On January 26, 2012, Michelle Alexander presented her new book, The New Jim Crow. She spoke of the incarceration of African American males, and how it is affecting society today. I found a lot of what she said thought-provoking, especially because I plan to go into law myself. She told a story of how she was looking for a case to represent regarding racial profiling. She had interviewed dozens of people, and had yet to find the person who would have a good case for court, until finally a man came having documents describing his encounters with police, the officers' names, etc. The only issue was that this man had a criminal record. Despite the fact that he actually had a legitimate case, Alexander refused to represent him due to his criminal record. This goes to show that the criminal justice system has truly become a caste system. Once a man has a criminal record, he can't buy a house in most areas, get a good job, vote in some states, or even get food stamps. It sets people up for failure.
Eighty percent of African American men have criminal records and are subject to legal discrimination. That statistic is alarming. She pointed out that these 4 out of 5 African American males are convicted simply for having possession of a certain drug. Alexander then stated that Barack Obama had possession of the same types of drugs as those who were convicted while in his youth. The only difference between Obama and the other African American males is the community they grew up in. Barack Obama grew up in a predominately white neighborhood, where he was given more leeway. Had he grown up in neighborhoods like Oakland, he too would have a criminal record and would not even have the right to vote, let alone be president of the United States.
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