In “Just Walk on By” by Brent Staples he discusses his personal experiences with the all too familiar idea’s that white people‚ specifically women‚ have about black men. “To her‚ the youngish black man- a broad six feet two inches with a beard and billowing hair‚ both hands shoved into the pockets on a bulky military jacket- seemed menacingly close. After a few more quick glances‚ she picked up her pace and was soon running in earnest.” This was how Staples described his experience with his first
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Brent Staples published “Just Walk on By” in Ms.Magazine during the racially tense time of the 80’s . In this essay‚ he talks about racial tension from his perspective as a young black male facing discrimination during these times. Brent criticizes our society for how common this form of discrimination is and addresses those who perpetuate stereotypes. He goes on to explain the root cause of people abusing intimidation of others‚ describing it as a learned behavior taught from infancy. Brent continues
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Morgan Allen Ms. Mayo ENG 101-1035 30 October 2012 Just Walk on By In Brent Staples’ essay‚ “Just Walk on By” the author describes his experiences‚ feelings‚ and reactions towards the discrimination he has faced throughout his life as a black man. Staples describes several different personal experiences of when he felt that he had been judged or discriminated against by other people based on the color of his skin and how that contributed to his overall appearance. Staples has continuously been
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Marcquitta Head SOCI 3010 (Public Space) April 3‚ 2011 Introduction Each day we may see new faces‚ or maybe someone we already know. And there are times when we sit down on a park bench or a restaurant outside table (on a sunny day) and observe passers by. At some point and time one may wonder exactly what is public space. Could it be an open space for the public to shop‚ eat‚ socialize‚ or lounge? Or is the definition of space more complex? Well according our reader‚ public space includes all areas
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Just Walk On By In 1986‚ a 35 year old Brent Staples published Black Men and Public Spaces in Ms. Magazine. Through several personal experiences and analysis he discusses the causes and effects of the dangerous perception of black men. Displaying both perspectives of a white peoples’ fears‚ and a black man’s reaction‚ his essay opened the discussion for greater understanding. More importantly he reveals the mutual danger when “fear and weapons meet and they often do in urban America”‚ the “possibility
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A 23 February 2015 Black Lies and the White Little Truth: An Interpretive Thematic Analysis on Brent Staples’s “Black Men and Public Space” In his essay titled “Black Men and Public Space‚” journalist and editorial writer for the New York Times‚ Brent Staples writes about his time residing in Chicago as a college graduate student and the conflicts he faced with the public. His essay reveals how the presence of black men represents the stereotypical misconception that the public has about them even
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In “Just Walk on By: A Black Man Ponders His Power to Alter Public Space”‚ Brent Staples explains the impact he has on other people just for being an African American man. Writing for an audience of black men who have experienced discrimination. With a wise‚ inoffensive voice‚ but somewhat of a neutral tone‚ the author uses figurative language‚ writing techniques and diction to explain his purpose of writing this essay to explain to his readers of his past experience of being a black man in public
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The founding fathers and every American official during the 1700s illustrated the great extent that men dominated politics. Even with the Declaration of Independence‚ which proclaimed that “all men are created equal‚” women did not gain voting rights for nearly 150 years after the document was written. Through the 1800s and early 1900s‚ women gained confidence and established organizations to assert their own rights. They formed effective strikes and suffrage groups that coincided with political
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consistently due to unjust stereotypes formed through entertainment and media. The point of writing for Dave Barry in “Turkey’s In The Kitchen” and Brent Staples “Just Walk By: Black Men In A Public Space” is to bring attention to the way society has formed stereotypes based on gender and race. Even though each piece
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Exemplification of Staple’s Essay The essay by Brent Staples‚ “Just Walk On By” is popular because most everyone has been exposed to a form of racism in their own lives. In today’s society‚ we are “judged” every day. Whether is it on appearance‚ our speech‚ or our standing in the social crowd‚ it is happening. Staple brings this point home when he said‚ “I first began to know the unwieldy inheritance I’d come into – the ability to alter public space in ugly ways.” (236-237). When we are young and trying
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