Dr King Racial Bias

Racial profiling and racial bias is a common theme existing today even in the application of schools. Racial bias exists in the frontline where cops bring in criminals but also behind the scenes within the court. Zero tolerance can be seen as an unjust law mainly because it applies mostly to the minority. The intention was to eliminate drugs and guns yet this was rarely found. Instead the zero tolerance law is being used in some abusive ways to funnel minority kids to prison for petty crimes. The basis of this is racial discrimination because it is easier for school administrators to select students they want to target even when the punishment for everyone should be equal. The Department of Justice uses a letter to address that there are laws …show more content…
King mentions the importance of power structures and it influence of the status quo. The power structures he mentions such as religion, family, and politics all still apart in the social and organizational norms that influence the enforcement of laws. In Dr. King’s letter he addressed the white supporters that were members of the clergy. The clergy’s main argument based on his direct actions was that they supported his cause but not the methods that Dr. King followed. They criticized the sudden push for the movement at that specific time and the extreme measures of protesting and going against the laws set in motion to segregate the black community. Dr. King’s response was utilizing the power of free speech to discuss the unjust laws all the while being non-violent in his actions. When you realize where the violence was stemming from it was the aggression by the police, the same police that were attempting to in Dr. Kings words “preserving the evil system of segregation”. Meanwhile the church preached preserving the status quo which meant the enforcement of segregation and non-enforcement of laws such as the desegregation of schools. Power structures, such as religion, have influence over what laws are enforced and ignored. In the film Secrets of the Vatican, they brought to light the issue of the Vatican’s willingness to break laws while being safeguarded by the church’s reputation. The application of law is important but when people break it there is not a voice of concern. The Vatican is protected by the limited likelihood of people challenging the church. Politics and religion often get intermingled, the movie Armor of Light demonstrated this. The debate of gun rights divided the Evangelical church and whether the right to protect coincided with the church’s belief. Religious beliefs often play a part of the laws individuals choose to