“we have not ended racial caste in America; we have merely redesigned it.”
Its obvious how the prison system is just a front to continue racially profiling black people, and by labeling them as “criminals” it makes it legal to discriminate against them. “Today it is perfectly legal to discriminate against criminals in nearly all the ways that it was once legal to discriminate against African Americans.” As proved in this article, the prison system sets criminals up for failure, it is not proven to work yet is still enforced. My understanding of this quote is how the racial caste is more present then ever, but has just been redesigned in order to make it seem less racist. The system as a whole throughout the whole country is not in favor of black people, take the crack cocaine issue as example. As the author states, the media only showed black families, women, men and babies, and labeled them as crack women, crack men, etc. The media pushed this idea that black people are criminals and should be identified as such in order to give a solid reason to enforce racial caste. An important idea brought up is how Jim Crow and slavery are examples of racial caste, and it may seem dramatic to compare that to today, but mass incarnation is racial caste, and it important to recognize and acknowledge that.
“Once released, former prisoners enter a hidden underworld of legalized discrimination and per- manent social exclusion. They are members of America’s new undercaste.” Lastly I want to bring up this point the author addresses, which is the main way the author backs up the statement at the top. Addressing them as the “undercaste” is upsetting but true, the criminal justice system has no intention of bettering a criminals life after they have done their time. But only creating a reason to legally discriminate them, and exclude them from society just as it was during Jim Crow times.
I agree with you regarding prison setting up ‘criminals’ for failure. The criminal justice system is just legalizing racism through media and law. They are influencing this stereotype of African Americans being “thugs” and “criminals” by targeting them even more. This now not only applies to African Americans but to people of color as well.
I also think that the label “criminal” allows outsiders to think it is right to deny certain rights to black people. “Undercaste” is an upsetting phrase since it is indeed true. Mmany ex black criminals are treated differently even if a lot of them actually changed and want to work for a better life.
You summed up my interpretation of the article perfectly when you said “My understanding of this quote is how the racial caste is more present then ever, but has just been redesigned in order to make it seem less racist. ” The racism in America is still heavily prevalent, but just hidden under a sheer blanket of umbrella terms to downplay the severity of the discrimination at hand.