preview

Analysis Of Brent Staples Just Walk By: Black Men And Public Space

Decent Essays
Open Document
Everyone has a place in the world, to think otherwise is naïve; this world is not owned by a specific race, class or gender. And yet, in a time where the world is seemingly at our fingertips we are still finding prejudices at every corner. Often, the differences of others are perceived negatively and this causes misconceptions and assumptions. If we could strip ourselves of this negativity and lose the impulsive perceptions, then we should be able to put forth greater efforts to understanding the lives of those from backgrounds which are different than our own, in doing so acceptance towards others would likely follow.
Accepting the differences of others by expanding your own level of understanding begins with the awareness that your own culture…show more content…
He later discusses how because of this type of repeated behavior he has been forced into changing his own habits and behaviors. He has learned to do little things to pacify the uneasiness that his presence can bring about, such as whistling while walking on the sidewalk. The nature of this fear comes from a shortcoming of tolerance towards the unknown and different. Similarly, is excerpt from the book The Race Card, by Richard Thompson Ford, in which he comments on the medias portrayal of a black man and again of a white couple during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Here the black man, seen with groceries, is being called a looter, while the white couple (in the same crisis), are simply referred to as residents wading through chest deep water returning from a grocery store. The inferences made are that the country and the former president do not care about black people as much as they do white people. The way to rid ourselves of these stigmas is to open our minds and recognize the fact that there are differences between us all, as individuals and as…show more content…
Caleb Rosado, has developed a list of seven adoptable behaviors which can help all groups of people to become more culturally diverse, it is as follows: “Recognition of the abundant diversity of cultures; Respect for the differences; Acknowledging the validity of different cultural expressions and contributions; Valuing what other cultures offer; Encouraging the contribution of diverse groups; Empowering people to strengthen themselves and others to achieve their maximum potential by being critical of their own biases; and Celebrating rather than just tolerating the differences in order to bring about unity through diversity.” In addition, it’s worth noting that in discovering and appreciating our differences, we are likely to find common elements to be enjoyed and even celebrated.
As with a lot of things in life, there is often a fear of the unknown, and it’s no exception when you’re being asked to increase your level of tolerance towards diversity. This doesn’t have to be about biases or prejudices against others, it could simply be that you’re fearful for your own cultural norms and how accepting and understanding the backgrounds of others may dilute what you’ve been taught by the generations before you and what you hope to pass onto future generations. These are issues that are worth considering, especially when trying to preserve the sanctity of your own
Get Access
Related
Get Access