C & C on English 101
I really enjoyed reading "Just Walk on By" A Black Man Ponders His Power to Alter Public Space. In fact over the past week and a half of reading texts discussing the various aspects of the Black experience in America over the past century I really enjoyed this piece by Ben Staples the most.Ben starts out with his first sentence threatening me with the words "My first victim was a woman. ---white, well dressed, probably in her early 20's." All sorts of thoughts jumped into my mind! What a brilliant way to paralyze the reader into taking more of what was to precede this bold statement. I was excited to read about some serial killer forced into his psychotic behaviors due to the oppression of the white man cornering his enemy into no other position than the villain. A victim simply fulfilling his part as the monstrous creature many believed should only be hanged.Then I thought rapidly about his choosing a white woman in her early 20's. Now who is the minority? Now who has no power to fight back?I love him! I was so wrong. I was assuming without hesitation that this man was guilty. This Black man was the bad guy and I didn't think twice about it. This is really sc
Although he used enough adjectives to describe a picture, a story, I found it very generic and I have no idea what this character truly is. it could become a mantra a word of power holding the resonance of great leaders like Grandma, Jesus, Jimmy, and BobK. Can you see a boogie man? No-Overall the story did not enlighten or educate me in the least. A fulfilling approach to try on is that WE are the ones who shed the light of interpretations. I strongly resent that I am practically forced to recognize this holiday. Do I rescue him, or simply illuminate a small light and remind him to use his senses and choose: I am afraid-or I am not afraid, or whatever else. We fear insulting or hurting anyone and choose to stop there rather than to enlighten, educate and make change happen. Beautiful!The least enjoyable story for me was "Jackie's Debut: A Unique Day" by Mike Rokyo. Patty Smith radically sings from her heart the lyrics from the song ¥Rock ¥n Roll Nigger""Jimmy Hendrix was a nigger, Jesus and Grandma tooK. What are you gonna do? Continue to use the fluorescent intrusive light point out the "spot", keep staring at the scar and obsessing?-Hey!!! Look at the scar, ouch No! Don't look at my scar like that!!-Let's challenge it and change it!!!!In the future while teaching this unit, try to pick out stories that would inspire the celebration of this week and a half focus on blacks in the last century. fuck it Prince, Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson, Oprah, Chris Rock, Eddie Murphy, Gloria NaylorKwhoever else deserving of the now ¥domino us' NIGGER'So now, the truth is that it was still presented to us as not being "PC". This would also impact the reader as well. The only way to overcome the fear of darkness is to stare at it and challenge or except it.
Common topics in this essay:
Christ Okay-,
Staples Ben,
Gloria Naylor,
Gloria NaylorKwhoever,
Mike Royko's,
Vivaldi Instead,
Luther King,
Jesus Grandma,
Public Space,
Patty Smith,
nigger nigger,
nigger nigger nigger,
10 day,
day study,
10 day study,
enlighten educate,
week half,
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Acceptance Essays
