Stereotyping: A  New Outlook

  As I have stated in many blog posts ago, it is wrong to judge someone solely on the way they look, for underneath, they may be a good person that could make a great friend.  However, after reading Bryan Staples, "Black Men and Public Space," I believe that in some cases, stereotyping is the safer than sorry approach to seeing strangers on the street.

  In "Black Men and Public Space," Bryant discusses the multiple instances where he has caused a change in other people's behaviors when walking down the street.  A black, tall looking man, Staples certainly bring out an intimidating appearance; however, he discusses the injustice he must face and how he himself must cope with other people's stressful reactions toward him in order to avoid possibly dangerous confrontations. Unfortunately, I must side with the people and not Staples in this incident.  In a perfect world, such behavior as running away from someone due to their appearance would be unheard of; however, in the dangerous society we do live in, it is better to take caution around those who could possibly pose a threat than to take a risk with your own safety.  Although it may offend the intimidating person (in this case Staples), your own safety outweighs the potential of offending someone.  As Staples even concedes, "Women are particularly vulnerable to street violence, and young black males are drastically overrepresented among the perpetrators of that violence" (206).  If this were not the case, then there would no need to fear an intimidating large man walking on the street at night.  Unfortunately, this is not the case.