Young, Black and Male in America
Would pulling back on draconian drug laws be enough to fix the disproportionate number of black men behind bars? What else needs to be done?
Draconian is an adjective meaning great severity, that derives from Draco, an Athenian law scribe under whom small offences had heavy punishments (Draconian laws).
List the Titles of the articles read.
Summarize the opinions of the debaters, and discuss your own opinion.
"Spend Money on School Instead"
ReplyDelete"Black Man Vs. Criminal"
"You Can't Blame the Police"
I personally feel that the harsh drug laws are a major factor in the high number of blacks behind bars. The stringent laws make the drug game an invaluable resource to accumulating wealth. As Neil Franklin said in his article "Spend Money on Schools", the school system is fundamentally unjust to blacks. They are merely being conditioned for a life in prison with metal detectors and constant police surveillance. Since the education system has failed them, they are forced to turn to the streets in order to make money.
But as Peter Mokos, (who, in the interest of full disclosure is white) states "You can't blame the police". He perpetuates the idea that blacks are inherently more dangerous and cites compelling statistics to cement his claim. And as uncomfortable as it makes the politically correct, he is right. From a purely analytically standpoint blacks attract violence. Neighborhoods predominantly composed of African-Americans have a higher crime rate than anywhere else. In New York City 90% of 536 murder victims last year were black, while only 48 victims were white or Asian.
However, it's this viewpoint that has led to the generalization of all black people as criminals. This is Rashawn Ray's main argument in his article about our inability to separate black people from criminals. We automatically categorize all blacks as dangerous where is is really only .02% that are criminals. I feel that if we weaken drug laws and perhaps abolish a few, then many more blacks won't be behind bars. If fewer blacks are behind bars than we as a society won't consistently characterize them as dangerous. And only then can we fully eliminate the unjust racism continually present in our society.
Stephen Perrotti
Period 4
In my opinion, only pulling back on drug laws would not be enough to fix the problem of black men behind bars. The first thing that needs to be done is a better school system. They needed to be treated like they have an opportunity to be very successful and not feel like there in a prison. “Now a days in school, it’s like we’re condition them for a life of incarceration,” says Neill Franklin, a law enforcement officer of Baltimore. With having to go through metal detectors every day and always being searched, some Young black teenagers feel that they are going to end up in prison anyway, and that is why the either stop going to school, get into fights, or drop out. They feel like they don’t deserve to be there. “Nearly one in three black men can expect to spend time behind bars. For many black teenagers, getting arrested is a rite of passage,” says Officer Franklin. As you can see, he feels as well that teens these days basically know that they are going to be arrested, and that is what we need to fix. “What the system has become is a monumental failure that our stated and nation can no longer afford,” says Craig Deroche. I agree with him as well one hundred percent. The system needs to be fixed. It is the systems fault the black men and teens are ending up behind bars. Blacks are not the only ones who do drugs, so that is not the problem. It needs to be fixed soon before it gets any worse.
ReplyDeleteJJ Carbone Period 5
I feel as though pulling back on draconian drug laws would do some justice to fix the disproportionate number of blacks behind bars, however it would not fix it. It may be something too complicated to fix - too many possible influences to be considered. If you pull back the laws, there will be outrage that our country is singling out the blacks. If you don't pull back the laws, or anything of the like, there will be outrage that there's no movements or laws to try to help fix it. Is there any way to fix this without stepping on anybodys toes? It's hard to say. In "The Value of Mom and Dad", Heather MacDonald addresses the fact that the most powerful antidote to this would be to ensure that a black child has both a mother and a father. I agree with this entirely, as your parents influence you so greatly.
ReplyDeleteSummer period 5
Yes, I do feel that pulling back on draconian drug laws can lower the disproportionate number of black men in jail a little bit. On the other hand, I feel that with the more freedom some black males think they have been even singled out more to the white people. With the lowered amount of men in jail, those people will go back to their crime neighborhoods and not learn a single lesson. Peter Moskos said, “Police should be faulted for ineffective tactics such as misdemeanor marijuana arrests.” Police are though I feel faulted for those tactics that do nothing but put more Black men in jail for misdemeanor offences. “Fifty-three percent of black boys never finish high school. Among those who drop out, 60 percent end up spending time behind bars” Said Neill Franklin. When kids drop out of school, they don’t have anything else to do but sell drugs to make money. We need to spend more money on education and places for less grateful kids to pick up hobbies or play sports. Somewhere were young kids won’t have to grow up in these neighborhoods and pick up on the bad traits.
ReplyDelete“You can’t blame police”
“Black man vs. Criminal”
-Zack Bortolan period 5
In my opinion I feel the pulling back on draconian drug laws could be the start to fix the disproportionate number of black men behind bars. Many children look up and learn from their parents. In "The Value of a Mom and a Dad" Heather Mac Donald stated that "73 percent of black children were born to unwed mothers in 2009." I can totally agree with her when she says, "The most powerful antidote to this violence would be to ensure that more black children were raised by both their father and their mother." I feel as most kids look up to their parents a lot even if they don't realize it, and with them not having one parent or the other might lead to them doing bad things, such as violence, selling drugs and other things that are going to get them arrest and put behind bars.
ReplyDelete"You Can’t Blame the Police"
"The Value of a Mom and a Dad"
Ashlie Forsberg
Period 5
After reading "The Value of a Mom and a Dad," I think that it is very important for ANY child to grow up with a respectable mother and father. The father can be a role model for the child and he can teach him/her things while the mother will nurture and care for the child. Having just one parent, whether it is a divorce, they were born without a parent, or a parent died, is very emotionally taxing on the child, for they are missing half a family. In "Spend Money on Schools Instead," I think that it is a good idea to focus more on children's education rather than trying to focus on drug abuse. With a better education, kids will notice the value of having an education. Hopefully, other kids will follow those kids and strive to actually do well in school, for a better future. Kids who don't have as good an education feel that school is just a waste of time, and they go off doing what they call "fun" things like committing crimes and doing drugs. Others follow, and before you know it, we have juvenile delinquents.
ReplyDeleteThe above comment is from
DeleteHenry Lau
P.5
I do think that the war on drugs plays a significant role in the treatment of African Americans. But pulling back on draconian drug laws is not the only thing that needs to change. Treatment of blacks in schools needs to be changed, which incorporates changing the opinions teachers and students have about the African American race. We have come a long way, to say the least, since Martin Luther King Jr.’s time, but not far enough. Prejudice is still present in everyday society.
ReplyDeleteIt’s a hard issue because African Americans so not want to be discriminated against. Rashawn Ray in his article called “Black Man vs. Criminal” says, “It is high time that individuals see not just a black man, but a man who could be a doctor, lawyer, neighbor or even the president.” And it’s true that many African Americas have accomplished great things. Martin Luther King is one of the most prominent figures in our history and Obama has helped our country immensely. However, it becomes complicated because there is evidence that African Americans tend to get into more trouble. In his article, Peter Moskos lists many examples of this, for example, high unemployment and poverty rates and high homicide rates. Moskos goes on to defend the police, which I don’t completely agree with. However, near the end of his article he says, “Police do indeed need to work with greater sensitivity and discretion in minority communities.”
Kaity R.
Period 4
“Spend Money on Schools Instead”
“You Can’t Blame the Police”
“Black Man vs. Criminal”
Spend Money on Schools Instead
ReplyDeleteThe Value of a Mom and a Dad
We Must Eliminate Discrimination
In the first article, Franklin makes a great point when he says that many of these black kids are made to be thought of as criminals just by being in school. The way they are metal detected, and drug tested may make them believe that it is just who they are. I totally agree. The same way someone becomes accustommed to an environment, someone can be indirectly brainwashed to think that they are automatically going to be criminals. I agree with Franklin in that we should spend more money on the education aspect in school, rather than the suspicion and the protection. If we teach these kids, and prepare them to be successful, then they will not feel the need to get involved with drugs. We need to start at the early stages of adulthood.
In the second article, a great point is brought up by Mac Donald. There seems to be a positive correlation between criminals and being born out of the wedlock. I agree because in order for a well rounded kid to become, they need both a father and a mother so they can take both perspectives of life with them as they mature. If missing one, they wont have that exposure, and will always feel as if their life is incomplete or lacking something, and will therefore be more apt to commit crimes. I like the idea of promoting marriage like promoting a non-smoking society.
Although not having both parents, and being treated as criminals in school may have an effect on the large numbers of blacks in jail, I think the drug laws are the largest factor for this. We need to start by reducing the severity of the drug laws in this country. Most blacks behind bars are there for drug related reasons, and they have no other means at a life other than selling drugs. We need to start being more sensitive to the lives and situations of those who sell drugs. Just like Dawson said, I think we should start by legalizing marijuana. It will be a big step in addressing this whole discrimination problem. But, not nearly enough to actually solve the problem.
Alex Gogliettino
per. 4
"Spend Money on Schools Instead"
ReplyDelete"The Value of Mom and Dad"
When I read the first article the thing that stood out to me was how African Americans are just known to be criminals. It is true what was said in the article, most schools that have mostly African American students have metal detectors and cops. I think it gives them a bad name like they are expected to commit more crimes.
When I read the second article the thing that stood out to me was how certain African Americans that commit crimes are usually only have one parent. I thought this was interesting because it shows how the people that commit crimes may have other issues at home. I think a way to fix this would be to show families how important it is for kids to have to parents that care about them.
Kathryn Collins
Period 4
It is easy to argue that the strict drug wars contribute to the disproportionate number of african american males in prison, however it can also be argued that easing up on drug trafficking would solve the problem. It is just as easy to say that our prisons would be less full if we stopped arresting murderers. I do believe that there is a certain stereotype involved in drug wars and in many cases african american males can be mistreated and misrepresented, but that does not excuse that their actions are illegal. In my opinion, the best way to even out the proportions is to work more with preventing the drug trafficking from happening in the first place rather than being more lenient with it. If police are more strict with gang violence and other influences young people will be less likely to get involved with drugs in the first place.
ReplyDeleteChrissy B.
Period 4
"Black Man Vs. Criminal"
ReplyDeletein this article the author believes that we have problems with being able to separate a black man from a criminal. meaning that we automatically think he is a criminal. also, he says that teachers and police officers monitor black and latino youth and neighborhoods more than white ones. in my opinion this is awful, black men should not be treated any different than white men. the author thinks that "reducing draconian drug laws would help in sentencing, but still not change the way that black and Latino men are criminalized." people automatically look at a black man and think he is dangerous which is wrong and not fair.
"The value of a mom and a dad"
in this article the author talks about the facts and percentages of crimes committed by blacks as to whites. in almost every category the blacks are higher. she also talks about how important it is to have both your mother and father. she says that no other ethnic or racial groups suffer from family break down as much as blacks. and she says how important it is to have a family that cares about you. i agree with that because your family can guide you in the right direction and tell you when something is wrong and tell you that you shouldnt do that. a mother and a father are very important people in your life.
Erica Celentano
Period 4
A Reflection On..
ReplyDelete"Young, Black and Male In America" by Monica Almeida
(Original Discussion)
"The Value of a Mom and a Dad" by Heather MacDonald
(Secondary Debate)
Before stating opinion or substantiating something already said above, I would first like to comment on the lack of credibility of facts and data used within the article and its complimentary discussion board. One must enter these articles blindly, meaning without any predetermined bias, to truly understand the interpretation and resolution each author holds on the crisis at hand involving the correctional institutions of the United States, the downward spiraling path of America's African youth, and the apparent resurgence of discrimination and racism against the African American race. Without proper citation of said facts the argument posed by either author lacks a sense of credibility and as a result cannot be fully accepted as the defined truth. Putting empirical data aside, and looking at the situation solely from a perspective of 17 years life experience I do recognize the different dynamic and perspective placed on that of the struggling black communities. Personal experience from living in Branford, a town on the outskirts of New Haven, I have witnessed the negative effect drugs and alcohol abuse has on family relation and integrity. Not that the city of New Haven is a bad environment in its entirety, it serves as a representative sample of an area with a dense concentration of African Americans and fluctuating crime rate. It can be seen that the crime is not necessarily attributable to drug dealing or usage, but instead in the visible reality of violence. As stated by MacDonald, “Drug convictions are not driving the disproportionate black incarceration rate; violence is.” This excerpt serves as a catalyst to the next discussion, a discussion concerning the affect of environment on child development and establishment of adolescent morals and ideals. It can be said that it takes “a village to raise a child”, and when this village is rotted over and missing the key facet of authority found in parents and elders, chaos is the inevitable outcome. MacDonald comments on an important issue that the other editors and journalists fail to acknowledge, the fact that a child spends more time at home then at school and when that bell rings signaling the end to the measly school day, it is the environment the child returns to at home that defines his or her character and behavior. Therefore, MacDonald proposes that we attack the problem at its core, at home. I strongly support her stance of fixing the situation at home in order to counterattack the violence on the outside. If we are able to control what happens on the inside of the walls of the home we can ally ourselves against a common enemy found in the streets which lack morals and guidelines to living in accordance to society. In relation to the Draconian laws on drugs, I believe we shouldn’t reduce their severity, but instead extend the law into the home and offer benefits to their following that help the communities financially which in turn will lead to easier living and greater access to schooling.
- Alexander Borkowski Period 1
Well said, Alex, but how do we extend the law into the home?
Delete“Spend Money on Schools Instead”
ReplyDelete“Stigma, Status and Expectations”
“Black Man vs. Criminal”
After considering the thoughts in the above articles, I think that pulling back on cruel drug laws would somewhat contribute to lessen the amount of black men behind bars. As others have said, there are other factors besides the drugs that seemingly put black men in jail. Neill Franklin said, “many schools treat kids as suspect from the moment they walk in the door, making them pass through metal detectors or administering urine tests as a condition of joining after-school clubs.” It’s crazy that just skin color makes black students immediate criminals. What’s even more surprising is the school system judging them by skin color and basically saying ‘since this young man is black, he is destined for prison after high school and all we can do is prepare him for it.’ All those tests must bother the students who have done nothing wrong, but are suspected. And I agree with Franklin that “if we spent less money in [an] attempt to eliminate drug use through suspicion, arrests…and punishment, we could invest resources in improving our schools to ensure that more of our young people get the preparation they need to succeed.”
Shavar Jeffries commented, “Racial stigma suggests that black men find themselves [oddly] subject to criminal punishment…because society expects them to commit crimes…boys [are] subject to…tracking to remedial classes or to special-education classification…because society expects as much.” People expect too much and judge others too often and it isn’t right when expectations put black men in jail.
Lastly, Rashawn Ray pointed out that “legalizing marijuana could potentially lead to more…policing of black…men. Reducing draconian drug laws would help in sentencing, but still not change the way that black…men are criminalized.” Black men don’t need to be the only ones watched after. Other people are just as capable of committing crimes. And plus, black men shouldn’t lose total control over their privacy, which is what Ray is evidently pointing at. All in all, drugs aren’t the only reason young, black men get sent to prison – racial discrimination has a lot to do with it.
Meglin Bodner Period 5
Spend Money on Schools Instead
ReplyDeleteFrom this article we see that the “us vs. the man" does not just separated whites from blacks any more but now is a separation of everyone else from teen (young) black boys. If the “war on drugs" is successfully turning whole communities into criminals then it is not beneficial to the society as a whole because is causing more harm than is doing good. Also the fact that Fifty-three percent of black boys never finish high school and among those who drop out, 60 percent end up spending time behind bars is a shame. But what also else is to be accepted if society treats them as criminals already. Which kid would feel free to lean in an environment where he or she were a suspect from the moment they walk in the door and having to pass through metal detectors or administering urine tests as a condition of joining after-school clubs or having cops move about the schools like prison guards?
Obama Should Talk About Race
To be honest both side have to stop and decide to start over from the beginning without looking back to be able to function as one. First of all all the blaming or who is right and who is wrong as to stop among the people. Forth more they all have to start living in the present instead of the past. Also the government and its people has to work together to reform the laws of the land so they would in body everyone. It would not be easy of either side but it would be the first step towards any form of unification among them. If all of this is accomplished then they people would not mind who becomes presidents because they know they all be tried equally. But if not I don’ see a day were this country can truly say its united.
sandrine Amin
period 4
I agree with the points that were proven in both Spend Money on Schools Instead and You can't Blame the Police. I believe the cause for the disproportionate number of black males that are incarcerated is the lack of positive influences, education, and environment. The fact that fifty percent of black males drop out of high school is a shame. This says something about the education that is provided for low income African American children.
ReplyDeleteBryanna Willaby period 6
"Spend Money on Schools Instead"
ReplyDelete"You Can't Blame the Police"
In my opinion, the race of the people in jail doesn't have anything to do with why they're in there in the first place. If they commited a crime, they belong there. I don't think we need to focus on spending more money on schools. We need to focus on making the United States a safer place. It doesn't matter the race of people committing the crimes, it matters that they did what they did. I agree with the comments above. It isn't the police's fault. Although a higher number of african americans are arrested more than white people, it doesn't mean that the police have a right to be suspicious of all black people.
Could improving education make the world a safer place?
DeleteWould pulling back on draconian drug laws be enough to fix the disproportionate number of black men behind bars? What else needs to be done? In My oppinion I do not think that we should pull back on enforcement on these draconian drug laws. This is because i feel it will only make the crimes that occur be more serious or make the less enforced crimes occur more often. I feel that if it is made easier to deal dope even if the money is spent to prevent it in the schools I dont feel as though it will stop the problem. A complete legallization would be required to combat the amount of African americans that are said to commit these offenses. I do also believe that spending money in schools as mentioned in the article will be detrimental and not beneficial. I feel as though any help provided will be taken advantage of or abused.
ReplyDeleteMatt O'Neill Period 7
So, what do you propose to try to better this situation?
Delete"Spend Money on Schools Instead"
ReplyDelete"You Can't Blame the Police"
In my opinion I think that what they are doing in these schools in good because it makes it safer for everyone there and it may not be the best enviroment but the students made it that way when they bring drugs and guns to school. I dont thinkn it matters what color your skin is if you did something wrong you should be punished for it.
Austin Fries (per. 7)
"Spend Money on Schools Instead"
ReplyDeleteI agree with the author of this article that the war on drugs may be too powerful. When the law bans drugs, people who use them will stop at nothing to keep getting them. This causes more trouble than it's worth. The article says, "Making drugs like marijuana illegal has made them incredibly lucrative, and it's not hard to see why many teenagers choose to enlist in the dope game and play for the chance at moving up the chain and raking in tax-free money rather than donning a McDonald's uniform." If the law doesn't pursue the war on drugs too much, then people will be able to focus on other things. Their lives won't have to revolve around getting drugs. Spending money on schools will give them all a future to depend on instead of having a life in the streets. The article points out, "We could invest resources in improving our schools to ensure that more of our young people get the preparation they need to succeed." It makes sense to prepare them for the future instead of constantly hunting them down. However, although cutting back the laws may help keep some people out of jail, it certainly can't be powerful enough. There need to be more ways to keep people off the streets.
"We Must Eliminate Discrimination"
On the other hand, this article brought up a few interesting points about getting rid of the war on drugs and pushing for education, but how they don't exactly work to serve the majority of people. It says, "Progress is being made in the public education of young people from disadvantaged communities, but the resources are not available to extend these remarkable education achievements to the great majority of poor children in these places." It is unfortunate that the system isn't working. A solution needs to be established so that these resources DO become available. It is absolutely important that everyone can receive an education to support themselves and have a stable future.
Alessandra M.
Per. 4
"Spend money on schools instead"
ReplyDelete"The value of a mom and a dad"
I believe that just because blacks are more likely to be in jail doesnt mean we can discriminate them when they are still children. School should be a place to come and learn and be treated like a normal teenager. By putting metal detectors in the schools its like a slap in the face and saying youve been catagorized as a criminal and that is all your going to be. Also, not having both your parents can have an affect on you personally and mentally. The statistics show that blacks have the highest rate for a parental divide. This affects how they can look at life and then going to school to be treated as a criminal can have a deep and lasting affect on them.
Lauren Atkinson
Period 5
We should not spend as much money on the attempt to eliminate drugs, but use that money to higher the education on those schools. "Fifty-three percent of black boys never finish high school" if there was better education, these numbers will surely be lowered.
ReplyDeleteKC
Per.1
"Black Man Vs. Criminal"
ReplyDeleteWithin this article the author expresses his belief that in today's society, people have an inability to separate a black man from a criminal. I think it's a terrible thing that people are so judgmental, racist, and prejudice. Also, it's crazy to think that these people are even targeted by the police. Although all of this is a terrible thing, and I would never condone racial discrimination, I feel as though there isn't much that law enforcement can do about it. Being racist or prejudice towards a certain group of people is basically an emotion. A person is the only one who can control what they think and even feel. The government cannot regulate it. Despite how terrible some are treated there really isn't anything the government can do about how another that person thinks and feels. You can't monitor emotions and feelings, targeting and racial discrimination would still take place. Also, I agree with Meglin's point that black men are not the only people that would need to be looked after if some drugs like marijuana were legalized. law enforcement just needs to realize that all people need to be looked after equally if they want to keep the cities safe. Color doesn't dictate how violent or dangerous a person may be.
Jessica Teulings
Period4
Pulling back on the draconian drug laws could fix the issue of so many black men behind bars. I also agree with Kathryn, the first thing that caught my eye is how African Americans were just known to be as criminals. Heather Mac Donald stated that 73 percent of black children were born to unwed mothers in 2009, which could have a huge impact on how the child turns out. In the other article, (Spend Money on Schools Instead) I noticed 53% of black boys never finish high school. I can't imagine having to go to school and looked upon as "a criminal"
ReplyDeleteBrya
“You Cant Blame the Police”
ReplyDeleteI cant stess enough how much I agree with this article because we shouldn't be blaming the police or accuse them of racial profiling because like the article says that fifteen times more murders are committed by young African Americans than white. It really dosen’t make any sense why we blame the police if you get arrested for anything then you deserve to go to jail. But studies show that crimes are committed by mostly African Americans and Hispanics. Which is why they should be watched and if they are doing something that seems to be criminal like then the cops go and see whats going on and not pull over someone for being some race. Finally we should be thanking police officers for going out everyday and risk their lives to protect ours.
Ryan
period 5
What should we do to address the issue?
Delete"You Can't Blame the Police"
ReplyDelete"Spend Money on Schools Instead"
I agree with the author of "Spend Money on Schools Instead" because I believe that nobody wants to live up to a statisic. I don't believe that they want to spend their lives in jail because I know I wouldn't want to. I also believe that we should put more money into education because if they have more resources to become what they want in life then they won't end up selling drugs to make money. Also, I think it is horrible how we all seem to think that the black teenagers are the ones carrying drugs when white teenagers are just as likely to have them too. Hopefully this would stop if we put more money into our school systems.
Julia Annicelli
Period:4
"Spend Money on Schools Instead"
ReplyDelete"You Can't Blame the Police"
These two articles offer very distinct points discussing what our country should really focus on, instead of pety crimes. I strongly agree with the points made in "Spend Money on Schools Instead". Especially the statement that reads, "Perhapsif we spent less money in a futile attempt to eliminate drug use through suspicion, arrests, prosecution and punishment, we could invest resources in improving our schools to ensure that more of our young people get the preparation they need to succeed." More than half of all African Americans do not graduate, meaning that they are on the streets, and more likely than not, making a name for themselves in the narcotics industry. If, however, we were to invest more into their education, maybe we would be able to end this trend and eliminate most of the drug problem as well.
Tyler King
Period 1
The Value of a Mom and Dad
ReplyDeleteBlack Man vs. Criminal
Although I find these articles very interesting I think in some ways they do miss what is really going on. What the articles are doing is naming what is wrong with this system when instead they should be trying to mix it.In the article The value of a Mom and Dad it gave facts that showed more African American children growing up only grow up with one parent around and it is usually their mother. A young boy needs this father in his life to teach him wrong from right and to also just be there for the child.Granted some moms do a wonderful job it would make it a lot better of an environment if the dad was around because these kids are usually the ones getting in trouble because they have not had the right guidance.I do not think that if we were to cut down on the amount of drug crimes it would stop the problem.This would only waste time for another problem in the system to occur and then the cycle would happen again which is why we need to figure out a way of stopping things like racial profilling and other things cops use to pull people over with.
Jenny
"Spend Money on Schools Instead"
ReplyDelete"You can't Blame the Police"
The first article talks mainly about the first hand experience of a Baltimore Police officer who shares some of the shocking statistics about the criminal rates of African Americans. He says that a lot of hope has been lost among the African American community. He also blames much of the criminal laws that America has for being so harsh towards AA.
The second article takes a completely different spin from the first article, this one defends the law enforcers. This takes a stance on the matter because the first speaker almost accused law makers and enforcers as racist. So it was nice to hear to sides of the same story.
Now my opinion is that we at face value, the person who goes to jail deserves it, because they know the law, which means they know the consequences. However I do think there are something that we can do in order to make everyone happy. First I believe that all states should decriminalize marijuana because it is a proven fact that the majority of people arrested for drug related crimes are often arrested for petty offenses. If we decriminalized marijuana or made it legal, it would free up jail cells, generate more revenue, and also eliminate the work needed by law enforcers. This would go along with the argument for number one because it will keep less African Americans out of jail. While at the same time it will be making the lives of police officers easy, what the second discussion was talking about. All and all I think this is a topic that we can compromise on and make both parties happy, we just need to come up with a solution together.
Period 1
Edgar Ortiz
"Black Man vs. Criminal"
ReplyDelete"Spend Money on Schools Instead"
"Obama Should Talk About Race"
Pulling back on draconian laws would do NOTHING to fix the disproportionate number of black men behind bars. The problem is racism itself. In the article, "Spend Money on Schools Instead," it argues that draconian laws promote discrimination in communities, some of which are dominantly black. This is because the need to enforce these laws requires suspicion of the whole community and if it happens to be dominantly black, then more blacks will be targetted, thus promoting a racial bias against them. In a way, it is true that draconian laws can promote racial bias , but that does not explain how white dominant communities also target blacks and hispanics over whites.This is an all around problem that has more to do with social perceptions rather than a biased law system. As the sociologist in the article, "Black Man vs. Criminal" said, "Reducing draconian drug laws would help in sentencing, but still not change the way that black and Latino men are criminalized. In this regard, this criminalizing epidemic is just as much a social problem as it is legal and institutional." I think that the only way to solve this problem is to somehow steer people from the idea that people of color are usually criminals. That is difficult though because it deals with psychology. No law could tamper with a human's mind.
Sidney
Period 1
"Black Man Vs. Criminal"
ReplyDelete"We Must Eliminate Discrimination"
"The Value of a Mom and Dad"
The whole issue of eliminating draconian laws in order to decrease the amount of African American males behind bars is an absurd statement because removing these laws will only deliver a minimal amount of relief to these men in jail; the issue of racism is far more prevalent and heavy in the decisions and treatment of these individuals. The two articles titled "Black Man Vs. Criminal" and "We Must Eliminate Discrimination" stress the problem of racial biases that exist in our society, including the assumption that African American males have a higher chance of causing mischief in a school environment, and should therefore be disciplined and supervised more than the other races. It is blatantly obvious that the decisions both within court and the school environment are heavily influenced by racial beliefs and biases. The article "The Value of a Mom and Dad" completely misses this point, declaring the lack of family structure in African American families to be the underlying issue of the violence. Sure, one could try to connect the violence of teens and young adults to the problems within their home environment; however, one must remember that these types of issues and situations occur in ever single race. Divorces, single parenthood, and familial tensions are present and quite prevalent in many countries and races. I have an aunt who practically raised her two children on her own; I don't see them causing trouble in school or engaging in drug trades, so why should it be assumed that other children of different race, but same familial status, should be immediately judged as future murderers and drug traders ? In order to make a substantial effort to lower the number of African Americans behind bars, our society has to physically uproot the ingrained thoughts of racial discrimination from the ground.
Zhanneta.
Period 1.
Well said!
Delete"Young, Black and Male in America"
ReplyDelete"Stigma, Status and Expectations"
“We Must Eliminate Discrimination”
After reading these articles, listed above, I agree that our country is still racist. When we look at the harsh drug laws put in place, we see that a majority of those men affected by these laws are black. Therefore, as Stephen Perrotti stated, “We automatically categorize all blacks as dangerous where it’s really only .02% that are criminals.” I feel that if we weaken the laws on drugs then less black people will be “behind bars” and weaken the assumption of the American people that “all black people are dangerous”, or “black people are the reason for criminal activity.” Drugs always get more media time than anything else because of how many laws we have against them, and it has been blown out of proportion.
Furthermore, “Our country has made glorious progress, and we must not lose sight of that fact.” This was stated in the Stigma, Status and Expectations article where it talked about how history is harder to erase, and moving forward towards racial equality is harder than ever before. We must not only except the past, but learn from it. The author is completely correct when saying that we have made progress, but we cannot stop there. We must never be satisfied with how the course of our country is moving, but we must remember the simple facts and what this country is moving towards. And that is total equality.
-Pompeo M.
(per.4)
"You can't blame the police"
ReplyDelete"Black Man Vs. Criminal"
The first article I read was "Black Vs. Criminal and I thought that it had some very good points. Whether we like it or not there is still racism in our country. In the second article, "You can't blame the police," there was a huge contrast and it was the defending side of why police are more likely to stop a black or latino person. The facts are that there are more crimes with the those races because a lot of times bad areas are populated with them. However that doesn't give a police officer or anyone else the right to assume they are guilty before there is even any reason. We can see an example one town away. The police officers were guilty of stopping latinos just for the soul reason of their race. Our history has created a society like this unfortunately. Its not like a large population of black or latino people chose to live in bad areas, they have been treated badly in the past and still are living in poverty. I thought it was saddening to hear that even our president has been discriminated. So before we all judge maybe the thought that they have just as good a chance of becoming our president one day than any other white person does.
Emily McColl
P. 4
"Spend Money On Schools Instead"
ReplyDeleteThis article was simple and short, but didn't seem to truly relate back to the point. I understand that certain schools are treated like juvenile jails, and he would like for us to put more money into making them a more comfortable environment, and I would have to agree, but spending money on just schools isn't going to change the situation. I fear that if we rush into changing the school's system, then the kids are going to take advantage of the freedom, rather than take it as a gift and continue to learn more efficiently than before.
"We Must Eliminate Discrimination"
The article was generalized about eliminating discrimination against colored wo/men. The author strongly stated that racial discrimination was the major problem with the crime and jail rates between blacks and whites. He claims that if we can wipe out discrimination, we can wipe out this problem. However, it isn't that easy. He fails to mention that it is human to want to be superior, and as much as we may preach equality and peace, we all have that little piece of fire inside us that causes us to want to be better than somebody else. Discrimination is not an easy thing to overcome, and I do believe that there are other steps we can take to ease this problem.
"The Value of a Mom and Dad"
The woman who wrote this article was white, and I think it was blatantly obvious from the way she wrote the article about the black community. She accused them through statistics and then continued to debase them by saying that they aren't being raised right because both parents may not be there. When I read that, i nearly wanted to be sick. She blames the lack of a parent for the problem of crime, yet there are hundreds of thousands of white children who have a single parent, or are raised by a grandparent or aunt/uncle, etc. So why is it alright for a white child to be raised as such, yet it's a problem for a black child? It relates back to the "Eliminate Discrimination" article. She is discriminatory towards the blacks and decides that what is okay for one race is not okay for the other. And rather than just say it smoothly and a bit more easy going, she cruelly states many statistics against the black community and comes down extremely hard, without thinking about her accusations thoroughly.
All in all, the articles seem to have been written in an amateur frame of mind. The narrow ideas and one way streets are proof that they see nothing but their own opinions. The length of the articles also shows that they are not very open to other thoughts and ideas. I fear that this, too, may be one of the problems towards racial discrimination. They preach their own thoughts, but do not open their minds to others.
Brianna DeNegris
P. 1
Nice job Brianna!
Delete“We Must Eliminate Discrimination”
ReplyDelete“Obama Should Talk About Race”
“Stigma, Status and Expectations”
First of all these articles are bias and some are ridiculous. “Eliminating draconian laws, legalizing marijuana…is a necessary” (We Must), if the government were to legalize marijuana then it would decrease the number of people in prison- not just the number of black males. In one of the articles, it states “Racial stigma suggests that black men find themselves disproportionately subject to criminal punishment”(Stigma), even if these proves to be true we shouldn’t just go changing the laws to keep people out of jail. If we made marijuana legal imagine what would be next: crack, heroin, X, speed, or even crystal meth? It would decrease the number of people in prison but imagine what the world would be like if everyone had legal access to these drugs.- it would be a mad house! I also feel strongly opinioned when the article states “The criminal justice system gives the cops too much power to enact their racial fantasies on the bodies of black men and boys”, there may be some police officers who have been to “aggressive” or rough with black males but police officers are all different races, not just white.
Karlie
Period 1
Draconian drug laws were made in the first place due to a number of different reasons. Pulling back on them wouldn’t be enough to fix the disproportionate number of black men behind bars without first fixing some other things in society. We must change the underlying causes behind these laws and end discrimination in this world. The so called “war on drugs” is one of the components that put blacks at a disadvantage. In “We Must End Discrimination,” Michael C. Dawson says that we must “eliminate these discriminatory policies and the racist stereotypes that underlie these behaviors.” We have to change certain policies that target blacks, but also improve upon the education system to inform kids at a young age to not discriminate and to avoid having a terrible opinion on blacks or any other minority. Schools can implement programs to teach children on the importance of equality while television and movies can start not using black men as the “bad guys” in criminal scenarios. Since we’re influenced by everything we see and hear it would be best if we just started fighting against discrimination from the start so that blacks don’t have a negative reputation of doing bad things. Draconian drug laws stemmed from these ideas.
ReplyDeleteIn the article “Spend Money on Schools Instead,” Neill Franklin reiterates this idea. The problem lies in our education system. We have to stop assuming that everyone is a criminal, particularly blacks. As Franklin said, “Many schools treat kids as suspect from the moment they walk in the door, making them pass through metal detectors or administering urine tests as a condition of joining after-school clubs.” This isn’t the right way handling teenagers. If they think schools expect them to be criminal, they’ll just end up turning that way. School is already like prison to them. If schools put trust in their students and actually wanted to prepare them to succeed in the future, things would be different. If young kids think they’re being treated terribly like a criminal already, they’ll just go along with it and work in the drug trade. We have to have confidence in our students to succeed.
Kelly Du
Period 1
"Spend Money On Schools Instead"
ReplyDeleteI do understand where the author is coming from, however I do not think this directly relates to the situation. Even though I do think that if you cut down the war on drugs it would make life a little bit easier for black boys in school it may not be the reason Trayvon got killed. Something I particularly liked was these few lines, “Even those who stay in school are seemingly being prepared for prison. Many schools treat kids as suspect from the moment they walk in the door, making them pass through metal detectors or administering urine tests as a condition of joining after-school clubs. Cops move about the schools like prison guards. It's like we're conditioning them for a life of incarceration.” I never thought of things like that, and maybe because that is not necessarily the case in our school. Although I think that police and schools take these precautions because they are aware of the danger and their trust has been betrayed before. They are just trying to make a safer and healthier environment for the community as a whole. I don’t think I agree with the point he says that they are conditioning them for a life on incarceration. I think that is too vague and there are many successful black people in the world who have not been in jail and come from good families. I think that people just need a chance and everyone deserves good opportunities. He mentions that people go to selling drugs because it is tax free business, I think that he should realize some families are not as fortunate as he might be and that maybe those kids don’t enjoy what they are doing but more like, they NEED to do something in order to simply get by. It is easy to criticize someone but once you are in the situation, I am almost positive his reactions would be much like the people he comments on today.
"You Can't Blame The Police"
I think that this article is absolutely ridiculous. I don’t agree with a lot of things in this article and I think that the author is racist. The majority of the article he goes off listing statistics basically showing that whites are superior to blacks. Starting with the first paragraph, “obvious reason police focus so much of their attention on the young male black community is because that is where the murders are.” –this is a huge stereotype and is false. Yes, maybe the stats show that African- Americans commit more murders and there are more of them in jail, but what about the people who don’t get caught? What about the fact that the police might be discriminating? What about the fact that many white people—who are wealthy—get out on bail? Some people are just so ignorant and have so much hatred that it honestly disgusts me. Another line from the article that struck me was, “whites are more than twice as likely as blacks to have a four-year college degree” this is because this topic should not have even been brought up. I understand that he is talking about race and clearly is showing that blacks are just not good enough. Everybody has an equal chance of getting into, going to, and experiencing college. He is talking about New York, did he mention the fact that living in New York is extremely expensive? Also, many people may not be privileged like white people are. Also he mentions “likely” which is saying that he is making an assumption. There are people who may move out of the state and there are people who may go to college in another state or country. Overall, I think that this authors argument is invalid; he is racist and refers to stereotypes throughout his “argument.” People need to realize that they should give others a chance and not just judge them based off of statistics.
aisha
period1
Great job reading critically, Aisha!
Delete“Spend Money on Schools Instead”
ReplyDelete“You Can’t Blame the Police”
After reading several of the articles referring to Young, Black and male in America I am able to conclude that things need to change. I believe that drugs are one of the main reasons why there are so many young males in jail. If we as a country enforced the drug policies in schools and in the communities around the United States, I believe that we might be able to lower the amount of young people that go to jail for drug issues. In “Spend money on schools instead” the author talks about how even if this doesn’t stop the rate of people going into jail it still solves another problem with drugs.
Dylan Carleton
Period 5
"Spend Money on Schools Instead"
ReplyDelete"The Value of a Mom and Dad"
In the first article I read I feel didn't relate to the problem present but did inform me on what changes people think should be made to schools. I do agree, from stories heard, that some schools treat certain induvidials like criminals. They make them feel like every move they make is being watched. I think schools like that should have change in structure and some money put into them to make the enviornment more friendly and suitable for students. Although this is a good idea I feel like it needs to planned well so they money that gets put into this isn't wasted and spent on the appropriate materials. The next article I read was "The Value of a Mom and Dad". It was very apparent that the author was white because she was blaming crime on the parenting of blacks. Which is not fair or true at all. Although the percents in all the statics were not in the blacks favor it didn't give her a right to blame it all on them or their parents. This article does show how important good guidance from parents helps a kid a lot. I agree with this because family is the closest relationship that some people have and they could easily lead you in the wrong or right direction.
^Kayleen K Period 4
Delete"Spend Money on Schools Instead"
ReplyDeleteI like this article because this is what we should be focusing on if we just ignore this problem then crimes in inner cities are just going to get bigger and spread to outher cities and soon enough be everywhere. The article says that 58% of young African Americans dont finish high school which is probably the main reason of why they join gangs and sell drugs. If you dont finish high school you wont get a good job and make alot of money and when they see the gangmembers with the fancy cars and nice clothes and cute girls they want to join but if we focuse on improving their schools they will want to do goood in school and go to college so they can make alot of money. This will make them a productive member of society.
Ryan
Period 5
"Spend money on Schools Instead"
ReplyDeleteI picked this article because we should spend money on school. The reason is because a lot of kids drop out of school and most of those kids end up being bad or getting in trouble. If you don’t have an education you don’t get anywhere in life so it’s important to spend money on something that could be important in a kids life. In the article it “says” that 58% of African Americans don’t finish school. That’s a lot and most do end up on the street doing illegal things like drugs and killing people, plus you have kids that drop are on those streets could be indecent and be with the wrong crowd get killed, and you think maybe if they were in school this might not happen. So I think they should use a lot more money on school because it is important and you need it succeed in life.
Nick DeBroi (Period 5)
"Spend Money on Schools Instead" "You Can't Blame the Police."
ReplyDeleteAfter reading these articles I have mixed views on whether the laws should be given "more slack" or if we should continue to enforce them. I believe that when an adolescent is learning they need to be given freedom to explore their opportunities and to gain responsibility and get used to it. I believe that treating high school students as prisoners in school gives them the only point of view that they will always be controlled by others and nothing is up to them. Which means they don’t gain responsibility and when they are “free” from school they rebel or just don’t take the right paths because they weren’t exposed to anything better while they were learning? But I also feel that if they are given too much freedom they will rebel and put others in danger. For example, bringing weapons drugs or alcohol to school. I think my views on schooling also apply to drugs and crime control in urban areas. When it comes down to it I believe the laws should continue to be enforced and education needs to expose kids and teens to something other than treating them like criminals. If you treat them like criminals then they will most likely end up criminals.
Emma Corbett (period 5)
We should not spend as much money on the attempt to eliminate drugs, but use that money to get a better education system in the inner cities. "Fifty-three percent of black males never finish high school" if there was better education where a majority of black kids go to school, these numbers will surely be lowered.
ReplyDeleteJosh Celone Per 7
"Spend Money on Schools Instead"
ReplyDelete"You Can't Blame the Police"
In my opinion, if you do the crime, them you deserve the time. No matter what race you are, everyone should be treated equally. Just because more blacks are taken up in the jails, doesn't mean we should put a stereo type on that. They chose to do what they did and they could have stopped it before it happened. And just because some one is of an African American race, doesn't mean they should be treated how other African Americans are treated. Everyone gets a chance, but no one can choose how you plan on taking the next step.
Amanda Genovese (period 7)
After reading all the articles on this topic I believe that what is happening with the young black community is fine. Our law is the law, and no matter who breaks the law, they are going to be arrested no matter what their skin color is. Race is not the issue because if a police officer finds that a white suspect has a bag of marijuana, they are going to have the same penalties as if they are black. Even if they do suspect young black Americans over white or Asian Americans, statistics shows the murder rate between the races. Peter Moskos, an associate professor in the department of law and police science at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, stated in his article, “It’s not politically correct to say so, but reality isn't politically correct. Over 90 percent of New York City's 536 murder victims last year were black or Hispanic. Just 48 victims were white or Asian”. If blacks want to be bothered and searched less, then they must change as a whole community to end this profiling. It is a hard thing to do, and easier said than done, but it is the only way.
ReplyDelete-David Travisano
"I believe that what is happening with the young black community is fine."
DeleteI am confused by this statement. What do you mean?
"Spend Money on Schools instead"
ReplyDeleteAfter reading this article i think that it did a good job in describing the situation in which many people are in every day. It says 60% of innercity african americans dont graduate high school. This is a scary but true fact. I think more money should be spent on education becasuse education is very important in a persons life so money should go to it to support and help the children in school become more successful.
Marc Canzanella period 7
Laws are a complex thing. They are there to protect us, but sometimes they go a little far. With the world changing the laws need to be changed. Things aren’t the same as they used to be. I feel like sometimes we need more slack, but at other times I feel like they need to be enforced more. Laws put restrictions on what we can do and when you are growing up those restrictions can be good; they keep us in line. However, they also don’t allow us to become responsible. If you tell someone they can’t do something 9 out of 10 people will go and do it just because you tell them not to. If you let them figure out for themselves if they should do it then they will learn from it and from that they will gain the knowledge they need to grow up. We learn from our experiences whether they are good or bad and it helps us become responsible. In one way we need more slack, but in another way that could be something very dangerous. I’ve always heard if you give someone an inch then they will take a mile and it is true. If you don’t enforce the rules then people will just keep doing what they want and they won’t obey them. Clearly the rules are there for a reason. We need some guidance or rules to guide us in the right direction. Whether we follow that path is up to us, but at least it is there for a guide. Rules or laws make it seem like you aren’t trusted, but sometimes we shouldn’t be trusted. We give people a reason not to trust us therefore all of these rules came about. However, if they act like they can’t trust us then we are just going to do what they don’t want us to do. People focus a lot on race, but the truth is anyone can break the law and there shouldn't be special treatment for anyone. We are all the equal and there shouldn't be different punishments due to skin color. Skin color is only skin deep, but we all learn what is right and wrong, so why should it be treated any differently?
ReplyDeleteKelsie DePino
Period: 5
Good points, but you need to get back to/ address the main question.
Delete"Spend Money on Schools Instead"
ReplyDelete"Black Man Vs. Criminal"
After reading these articles I think that more money should definitely be spent on education. "Fifty-three percent of black boys never finish high school." And those who drop out of high school end up going to jail. We all need education, we all want to become something in life. Even black teenagers have dreams just like us, they're no diffent. And because of the fact that they have different skin color it is not O.K for people to judge them in a bad way like calling them crminals. And for some of them it is not their fault that they drop out of school. "Many schools treat kids as suspect from the moment they walk in the door, making them pass through metal detectors or administering urine tests as a condition of joining after-school clubs." This is the reason why they drop out, people treat them differently and of course they are going to get offended by this. So if we see a black person walking in the streets are we suppose to think that he is a criminal? Is that what people are suppose to think now? It is not fair for them, they should be treated like everyone else. But if they break the law they should be punish like everyone else. There shouldn't be a different punishment for them. The laws are the laws and we all have to follow them. Skin color people deserve to have a life just like ours.
Jennyfer Jarrin
Period 5
"spending money on schools instead"
ReplyDeleteI disagree with Neil Franklin's ideas. I don't understand how cutting back on the enforcement of drugs is going to help African American students stay in school. If anything it's going to lure more kids into selling drugs because it would be easier to do. If anything they should try and be stricter, even if it sends more kids to prison. Kids realize the risk they are taking in the drug game and deserve to go to prison if they get caught. I do agree that more money should be put into schools especially in inner city schools, but the funding on drug enforcement shouldn't be cut to fund the schools. There are other places where that money can come from.
"You can't blame the police"
I know that's it's not right to say that police focus on black communities more than others, but if those neighborhoods are where most of the violence and murders are being committed, then that's where the police should pay attention to. There's no sense in being less effective as a policeman just because some people think your being racist. The numbers don't lie. Race shouldn't even be a topic when it comes to law enforcement. As they say, if you do the crime you do the time, regardless is your black,white, Latino or anything else.
John ainson p1
"Black man vs. Criminal"
ReplyDeleteDiscrimination has always been a problem for us. We all have the same rights, and laws. Why wouldn't this apply here? He talks about African and American and Latino's being treated differently and he is right. He talks about how the rates of the African American and Hispanic criminals are higher compared to the white, and the differences between them. He mentions how those people have higher rates of unemployment and poverty, and he describes how polices were brave enough to fight against the violence and how they should be respected for stopping the crimes going around.
“Spend Money on Schools Instead”
Most of our problems start from our education system. We have to stop assuming that everyone is a criminal. We have to as Americans come together and make sure everyone has equal rights, even African Americans. As Franklin said, “Many schools treat kids as suspect from the moment they walk in the door, making them pass through metal detectors or administering urine tests as a condition of joining after-school clubs.” As teenagers, that gives us the mind set that we are going to just do what they are expecting, and become criminals. School is already like prison to us. If schools put trust in their students and actually wanted to prepare them to succeed in the future, things would be different. If young kids think they’re being treated terribly like a criminal already, they’ll just go along with it and work in the drug trade. We have to have confidence in our students to succeed. Without the positivity, there is no hope if were going to try to improve.
Kelly Parker Per5
I read “We must eliminate discrimination” and “Spend money on schools insteed.”
ReplyDeleteOf course, eliminating the ‘war on drugs,’ as so many of these articles suggested, sounds so ideal. But in reality, it’s just wishful thinking. People from the same types of areas tend to fall into the same patterns, even if these ways are not the best. And unfortunately, it’s hard to break out from these patterns. If we eliminate draconian laws on drug-use, how are we helping those who have committed the crime? I agree-there are too many people, especially young boys of African-American race, in jail for such petty offenses, like drugs. But instead just overlooking the problem, we should go to the core of it and work from there. Personally, I believe if more was invested into inner city education and school systems, more kids would grow up to be successful. I’m not talking investments like metal detectors and policemen at the schools, as Neill Franklin did in his article, “Spend More Money on Schools Instead.” I strongly believe that if well-rounded real life classes, particularly ones about business and entrepreneurship, we’re placed in these schools, more students would be inspired and motivated to work harder towards a better future. We may all be born equal, but we certainly don’t all grow up equal. But if given the chance, those kids who statistically might end up in jail could have the choice to make better life decisions if they have a strong school system to support them.
Nina Mariotti, period 1
"Spend Money on Schools Instead"
ReplyDeleteThe author, Neill Franklin, makes some undoubtedly good points. This phony war on drugs has gone on way to long. What kind of country declares war on its own civilians. Billions of dollars are wasted in an attempt to stop the flow of drugs onto our streets. Not only that, but the people who are sent to jail are sent there because they had no where else to turn except to deal drugs to support their family. Even looking back on our history, prohibition has never worked. It is the American way to live freely or die. So when someone stops us from living life the way we want to, we as a country explode. When you declare a substance illegal you directly undermine yourself by creating a law that not only cannot be enforced, but also can be easily stepped on. With the illegalization of anything you create an underground market. And when that thing is something as ingrained in this countries history as drugs or alcohol you can expect a full blown black market. The list of negatives for prohibition goes on and on and this is only a first few.
"Black Man Vs. Criminal"
I can see where this author is coming from. I think most people have seen some form of racial discrimination and can vouch for its existence. As far as fixing this goes I think it's something that is just going to take time. There aren't many rash decisions that are going to change this anytime soon. One thing this author said that drives me crazy is when he said, "Legally, there can be tougher sanctions for racial profiling when individuals are unfairly targeted or searched." I believe what he is hinting at here are the so called "Hate Crimes". That is when a violent crime is done toward another person of a different race. Those crimes are dealt with much more severally than the same crimes towards someone of the same race. This is the governments way of saying 'you're different and therefore get different treatment'. These hate crimes only help to further distance ourselves from each other. It is time to stop drawing lines between us and treat all of us the same. Not just in society but in government too. I also highly recommend that everyone watch the episode of South Park titled "Cartman's Silly Hate Crime". Its funny and also proves a great point about Hate Crime Laws.
Daniel Borrus
Period 4
I will try to put a link on the wiki. Well said!
Delete"You can blame the police"
ReplyDelete"We must eliminate discrimination"
Black man Vs. Criminal"
Honestly, the majority of these articles infuriated me, the pompous view of some of these writers are completely bias and incorrect. In the article "You can't blame the police", the first sentence already shows the writers bias toward blacks and Hispanics when he states that "...Police focus their attention on the young black community because that’s where the murder is...” The fact that this was stated leaves me to believe that this was a white writer and after reading the second article I figured it was written by a black or African American writer due to its more leant and less discriminant view towards black. Personally these articles were very rude and bias in how they put their ideas across and I feel like most of them were very close minded.
Jennifer lassman p1
What can be done to address the problem?
DeleteIn my opinon pulling back on drug laws would help our society and make a huge differnce. the drugs are there, theres no way around them you arrest one man theres another to fill the spot. All these drug laws are doing is putting money in the hands of criminals when they couldn be taxed and regulated.
ReplyDeleteDan Hilliard
period 5
In my opinion, if you commit a crime, no matter your race or ethnicity, then you deserve to do the time. You made the choice to commit that crime and not to go to try as hard in school as you could and not live up to your potential. that has nothing to do with your race, it has to do with the choices that you made in your life, both the good and bad decisions and if you happen to commit a crime then you defiantly deserve to go to jail and/or pay the price for your actions.
ReplyDeleteali nuzzo
period 7
I read the articles, “Spend Money on Schools Instead” and “You Can’t Blame the Police” these were two different arguments on the same topic. I like how there point was strongly stared and backed up. Both articles had very good points. In “spending money on school instead” he was saying how society is making a young black man’s mind see them self as a criminal even before they are in fact a criminal. “Many schools treat kids as suspect from the moment they walk in the door, making them pass through metal detectors or administering urine tests as a condition of joining after-school clubs. Cops move about the schools like prison guards” These thoughts to me would make me think I was meant for a bad life and to do bad things. Then there’s the article “You can’t blame the police” who says it’s not any one’s fault and no one makes the young black teens like this but them self’s his argument is that black are just bad people and that they are causing all the wrong in cities like drugs murders. He’s congratulating the police for their job on stopping the blacks’ crimes. He’s comparing whites to blacks but I really think that that is wrong society is just making them think worse about them self’s there is no helping them just making blacks look at them self the way others do causing them to be the highest criminals. Over all I agree with Neill Franklin
ReplyDeletePierina Lopez
First of all there are so many other drug dealers and users who are not black. Have of the U.S popluation is involved in drugs in some way. Drugs are everywhere, everyday. More laws about drugs may influence young kids not to get into drugs, but once your exposed, it'll be around you for a while. Not saying everyone gets addicted to a type of drug, but if you start using drugs, most likely you'll have friends who do them. Therefore, if you decide to quit, your friends arent always gonna follow down that same path. People make their own choices, and if you wanna make the worng choices, well, just know you can face the time, if you do the time.
ReplyDelete- Hannah K
Period 7
"Spend Money on School Instead"
ReplyDelete"Black Man Vs. Criminal"
Although I do agree with the article, I feel as though Black's are extremely discriminated against. Black people are associated with drugs, weapons, and crimes which is not fair. Black people have the same and equal rights as anyone else. Everyone hates to admit it, but there is still racism in this country. One article stated that more Black communities are more violent. If this is the case, then yes-the police should be focusing on these areas in the country. But, the color of a persons skin should not determine the punishment they face. We should not waste our money trying to eliminate drugs. No matter how much money is spent, drugs will always be around each and every race.
Kelly Smith
Period 1
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