Racial Stereotypes

A detailed Summary of Racial Stereotypes


"Black Men and Public Space" is a short narrative written by Brent Staples. Staples begins by stating his first "victim" was a white woman in Chicago. As she avoids him hastily, Staples comes to realize that she is frightened by his appearance; large, black and intimidating. As a result, she perceives him to be some sort of mugger or rapist, much to his anxiety. Since he instills fear merely by his presence, he is in an awkward and potentially dangerous situation. Other incidents, which include people mistaking him for a burglar, only made Staples more weary of the hostilities. To curb his anxiety, he uses non-threatening behavior such as whistling to curb any uneasy encounter he might have with white people; especially women. Thus, in this essay Staples wants to convey how he was profiled by white strangers, how it evolved into a potentially dangerous situation, and how any uneasy situation that may arise can be avoided through docile and casual behavior. The main underlining issue addressed in this essay is racial stereotype, and what dangerous implications it has on black males.

Now what is racial stereotype? All kinds


Reading this essay immediately compelled me to respond because this issue involves all of us. We are in an era where preconceived notions is becoming the norm and it is essential for all of us to think and act objectively. I have great regard for Staple for many reasons; for one he did not allow the stereotypes to dictate his actions. Perhaps the most chilling aspect of racial stereotyping is that members of groups being characterized sometimes come to believe the generalizations' damaging simplifications, it is gratifying to note that Staples is not one of these people. I also respect the way Staple handles an uneasy situation by either whistling or acting calm and congenial, it shows he is sensitive to their feelings. However, not many people can act in such a mature and tolerant fashion and this is when stereotypes become most dangerous; when groups live up to their stereotypes. Having this in mind, we should refrain from judging people on the basis of what your friend or neighbor thinks about "their" community. We should judge people for what they are as individuals not from what group they belong to, or whether or not they are Muslims or Jews, bl

Some common words found in the essay are:
Space Staples, Staples Staples, Muslims Jews, Public Space, racial stereotype, black public space, Black Public, black public, potentially dangerous situation, black males, uneasy situation, potentially dangerous, dangerous situation, racial stereotyping, appearance black, stating victim, racial stereotypes,

Approximate Word count = 780
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: Politics

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