¶ … Working with Text" and "Not White, Just Right"
"Black Men and Public Space" by Brent Staples and "Not White, Just Right" by Rachel Jones are both examples of well-constructed prose in short essay format, designed to be creative but argumentative and factual at the same time. These two essays are both about personal experiences with racism, but the authors each address the topic from different perspectives. Taken collectively, the two essays show how multifaceted the problem of racism is in America, and how diverse Black experiences are as a whole.
In "Black Men and Public Space," Staples begins with the poignant statement, "My first victim was a white woman, well dressed, probably in her early twenties." In this one statement, Staples establishes the tone and content of the essay. Staples knows that Black men have been stereotyped as being lethal thugs and predators, hence the ironic use of the word "victim." Furthermore, Staples understands that the most common "victims" of Black men are wealthy, young, white women. The image of the Black man as violent sexual predator was one that permeated American racial stereotyping. Staples uses irony and dark humor in "Black Men and Public Space" to show how he has been the victim of racism in that he cannot even walk alone at night without being perceived of as dangerous. Because he is black, Staples frightens people. The author has become so accustomed to being perceived of and treated as a criminal that he has gotten used to it and has come to expect it, even when for humor's sake, he whistles tunes from the white cultural domain, particularly classical music.
In "Not White, Just Right," Jones talks about the segregation of cultural domains as well. According to Jones, many African-Americans perceive proper grammar and proper English as being a "white thing," and not just simply proper language use. Jones claims that by labeling proper English as "white," young Blacks are damaging their own future and hurting their chances to achieve success. It is a matter of self-sabotage. As Jones puts it, "some young blacks still perceive clear speech as a Caucasian trait. Whether they know it or not, they're succumbing to a dangerous form of self-abnegation that rejects...
But when she gets back to her grandmother's house, and finds the young hunter and her grandmother waiting at the door, and questioning her, and when that "...splendid moment has come to speak of the dead hemlock tree" and the treasure it holds, she "...does not speak after all, though the old grandmother fretfully rebukes her." This man can make them "rich" with his ten-dollar reward, and they are
Ford Pinto and Corporate Crime Experts on corporate crime such as David O. Friedrichs (1996) used to lament the lack of attention given to white collar crime. This was due to the mistaken assumption that unlike violent street crimes, white collar crimes were victimless and therefore, less harmful. However, recent events such as the recent Firestone tire blowouts, the rollover of Ford's rollover vehicles and Enron Company's padding of profits and Arthur
Jews Became White The Nordic races were viewed as the "real Americans" (53) Even people from other European countries were not considered "white" The height of anti-Semitism in the United States was in the 1920s and 1930s; doors were closed to new immigrants. Anti-Semitism was related to other types of racism including discrimination against Southern Europeans, but also against Asians and any non-Nordic group. After WWII, the attitudes of Americans changed so that Europeans were
Additional (86-87) explanations for racism / discrimination: a) the socialization process (if the parents are racists, the child growing up learns to hate certain racial groups); b) economic competition (when security is threatened, prejudice can come into play; Blacks and Czechs in some instances were biased against Vietnamese immigrants because the Vietnamese were supposedly taking jobs away from those already here in the U.S. And in Czechoslovakia). Ossman presents a
This fear is intensified in the close quarters of prisons. Also, as noted in "Police Control of Juveniles" of Donald J. Black and Albert J. Reiss, Jr. both groups use techniques of fear and intimidation to deal with such a hostile environment. The police use their authority to intimidate prisoners or potential convicts on the street, while convicts use their potential menace and the real or threatened use of
Ethical Practice Involves Working Positively Diversity Difference Counseling is a profession that involves associations based on principles and values ethically. Patients are able to benefit by understanding themselves better and through creating relationships with others. Through counseling, the clients are able to make positive alteration in life and enhance their living standards. Communities, organizations, couples and families are different groups of individuals are main sources of relationships (BACP Ethical Framework, 2013,
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