, at random, they watch them, and exploit weaknesses, as well as the potential reward. Do you think they will go after someone dressed, in three layers of filthy clothes, pushing shopping cart full of empty cans? Or will they go after, someone wearing a suit and tie, a Rolex watch, driving, a Mercedes, talking on the latest, model cell phone?
Keep your head on a swivel, criminals, tend to avoid people who notice them, look directly at them, and show that they are not an easy victim, by being unaware. JMHO
Take away the Second first, and the First is gone in a second :rules: :patriot:
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Re: Judging books by their covers

#9

Post by Odinvalknir »

Well what really got me thinking about this yesterday was a couple events that happened within a few hours of one another. The first I had just gotten home from running errands as I only work 4 days a week 10 hours a day and get a three day weekend, so I was sitting in my truck outside of my house and had someone pull up on top of me very quickly and a rather beat up looking car and start aggressively asking me for money. Giving me some sob story about needing to get to downtown Houston to the hospital something about his wife and kid. When I told him I did not have any money to give him he got a mixture of angry and upset almost like he was going to start crying but he was irritated and still acting aggressively. He started to get out of his car and I turned completely to face him and he stopped, I am not sure if I am a menacing looking character or not being 6 ft 3 260 lbs with a few visible tattoos and a beard but something seem to click inside of his head and he left without another word. Later on yesterday evening a kid around 19 or 20 walked up to me while I was on my porch and because I had headphones in and was looking at something on my phone did not notice him until he was standing only a few feet away, he was obviously drunk and asked if I knew where to get any weed period after the initial shock of why some kid would just roll up on somebody he doesn't know and ask for drugs is beyond me I told him no and please get off of my porch. He actually came back 2 more times and repeatedly asked the same question as though he did not remember he was just there. Even later last night around midnight I noticed a man jumping a fence and seconds later a cop rolling down the street with a spotlight on probably looking for said man. After the cop gave up looking for him the guy kind of lingered around the area ducking In and Out of the Shadows before finally going back for a bag that he dropped somewhere and leaving the area. Needless to say I am on a bit of higher alert now with all of the seemingly random going on with peculiar people.
Last edited by Odinvalknir on Sun Sep 23, 2018 7:32 pm, edited 2 times in total.

Tex1961
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Re: Judging books by their covers

#10

Post by Tex1961 »

I’m thinking more of a change of address

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Re: Judging books by their covers

#11

Post by skeathley »

Being safety-conscious means being slightly paranoid. When I stop to get gas, or come out of a store, I survey the parking lot. I do not plan to let trouble sneak up on me.

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Re: Judging books by their covers

#12

Post by Abraham »

Move to the country!

We did right after Katrina brought us an unwelcome mob of criminals smack dab into our immediate neighborhood.

We lived very close to your area at the time.

Apparently, the criminal element is now even worse...
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Re: Judging books by their covers

#13

Post by Odinvalknir »

Abraham wrote: Sat Sep 22, 2018 11:03 am Move to the country!

We did right after Katrina brought us an unwelcome mob of criminals smack dab into our immediate neighborhood.

We lived very close to your area at the time.

Apparently, the criminal element is now even worse...
I would love to be able to move, but unfortunately at the moment I do not have the financial means to do so. I was out of work for about 4 months recently and am trying to catch up on everything first. I would like to move back to Friendswood where I grew up, I still have family there in the form of my brother. My parents moved to Oakwood when my father retired. I work in the chemical plants and could not move too terribly far away, unfortunately though I would love to live in the country. Or at least away from the city
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Re: Judging books by their covers

#14

Post by Odinvalknir »

Tex1961 wrote: Sat Sep 22, 2018 10:50 am I’m thinking more of a change of address
That is definitely I'm going to happen. I'm just not 100% sure of when that's going to happen but we had to move here a while back due to needing somewhere with a lower rent cost. I'm not sure how much time is left on our lease exactly but as soon as we can even if it is before the lease is up if I have the means to do so I'm taking my family and going somewhere that isn't riddled with crime and stupidity.

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Re: Judging books by their covers

#15

Post by Soccerdad1995 »

Profiling isn't a bad thing, despite the current PC crazed lunacy. It's just making assumptions about future behavior based on what you can observe. I profile people all the time. If I see a group of middle aged women who appear slightly intoxicated in a restaurant, I am praying they do not sit at the table next to me and my wife because, based on my experience, there is a high likelihood that they will be loud and obnoxious. Is that profiling? Yes. Am I always right? No. But there is a higher likelihood of a certain behavior.

The OP mentioned that his appearance is likely to cause people to make certain assumptions about him. Presumably he is OK with that given the content of his posts. Those assumptions are not always correct. It is important for us all to understand that just because someone's appearance makes it more likely that they may do XYZ, that does not mean they will always do XYZ. But that also does not mean we should stop profiling people. And we shouldn't feel bad for doing so.

This also works in reverse. If you care about the impression you are making on people, you should pay attention to your appearance and mannerisms and you should understand the likely assumptions that folks are making as a result. There is no "best" impression. It's all situational. If I'm applying for the job of a lifetime in my field (accounting), I want to make a certain impression and will make sure my appearance supports that. But if I've been wrongly convicted of murder after shooting a home invader and am entering a maximum security prison, I want to convey a decidedly different impression, and I will make sure my appearance supports that one as well.

If you really want to see profiling in full force, go to a casino and sit down at a poker table. Every word, action, article of clothing, everything is analyzed to predict future behavior (poker decisions in this case). And the good player manages the impressions they are making very carefully.
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