GROUP+1

GROUP 1 PAGE - **Note from Ms. W - Nice work group. You created a coherent paragraph and all contributed to shaping it. Well done.**

Your article is the first in this packet: "Just Walk on By"

Brent Staples says in his 1996 article, "Just Walk on By," that we should not jugde people simply by their looks or the color of their skin. Brent describes himself as a "youngish black man, broad six feet two inches with a beard and billowing hair and both hands shoved into the pockets of a bulky military jacket" (p. 174). He gives many situations throughout his essay of times people have judged him based on his looks. One example he gave was when he was walking down the street one night, and a women thought he was following her, so she started running for no apparent reason. Another example was when he was trying to perform his job of being a journalist, and was mistaken for a burglar by his own journal company. Lastly, Brent told a story of a time he was trying to pass time before an interview and decided to stop by a jewelry store. To his surprise the receptionist came out with a red Doberman Pinscher because she felt threatened by him. Taking the hint, he calmly told her to have a nice night and walked out of the jewelry store. Brent has begun to take precautions when he walks at night. He walks with care, gives people distance on the subway, and if he happens to be going to the same place as the person infront of him he will wait and walk in alone. Brent has been judged negatively in many ways and in many situations his entire life because of the fact that he is African American and is upset that he has to take precautions in order to make others feel more comfortable around him and give him respect.