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Kathryn L.

Kathryn Ley Eng. 111 Lindsay Drumm 10 october 2013 Why are eyes so color blind?

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Are you tired of being judged? Do you feel people are always assuming the worst of you and you just want what any other person wants freedom from evil and hate? Brent Staples has a Ph.D. from the University of Chicago, is a published journalist who wrote an essay in 1986 called, Black Men and Public Space. Contributing to his essay was his own personal experiences in the public eye and how they have affected him. Strangers constantly feared the worse from Staples, to the psychological effects from being mistakenly identified as a criminal, being in the wrong place at the wrong time seemed to be a part of his daily routine. But reacting to those who have preconceived assumptions of another can have lasting impressions and educating results. Staples had far too many examples of incidents when complete strangers would fear the worse from him. Being a young black man surrounded by the blind that cant see that their actions and reactions truly hurt, had a lasting impression on young Staples. Pg#16 I understand, of course, that the danger they perceive is not a hallucination. Staples informs readers, letting the reader know he understood the victims point of view; however, shouldnt people see Staples's point of view? He was born black, tall, smart, and strong. People weak of mind or overly cautious see that as a threat without even realizing who they are judging.

Ley 3 And who they are judging is human and has feelings too. The psychological effects of being judged endlessly while growing up is tough on any young individual. I can definitely relate to feeling like I was judged endlessly when I was young. I was judged for different reasons like my weight, I was 200lbs as a 5th grader. People are mean, unkind and not just. However, being black in the 80s wasnt easy; racism, hate, and injustice was a regular day for a young black man. Staples's realized, Over the years, I learned to smother the rage I felt so often being taken for a criminal. Pg17 The hate indirect or not was felt deeply within Staples, you realize that about him while reading about his terrible misfortune of being miscatorigizied for what might as well be a dirty, rotten criminal. It hurt him, he has had to learn to live with it and make the best of his situation. Being in the wrong place at the wrong time was a regular occurrence for Staples. But he found ways to help his situation. During the early 80s, Staples tells a story back when he was a journalist in Chicago of a time when he was mistaken for a burglar at an office he had gone to on business. Staples's explains, The office manager called security and, with ad ad hoc posse, pursued me thru the labyrinthine halls, nearly to my editors door. I had no way of proving who I was. Pg#16 The arthur wrote of a few other times when he had been quickly labeled as a threat. He tells a story of another time when he went into a jewelry store, he walked in and looked at the counter lady. Staples said, The proprietor excused Ley 4

herself and returned with an enormous red Doberman pincher straining at the end of a leash. Staples found ways to make his self look less as a threat, Staples wrote, I know take precautions to make myself look less threatening. Pg#16 He also developed great tension-reducing measures to help himself deal with misguided individuals. Staples tells us, And on late-evening constitutionals I employ what has proved to be an excellent tension-reducing measure: I whistle melodies from Beethoven and Vivaldi and the more popular classical composers. Pg#16 Having to live with the constant feeling of alienation and dealing with the after effects of being treated unfairly has sculpted Staples into a fine gentleman, avoiding possible problems, and creating his own humble world within himself. I enjoy reading this, considering he is not complaining but merely educating people of what characteristic everyday people employ to others. The preconceived assumptions other people posses have long term impact on their psyche, yet strong willed individuals will educate themselves on problem solving methods to make a situation better. The world we live in today can be blind and mislead, people forget about heart when they are afraid. B.S.s experiences was a product of other peoples reaction to his very presence. Assumed as threatening left lasting impressions on Staples's mental health. While being misidentified for a criminal could have crippled his mind but instead motivated him. He has been successful, educated, an educator through his various articles and his story still holds weight among so many Americans today. So be cautious but not Ley 5

rude, frightened or injuste.

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Works Cited Staples, Brent. Black Men and Public Space. Exploring Relationships: Globalization and Learning in the 21st Century. Boston: Pearson Learning Solutions, 2013. 15-17. Print.