Brent Staples presents a powerful view on what it was like to live in Brooklyn as a black man. He describes people having every different kind of reaction, from running to hiding behind a viscious dog. Despite all this, he seems to remain passive about the whole ordeal, expressing the understanding of such behavior.

I, however, must protest on Brent’s behalf. Is this really what our forefathers faught for? Is this what we are still fighting for today? The fact that American citizens must change their behavior because of the prejudice of others does not sit well with me, and should not sit well with any American. Staples says he often kept his distance, walked well around skittish people, and even hummed verses of Beethoven to make people believe he was not threatning. This sickens me.

Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. That is what is promised to us in the Constitution, although it appears that people like Brent are limited to life, liberty, and the pursuit of anonymity. To see a black man walking down the street is nothing to be afraid of…nor should it be. There is no call for Staples to change his behavior for the benefit of the majority. The majority is not always in the right, and this is one of those times. The next time Staples walks down the street, I hope he will walk normally as if he deserves to because…as do all of us, he does as well.