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Blog Post #5

   Final Blog Post      The last few chapters of The New jim crow become less focused on specific topics and more of a look at her claims and evidence from society's view asking, what can be done? How can it be done? How does this all connect? Etc. In these final sections, Alexander links her previous statements and topics together to create a map of how systemic racism in our country is difficult to see at first but is carefully layered into almost every aspect of our society.      After reading the entirety of this book I am left mainly disappointed. Disappointed in America for allowing such horrible and racist flaws to be implemented into our system. Disappointed in myself for not understanding the extent to which racism is woven into American society and not doing something about it sooner.  Disappointed in the American people for allowing this to go on for so long and denying that systemic racism exists in our country. Nowadays the exist...
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Blog Post #4

             Hello readers, over the past few days I have continued to read "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander and it has continued to impact me greatly. The last 60 pages have been slightly less fact-filled than the previous pages, however, given the massive amount of facts that were packed in before, it still feels like I am reading a very academic and informative book with more than enough supporting evidence. Despite this section being more explanation-based, Alexander still delivers shocking facts such as, "More African American adults are under correctional control (prison, probation, parole) today than were enslaved in 1850, a decade before the Civil War even began."(p180 As demonstrated in this in the most recent section, Alexander focuses on some more recent topics and events and how they connect to and often support systemic racism in our country.      Throughout the whole book, I have been feeling the relevance of w...

Blog Post #3

           I am now about 180 pages into " The New Jim Crow " by Michelle Alexander and what a book it has been. Alexander has continued to use consistently strong evidence to back up her claims and the book is overflowing with information. For much of this section, Alexander focuses on the power of prosecutors and court rules. Alexander argues that prosecutors are the most powerful authorities in the entire legal system and they often abuse that power to support the systemic racial discrimination in America. This claim was surprising to me as I had never thought of prosecutors as a part of the systemic racism but after reading the section it has become clear that this statement is completely true. I think Alexander wrote this section for people like me who were unaware that even in the courtroom, racial discrimination is rampant.     Alexander begins by talking about the power possessed by prosecutors in America and the regulations and rules...

Blog Post #2

     I have read 120 pages of the book, " The New Jim Crow " by Michelle Alexander, and let me tell you, this book has become an incredibly interesting read. The last 60 pages contain some of the most informative and fact-filled writing I have read in my life. Each page is crammed with shocking claims that make me (and I'm sure other readers) do a double-take. Better yet, following each of those claims has been a pile of evidence that shocks the reader even more. I think that I have read enough to be able to explain her main argument in the book which I will do in this post.     Michelle Alexanders', " The New Jim Crow " is not only an academic and informational book, it is a passionate, powerful, and inspirational book that encapsulates how systemically biased and racist our American legal system is. Michelle argues that our legal system has been set up and run to be able to legally discriminate against minorities, especially black people. She believes that...

Blog Post #1

          I have recently started reading the book, " The New Jim Crow " by Michelle Alexander. The book provides an in-depth look at today's legal system, how it came to be, and how it affects us today. The book tells the reader about the history of discrimination in America, beginning with slavery, to Jim Crow, to the disproportionate mass incarceration happening in America today. Although I have only just started the book it is beginning to open my eyes to flaws in our legal system that stem from all the way back before even the Jim Crow laws. Michelle Alexander's writing is very academic and contains countless facts, statistics, and examples to back up her points. I've enjoyed reading it so far as it is super informative and eye-opening. It is also very relevant to the activist movements going on right now. It definitely is a slow read because it is very dense and has lots of information but other than that it is great.     Author Michelle Ale...