The New Jim Crow: Film Analysis

Words: 496
Pages: 2
Open Document
and when the economy took a downward turn and jobs were scarce, there was anger and resentment toward the immigrant worker (Dial, 2013). Hence, the creation of a law against a drug associated with that ethnic group. In the 1980s, there was national hysteria over crime which led to laws that penalized offenses involving crack cocaine (associated with poor African Americans living in urban areas) far more severely than offenses involving similar amounts of powder cocaine (associated with whites living in the suburbs) (Dial, 2013).
Michelle Alexander reiterates the unrelenting systemic oppression of minorities in her book “The New Jim Crow.” Mrs. Alexander describes minorities being subject to lawful discrimination in employment, housing, public …show more content…
Jarecki, and Mrs. Alexander make the case that America’s drug laws have cause far more damage, to individuals and communities, than drug use has. It was a surprise to me the authenticity with which the people in the film willing to share their personal knowledge about the drug war. The film has on-screen testimony of academic experts, activists, and journalists; prison officials, guards and a federal judge. All state emphatically the system is not working at it stands, and has not worked for years. Mr. Jarecki discovers one explanation in the generally solid nature of the prison-industry complex. He also, finds sufficient blame at the feet of all Americans who facilitate the current system. Politicians with tough on crime and drugs messages are resounding with voters while suggesting that other approaches (treatment, education) might produce better results is equal to handing the election to your opponent. Those messages might not be as excitable as creating a fight, and sounding tough. Then again, and policy that threatens to reduce the prison population also threatens to undermine the economic survival of communities in which a prison job is the best job available. The main burden of the system as it is will continue to fall on blacks and other minorities. Their suffering has long been overlooked; so we build more prisons. As mentioned in the documentary “if you build a prison, they will fill it” (Jarecki, 2012). I am thankful to Mr. Jarecki and other who
Show More

Related Documents: The New Jim Crow: Film Analysis

final exam Essay example

the most because of the lack of education, low income, violence, gangs, and the emergence of A.I.D.S. The continued violence in black society had an enormous impact because even the children had their own gangs and so did the adults. Gavin Hood’s film Tsotsi shows the poverty and violence that black people lived in due to apartheid and how someone who is violent because of the environment feeds off of violence, but manages to enter a state of metamorphosis to do good to the society. Rodwell Makombe…

Words 2823 - Pages 12

Assignment On English 101

journals and newspapers, film, and media references. You must select one of the following options and complete a paper proposal. Part I: Topic Selection Your topic must stem from some of the issues and themes that have come up from the courses four major texts: Silver Like Dust (Cunningham Grant); Home (Morrison); Where Did You Sleep Last Night? (Senna); and Brothers and Keepers (Wideman). Some of those topics are as follows: World War II Japanese Internment Jim Crow /Segregation The Korean…

Words 1017 - Pages 5

Rdg/543 Dynamic Literacy Classroom Essay

Dynamic Literacy Classroom Project Catharine Jacobs RDG543 May 20, 2012 Helen F. Tocco Teacher Desk Teacher resources File Cabinets Student work Student desk Student desk Student desk Student desk Student desk Student desk Student desk Student desk Student desk Student desk Student desk Student desk Student desk Student desk Student desk Student desk Student desk Student desk Student desk Student desk White board and projection screen Student materials…

Words 8666 - Pages 35