A Reflection
Reading Michelle Alexander's The New Jim Crow has been an incredibly educational and eye-opening experience for me. I've learned much about just how deep systemic racism runs in this country, and have gained a greater appreciation for the struggles and injustices people of color have to face on a daily basis. Alexander's primary thesis was the idea that the U.S's system of mass incarceration is a method of control similar to that of Jim Crow. While she delves into many other sub-topics (all of which come back to support her claim in the long run), the entire book revolves around this singular point. At first, the claim seems extremely outlandish- however, it's very well supported. The book begins with a history of American criminalization, and delves into the War on Drugs; much of the racism we see in our criminal justice systems today sprouted from this main event. During the War on Drugs, black neighborhoods were targeted and infiltrated- they became a heavy fo...
