Not All Black People Are Thugs

Brent Staples, like many others, has experienced the prejudice and unfairness of society's stereotypes for his whole life. Although he is a graduate student in one of the world's most renowned universities, he has been classified, marked, and looked upon as a "mugger." Whether it be black stereotypes or Asian stereotypes, they all play a demeaning role in society.

Recently, the Seattle Seahawks won the Super Bowl in a dominating fashion, 43-8, with hard word and relentless offense and defense. A contributing factor to this run to the championship was because of this one standout player: Richard Sherman. Not only is he one of the best rookie cornerbacks in the NFL, he is also a black man who graduated from Stanford... with a 4.2 GPA to boot! Both Staples and Sherman are educated intellectuals that come from the most prestigious universities, yet they are still subject to these stereotypes. Many people would wonder, "Did this guy just say Stanford? He must be crazy!" That's an oxymoron, right? I mean, who ever heard of a black man going to Stanford? Well, at least that's what the public seems to think. People judge his actions based on his race without thinking twice. In fact, Richard Sherman was called a thug (a word now synonymous to the N-word) 625 times on television in ONE day after his passionate post-game interview. For that reason, it is unacceptable to judge a person by his/her race and skin color. Simply because of his skin color, Richard Sherman changed the public's perception of him, that is, altered public space. 

However, in reality, people are more than stereotypes. This man is inspiring. Living in the project homes with "thugs" hanging around every corner, he knows what it's like to live the unfortunate life. For those who cannot afford Christmas gifts, he uses his own money to buy gifts for those families who can't afford to experience the happiness and excitement of this holiday. For the young kids, he signs a contract with them: in return for improving their grades, making good attendance, and being good citizens, he’ll continue to help them with clothes and supplies. Behind these stereotypes lie unique individuals with unique roles in society. In the end, stereotypes will exist but people must continue to follow their dreams and do what they do best.