Too Hard to Believe: The New Jim Crow:Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness
The New Jim Crow would be the other word that describes the part of time where many African American people did not have their rights and were living a life that made them feel like they are nothing. The New Jim Crow has been known between everyone because of its importance to our lives. Michelle Alexander who is an associate professor of law at the Ohio State University, a civil right advocate and a writer, described how African American people in the age of Colorblindness lived and suffered because discrimination was widespread around that time. Alexander explains in her book how African American would always be entitled as felons for crimes that they did not do against white people who actually commit crimes but get away with it because of their skin color. The New Jim Crow shows the society how African American people were treated and how they had to live their lives under all the difficulties they faced in Mass Incarceration and the Age of Colorblindness. I argue that the drug war targets million of young black men in the prisons and behind the bars. The book starts by proving that racism is not dead yet and it is still going on around until this day. Full equality has not been achieved and we should realize that millions of African American people got their voting rights taken away from them because they were once convicted as felons. As it shows in the book that “former prisoners who are technically eligible to vote frequently remain disenfranchised for life” (Michelle Alexander 159 ). Alexander describes her book as a book that contains laws, customs and policies that controls the prisoners lives inside and outside the prison. I believe that Alexander proved when people get sent to jail, they are not going to live their lives like they used to do and they are going to be divided into groups. However, in the mass incarceration, there are going to be no preferential positions in the society. As you dive into the book, Jarvious Cotton is one of the many African American who struggled with life because of his skin color. …show more content…
Cotton, his father, grandfather and his great-grandfather cannot vote and have been denied their rights. His family tree shows many of African American men who are American citizens but do not have the basic rights like freedom. Cotton had his voting right taken away because he was convicted of a felony and labeled as one. Many men like him, once they were labeled as felons, could not live in a society that would provide them the things they need to live. For example, they were “subject to legalized discrimination in employment, housing, education,public benefits, and jury service” (Alexander 1-2). I agree with Alexander because people back at the age of colorblindness and nowadays would judge people from their skin color. Even Though, people would appear differently than who they really are, you should not judge anyone until you know them yourself or you have a proof of something they did. Alexander made sure to expose the policemen who suspect people from the way they dress, walk, drive and
The New Jim Crow would be the other word that describes the part of time where many African American people did not have their rights and were living a life that made them feel like they are nothing. The New Jim Crow has been known between everyone because of its importance to our lives. Michelle Alexander who is an associate professor of law at the Ohio State University, a civil right advocate and a writer, described how African American people in the age of Colorblindness lived and suffered because discrimination was widespread around that time. Alexander explains in her book how African American would always be entitled as felons for crimes that they did not do against white people who actually commit crimes but get away with it because of their skin color. The New Jim Crow shows the society how African American people were treated and how they had to live their lives under all the difficulties they faced in Mass Incarceration and the Age of Colorblindness. I argue that the drug war targets million of young black men in the prisons and behind the bars. The book starts by proving that racism is not dead yet and it is still going on around until this day. Full equality has not been achieved and we should realize that millions of African American people got their voting rights taken away from them because they were once convicted as felons. As it shows in the book that “former prisoners who are technically eligible to vote frequently remain disenfranchised for life” (Michelle Alexander 159 ). Alexander describes her book as a book that contains laws, customs and policies that controls the prisoners lives inside and outside the prison. I believe that Alexander proved when people get sent to jail, they are not going to live their lives like they used to do and they are going to be divided into groups. However, in the mass incarceration, there are going to be no preferential positions in the society. As you dive into the book, Jarvious Cotton is one of the many African American who struggled with life because of his skin color. …show more content…
Cotton, his father, grandfather and his great-grandfather cannot vote and have been denied their rights. His family tree shows many of African American men who are American citizens but do not have the basic rights like freedom. Cotton had his voting right taken away because he was convicted of a felony and labeled as one. Many men like him, once they were labeled as felons, could not live in a society that would provide them the things they need to live. For example, they were “subject to legalized discrimination in employment, housing, education,public benefits, and jury service” (Alexander 1-2). I agree with Alexander because people back at the age of colorblindness and nowadays would judge people from their skin color. Even Though, people would appear differently than who they really are, you should not judge anyone until you know them yourself or you have a proof of something they did. Alexander made sure to expose the policemen who suspect people from the way they dress, walk, drive and