Comments on: Michelle Alexander’s ‘The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness’ http://sfbayview.com/2010/michelle-alexander%e2%80%99s-%e2%80%98the-new-jim-crow-mass-incarceration-in-the-age-of-colorblindness%e2%80%99/ Black liberation news and views Fri, 25 May 2012 04:30:47 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: BJm http://sfbayview.com/2010/michelle-alexander%e2%80%99s-%e2%80%98the-new-jim-crow-mass-incarceration-in-the-age-of-colorblindness%e2%80%99/comment-page-1/#comment-15784 BJm Tue, 13 Sep 2011 16:29:44 +0000 http://www.sfbayview.com/?p=11316#comment-15784 The war on on drugs must end! We must not fall into the trap of the enemy. Say No to drugs! God will turn it around for you. Just believe in God's power! The war on on drugs must end! We must not fall into the trap of the enemy. Say No to drugs! God will turn it around for you. Just believe in God's power!

]]> By: joseph http://sfbayview.com/2010/michelle-alexander%e2%80%99s-%e2%80%98the-new-jim-crow-mass-incarceration-in-the-age-of-colorblindness%e2%80%99/comment-page-1/#comment-15512 joseph Wed, 24 Aug 2011 02:38:37 +0000 http://www.sfbayview.com/?p=11316#comment-15512 1DymGO http://wnbUj5n0mXqpcvm27Hms.biz 1DymGO http://wnbUj5n0mXqpcvm27Hms.biz

]]> By: Mos http://sfbayview.com/2010/michelle-alexander%e2%80%99s-%e2%80%98the-new-jim-crow-mass-incarceration-in-the-age-of-colorblindness%e2%80%99/comment-page-1/#comment-12713 Mos Wed, 13 Apr 2011 00:11:26 +0000 http://www.sfbayview.com/?p=11316#comment-12713 The distortions by the author don't help the cause. Population has increase 10x since 1865. There were 4 million slaves and there are only 2.5 million total prisoners of all races. She doesn't acknowledge the role of personal choices, and despite the limited options for poor balck americans - committing a crime is a choice. Nonetheless, saying that there is no national responsibility for racial inequity or that the war on drugs doesn't have a racial component is also a gross distortion. There are only two possible causes for racial inequities on issues such as income and percent of populations in prison. It is either because of (a) something inherent to black americans as a race, or (b) the continuing effect of a history of discrimination. If you beleive (a), you're hopeless and there's no point in discussing the matter further. Since it has to be (b), we have a continuing societal responsibility to remedy the matter. The distortions by the author don't help the cause. Population has increase 10x since 1865. There were 4 million slaves and there are only 2.5 million total prisoners of all races. She doesn't acknowledge the role of personal choices, and despite the limited options for poor balck americans – committing a crime is a choice.

Nonetheless, saying that there is no national responsibility for racial inequity or that the war on drugs doesn't have a racial component is also a gross distortion.

There are only two possible causes for racial inequities on issues such as income and percent of populations in prison. It is either because of (a) something inherent to black americans as a race, or (b) the continuing effect of a history of discrimination.

If you beleive (a), you're hopeless and there's no point in discussing the matter further. Since it has to be (b), we have a continuing societal responsibility to remedy the matter.

]]> By: Tomika P. http://sfbayview.com/2010/michelle-alexander%e2%80%99s-%e2%80%98the-new-jim-crow-mass-incarceration-in-the-age-of-colorblindness%e2%80%99/comment-page-1/#comment-7979 Tomika P. Thu, 29 Jul 2010 19:46:01 +0000 http://www.sfbayview.com/?p=11316#comment-7979 This review is a pitiful uncritical fan page of a book that tremendously oversimplifies complex issues. It also has no historical rigor. Sorry folks, this is not what Jim Crow looks like. This review is a pitiful uncritical fan page of a book that tremendously oversimplifies complex issues. It also has no historical rigor. Sorry folks, this is not what Jim Crow looks like.

]]> By: John Jay http://sfbayview.com/2010/michelle-alexander%e2%80%99s-%e2%80%98the-new-jim-crow-mass-incarceration-in-the-age-of-colorblindness%e2%80%99/comment-page-1/#comment-7978 John Jay Thu, 29 Jul 2010 19:43:26 +0000 http://www.sfbayview.com/?p=11316#comment-7978 Amen. Some people are so attached to the idea that racism is at the center of every action, that they can't look at the evidence and make valid claims about it. Amen. Some people are so attached to the idea that racism is at the center of every action, that they can't look at the evidence and make valid claims about it.

]]> By: Standyman http://sfbayview.com/2010/michelle-alexander%e2%80%99s-%e2%80%98the-new-jim-crow-mass-incarceration-in-the-age-of-colorblindness%e2%80%99/comment-page-1/#comment-6734 Standyman Tue, 25 May 2010 06:38:18 +0000 http://www.sfbayview.com/?p=11316#comment-6734 All of the above needs to be addressed. Stats tell multiple stories. The brainwashing through the media and plays a part also. It is cool to text without regard for punctuation. Cats that get out of jail are greeted as heroes. Tattoos are on peoples faces and gold teeth trump food in the house. Jobs are hard enough to come by. Even worse when many don't even want one. Guys and gals will fight in a minute, and tape it for all to see. Do not look at some one too long or else. People compound things by being over weight and allowing the kids to be overweight too. By the time they figure it out their Heart is bad, they have diabetes by 36 or a stroke is waiting for them. People are popping vicadin, soma, perkasett, and oxycontin like tic tacs. The desire to be a Hustler is so strong that it trumps going to church. Folks with five kids are riding around in a two seater. Nobody is helping kids with homework any more, High School Diplomas are rare! Cussing is rampant in public. Morals are lacking and on and on. Then those that do have something going on in life look down on others and say "I've Got Mine." All of the above needs to be addressed. Stats tell multiple stories. The brainwashing through the media and plays a part also. It is cool to text without regard for punctuation. Cats that get out of jail are greeted as heroes. Tattoos are on peoples faces and gold teeth trump food in the house. Jobs are hard enough to come by. Even worse when many don't even want one. Guys and gals will fight in a minute, and tape it for all to see. Do not look at some one too long or else. People compound things by being over weight and allowing the kids to be overweight too. By the time they figure it out their Heart is bad, they have diabetes by 36 or a stroke is waiting for them. People are popping vicadin, soma, perkasett, and oxycontin like tic tacs.
The desire to be a Hustler is so strong that it trumps going to church. Folks with five kids are riding around in a two seater. Nobody is helping kids with homework any more, High School Diplomas are rare! Cussing is rampant in public. Morals are lacking and on and on.
Then those that do have something going on in life look down on others and say "I've Got Mine."

]]> By: John Mulligan http://sfbayview.com/2010/michelle-alexander%e2%80%99s-%e2%80%98the-new-jim-crow-mass-incarceration-in-the-age-of-colorblindness%e2%80%99/comment-page-1/#comment-6664 John Mulligan Wed, 19 May 2010 23:31:40 +0000 http://www.sfbayview.com/?p=11316#comment-6664 Because the fathers of those children would have been model parents had they not been sent to prison.... Here's some statistics: 1) From the U.S. Bureau of Justice "According to the BJS's National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS)-- * Since 1994, violent crime rates (murder, rape and sexual assault, robbery, and assault) have declined, reaching the lowest level ever recorded in 2005. * Property crime rates (burglary, theft, and motor vehicle theft) continue to decline. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Uniform Crime Reports-- * The violent crime rate decreased 1.4% from 2006 to 2007. From 1998 to 2007 the rate fell 17.7%. * The property crime rate decreased 2.1% from 2006 to 2007. From 1998 to 2007, the rate fell 19.5%. The FBI's Uniform Crime Reports Program (UCR) collects information from local law enforcement agencies about crimes reported to police. The UCR crime index includes seven offenses; homicide, forcible rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny-theft, and motor vehicle theft. See also Data Online and Homicide Trends in the United States for additional UCR data. 2) Also from the US Bureau of Justice, prison rates have dramatically risen since 1980. <a href="http://bjs.ojp.usdoj.gov/content/glance/corr2.cfm" target="_blank">http://bjs.ojp.usdoj.gov/content/glance/corr2.cfm</a> So let's get this straight, prison population goes up and violent crime goes down, right? Does that seem like Jim Crow to you or just sensible policy? Bear in mind that the most common victims of black crime are black victims. So please, quit with the conspiracy nonsense and crying about "the system." Stop making excuses for black crime. Take responsibility for black crime and unite against it. The beneficiaries will be black victims. Is the majority of the prison population in prison for drug crimes? No. In 2006, incarceration was for the following offenses: Total: 667,900 prisoners for violent crime, 277,900 for property crime and 265,000 for drug crime, and 119,500 for other crimes, like sex crimes. <a href="http://(http://bjs.ojp.usdoj.gov/content/pub/pdf/p08.pdf," target="_blank">(http://bjs.ojp.usdoj.gov/content/pub/pdf/p08.pdf,</a> page 8) Thus, drug crimes account for less than 20% of the prison population. Not only that, you are not counting for other priors a person had in addition to drug offenses. Give the Jim Crow argument a rest, it's tired already. Because the fathers of those children would have been model parents had they not been sent to prison….

Here's some statistics:

1) From the U.S. Bureau of Justice "According to the BJS's National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS)–

* Since 1994, violent crime rates (murder, rape and sexual assault, robbery, and assault) have declined, reaching the lowest level ever recorded in 2005.
* Property crime rates (burglary, theft, and motor vehicle theft) continue to decline.

According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Uniform Crime Reports–

* The violent crime rate decreased 1.4% from 2006 to 2007. From 1998 to 2007 the rate fell 17.7%.
* The property crime rate decreased 2.1% from 2006 to 2007. From 1998 to 2007, the rate fell 19.5%.

The FBI's Uniform Crime Reports Program (UCR) collects information from local law enforcement agencies about crimes reported to police. The UCR crime index includes seven offenses; homicide, forcible rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny-theft, and motor vehicle theft.

See also Data Online and Homicide Trends in the United States for additional UCR data.

2) Also from the US Bureau of Justice, prison rates have dramatically risen since 1980. http://bjs.ojp.usdoj.gov/content/glance/corr2.cfm

So let's get this straight, prison population goes up and violent crime goes down, right? Does that seem like Jim Crow to you or just sensible policy? Bear in mind that the most common victims of black crime are black victims.

So please, quit with the conspiracy nonsense and crying about "the system." Stop making excuses for black crime. Take responsibility for black crime and unite against it. The beneficiaries will be black victims.

Is the majority of the prison population in prison for drug crimes? No. In 2006, incarceration was for the following offenses:
Total: 667,900 prisoners for violent crime, 277,900 for property crime and 265,000 for drug crime, and 119,500 for other crimes, like sex crimes. (http://bjs.ojp.usdoj.gov/content/pub/pdf/p08.pdf, page 8)

Thus, drug crimes account for less than 20% of the prison population. Not only that, you are not counting for other priors a person had in addition to drug offenses. Give the Jim Crow argument a rest, it's tired already.

]]> By: Dhrouba Bin-Wahad http://sfbayview.com/2010/michelle-alexander%e2%80%99s-%e2%80%98the-new-jim-crow-mass-incarceration-in-the-age-of-colorblindness%e2%80%99/comment-page-1/#comment-6482 Dhrouba Bin-Wahad Mon, 10 May 2010 12:25:31 +0000 http://www.sfbayview.com/?p=11316#comment-6482 Historically, the auspices of Nixon's War On Drugs came at a crucial point in the rise of black militancy in America, a militancy reflected in the numerous urban rebellions in White America's urban colonial enclaves. Lacking a national police force under the command of the executive branch of government, Nixon set out to kill three birds with one stone: 1. Militarize the Police, 2. Consolidate Law Enforcement's political influence in domestic policy making (LEAA and its offspring agency FEMA et al achieved this) and 3, as Sistah Alexander aptly reveals in her book, portraying phenotypical White Supremacy as the colorblind genotype of anti-drug law enforcement -the criminalization of entire communities. It is unfortunate however, that the existence of Black Political Prisoners in America, most of whom were in the forefront of resistance against Police militarization in the Black community and who delayed right-wing racist consolidation under-color of law,until the Reagan era) are not factored into the current socio-political nature of the war on drugs or for that matter the "war on terror." The nexus between the two is providential and the institutional complex of "Homeland Security" is testimony to this. Historically, the auspices of Nixon’s War On Drugs came at a crucial point in the rise of black militancy in America, a militancy reflected in the numerous urban rebellions in White America’s urban colonial enclaves. Lacking a national police force under the command of the executive branch of government, Nixon set out to kill three birds with one stone: 1. Militarize the Police, 2. Consolidate Law Enforcement’s political influence in domestic policy making (LEAA and its offspring agency FEMA et al achieved this) and 3, as Sistah Alexander aptly reveals in her book, portraying phenotypical White Supremacy as the colorblind genotype of anti-drug law enforcement -the criminalization of entire communities. It is unfortunate however, that the existence of Black Political Prisoners in America, most of whom were in the forefront of resistance against Police militarization in the Black community and who delayed right-wing racist consolidation under-color of law,until the Reagan era) are not factored into the current socio-political nature of the war on drugs or for that matter the “war on terror.” The nexus between the two is providential and the institutional complex of “Homeland Security” is testimony to this.

]]> By: Dhrouba Bin-Wahad http://sfbayview.com/2010/michelle-alexander%e2%80%99s-%e2%80%98the-new-jim-crow-mass-incarceration-in-the-age-of-colorblindness%e2%80%99/comment-page-1/#comment-6481 Dhrouba Bin-Wahad Mon, 10 May 2010 11:59:01 +0000 http://www.sfbayview.com/?p=11316#comment-6481 Having advocated and organized for years the necessity to counter the so called war on drugs with a political urban strategic agenda. 1st, radically reform Police Command n Control structures thru referendums to decentralize urban police agencies and place their control (Public Safety) in the hands of the communities that are policed. 2nd legalize hard drugs n tax/regulate availability- tax to be used to subsidize drug free maintenance rehabilitation programs (no methadone scam -Corporate Pharmaceutical companies r the foremost dealers of addictive/debilitating drugs) Drug addiction would then be classified as a mental self-abuse health issue, not a crime-and "treatment on demand" a health care right under new health care guidelines necessary to underpin hard drug decriminalization. But what r black leaders talking about? The same yikyak dysfunctional Black community mandra with no strategic vision. Having advocated and organized for years the necessity to counter the so called war on drugs with a political urban strategic agenda. 1st, radically reform Police Command n Control structures thru referendums to decentralize urban police agencies and place their control (Public Safety) in the hands of the communities that are policed. 2nd legalize hard drugs n tax/regulate availability- tax to be used to subsidize drug free maintenance rehabilitation programs (no methadone scam -Corporate Pharmaceutical companies r the foremost dealers of addictive/debilitating drugs) Drug addiction would then be classified as a mental self-abuse health issue, not a crime-and “treatment on demand” a health care right under new health care guidelines necessary to underpin hard drug decriminalization. But what r black leaders talking about? The same yikyak dysfunctional Black community mandra with no strategic vision.

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