Citation:

“The Future of Race in America: Michelle Alexander at TEDxColumbus.” YouTube, TED Talks, 16 Oct. 2013, youtu.be/SQ6H-Mz6hgw.

Summary:

In this TED Talk, Michelle Alexander talks about the inequality people of color face in the United States. She goes on to explain that people of color are incarcerated for minor offenses, whether it’s drug related or not. Meanwhile, in predominantly white areas, crimes are ignored. That when people of color are incarcerated, they don’t have rights when they’re released (can’t vote, hard to find a job, can’t find housing, etc.) but when white people are arrested, they’re “branded criminals and felons” then permanently put into a class status that is higher than the lower class. She also goes on to explain that our criminal justice system is not only biased, but so many more things happened than she realized. Lastly, Alexander mentioned that there are more African Americans that are prosecuted currently than there were people enslaved back in 1850.

Analysis:

I believe that this course is a trustworthy source because the information that I am hearing about in this video is something that I’ve read in my previous sources. Her audience seems to be the general public because without majority of the people in the U.S.’ help, there can be no change. I think what Alexander was trying to accomplish is everyone needs to open their eyes and actually face the issues head on and try not to repeat history rather than turning a blind eye to this situation. She wants to make her audience aware of some of the things that are going on in the U.S. when it comes to the drug war and the criminal justice system and how unfair and biased it is to African Americans.

Quote:

“But the enemy in this war has been racially defined. Even though studies have now consistently shown for decades that contrary to popular belief, people of color are no more likely to use or sell illegal drugs than whites. This drug war has been waged almost exclusively on black and brown communities.”