Black Men and Public Spaces by Brent Staples - Article Example

By looking into the social atmosphere of the multicultural states of the globe at large, it becomes evident that an insentience ray of anxiety, fright, and hatred always exists in the environment of these regions. It is partly due to the very reality that an unseen rivalry exists in multinational societies; consequently, an overwhelming majority of the masses appear to be quite unconsciously fearful of the abrupt assault from the individuals belonging to the purported rival ethnic-racial groups.

Brent Staples (1986) has pointed out the same situation in his essay under-examination. It is particularly the case with the young, tall, and stout African American males, which are frequently looked at with great suspicion by the society at large. (1) The author has cited several examples from his personal life experiences, where the white members of society, especially the women, got frightened while coming across the black muscular men in some lonely places. (1-2) Hence, the presence of a youngish black man with a beard and billowing hair caused a bout of insomnia in the hearts of lonely ladies. (2) However, being an educated, well-groomed, and responsible citizen and a dedicated professional as well, the author has strived to abate such feelings the white people grew in their minds for his community in general. (2-3)  The author argues how such feelings of anxiety the white people exhibited appeared to be weird for him in the beginning; somehow, with the passage of time, he became accustomed to the very situation; as a result, he started observing normalcy on discovering fears and perils on the countenances of the people. (2) He got acquaintance with the bitter reality that he was not one and the only person to invite fretfulness and apprehensions in the minds of the other racial groups; rather, the people were afraid of almost all young black men with tall height and stout physique wandering in the streets in the wee night hours.