Alvin Stuckey
They are killing people for J’s, that’s death over designer. Has it really come to a point that it is not safe to wear nice designer athletic shoes? Fashion is a way for some individuals to express themselves, but the senseless acts of violence that has taken place over the past few years has prevented some sneaker consumers to stop buying shoes in order to survive.
The huge debate started in December 2011 when the Jordan brand decided to re-release the retro Jordan 11 Concords. Up until this point people could buy Jordan’s with no worries of senseless violence afterwards. However, on December 23, 2011, this ideal would change. In a Maryland mall, 18 year old Tyreek Amir Jacobs, was brutally murdered over his pair of Concord 11’s.
Many Maryland residents did not want to believe that he was murdered over his sneakers, but as word spread through the Maryland and Washington D.C. area it became clear that his young life was taken from him over a pair of $175 sneakers.
Since 2011 crimes like this have gone down but as of late 2013, there have been some acts of violence over Jordan’s. I have seen numerous videos posted on social media sites of people getting beaten up and robbed for shoes. What goes through the mind of an individual who decides to beat, rob, and sometimes kill for something as simple as a shoe?
I am a sneaker lover and Jordan’s are my favorite shoe, but since all this has happened it has made me have second thoughts on whether I should purchase them. My life is more important than a pair of expensive shoes. I don’t want to go to a rough part of town with my Jordan’s on and be in fear for my life because shoes come and go. You can always save up and buy a pair of sneakers, but you only have one life. Why should I lose my life over a pair of sneakers that don’t mean anything to me? As I get older this makes me hesitant on buying Jordan’s for me and kids whenever I decide to settle down and have a family. I would be in consistent fear of my future children wearing Jordan’s and being hassled for them by those that seriously want them and would do anything for them.
They are killing people for J’s that’s death over designer. Really is that where the world is headed to. It is a shame that people are in fear for the shoes that they wear. If that is the world that we live in then we have a lot of trouble heading our way.