Response To Who Shot Johnny

2 Pages 574 Words

The last line of the essay, where Dickerson refers to the shooter, I find to be the perfect closing sentence. I think more than just criticizing the actual man who shot Johnny, Dickerson is passing judgment on all of the black men who are like him. The last few paragraphs describe the shooter very specifically, yet she really has no idea that he was or what he was like. I think that this is a very powerful section of her essay in that she is talking about people of her own race in a very negative way. It enables the reader to see how a black woman feels about the “thuggish” black man. It still strikes me as odd when she writes… “a non-job having, middle-of-the-day malt-liquor drinking, crotch clutching, loud-talking brother, with many neglected children born of many neglected women.” In this day and age when black people are unfortunately still striving to break even with white America, it find it very odd that she writes in such a way about people of her race. It is defiantly a stereotypical comment about the inner city black male that is depicted in so many ways in mainstream culture, i.e. movies, music and television. Later she mentions off these men who used to call out at her from their cars, and it all becomes evident as to why she may be writing in such a way. Dickerson must have had exposure to this type of male in her childhood as well and is using this section of the essay as a way to blow off some steam. She can attack all of the black men form her childhood as well as those in Johnny’s childhood that work as dreambusters. These males that act as negative role models for the youth, even though they may seem to have a great life, with money, cars, and a great nightlife, but what the youth does not see is how these men use sleazy methods to get their money. I also think that there is a very deliberate reason that Dickerson mentions that she went to Harvard and has many accolades. She is saying that not everyone has ...