A very important thought on the damning issue of racism.

This assignment was very personal because I despise racial inequality. We are all human—that’s the only deciding factor that should be used when pertaining to ethnicities different than our own.

It does not matter to me one bit if the man behind me is white, black, Hispanic, tall, short, whatever - I would still feel the exact same way: scared. I'm 5'3" and 110 pounds, I cannot defend myself. Enough about my feelings, though, I can't even begin to imagine how this man felt! Entering a jewelry store simply to kill time, and the clerk comes back with a Doberman?! The thought of constantly having to wonder if you may frighten someone just by the way you look is devastating. One last final thought, why are black men mistaken so often for other black men? Not just African American men either, but I hear a lot of people say, "they all look the same." When I hear these words, it is crushing to my soul. Racism will ALWAYS plague our country if we cannot even look at our fellow Americans as the Human Beings they are - just like us. That is racism in one of its purest forms: to group an entire race into one face/human/man. This world needs many prayers. May God help us all.

“Just Walk on By: Black Men and Public Space”, McGraw-Hill Reader, by Brent Staples, 12th ed., McGraw-Hill Education, 2014, pp. 300-303.

Reviews

[Samuel Dickens]

Once again, we're on the same page. Thinking less of someone simply because they look a little different has to be one of the worst character flaws anyone can have. Besides that, it's just plain dumb. Please forgive me for telling one of my little stories. When a young fellow in the Navy, I saw this older guy walking around the ship and thought, "Man, look at the angry look on his face. I'd hate to have to work for him! I know he's gotta be a real prick." Well, as fate would have it, he did end up being my boss, and he was a very nice fellow. Seems he'd been born with a face that looked angry, but was in no way an indicator of his personality.
Too often, one's fears are unfounded and irrational.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

Yes, it needs many----there is so much prejudice, and there is so much judgement ....it needs to stop.
well expressed...especially how you began this.
j.

[Kelli April]

If I could give up everything I have to erase the hatred of racism, I would do it in a heartbeat. No one should feel less than a person ESPECIALLY when that characteristic that makes them “different” whether it be race, a physical anomaly Such as your boss, among many other differences, ESPECIALLY when it isn’t something they had any choice in determining for themselves! Why can’t the world see this?! Dogs don’t look at other dogs differently if they’re raised right. The change that needs to happen will reside in today’s parenting. I can only pray progress is made before we all damn each other. This is why I am nice to everyone, even if they are as anal as a penetrated anus (excuse the graphic metaphor), I feel that I am doing my part in trying to change the dynamics of people’s perceptions one “Kill them with kindness” smile at a time. Haha. Needed just a pinch of humor within such a heavy controversial topic. Hope I didn’t offend anyone.