Racial Profiling
Racial Profiling is a longstanding predicament that’s been going on for a long period of time. In “Black Men and Public Space” by Brent Staples, he shares his own personal experience when he encounters a young woman walking in front of him, yet he did not show any threat to the young woman. She reacted timidly that speeds up her pace and began to run away of what she thought was a mugger/ rapist. The author uses a number of rhetorical strategies in the essay such as personal experience, imagery and cause and effect to set the theme of the story. Staples uses personal experience in his essay to give the reader an idea what is like to be a black man. Staples states “My first victim was a woman-white, well dressed…, to her, the youngish black
…show more content…
He states “At dark, shadowy intersections, I could cross in front of a car stopped at a traffic light and elicit the thunk, thunk, thunk, thunk of the driver-black, white, male or female- hammering down the door locks”. (Staples 314) He uses this case of imagery to show the reader his perspective of him walking by a vehicle and the result that society takes towards him. This example of racial profile still exists until this day because society perception automatically categorizes the young black male as a bandit.
Staples uses cause and effect in his essay to express what he does to reduce the racial profiling from the public. Such as “If I happen to be entering a building behind some people who appear skittish, I may walk by, letting them clear the lobby before I return, so as not to seem to be following them”. (Staples 316) He does this because in his first encounter he acknowledges what he did wrong walking behind the young woman, and now his actions are to allow them to leave first before he enters the building. He takes precautions when he walks late at night so society assume that he is no threat to them.
Staples uses these three rhetorical strategies to educate society that not everyone is a danger to them, and to stop categorizing young black males as someone who they are not. He also explains the struggles he has overcome for society and the actions he took for being racial
He states “At dark, shadowy intersections, I could cross in front of a car stopped at a traffic light and elicit the thunk, thunk, thunk, thunk of the driver-black, white, male or female- hammering down the door locks”. (Staples 314) He uses this case of imagery to show the reader his perspective of him walking by a vehicle and the result that society takes towards him. This example of racial profile still exists until this day because society perception automatically categorizes the young black male as a bandit.
Staples uses cause and effect in his essay to express what he does to reduce the racial profiling from the public. Such as “If I happen to be entering a building behind some people who appear skittish, I may walk by, letting them clear the lobby before I return, so as not to seem to be following them”. (Staples 316) He does this because in his first encounter he acknowledges what he did wrong walking behind the young woman, and now his actions are to allow them to leave first before he enters the building. He takes precautions when he walks late at night so society assume that he is no threat to them.
Staples uses these three rhetorical strategies to educate society that not everyone is a danger to them, and to stop categorizing young black males as someone who they are not. He also explains the struggles he has overcome for society and the actions he took for being racial