Caste System In Alexander's The New Jim Crow
Alexander’s quote setting off one of the early parts of The New Jim Crow essentially declares the foundation of our country. Although the discrimination isn’t, for the most part, as out in the open as it used to be, it is still maintained by preserving the social castes today. The presence of a social caste system in today’s society implies truthfulness in Alexander’s statement. When Alexander insisted that American democracy was built on a time when the black person was seen as three fifths the value of a white person, she pointed out that America has still maintained a caste system concept that it was built on and it also goes to lengths to preserve power. I agree that this is still true in the aspect that it is being preserved in the prison system.
One meaning that can be contrived from the focal quote is that the caste system built by racism has been preserved through transformation. Alexander made the point early in The New Jim Crow that racism is highly adaptive, able to be transformed and reworked to fit into its new environment. This concept speaks to the meaning of the focal quote. The roots of such racism run deep in America. So deep in fact, that no …show more content…
The New Jim Crow parallels the civil injustices that were usually placed upon black people during the pre-reconstruction with those placed on felons in current day, making the argument that the system of oppression never really disappeared but instead evolved. This, in a way, supports Alexander’s assertion because it confirms the durability implied by saying that such a system was the foundation of America. In conclusion, Alexander’s focal quote means that America was, and still is, built on maintaining a caste system and preserving power positions, allegations supported by the way power is passed around today, and the structure of the prison
One meaning that can be contrived from the focal quote is that the caste system built by racism has been preserved through transformation. Alexander made the point early in The New Jim Crow that racism is highly adaptive, able to be transformed and reworked to fit into its new environment. This concept speaks to the meaning of the focal quote. The roots of such racism run deep in America. So deep in fact, that no …show more content…
The New Jim Crow parallels the civil injustices that were usually placed upon black people during the pre-reconstruction with those placed on felons in current day, making the argument that the system of oppression never really disappeared but instead evolved. This, in a way, supports Alexander’s assertion because it confirms the durability implied by saying that such a system was the foundation of America. In conclusion, Alexander’s focal quote means that America was, and still is, built on maintaining a caste system and preserving power positions, allegations supported by the way power is passed around today, and the structure of the prison