Trumpet 1

Leopoldlett Trumpet
Professor Batty
ENG 113A
14 December 2014
Racism Happens To Still Exist
Throughout the years racism has always been a problem. It seems to change little by little
as the years progress, yet it still exists. Rosa Parks action would be a great example of racism.
She chose to stand up for what she believed in, which is a world with no segregation and no
stereotypes towards Blacks. To this day racism is still a problem everywhere and the cause of it
is segregation.
First, Rosa Parks made a stand for every colored person. She decided to stand up for her
rights because she knew how they got treated back then was unfair. Rosa did this because White
people took advantage of the Black people. Blacks were treated negatively and the Whites did
not care about their wellness. I am sure everyone noticed; they just did not do anything. She
knew the consequences for what she did but she still chose to do it. She was arrested and fined
for her actions but that made others stand up too. Her action sparked others to boycott the bus
and this would change how people sat on public buses. No matter the year segregation always
seems to appear whether it is in the past or the present
Secondly, I believe Rosa Parks boycott action affected others in a positive way. Blacks
were able to sit anywhere on the bus instead of in the back. The boycott that happened made it
possible for every Black person to sit wherever they like on the bus. I am sure Rosa wanted the
times to change back then. So in present time it would change more and society would be able to

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be more open-minded when it comes to racism instead of it being negative. Just being able to
change the way people sit on a bus sparks others to strive and do something positive as well.
Especially when it benefits that race and others who experienced something like this. She wanted
others to feel like they could change something if they put their mind to it and make sure you
stick with it. Even though Rosa did not have those who encouraged her to do this she stood tall
and held her own. Though she stood by herself she did this because she wanted racism to
diminish.
Furthermore, a man named Brent Staples who wrote Black Men and Public Spaces,
went through Racism in his own way. For example, Staples says Black men have a firm place in
New York mugging literature (184). This just shows racism is still frowned upon depending on
how the society is in New York. Just because New York is crowed does not mean mugging
happens constantly. It also seems like Black men are more to be criminals than any other race
though that is very stereotypical. Other races can be criminals too, yet Blacks seem to get blamed
most of all, especially if they look menacing and they are walking too close to someone. People
look for looks in a person that way they can choose whether a person is a criminal or not. It is not
the fact that Blacks are scary, it is that people need someone to blame, so they choose Black as
their targets.
Furthermore, basing people on looks proves society is still racist. For instance, Staple
says The proprietor excused herself and returned with an enormous red Doberman pinscher
straining at the end of a leash. (Page 185) Do Blacks really look so menacing they have to have
dogs sent on them? This is cruel and unusual punishment for Black people everywhere. They

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should not have to go through being stereotyped everyday just by their looks and height. Just
because you are tall does not make you suspicious of crime. Just because a person is Black does
not make them a criminal. Racism has progressed over time but there is always the problem with
stereotypes with races. One should not be judged by the way the look; instead you should get to
know a person before you suspect them of anything. Just because a Black person is wearing
sketchy clothing does not mean they are menacing.
Nevertheless, races have to endure the stereotypes put on them or else doing something
about it would make those stereotypes true. As said by Staples, In time, I learned to smother the
rage I felt at so often being taken for a criminal. (Page 186) Just as Staples said you have to be
able to mask how you really feel or else you might become a criminal and then the stereotypes
would be correct. You do not want to be one of those people that end up doing something wrong,
even though you are not that type of person. It is best to just mask how you truly feel and try to
find an outlet another way. It is not good to mask how you feel though because that leads to other
negative things. Some things just need to be kept to oneself instead of put out there. It helps to
find someone to talk to or a hobby no matter what race they are.
The political cartoon I chose to do depict Rosa Parks sitting where a White man should
be sitting and so the police officer is telling her to move to the back of the bus. His shirt has the
word Racism on it because that is who is telling her to get back where she belongs. You can
obviously tell segregation is depicted in this cartoon. The police man stands for the government
and how they see Blacks. It does not look like Rosa is willing to move even after being told to do
so. The officer also stands for what is happening to her because she is not cooperating. She will be

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arrested and fined because of it. The author chose to publish this political cartoon because he believes

racism is still a problem. He wants to get his point across about how racism happened before and
it has not stopped yet. It has been some years when this was published so racism could have
changed.
Moreover, the subject looks like it is at a comfortable distance away from the camera.
The author made it where the camera is not too close but close enough. Perhaps the camera is in
the action because it is taking place on the bus. The camera is taking the picture in front of the
subject. It is looking parallel to the subject and it has a point of view like it is in the action. The
subject is not looking at the camera, neither of the subjects. The colors are just black and white
and it makes me feel like it was deliberate because it is an historical piece. Though it was
published in 2005. There are shirts, hat, pants, bus seat, windows, other people, glasses, and a
jacket. Well the shirt is being worn by the police man and so it means it must be authoritative.
The subjects in the image are looking at one another. The cartoon consists of two
subjects, Rosa Parks and a police officer. They are interacting with each other but just by looking
at one another. The other people are like bystanders, not caring about what is going on around
them. In a way one is over the other, but that is because one is sitting and the other is standing.
The police officer seems to have the power because he is a police. He has the power because he
seems larger than Rosa. Since he is standing he seems like he is overruling her by standing while
she is sitting. He looms over her with his fists on his hips as she looks up at him. His fists being
on his hips could mean like he would want to hit her if she did not listen. As the White men just
sit there being bystanders acting like nothing is going on in their presence. The officer does not

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show his face so we do not know what type of facial expression he is making. Their relationship
seems negative, because one is demanding the other to get back to where she belongs, which is
the back of the bus. The social roles they play is one is authority and power and one is a law
breaker and activist. Though she is a law breaker she is doing it for a good cause. The officer is
also a male and a White man, as for Rosa she is a Black woman. The words Racism, I told
you to move to the back of the bus, and There are times when NO is the most eloquent
word. The racism word is in a plain but bold font. The others are slanted and seem pretty, but
they stand out. The racism means power because it is on a police officer and a White one at that.
The other words mean she is being told to do something, while being able to say no at times.
There are none that seems to contradict each other. It all goes together in the cartoon. Then if that
does not work then you may demand something. The purpose of this image is to show the racism
through the times of before. To show the segregation of how inadequate it was. Its message is to
get others to stand up for what they believe in as well. To change the world and some of its
concepts, and possibly change it.
Finally, Rosa Parks did what she did to change the way racism is seen. Her action made
racism change for the better and we can see it now. There are some things that are still the same,
but segregation has depleted down. White men may have the power but Black people are
standing up nowadays and we can thank Rosa and many other Black activist for standing up for
what they believed in. All in all I am proud to see change when it comes to the Black race and
culture everywhere.

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Works Cited
Staples, Brent. Black Men and Public Spaces. Chicago. McGraw-Hill Higher Education. 1955.
Print
Horsey, David. The Santa Cruz Comic News. Seattle Post-Intelligencer. 2005 Web.

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Appendix