Black Men and Public Space

BLACK MEN AND PUBLIC SPACE

Have you ever heard the statement "Never judge a book by it's cover." While reading this essay, that statement was the first thing that came to my mind. In Brent Staples essay "Black Men and Public Space," Staples described how difficult it was to be a black African American in a public space. Staples described the circumstances that often result in fear. He was very descriptive about the way people looked at him out in public. Staples mentioned that he was looked at as if he was a "mugger, a rapist, or worse." The first incident that Staples describes as his "first victim," he noticed a white woman who acted very strange toward him when walking the street one day. Keep in mind that Staple was only a graduate student and this incident opened his eyes to "the language of fear." He thought to himself, "As a softy who is scarcely able to take a knife to a raw chicken--let alone hold one to a person's throat." He was surprised, embarrassed, and dismayed all at once.

With Staples being away from his hometown and brought into a new environment was a very fearful feeling for him. No one should have to experience this or feel the way he felt. It's a very hurtful feeling. It's amazing how someone's appearance can change the way people act toward them and the way people look at them. In today's world this type of judgment and racism still exist. Behavior like this can really make someone feel low and sometimes have low self esteem because people judge them by their skin color. What matters most is what's on the inside not what's on the outside or your appearance. The cause and effect of Staples essay is that just by the way others look at your or what they think about you can affect you in many different ways. Staples shouldn't have to feel embossed when out in public or anywhere else.

Judging people by the way they look or the clothes they wear is a very big problem in today's world. There are many incidents happening now days about kids and twins are being buddy at school because of the way they look or the clothes they wear or their sexuality. It's a very sad thing because just about month or two ago, a 15 year old, bisexual male, killed himself because he was being bullied at school. I really wish that everyone could read Brent Staples essay and realize how it feels to be treat like an outsider. We all should be treated equal and we are all equal in God's eyes. I wonder what would the woman have said if someone was to ask her why did she run from Staples on that day, what would she have said. Is it because of he was a young black male who stood six feet two inches? Or was it because he had his hands shoved in his bulky military jacket?

Most people that have been judge by what's on the outside all their life end up on top. For example, some