Brent Staples

Publication Information
Staples, Brent. “Black Men and Public Space.” Reading Critically, Writing Well. Sixth edition Eds. Rise B. Axelrod and Charles R. Cooper. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2002. 134-136. Print.
Brief Summary
In this reflective essay, Brent Staples tells us about the times he has been judged by his skin color.Mr. Staples was a student at the University of Chicago at the age of twenty-two. He was a young colored man who was six foot two with a scruffy beard. He often missed his home which made him have troubles sleeping during the night. So every night he went on walks through Hyde Park and the streets. As he walks down the streets at night others always assume he is causing trouble. Many women have ran from him thinking

he was going to murder, kidnap or, even rape them.

Although he would never be able to do such a thing. Mr. Staples could hardly take a butterknife to a raw chicken. Nevertheless, the only reason these women assumed these awful things were because he was a colored man. A few women have even ran away from him in fear. These women's actions embarrassed him. Her flight made him feel like an accomplice in tyranny. Women were not the only ones to think he was causing trouble. The police stopped Mr. Staples frequently to harass him. Brent's skin tone often made him a target. Mr. Staples was not used to people acting this way around him. There were times when he would cross the street in front of a car at a stop light. While crossing all he could hear was the doors lock on the cars. Mr. Staples noticed that he could turn a corner and make it seem like a dangerous situation. Even though it was never a hazard. Also, he learned that where fear and weapons meet, there is always a possibility of death. To change these choppy situations he decided to change himself. He started to walk farther away from people and waited

for people to go into buildings before he entered. He also began to whistle melodies of classical music. It made him seem less threatening. His whistling was his equivalent of the cowbell that hikers wear when they are in bear country.

Response To Content
Mr.

Staples had it rough starting off as a new student in the University in Chicago. He was very uncomfortable in this new place which is completely understandable. Although being this young of a student he did not realize how he presents himself to people on his early night walks matters. On the nights he couldn't sleep he would go on walks around the park and around a few blocks. He always wore sweats and a hoodie. This made him very sketchy. A six foot black man slumping around a park sometimes walking behind a woman sets off the wrong idea. How you present yourself in every situation matters. He could have possibly had less confrontations with the police. Although the fact that people of a different race are criticized by their looks is awful, it is the truth. When you see a black man wearing a suit you perceive him as successful. Although when you see a black man wearing sweats and a hoodie you assume he lives in the ghetto. Although when Mr. Staples follows another person it does seem creepy. I do not understand why he would not just take another avenue. If it was me walking around in the middle of the night I would stay away from other people as much as I could. I believe that some of those women over reacted when he was walking behind them. Running away was not necessary. As a woman myself I would have been scared but I believe the situation is what you make it. When it came to the confrontations with the police I do not understand why he would have been so rude

with them in the beginning. Especially if he was never doing anything wrong. Although I am glad that he learned to be at ease when he was questioned by the police. As society I never noticed that the violence was drawn to black males. It honestly makes me disappointed. Any human is able to do crimes that others are. The fact that these men are targeted upsets me. Brent Staples was correct when he said “ Where fear and wepons meet- there is always a possibility of death.”