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Introduction
“Thou call’dst me dog before thou hadst a cause; But, since I am a dog, beware my fangs” (Shakespeare 50). The US is becoming more and more aware of various social and economic injustices faced by black people in modern society. Having been historically disadvantaged from the very moment the first African slave set foot on American soil, the black community went through a painful path from slavery to freedom and equality in the eyes of the law. Although the vast majority of legal practices discriminating against blacks had been abolished from the system, the treatment of blacks by society remains far from true equality.
As evidenced by the recollection of personal experiences by Brent Staples, in his article titled Black Men and Public Space, the average black person is assumed to be a criminal by most of the society and has to go through various means of ensuring everyone that he is not a threat. The aim of this paper is to prove that, although black men constitute the majority of violent crimes in the USA, social isolation only exacerbates the issue.
Men and Public Space
Staples provides a compelling narrative of his own experiences as well as those of his friends and colleagues. He describes the situations in which others have assumed him to be a criminal, as well as various slights he suffered because of it. These include being forced out from a store, assumed to be a rapist by a woman (Staples 154), and being hauled over by the police for no apparent reason other than being “suspicious” (Staples 155).
Although the author does not provide any academic references to support these claims, the research is on his side. Black men are disproportionately detained by the police and are also more likely to be shot during the arrest (Alang et al. 663). Upon lamenting the situation and the social isolation he has to endure, Staples presents a simple solution to some of these problems, which include presenting oneself as a man of culture by whistling classic symphonies. The article offers no overarching conclusions or solutions except for the general dissent against social labeling.
Social Labeling and Crime
Although it is not explicitly stated, social labeling is a major point behind the entire story. It is a construct that essentially molds a person into a role as perceived by other people. A person, when considered to be a criminal and a troublemaker by everyone around them, is very likely to start acting in accordance with the perceived social role. In other words, if a person is treated like a criminal for too long, he or she will become one. Staples (156) goes against the common notions and urges to fight the stereotype rather than fit into it, thus reinforcing the negative perceptions regarding black people and putting the perpetual cycle in motion.
Nevertheless, social perceptions alone are not the only piece of the puzzle. As Staples reminisces in his article, many of his friends and family have fallen prey to the criminal lifestyle. It is perpetuated not only by stereotypes but also by the economic situation, education, employment, and “gang culture.” The author acknowledges that the white woman at the beginning of his story had legitimate reasons to be afraid, as black people are disproportionally represented as perpetrators of violent crime (Staples 154). Stereotypes are generalizations based on certain perceptions and facts. They could only be changed once the conditions that perpetuate these stereotypes are altered.
This is a point of contention for the general idea of the article. Instead of changing the cultural, economic, and educational underpinnings that push black males to a life of crime, the author suggests coping with the issue, which is a short-term solution. It forces good and law-abiding black people to significantly alter their behavior in order to appear harmless, rather than demanding from society to be seen as such by default.
Conclusions
The author makes a compelling argument for the inner workings of social labeling and the isolation of black males it entails. I agree with the fact that blacks are being unjustly perceived as criminals, despite the fact that the conditions of their living were largely motivated by historical and economic factors. The author provides only anecdotal evidence and personal experiences to support his claim. However, the research I performed confirmed the majority of the biases and injustices presented in the article. I believe that the author has the required credibility to write about the issue, as he is a survivor of the culture perpetrated from both the inside and the outside.
My personal experiences of prejudice and discrimination cannot compare to those of the author, as the prejudices against me were largely based on my age and social upbringing rather than race. Nevertheless, I believe that the solutions offered by the author offer only a short-term respite. There is no simple fix to the issue of discrimination and racism, especially with some traits adopted by the black community seeking to perpetuate these stereotypes. The solution I would recommend is to dedicate time and effort to reforming the black communities and providing the funding and opportunities for growth in order to bridge the gap created by centuries of slavery and inequality.
Works Cited
Alang, Sirry, et al. “Police Brutality and Black Health: Setting the Agenda for Public Health Scholars.” American Journal of Public Health, vol. 107, no. 5, 2017, pp. 662-665.
Shakespeare, William. “Merchant of Venice.” Hatrack. Web.
Staples, Brent. “Men and Public Space.” Successful College Writing, edited by Kathleen T. McWhorter, Bedford/St.Martin’s, 2016, pp. 184-186.
Do you need this or any other assignment done for you from scratch?
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