Examples Of Racial Profiling In Song Of Soloman

Racial Profiling

The Unites States of America is a mixing bowl of many different cultures. Who we are, where we come from, our appearance, our knowledge, our place in society, but most importantly our race impacts how others see us. We are blessed to have witnessed such diversity, it is something to celebrate, however that is almost never the case. Throughout history, and even today racial profiling continues to be a part of in our society. Many of us tend to create a connection between stereotypes and racial profiling which at times maybe reasonable but racial profiling is stereotyping on a whole other level. Racial Profiling is when race, ethnicity or national origin is taken into consideration in the justice system. Toni Morrison, Brent

In chapter 6 of “Song of Soloman” the character who values his race and background the most since the beginning of the book, Guitar, reveals his involvement in a group named the Seven Days. A secret society of seven men that takes one life for another, for every African American killed unjustifiably, the society chooses a similar victim at random to takes their life in a similar manner. They believe it is the only way of keeping balance, a consistent ratio or Blacks and Whites. In the conversation with his friend, Milkman, his way of explaining why what the society does is reasonable and seems determined to his decision. Although Milkman attempts to explain to him that taking life of innocent Whites won’t bring him justice, Guitar continues to tell him how all Whites are the same and how he is better and much different from those who kill innocent Black out of anger, eager to gain control or power, and those who enjoys killing. Milkman believes there are other ways to avenge racist crimes. Morrison brings two extreme strategies of playing for justice, to respond to racism, either through revenge or through

Despite being a black male, the narrator begins to call the woman who felt afraid of him because of his race a “Victim”. Staples emphasizes on how it’s not the fault of those who misjudge but the fault of our society for building such mindsets. Although Staples doesn’t clearly mention the two extremes that Morrison demonstrates in her book, he suggests Milkman’s response to Racism and racial hate crimes a possible solution. Milkman believes revenge is not the only way, it isn’t a black man’s job to seek justice by “doing what the worst of them do.” In Staples writing, confusion can be sensed in the tone of the narrator as he claims that at age twenty-two is when he felt as though was a “accomplice in