Stereotyping (Black Men in Public Space) free essay sample

Stereotypes typically appeal to sex and race, but generally, almost anything can be transitioned into a stereotype. Mr. Brent Staples, author of the essay â€Å"Black Men and Public Space†, is targeted by judgment because of his race. This essay sheds light on the mistreatment towards an ordinary African American male. Ultimately, Staples is the victim of stereotype. Appearance and physique play a role in stereotyping. The way an individual looks and presents them selves determines the judgment of them by others. Staples, an African-American male who stands approximately 74 inches in height, can be mistaken for a criminal simply by his physical appearance. Staples is caught in a dilemma where he happens to notice a Caucasian female in her early twenties displaying signs of worry as he casually walks the streets of Hyde Park. In the essay by Brent Staples, he says, â€Å"After a few more quick glimpses, she picked up her pace and was soon running in earnest† (Staples 294). We will write a custom essay sample on Stereotyping (Black Men in Public Space) or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page What Staples is explaining in this observation is that this woman is afraid. This young woman witnessed Staples physical appearance and quickly made a judgment in which she assumed the worse. This judgment puts Staples in a situation where he is no longer innocent. Staples experiences what it is like to be deemed a threat, but in reality he is victimized by a stereotype. Subliminal stereotyping is miserably carried on throughout generations. Stereotypes get thrown around within society even to this day. Generation after generation is being exposed to these harmful statements that promote negativity. Staples says â€Å"It was in the echo of that terrified woman’s footfalls that I first began to know the unwieldy inheritance I’d come into – the ability to alter public space in ugly ways† (Staples 294). Staples makes known that somehow he has innocently become a threat to the public. He implies that he is forcefully a victim of stereotyping simply because of his African-American inheritance. Judgmental perceptions of a young, innocent and kindhearted African-American male have conclusively proved that generations of stereotyping continue to exist and victimize Staples. Forms of violence can arise from stereotyping. Violence can range from an unspoken insulting thought to a physical force against an individual. Violence promotes negativity in every way, shape and form. Staples conveys the thought that â€Å"Where fear and weapons meet – and they often do in urban America – there is always the possibility of death† (Staples 295). Staples allows the audience to realize the potential danger imposed on the victims of stereotyping. Under Staples circumstances, the fears exhibited by individuals around him inflict conceivable danger towards him. As a victim of stereotypes, Staples risks becoming a victim of death if someone were to foolishly act on their fear. Fear can be communicated through actions resulting from an initial stereotype. Stereotypes have the potential to instill fear into the minds of those who willing and unwillingly seek it. Thus many individuals fail to realize the feebleminded impression of hate and fear they exemplify through their actions. Staples says â€Å"I could cross in front of a car stopped at a traffic light and elicit the thunk, thunk, thunk, thunk of the driver black, white, male, or female – hammering down the door locks† (Staples 295). Staples describes a perfectly vivid example of individuals showing discriminatory acts towards him. The individual in the car exemplifies the subliminal expression of fear by making a conscious effort to lock the doors of the car as Staples walks by. Staples must feel an insulting form of bewilderment as he is once again victimized by a stereotype. Appearance and physique played major roles in the initial judgments made by others whole saw Staples. Many generations of stereotypes have been passed on and continue to be exercised. Unfortunately this has lead to forms of violence and fear being instilled in one another to address these stereotypes. Staples communicated in vivid details the realistic point of view of what it is like to be a true victim of frequent stereotyping. Works Cited Staples, Brent. â€Å"Black Men and Public Space†. The Seagull Reader Essays. 2nd Edition. Kelly, Joseph. London: W. W. Norton Company, 2008. 294 – 297. Print.