In 1986, an article was published in Ms. Magazine about journalist, Brent Staples, who decided to code switch after intimidating a white woman on the street. She thought he was a "thug" and ran off. Instead, he was a doctoral candidate at the University of Chicago, there to earn a Ph.D in Psychology. At six feet tall, he looked intimidating to her as he walked hurriedly behind her on the street, at night, trying to get where he was going.
Even I, in 2017, was told by a white colleague that, upon first meeting me and seeing my striking red hair, he thought I was "ghetto" and not very smart. I wondered why since I'd never opened my mouth to say anything to him except, "Hi."
Should code switching be a requirement for minorities?
Code switching is when minorities change how they look, speak, live or behave in order to live as "American" as possible. In this big melting pot of America in which we live, why is that necessary?
We do it for many reasons: in order to get the jobs we want, live in the neighborhoods we want, or be accepted by non-minorities.
Click on the two videos above, then respond to the prompt below.
Comment on the following prompt: To what extent should minorities change their appearance, how they speak, live and behave in order to seem less intimidating?
INCLUDE: First initial AND last name AND class hour.
You MUST also respond to at least TWO other posts from any student. Your replies cannot be identical comments on different posts and posting shallow comments such as "I agree" or "I disagree" will earn you a zero. Make sure your reply addresses the comment that you are responding to.
Be sure to--
- Be clear about your position
- Provide specific support for your argument
- Use rhetorical devices and other grammar elements
- Write EPIC Content-Engaging, Powerful, Informative, Creative
CAUTION!! Do NOT embarrass me, yourself, your class, the English department, the school or your parents with tasteless, meaningless comments. This is for a grade.
Due: Fri., Nov. 24, 2017 11:59 p.m. CST