Just Finished Reading: The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander

The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander is one of those books that brings a whole bunch of different phenomenon all together and makes it possible for me to see a whole new picture that had somehow been hidden before, kind of like one of those pictures where at first you see just the silhouette of two faces, but then suddenly it looks like a vase between them.

Here's the vase: our criminal justice system isn't just racist in the sense that there are some unfair prejudices operating in it. It's racist in the sense that it's a mechanism for controlling people of color and relegating nearly entire communities to second class citizen status.

Some things I want to remember from this book: your constitutional right to be free from unreasonable searches and seizures is not really recognized by the courts anymore, as long as you "consent" by doing what the police tell you to. Also, related, police can seize large amounts of cash, or put your stuff on trial if they suspect that the stuff was involved in a crime (and they don't have to prove guilt like in a case against a person. The owner has to prove innocence).

Practically speaking, it's impossible to sue for racial discrimination in the criminal justice system. Not surprisingly, the numbers of black and brown prisoners is wildly out of balance with the proportion in the general population. Racial profiling is still allowed. The War on Drugs is the main mechanism - arresting non-violent drug offenders and putting them in jail. Which is very different from how we treat drunk drivers who, although much more likely to, you know, KILL SOMEBODY with their behavior, tend to get treatment and probation, and an effort to keep them functional and employed. Are you surprised to learn that 78% of drunk drivers are white men?

Finally, it really sucks to be an ex-con. Basically, once you've got the felon brand, you're an outcast - no government services, really hard to be employed, and often a bunch of debt from going to jail in the first place. You know, paying application fees for the defense attorney who was supposed to be provided to you, for example. Someone who, it's entirely possible, didn't really have the time or resources to actually look at your case, and probably recommended a plea, which is how 90-95% of convictions go through.

Alexander suggests as our solution to this latest round of American oppression of our black citizens that not only a movement and legal changes are necessary. A new system will inevitably arise, just as Jim Crow and mass incarceration did. Instead, we need to find ways to connect with each other across racial and class boundaries, and to find a way as white people and as a country to actually care about everyone and find ways to support and care for poor people. Instead of our current practice of throwing people away to rot.

My prayer in response to this book: God, only by your grace and the devoted, long-term dedication of many, many people will this system be overturned. Help us stay strong in our ability to see one another as neighbors and brothers and sisters. Help us stop the insanity. Amen.

The New Jim Crow