Michelle Alexander on "The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness"

[TheNubian100]

This sister is what I need.

[Mrgeedapoet]

crystal meth is a growing menace, that doesn't get the same stigma attached to it that crack cocaine has, while it is just as if not more dangerous; not only being highly addictive, but also a danger to produce, fire hazards and chemical contamination of the manufacturing sights, yet it does not have the same imagery, nor penalty as crack

[TheNubian100]

@Mrgeedapoet Drugs like novacaine was imported from overseas to destory AA people in particular but now Whites use them and now other whites are indeed angry because their planned failed.

[calroach1]

@MrEthoma, there are three types of racist, the uninformed, you can give them the information and hope that they are able to come to grips with the truth, the insecure racist who thinks that their way of life is threatened by the gains of minorities and the insane racist, that no matter what information you give them they will remain racist. Which one are you?

[Revolutionary36]

@calroach1 No matter what you say to many people, they are just not educated enough on how racism works. If the Klan isn't burning a cross in someones yard or being called the n-word out loud, many people will think racism no longer exist.

[MrEthoma]

It doesnt matter what other people, do, blieve or say. It matters what I do, believe and say. God isnt going to want to hear me complaining about what others have done. He wants to know what I do, believe, and say.

[MrEthoma]

When are blacks going to take responsiblity and stop blaming others?

[keybobrob]

@MrEthoma the same day whites do. any other questions? Lol

[TheNubian100]

@MrEthoma No we don't blame they blame us saying we are the curse ones of this ideology they worship.

[ChristiansMustLearn]

She should support Ron Paul

[ghettoindie]

what she is saying is that whites use and sell drugs at the same rate as blacks but police target blacks and because of that more of them get sent to jail. furthermore, the drug war sends mostly nonviolent offenders to jail. they could easily be sent to treatment and it would cost a lot less than jail. the criminal justice system is racist. the facts are everywhere. providing black communities with resources can help them move away from crime even if the justice system isn't fair.

[berettaman092]

I think shes full of shit. So shes basicly saying dont enforce drug laws because then black people will go to jail. Fuck that! Anyone who slings hard drugs should be locked up, whether they are white, black, hispanic, asian, or whatever. If they happen to be mostly black people, its unfortunate, but so be it.

[matcotech]

@berettaman092 Do you really think that most drug users and dealers are black? The statistics show the opposite is true. The drug laws are designed to profit the prison industrial complex, the layers guild, the police unions, and the alcohol industry. The entire idea of illegal drugs was a scheme to demonize hispanics and blacks. You have got to rise above the rhetoric.

[berettaman092]

@matcotech- I am aware of the statistics and of the historical and sociological background of the criminalization of drugs, thank you very much. It is obvious to me that your experience in the CJ system is purly academic. looks like you need to rise above the rhetoric. Dont blindly belive statistics and whatever you hear in the classroom, there is much more to it than that.

[dark9oni]

@berettaman092 you obviously aren't intelligent enough to understand what she's saying dumbass. Or the message she's trying to get across.

[berettaman092]

@dark9oni- I understand what she is saying perfectly. Covered this topic extensively in classes, and seen it playout on the street every single day However, the academic world and the real world dont always agree. There is more to it than just "racism." Looks like you aren`t intelligent enough to understand the issue fully, and no amount of classroom material will provide you with that knowledge. Dumbass!

[matcotech]

@berettaman092 If police used their undercover militia on Wall Street and the suburbs, they would find more dealers than in poor black communities. They simply won't because the rich have layers and political access. It's far more expedient to convict blacks in our "justice system" than whites, particularly wealthy individuals. The motive for all of this is profit, Calling people dumbasses doesn't make you right.

[starmanskye]

@berettaman092 -- A perfect example of the 'closed mind' that refuses to acknowledge something that contradicts a belief-system they are deeply conditioned to & emotionally invested in. The facts Alexander quoted are that MOST NY drug-law violators were non-violent users with NO criminal history. b...092 conflates hard-drug distributers w/ MJ, which is reckless & disingenuous. FACT: This nation is so hypocritical, it has cynically exploited drug smuggling & depended on it for 70 years!

[Zakariah1971]

I am black and I don't use drugs and have no felonies here in racist ass California. the key for black men is to learn the penal code.

If Alexander really wants to help black men she needs to start a prison ministry or partner with Minister Farrakhan. I am tired if the Jesse Jackson's, Al Sharpton's, and Cornell West's of this world self-aggrandizing from the plight of black men!

[sittingbull706]

Legalize marijuana, Then fight the war on cocaine in another country AT THE GODDAMN SOURCE !!! (south/central america). PROBLEM SOLVED

[gifteconomy12]

All these crimes are for money/power - therefore, only a GIFT ECONOMY can save us: claim FREE WATER, FREE LAND, FREE SPACE, FREE MINERALS... to all 6 billion people because working for FREE out of PASSION/FRIENDSHIP is FREEDOM! Let British royal family first start fairly sharing- they own 3/4 of all Earth's goods; drug smuggling from China, salt concession in India, abuse .. are at the base of their wealth!Claim WIKI-WATER, WIKI-LAND, WIKI-SPACE...no money to the top of the hierarchic pyramid!

[polidic]

I agree with the police state and prison industrial system however it's no longer just "people of color" it's just flat out tyranny for ALL races -- The drugs come from our own government and are sold to "communities of color" by they are not the only ones using to be sure nor are just "people of color" being abused . She's still pushing a "person of color" agenda and EVEN THOUGH shes right on with saying more "people of color" abused - it has to be approached from an us vs Them (gov) agenda.

[gifteconomy12]

@polidic We whites, we didn't help blacks against tyranny - now, it's on us to support the same satanic system that abuse, rape the Earth and our children! We all are ruled by REAL SATANISTS - they throw every year again the food in the Ocean for to keep the prices as high as possible and they pay the farmers FOR NOT to produce - they create povrety and misery by design! they want us poor, sick and stupid! Stand up and claim YOUR BIRTHRIGHTS back (free land, air, space) & personal SOVEREIGNTY

[tanezia]

@polidic The point that she's trying to make is that only poor, blacks (mostly males) are criminalized through drug use. White people usually have the option to go to rehab and "get better" and they don't have to worry being labeled a felon which would prevent them from getting ahead. It's not the drugs in the black community that she's saying is a problem. It's the unfair treatment of black people for using drugs vs suburban white people using drugs. One is criminalized while the other isn't.

[Soulfree2008]

@tanezia people of color indeed... I havent seen a single transparent skinned person in jail my whole life. I am a person of color, a bronze apricot color... This is a war on the poor, not african americans...

[tanezia]

@Soulfree2008 The transparent comment was unnecessary, as white does not equal transparent. But in regards to your "war on the poor," yes, classism is obviously in affect. However, when you look at the disproportionate amount of blacks who are poor compared to whites, as well as the same disproportionate amount of blacks in jail compared to whites, saying that race isn't an issue would be an ignorant statement to make.

[Soulfree2008]

@tanezia the transparent comment WAS necessary, Im afraid. Because your reference to people of color" is ambiguous, since all people are people of color. As I pointed out mine is a medium apricot color. However, knowing you will perceive this as racist, more blacks seem to pursue the whole gangster mentality and behavior which tends to lend to them being incarcerated more. They feel they are outcast from society which lends to it. Its not a point I am happy to make but it holds true nontheless

[tanezia]

@Soulfree2008 That's actually not true at all. That's just what the media portrays and it's nice to see it's working. Granted, most people will say something like that, because that's the only thing they see of black men. You should really READ this woman's book and not just this little video before making such claims without any facts and statistics. The "gangster" mentality is not the reason for the large amounts of blacks in jail. At all.

[Soulfree2008]

@tanezia I dont watch tv, and as such I dont pay attention to the media's ramblings. I speak from my own experiences... Im not right or wrong, just explaining what I see by my perceptions...

[tanezia]

@Soulfree2008 Also, being a "person of color" is no different than calling someone white or black. Whites are not ACTUALLY white, nor am I ACTUALLY black. It's just a phrase of description. Nitpicking over it is s, silly as whites don't go around calling themselves "Apricot" or whatever, and the skin color of "brown" is usually reserved for Middle Easterners and/or Hispanics. If we did, you may have a legitimate argument there. Unfortunately we don't so it's an argument for the sake of arguing.

[Soulfree2008]

@tanezia so stuck upon my analysis of the term "people of color", that you completely avoided the second half of my statement, which had nothing to do with that...

[tanezia]

@Soulfree2008 Actually, I addressed that first. You just seemed to miss it. Not my fault.

[tanezia]

@Soulfree2008 I addressed that first in a separate comment is what I meant. Too limited by 500 characters to properly address both in one comment. It's not my fault you missed it.

[Revolutionary36]

@polidic Your missing the point though. When it was just a "people of color" only "problem" other communities (especially the white community) seemed not to care and dismissed it as black people "complaining". Now that the problems that African Americans have been raising for years while people ignored because it didn't come to their doorstep yet now all of a sudden want to make it an "us vs. them" scenario when it was always that way with our communities.

[Thedarksecret1]

Yeah, I've read her book. She is truly incredible. The American society has never cared about the plight of African-Americans. They never have. We, as citizens, have been alone in this country without help, for our grievances, from our own government (local, state, and federal). However, when white people have grievances concessions are generally made to ameliorate their conditions. We don't have that same privilege. Just look at all the shit we had to go through just to get our civil rights

[sammyade]

kmcl11, you are a dumb fool. Where are your stats that show that so many blacks are addicts? I dare say to you that there are way more white drug addicts than blacks and other ethnic groups put together. We have seen the amount of successful whites that are addicted to drugs. Many are celebrities. Their drug use is treated by the media and by the authorities as personal issues. However, such "understanding" is not extended to a black offender. That is racism and wickedness period.

[kmcl11]

If blacks are not more likely to use, why are so many of them drug addicts...this woman is another defender. Useless.

[TheBlackNationBegins]

This women got some since

[effu2]

@TheBlackNationBegins since? come on man.

[kmcl11]

@effu2 Blacks commit a disproportionate amount of crime

[effu2]

@kmcl11---------> SENSE

[1dreamit2doit]

She makes some good points. The war on drugs needs major reform. Mandatory sentencing guidelines must be changed. We cannot afford it as a society. The second class status of felons applies to individuals of any race or ethnicity.

[jackbrightside]

fuck conservatives

[TheOtherView]

@jackbrightside

Why would you say that? I'm conservative.

[msfelika]

Thank you Michelle Alexander for writting this book. It is long over due and the world needs to hear this.

[Thedarksecret1]

Yeah, there is a conspiracy to destroy the black family. I like youtube because people express their true feelings when they are anonymous. You get to tap into how people truly feel when they can't be recognized by face. The massive incarceration of black people (especially black men) legalizes the maltreatment and discrimination of black people. Once they are deemed felons they don't qualify for educational benefits, can't vote, no safety net to get on one's feet.

[RottenPeachState706]

@Thedarksecret1 Margaret Sanger - The Negro Project

[vivascargill1]

@RottenPeachState706 yes you bet abortion incarceration cigarettes fast food--guess where they are predominately targeted? You know who was on to this?Jimmy Carter's mother!!

[RottenPeachState706]

@vivascargill1 true

[Othelloblood]

Quit smoking crack...stupid ass niggas

[pjmtngirl]

Everything this brilliant woman says is true. Republicans use fear in rhetoric and propaganda to get people to vote their way. Sadly this war on drugs has done so much damage. Another consequence of this is that it has caused many black people to become racist thierselves. WAKE UP!! You only make up 12 percent of the population. If you want true freedom from opression and prosecution then you have to work with white people. The liberal whites who are as angry about this as you. We do exist!

[da13thsun]

Brothers you should be happy the MAN label you this. This mean its TIME TO WAKE UP. GET OUT of this system its not real. stop using his labels like black,negro,african americans, get your status back of who you really are. This is your land and you are MOORS. the man have switch your history around and lied about everything. Trying to destroy the GODs because His time is up on the planet. Yes you so call masons know it. This is a corporation SO give up all his crap. license and all. peace

[LeftyAintright]

Intelligent lady. If only African American Clergy across the nation united under the same sentiment, they could effect the change.

[2040GMAN]

Michelle Alexander is correct in her assessment of the criminal justice system. The criminal justice system has always been the stimulus package for white America. Example- judges, lawyers, court officials , police , police officials , prisons, jails, correction officers, correction officials , contractors who build jails that are mostly built in upstate white community the prison becomes the base of the economic resources for that region. Clearly Lady Justice Is Blind Fold but she is not Blind

[getaura1]

where are all of the white people and their racist comments, blaming poor black people for all the drugs placed into the communities by rich white people,,, lets make alchohol and cigarettes illegal, and give white people stiffer prison sentences than blacks for possession

[number1DJSchroeder]

as of 2010 there are 19.7 million african- american males in the USA. A US Department of Justice report published in 2006, that over 7.2 million people were in prison, on probation, or parole. According to the International Centre of Prison Studies at King’s College London, of that 7.2 million, 2.3 million are in prison. 1850 census held that in a U.S resident population of 23.2 million roughly, 3.2 Million were slaves. i'm sure the population of african americans in 1850 wasn't 19.7..

[Joelfcooper83]

FUCK THE WORLD, THATS WHY I PURCHASE MASS AMOUNTS OF TACTICAL WEAPONS, TACTICAL GEAR, DEVICES AND GADGETS, GOLD, SILVER, AND BUILDING A INVESTMENT COMPANY, I ALSO READ AND INVEST TIME IN FINANCIAL LITERACY AND ECONOMIC KNOWLEDGE, FRACTIONAL RESERVE, TO CENTRAL BANKS, I KNEW SOMETHING WAS WRONG BUT IN TILL I BECAME A VICTIM OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE FUCKEN SYSTEM, I WAS VERY MILD MANNERED AND COOL HEADED, NOW IM VERY MILLI ANT AND CUT THROAT , WHEN I RISE TO POWER, GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!!!!!!

[unitedblackamerican]

This Queen is a definite asset to our people! Its amazing how much sense history makes when seen in its entirety. From slavery and the Emancipation proclamation to the destruction of the civil rights movement and its leaders via COINTELPRO; to the rise of Rick Ross and the invasion of Panama to oust the one time CIA employee Manuel Noriega, and finally to the rise of the American police state and the return of the Black race to the plantation.

Personally, I spit on Ronald Regan's grave.

[7jerryv7]

Good point - the comparison of the drug war to 1870. This is critical since the 1870's marks the end of the Emancipation Proclomation and the revival of slavery. The only difference are the laws, not their effect. Great report.

[Nenendude]

Good stuff, the truth can't be argued.

[thedoctor003]

I met Professor Alexander in SF years ago at the law firm where I worked, she was representing a client for the other law firm. She is a great person, and very nice.

[nosimpin1]

Equality lol, mfs don't want it they want to hold on to white privilege by any means.

[robi2000]

Michelle sounds like her experience comes from reading. She's acting like all her statements are absolute undeniable fact. Yet they are out of context and generalized and narrow. @ :16 he says 'more AfricanAmericans inprison, jail, on probation or on parole than there were enslaved in 1850 '' ? You gotta be a moron to fall for the idiocy of that because: There's a lot larger population today than in 1850. The mentality of victimhood will keep you down, and keep you weak .

[arronnov]

@robi 2000 Not knowing who your enemies are will keep you down and keep you weak! African people period have had enemies the past 600yrs that have had us living their world view and paradigm. This has kept us on a master and slave relationship. Our land resources and production has gone to the benefit and maintaining of our enemies. When we want this to change where labelled racist separatist black nationalist and etc.

[arronnov]

@robi2000 Tell the Europeans who has the world convince that they are Jews that  think their victims to stop their daily propaganda of victim hood on the world. You will be labelled anti semitic. What ever the hell that supposed to mean. When somebody can tell me what a semitic is will be the first time.

[atlien991]

I don't think ppl are getting what she is saying. Obama's election means nothing. And I do mean nothing. We are in a state not unlike Jim Crow while most of the white Left is focused on saving turtles or pretending that the plight of middle class white women is more politically urgent than that of this underCASTE Alexander reports on.

We are in serious trouble if the Left of this country doesn't pull its head out of its ass. And quick.

[edupbeat]

@atlien991 no, they get it, they just don't care! it's a site called "stuff white ppl like dot com " & it talks about all the the things the white left deem important i.e: saving turtles, global warming ( which i'm for ), & other bullshit. with the right, atleast we ( black ppl ) we c them coming. i cant stand so called "liberals" fuckoutta here. sorry about the last sentence.

[atlien991]

@edupbeat Definitely feeling your pain on this note!

[robi2000]

@edupbeat 'talks about all the things white people deem important saving turtles , global warming (which i'm for)'' And then you write '& other bullshit' ? Sounds like hypocrisy.

[edupbeat]

@robi2000 tell me, what in my comment is hypocritical? cause i'm for global warming I'm being hypocritical. u sound like a tea bagger twisting ppl words. my comment stung your ass cause you're probably a white woman, fuck off.

[robi2000]

@edupbeat 'probably' , 'sound like' , ? Nice to base your comments on those words eh ? Try some reality instead of projecting meaningless 'probably's' to argue against . Better yet, just wait till you've developed some substace. Look it up.

[robi2000]

@robi2000 i guess i'd best re-spell it properly cause you might not figure it out. 'Substance'

[PASTnations]

You got that right! Let's go

[joelfcooper]

ITS TIME FOR BLACK PEOPLE TO STAND UP AND THE TIME IS NOW!

[gat333]

It's crazy and ironic how Hip Hop was targeted and used as a pawn to assist

this in being used against black america.

Then we have had all these so-called black radio stations and sell-out slave

type DJ's playing and promoting all this BS, aiding and assisting these

cracker republikkklans who set this BS in the motion in the first place.

Then we have all these so-called good law and order types going right'along

with all this criminal profile BS,white and black's.

[gat333]

This is great and maybe all these brainwashed thugs might wake up

and stop abusing black women with all this homothug stuff.

[zyruemusic]

Thus says YAH of hosts:The children of Yisreal were oppressed,along with the children of Judah,all who TOOK them CAPTIVE have HELD them fast;they have REFUSED to let them go...Jeremiah 50:33

[nazikiwe]

Now that we know the attributes of the challenge before us it is possible to redefine the reality around us.

Ascendivism allows us to redirect the effects of an incarceration experience. An ascendivist rises above their incarceration experience to succeed despite that experience after a "transformational moment." As an antidote to recidivism, ascendivism focuses on success.

[scoopywells]

Incredible work Michelle. I join you in this fight.

[dankbot420]

@scoopywells I too want to join, but may I ask you....how will you fight this?

My initial feeling is that the prison industrial complex is so large and powerful that it will be next to impossible to change the status quo. .....interested in your feedback

[TheLeftofright]

Very informative video. I had no idea prison populations were strategically located to affect census count.

We can blame the "war on drugs" for not ONLY ruining segments of our society, but for the violence in Mexico (which DIRECTLY affects our country too).

Parallels can be seen between the rise in organized crime during the prohibition era, and the rise in "narco trafficers" in Mexico.

The "War on Drugs" is simply an underhanded tactic of class warfare.

Prohibition doesn't work.

[robi2000]

African Americans need to take responsibility for their actions and quit blaming the white society for their high jail percentage.

[serrada]

what about the crime wave taking place in the billions on wall street all white an no body go to jail and don't talk the homo republicans and pediphile white prest 100 years but don;t go to jail

[airjor1]

@robi2000 Are you talking about all African Americans? You need to open up your racist mind and listen to this video again. Boy, it's hard to relate to ignorant racist!

[mirajack]

@robi2000 It is not until the prison industrial complex starts to affect white america on a large scale, as it eventually will if nothing changes, that this response will be shown to be simple minded and missing the point entirely.

[robi2000]

@mirajack I see black women almost daily at the stores.  One word misunderstood by them and they think you're insulting them. What's the problem? Massive self doubt and massive inferiority complex. Black men ? Exactly the same. And i speak English just like we're all taught in America. Blacks walk around with a bunch of chips on their shoulders always expecting people to knock them off. Except for the minority among you that don't. And they wish you'd quit blaming others.

[dankbot420]

the "sprinkling" is right on ...............

[oceanbound222]

Obama = Bush

[jtoodle]

This is real stuff! I think Ms. Alexander makes good points. I plan to add her book to my library. Thanks for posting.

[darrellmellissa]

Face it they are 2nt class, need a little inteligence to move up in the world,, Or lie your way up like Obama, make him expose his records to see if he realy is gualified or not.

[Fighting31406]

@darrellmellissa What are you saying?

[darrellmellissa]

Im saying that he not leagly my president, Olso saying that he is secent class and if he has his way we will look like south Africa in a few years,

[Fighting31406]

Um...yeah. You can't spell to save you life and he's second class.

[darrellmellissa]

Typical Obama bot, if you havent any answers,duck and attack the messenger. mt sanity has nothing to do with Obama handicaping our nation.

[BillieDean]

@darrellmellissa lol, you clearly believe the things you are typing. I am not a fan of Barrack Obama, but that's because I've done some research. I take back the handicapped statement; that's offensive to mentally handicapped people.

[darrellmellissa]

That looks like a good place to commet criminals to, Regardless of race,