Just Walk On By Brent Staples

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In his article, “Just Walk on By”, Brent Staples gives his view on how people subconsciously judge others based on race. He begins by recalling his first realization of the fear people display as he walked behind a young white woman on the street who was visibly nervous about his presence. Instead of being offended, he considers the appearance he might have given off in that situation. In a short amount of time, he soon becomes familiar with these signs of people’s fear. In moving from Chicago to New York, he recalls the dark image of black “muggers” along the streets. The essay “My Negro Problem” is referenced as he explains this stigma. In defense of the women who display nervousness in his presence, he gives understanding of their fear,
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