If You Can Be Anything Analysis

Throughout the matriculation of a black boy 's’ life, there are many, (labeled natural, yet are culturally, socially and institutionally based) factors, that govern the holistic views and beliefs entailed to the child. From that moment on, challenging the social structures that these norms entail suggest a sense of sensitivity, homosexuality or weakness, ultimately emasculating the highly regarded social stigmas attached with being a man. Despite being indoctrinated into the minds of black boys from an early age, there are many long lasting effects of masculinity that are in turn reciprocated in the role of black fathers, husbands, brothers and friends. Black masculinity is the self-deteriorating idealisms that attack the identity and social positions black men ascribe to.

Men of color are disproportionately depicted as being violent, poor, unemployed, and uneducated. They are seen as being likely to steal, and act as “welfare-leeches” (White like Me).

Black males within American society struggle to be successful because of challenges arising from racism and oppression, lack of effective educational leadership, and adverse racial stereotypes. Toby S. Jenkins’, “Mr. Nigger: The Challenges of Educating Black Males Within American Society”, Bell Hooks’, “We Real Cool: Black Men and Masculinity”, and Tyrone C. Howard’s “Who Really Cares? The Disenfranchisement of African American Males in PreK-12 Schools: A Critical Race Theory Perspective” provide insight to understanding the challenges Black males face within American society and especially the educational system.

Education is key to this intervention. Schools and most education for young black males are more of a social activity than a learning and gaining knowledge experience. Success with young Black males requires understanding of their lives and what they come from, including urban settings and all that they are exposed to. “Encouragement of continued professional development among teachers in an effort to better understand and work with urban Black male children from economically disadvantaged communities”. More Black males need to step back into these urban communities and show these younger black males that there is other opportunities for them.

Reading the article "The Search For Thugs." I came across offensive images portrayed by young black men. From Rev. Al Sharpton to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, black male role models have debated for the public eye to see black youth in a different light. Drugs, knifes, guns, and even the popular sagging of the pants has been the first thing to come to a persons mind when we bring up young black men. So I ask the world, and myself how do we save the black race? How do we save our black children of the future? Most people would request for the "thugs" to put away the pistols and pull up there pants. Or maybe they would request to keep corners clear of soliciting of drugs. What the rest of the nation is seeing is an internal struggle.

Staples describes that fear of African American males can create a false sense of toughness in them, and soon afterwards can lead to death. Not only is this stereotype conflict bad enough alone, but it causes a domino effect in the minds of he young that makes them want to “embrace the power to frighten and intimidate” (543). Staples uses pathos to highlight his main point that race diversity and assumptions can create an undeniable

2. (A) Hook (2004) hits on a few key notes as to why black men are so angry and they all stem from the idea that manhood is synonymous with the domination and control over others. By being male they are in a position of authority that gives them the right to assert their will over others, to use coercion and or violence to gain and maintain power. This train of thought starts with what role men and women play in patriarchal culture. Being raised in this manner little boys are not allowed to express feelings and emotions. If they do, it’s generally associated with being weak. Many black parents feel it is crucial to train boys to be “tough.”

In his essay ”Just Walk on By,” Brett Staples uses examples of how being an African American man, he is automatically perceived as a threat, even thought he is harmless and would not think of hurting a soul.

The black male has often been depicted as a thug, hoodlum, a gangster, and as a man with an itchy trigger finger. This is obviously why many young people have grown to be subtly racist their toward fellow Americans, while others have grown such hatred that they form radical organizations such as the Ku Klux Klan, Neo Nazis, and skinheads. Hate crimes are still evident and not as uncommon as many people

“White man Turns the corner, finds himself within a different world. Ghetto kid grabs his shoulder, throws him up against the wall. He says, “Would you respect me if I didn’t have this gun. ‘cos without it, I don’t get it, and that’s why I carry one” (Collins, 1993). Even now, when the United States is intensely diverse in the range of ethnicities it possesses, the black man is still the most disrespected being in the United States. White Supremacy organizations, racial profiling, voting restrictions, the penal system, all originally put in place as a way to deliver a metaphorical slap in the face to the black man. Although over time racial targeting toward the black man has seemed to fade away, it is clear that has

In the news you hear stories of how another black male have been sent to prison. Why? He was selling drugs. A petty crime like that gets a black male at least 10 years in prison. Whereas, a white male selling drug gets probation. African American is portrayed as thugs who sell drugs and are always in the streets terrorizing people. Like, in the article, THE FIGHT FOR BLACK MEN, by Joshua Dubois. This man named Joe lived in a black typical life style. HE was fatherless. At a young age, he started to use narcotics. Later, he was caught by the cops and sent to jail. Then, he met someone that taught him how to become more knowledgeable about how to sell drugs in the streets. This lifestyle is the stereotypical lifestyle of Black males or Black people in general. People assume that ‘ALL’ African Americans are the same. They rob you, use drugs, goes to jail. Fatherless, and not educated. No one would ever have the thought that there are some black people that are educated and they are not thugs. In another article, Black Men and Public Space, by Brent Staples; the characters describe how his first encounter with racism is when he was behind a white woman, who thought he was going to rob her. So, she started to run. He mentions that just because he was wearing baggy clothes and black, she automatically thought the worst of him. In addition, another stereotype for Black males is that they are not educated. In Black Boys in Crisis: The School-To-Prison Pipeline, it states that

Media over the years has shown african males are one of the most dangerous men alive and due to recent controversy there has been a major amount of mixed opinions on the stance of a black man's position in the world. Ranging from the showcase of the African American Male population of the world as Hyper Sexualized, Hyper Masculine due to the appearance and acts of other black males etc, The innocent part of the population of black males get profiled and society views them as a threat.

As a young African-American man in America, my life (past, present, and future) has been a constant struggle for survival, adequate education, and self- awareness. No matter how handsome, smart, or strong one is or can be, the level of success and peace will always be determined by skin color in America and others countries across the globe.

“Black people be like, ‘Gimme that fried chicken or Imma shoot’,” said the desperate comedian, who was dressed up as a “gangster” in a poor attempt to disguise his prejudice in the name of humor. Humor similar to the latter further endorses single stories, and because the comedian is popular, he has the power to promote an oversimplified generalization of an entire group of people regardless of their individual differences and make his racism appear tolerable, therefore laying the foundation of the cycle of oppression. The single story that young black men who grow up under the oppression of systematic failure will be violent and subvert authority is created by people with power and is the reason why the cycle of oppression happens as it does.

We are much more than the sum of our genes. I chose to listen to the NPR story of Jamaal, though not unusual the story of a white man with a Muslim name. We live in a society that reminds us of Race on an everyday to day basis, The effects of racial distinctions remain everyday realities and skin color doesn’t really tell the whole story oftentimes results to mistreating or isolating those we regard as different from ourselves. These differences have offered us strength, community and identity. However, these are the same differences that have also been the historical basis for discrimination and oppression.