Are We Truly Free?

Are We Truly Free?

Upon reading “Black Men and Public Spaces” by Brent Staples, I started thinking about racism in today’s society. It seems that a simple matter such as skin color should not be of any concern to a highly educated, well mannered individual. However, in his essay “Black Men and Public Spaces” Brent Staples illustrates his life as a black man and is bothered by the fear response that he invokes on others. It is easy to support Staple’s point of view and frustrations however, in some cases, Mr. Staples is failing to see the natural survival instinct that is evoked in a person when one is put in an unfamiliar situation.
The introduction of his essay illustrates a situation in which Staples found himself. A woman practically ran away from him in Hyde Park, Chicago when he was only walking down the street at night. Brent attributed her fear of him to his skin colour but I think it is not solely because of his race that the woman was frightened. Women in general are targets for rapes, violence, muggings, and attacks. I do not find it entirely unreasonable that this woman in her late twenties sped up and avoided a potentially hazardous situation. Had I been in that woman’s place, I would have done that same thing, regardless of the man’s race, dress or mannerisms. In today’s society, we see and read stories of violence on a daily basis. An attacker can be a person who appears to be relatively normal, of any race or gender. This woman was simply avoiding a situation that appeared to be threatening and her need to survive encompassed all other emotions.
In light of my agreeance with this woman’s survival instincts, I do think that Staples has a right to be angry with his current situation. He tells us about a time when he went to a jewellery store and was
Diamond 2
forced to leave because the sales woman approached with a large Doberman. Through he did not make a scene, I am assuming that this must have been an incredibly disturbing...