HISCLARKNESS:
I am really sorry you have suffered because of the crime committed by OTHER black people. But, you and many other people are in denial about the crime that black men commit.
I was one such woman who had to escape from an elevator because of two black males in hoodies that appeared out of nowhere - one with a wire in his hand.
However, if I saw somebody well-dressed like you, I certainly would not have jumped out of the elevator but would have smiled pleasantly. Yes, that’s too bad about all the cliches you mentioned and so forth. But, what do you expect from people?
I won’t go into my mugging experience and close calls in malls being followed to my car.
The fact of the matter is: I cannot afford to concern myself about somebody’s hurt feelings and how something may ‘look’. Yeah, it’s a terrible thing but when the reality in the world around me changes..so will my behavior and opinion. But, I don’t see it happening any time soon!