Prejudice In 'Just Walk On By: Black Men And Public Space'
In today’s society, prejudice acts as the driving factor of our treatment of others. Prejudice, as mentioned, is defined as the unjustified negative attitudes that people may hold against others of a certain group, impacting how people may notice and interpret situations and events. More often than not, these ideas negatively impact a specific group of people, creating injustices within their lives. In the essay, “Just Walk On By: Black Men and Public Space,” written by Brent Staples, Staples argues that black men are often in danger of being physically harmed or victimized because of society’s perception of them and the impression of the color of their skin. This concept, that one’s color of skin can act as an indicator of their character …show more content…
Because of this, they unfortunately fall short of racial and criminal justice when compared to other races. More so, they are often neglected of the benefit of the doubt and in turn, become easy targets for culpability in certain situations. For instance, 17-year-old Trayvon Martin was shot and killed by George Zimmerman while walking home from a local convenience store one night in Sanford, Florida. Unarmed and posing no threat, Trayvon Martin was shot by Zimmerman who claimed that he was a “suspicious” individual roaming the neighborhood and who “looked like he was on drugs.” The fact that Martin was shot purely because of his physical appearance reveals the negative outlook of black men in America and just how influencing it is to drive us to commit such an irrational act. Had Trayvon Martin been any other race or skin color however, he might not have been shot at or even spared a second glance, but because of the darkness of his skin and the feelings of endangerment and threat that prejudice invokes within us, he was shot and killed. More importantly, it is critical that we recognize how Zimmerman assumed that Trayvon Martin was committing an unlawful act, demonstrating just the effects of prejudice and the blinding aspect of it that can cloud your judgement. This can be traced back to Staples’ argument, as it poses as a perfect instance of where black men in America are targeted and how they are drastically misrepresented and assumed to be the only perpetrators of violence or
Analysis Of Brent Staples 'Black Lives Matter'
167 Words | 1 PagesThe social justice movement known as “Black Lives Matter” is justified and sound because it makes a valid and thought-provoking point about the murder of innocent african americans and the stereotypes that come with these homicides. ”Black Lives in Public Spaces”,written by Brent Staples, talks about how a black male can’t walk through the streets without being seen as a kidnapper walking into a store and immediately identified as a felon. The Black Lives Matter movement is justified because it has become to common to see on the news the injustices that have been committed against the African American populace. It is so common that even African-Americans themselves have accepted this and found ways to deal with it. Brent Staples makes a point
How Does Race Relations Influence Slaying
60 Words | 1 PagesRace relations has influenced the slaying of many blacks in modern America. George Zimmerman’s slaying of Trayvon Martin, a black teen, he approaches as he walked home in the rain with a bag of Skittles. Black communities in the United States spent much of late March of 2012 expressing outrage about Zimmerman’s actions and the Sanford, Florida, police department’s
Broken Windows Theory
943 Words | 4 PagesTrayvon Martin was shot and killed by George Zimmerman, a neighborhood watch coordinator for the gated community where Martin was living. Martin was, as in the case with Michael Brown, completely unarmed, and his executioner was released and didn’t face any criminal charges. Unfortunately, that just buttresses the fact that black people have an inferior role in the American community. It’s not simple to fix a problem that isn’t official, but rather known as a national benchmark. Ishmael Sistrunk considers how to patch up the bleeding wound between black men & the compelling policemen in his article titled “Walking while black: Michael Brown, black men and white police officers”.
Black Lives Matter Persuasive Speech
1100 Words | 5 PagesOn that note; does ‘Black Lives Matter’ mean that only black lives matter; or is it the concept that Black lives mattering is a precondition for all lives mattering? This paper will discuss in the rationality of the movement. The movement was created by Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors, and Opal Tometi in response to the acquittal of George Zimmerman for Trayvon Martin’s death. It underlines the “racism and policing that shatters the illusion of a colour-blind , post racial United States” (Keeanga-Yamahtta, T., 2016).
Trayvon Martin Persuasive Speech
677 Words | 3 PagesOver 1,134 white male officer related deaths have occurred among African American young males in the year 2015. The most conversed story of an African American young male dying at the hands of a police officer was, Trayvon Martin. Trayvon was born on February 5, 1995, in Florida; he was an average teen who enjoyed athletics and learning. Shortly after Trayvon’s birthday, on the tragic day of February 26, 2012, in Sanford, Florida, a man by the
The New Jim Crow Analysis
1721 Words | 7 PagesMichelle Alexander, similarly, points out the same truth that African American men are targeted substantially by the criminal justice system due to the long history leading to racial bias and mass incarceration within her text “The New Jim Crow”. Both Martin Luther King Jr.’s and Michelle Alexander’s text exhibit the brutality and social injustice that the African American community experiences, which ultimately expedites the mass incarceration of African American men, reflecting the current flawed prison system in the U.S. The American prison system is flawed in numerous ways as both King and Alexander points out. A significant flaw that was identified is the injustice of specifically targeting African American men for crimes due to the racial stereotypes formed as a result of racial formation. Racial formation is the accumulation of racial identities and categories that are formed, reconstructed, and abrogated throughout history.
Stereotypes In Brent Staples's 'Just Walk On By'
1129 Words | 5 PagesStereotypes have the power to label someone and rob them of all their hard work or strike fear into others. One such stereotype is that of black men being more dangerous;yet, one black writer voices his opinion on such a stereotype. In the essay “Just Walk On By” by Brent Staples, Staples describes his experience of being a large black man and how it affects the people around him. From people locking their doors to pedestrians crossing the street to avoid a confrontation, people seem to be afraid of Staples just from a glance. Yet Staples does nothing to cause this fear, rather his stereotype is to blame.
Analysis Of Just Walk On By Brent Staples
934 Words | 4 PagesIn the reading Just Walk on By by Brent Staples, the topic of racial stereotypes surfaces from the man who gets racially profiled quite often as he explains his personal experiences. The author bluntly tries to pass the message that racially judging people is wrong and explaining how it makes the other party ,african americans, feel. When analyzing Staples’ message his rhetorical strategies play a huge role into how his message is perceived. He uses influential diction allowing each word to give an impact unmatched by any white man who tried to convey a black man’s thought process. Staples also appeals to his credibility with the obvious observation that he is a black man talking about his real life experiences.
Rhetorical Analysis Of Just Walk On By, By Brent Staples
1244 Words | 5 PagesAuthor and editorial writer, Brent Staples acknowledges this issue as well as experience many situations in which people distinguish him from others. Brent Staples message in his essay titled “Just Walk On By” is conveyed to the audience through many rhetorical devices in which he suggests that stereotypes of race and gender can impact someone 's life in the easiest ways. Brent Staples use of pathos creates an emotional connection and pulls the reader into his essay, through his anecdotes and diction. His intro paragraph tells an interesting story, in a way that readers often forget what type of passage they are reading. Staples uses of phrases such as “my first victim”, “seemed menacingly close” “picked up her pace” and notably “running in earnest” (1-2).
Summary Of Just Walk On By Black Men And Public Space
1166 Words | 5 PagesJust Walk on By: Black Men and Public Space by Brent Staples discusses the relevant issues of racial bias and how prejudice against people of color has embedded minds, as it demonstrates the importance of being aware of how we conceive others. Staples uses a contrasting element of race by introducing a white female and a black male. He uses his experiences and other people of colour to display the struggles of racism they face everyday. Staples reveals how people are prejudice against appearance, despite the importance of individuality of people and being impartial regardless of someone 's skin or looks. The story begins with Staples describing his first experience frightening a white women due to the colour of his skin.
Black Men And Public Space Rhetorical Analysis
621 Words | 3 PagesThis unfortunate stereotype is still highly prevalent today. We all read about African-American men committing crimes, we see it in the news and on social media. That goes to say, not all crimes are committed solely by black men, and black men should not be treated like criminals based off of others wrongdoings. Staples recounts the events of a night he went for a walk. On this walk, he encountered a well-dressed white woman (as he so described) who instinctively mistook him for a criminal.
Summary Of Just Walk On By A Black Man Ponders His Power To Alter Public Space
840 Words | 4 PagesIn his essay, “Just Walk on By: A Black Man Ponders His Power to Alter Public Space”, Brent Staples uses the rhetorical strategies of anecdote and diction in order to convey his message that due to racial discrimination black people (mainly men) have to change the way they naturally conduct themselves in public for they run the risk of something terrible happening to them. Staples uses anecdotes to bring in the personal side of the message to the audience. Staples creates a persona of innocence and almost alienation in his writing. Anecdotes such as his both instances in which he accidently scared women on walks and the time in which he and another reporter were mistaken for murder suspects or robbers are used to show real life proof of his message.
Brent Staples 'Black Men And Public Space'
110 Words | 1 PagesIn his essay entitled Black Men and Public Space (1987), Brent Staples talks about how people will have a common misconception on the black community by thinking that they are all mugger ,rapist or thugs. Staples supports his claim by telling the reader events/ stories that occured to him and talks about how people will assume that he is a danger to society when in reality he isnt. The authors purpose is to inform the reader that his experiences of being stereotyped is to show the reader his point of view when it comes to these types of situations. Staples writes in a formal tone for an intelligent or free minded person.
Black Men And Public Space By Brent Staples Summary
841 Words | 4 PagesIn his essay “Black Men and Public Spaces,” Brent Staples explains that people often find him intimidating because he is tall and black. Staples shares his account of a number of personal encounters, arguing that in each situation, he was misinterpreted as being dangerous because of his daunting physical appearance. Staples asserts that as a result of this misinterpretation, he was continually mistreated. Staples begins his article by describing the events leading up to his life-changing realization that he has inherited “the ability to alter public space in ugly ways (183).” When he was twenty-two years old, Staples found himself one evening, walking behind a well-dressed white woman on a deserted street in a rather wealthy neighborhood.
Summary Of Just Walk On By Brent Staples
471 Words | 2 PagesJournalist, Brent Staples, in his essay, “Just Walk On By: Black Men and Public Spaces,” shares personal anecdotes dealing with discrimination in the U.S.. Staples’ purpose is to emphasize the inequitable lifestyle of people of color in a racist society. He generates a feeling of pathos in order to convey empathy in his readers who might have similar connections to his stories. Staples opens his narrative essay by demonstrating the customary stereotypical fate of black men. He displays a series of biting diction by acknowledging his first victim to be a “woman--white” (1), that in public places he is portrayed as a “mugger, a rapist, or worse” when he can’t even “take a knife to a raw chicken--let alone hold one to a person’s throat” (2),
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