Who Shot Johnny by Debra Dickerson

Black Men and Public Space

Black Men and Public Space, a story by Brent Staples, centers on the struggles a black man goes through, owing to public perception of the race. The black man has been stereotyped as dangerous, full of ill motive, and even a criminal (Sattler & Shabatay, 2000). In the story, Staples draws examples from his own life’s experiences, particularly in relation to young white women. Through this, he explains why and how society misjudges the black man. He recalls the incident where he was walking behind a white woman in an alley one night. On seeing him, the woman started running away. Staples attributed this to the fact that he was black; and the woman was running away because she was afraid the black man would mug her.

In his story, Staples has formed an opinion of what the white folks think of him, though it may not be entirely based on his race. For instance, the woman in the dark alley could simply have been running away because she was afraid of him as a man, and not necessarily, because he was black. If he was white, chances are that the woman would still have run away, as dark alleys are generally scary. In this sense, it appears as though the black man has given in to the branding of the society. He sees himself the way society sees him, attributing every incident to the fact that he is black.

Because he sees himself as threat to white people, he comes up with strategies to ease their minds whenever he is around them. The first strategy he employs is maintaining a safe distance between him and them in the subway, especially in the late hours. What he does not grasp is that people are cautious in subways because of the incidents that happen their, regardless of whether they are perpetuated by blacks or whites. The other strategy is whistling Beethoven and Vivaldi tunes, a sign that he is educated. When white people realize he is educated, they view him as less of a threat, and are therefore relaxed around him.

I have seen someone being looked down upon because of his or her age. Most students at PhD level are relatively old, with years experience in working. However, this particular girl was young, fresh out of her masters program. When she joined the PhD class, many told her that she was too young, that she could not do it, and that she was studying too much. Without regard to her intellect, her classmates and friends did what they could to stop her from pursuing further studies. However, because of her determination and resilience, she was able to complete her studies, proving everyone wrong.

Who Shot Johnny

According to Dickerson, violence affects everyone. In today’s world, there are people who want to make it in life without having to work. Their selfish attitude leads them to think that they should get around life the easy way. As a result, they turn to violence and robbing people off what they have worked for. In the process, innocent people like Johnny, are hurt or even killed. Such people view violence as the answer to every problem; they rob people to get what they do not have, and instill fear in people to get respect they have not earned. Using weapons, they make life harder for everyone else.

Dickerson expresses anger for what was done to her nephew, and what waits to happen to the rest of the world. She is angry at the acts of violence that continue to be perpetrated (Gabbidon & Greene, 2005). She mocks the current justice system. We are supposedly enjoying peace in justice but in reality, we are exposed to crime everyday. Worse yet, instead of being punished, criminals are given rights and left to run scotch-free. In essence, she does not really blame the criminals themselves, but the values that the society lives by. The youth are not taught how to earn a rightfully living, resulting in unlawful acts. The justice system is also a failure; by not punishing criminals, it encourages criminal activities.

A young person still dependent on his parents should seek a part-time time job. This will jump-start him on his journey to financial independence. With the realization that nothing comes on a silver platter, and that his labor will yield results, he will become more confident in earning an honest living, rather than turning to crime. Having his own money will help him in planning on how to use his finances. More often than not, easy money is squandered easily and faster than that, which is hard earned. A part-time job is a small but important step in teaching the youth to be responsible.

Going to the Movies

Susan Allan Toth story is not really about different types of movies, but the relationships she has with different type of men. She uses the types of movies to bring out the nature of the relationships she has. She criticizes all the men she has been out with as selfish, looking out only for their own interests. For instance, if she were her own, she would opt to watch a romantic movie, or a musical. On the other hand, whenever she is in the company of a man, they do not consider what she would prefer to watch. They take her to watch the movies of their choice without regard to what she may want to watch. To her, this is a sign of lack of emotional connection between her and the men (Nguyen & Shreve, 2005).

She tries to explain how difficult it is to get a man who truly values her opinion and is concerned about her feelings. From her going to the movies experiences, all she gets is a man out to meet his own needs. With no emotional contact, she feels like a stranger sitting with a man she is meant to be accompanying. What she desires is a relationship based on mutuality, where they like and show concern for each other. In addition, if this is not possible, then the men might as well be alone. She uses movies to illustrate her need for emotional connection. Being consulted on the choice of movie would be to her a sign of concern for her emotional needs.

The types of teachers I have had affected my learning. There was once this teacher who was not shy in saying who her favorite students were. During lessons, she used them in positive examples, and urged the rest of us to be like them. Instead of trying to do our best, we tried to be as good as them. Nevertheless, the teacher was still not satisfied. As much as I loved the subject, I could not match up to those expectations. I dropped the subject altogether and left the teacher with her favorites. I took on another unit where my performance would not be measured against someone else’s.

References

Gabbidon, S.L. & Greene, H.T. (2005). Race, Crime, and Justice: A Reader. New York, NY: Routledge.

Nguyen, B.N. & Shreve, P. (2005). Contemporary Creative Nonfiction: I & Eye. Harlow: Pearson/ Longman.

Sattler, D.N. & Shabatay, V. (2000). Psychology in Context: Voices and Perspectives. Massachusetts: Houghton Mifflin Co.