Richard Ramirez Essay, Research Paper
Richard Ramirez was born in 1963 he was also known as the “Night Stalker”
What kind of person is prejudice? Is it a person who is rich and looks down on
others? Is it someone who is poor? Are they mean? Or maybe even a nice person? All of
these people are the answer. People all over judge others on stereotypical ideas, or believe
they are inferior doe to their race, religion, or sex. It happens every day, one will shy away
from a black man on a dark street, or another may poke fun at the Arabic sales clerk.
Essentially this causes tension between people, and in the end it causes hurt. As was Tom
Robinson?s case, he was a victim of the government judicial system by way of racism.
Diallo too was a victim in that he was a suspicious looking man who was black and he was
not compensated for his unjustified death.
The trial of Tom Robinson was unrighteous in that it took a sensitive black man
and framed him. (TKAM 204) Tom was charged by white trash on the account of rape.
All ways of life in Maycomb county pointed to blacks as inferior to whites, although it was
proved otherwise by his attorney, Atticus Finch. (TKAM 204) Throughout out the trial
Atticus makes stunning points as to Tom?s intentions as well as health. The Ewells who
accused Tom of rape were not respectable people, as well as alcoholics. The evidence
shown suggest that Tom merely acted out of his heart for Mayella Ewell?s sake. These
actions of Tom?s led to Mayella tempting a Negro, which in Maycomb county is despised.
Mr. Ewell was witness to the tempting and he let her have it. Soon the Ewells would find
by blaming Tom of rape, it was the best defense to what Mayella had done. Tom was
guilty of nothing, except pity, yet with all the evidence shown, as well as persuing the
Ewells as not trustworthy and alcoholics, an all white jury found Tom Robinson, guilty.
The Diallo trial was racially divided, in that it consisted of a black mans rights
being oppressed by four white officers. (Worden 1) On February 4th at approximately
12:40 a.m. four New York City police officers confronted Diallo in the black of night
standing by his apartment because he looked ?suspicious?. (Barringer 1) Suspicious
because he was black? We will not know. What we do know is he was shot at 41 times,
19 of which hit him, and killed him instantly on the spot.(Barringer 1) This was an act of
deadly force. In defense the four officers stated they had confronted him and he proceeded
to reach into his pocket. He was reaching for his wallet, but the officers mistook it for a
gun and unleashed hell upon him. ( Barringer 2) The question of deadly force was very
evident, but not as evident as should he had been confronted in the first place? Many
believe he should NOT have been confronted, and his rights were merely taken away at
the instant that the officers marked him as ?suspicious?. (Worden 2) The two cases were
separated by 65 years, but were attached by racial hatred, or the presence of racial
thinking. Tom Robinson?s case was a case that should have been in his favor. He was
convicted on the words a black man?s versus a white man?s. In fact the case should have
been turned to seek justice for Mayella and for the Ewell?s false accusations. And
prejudice, racial profiling, and you name it kept Tom, poor Tom who stood up for
something good, from being free. Diallo, although resting uneasy at the verdict of a jury,
was not compensated for his murder. Four white cops shot him 41 times and killed him
with 19 bullets because they suspected a black man of a wrong doing. Diallo was not a
white man, as Tom Robinson was not. But both Diallo and Robinson were oppressed by
the racial thoughts of two separate men. (Worden 2) Their death may easily have been
avoided if the racial thoughts were never in ones mind, yet they were and the outcome is
crucial to say ?Racism is a secret killer?. (Barringer 3) The thoughts and beliefs of racism
led to, to many mistakes in the past present, and most likely will in the future. Both the
Robinson and Diallo case both exhibit not even 65 years of separation can rid ones mind
of racism.
Diallo was a victim of the governmental court system as well as Tom. By racism
they were victims, by mere thoughts in a person or persons head. As racist views played a
role in those cases they continue too, it is not a needed role. In both cases we see racism is
wrong. It caused hurt, tension, and the worst of all unjustified death. Really it has and will
continue to be the cause for over thousands and thousands of unjustified deaths. It is a
killer. It plagues the minds of people and causes outcomes both like Robinson?s and
Diallo?s.
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