"Treat people of color as human beings worthy of dignity and respect and the same chances of life as people growing up in middle class, white neighborhoods who make the same kinds of mistakes but aren't asked to pay for the rest of their lives."This reminds me of the "self audit" we were asked to take in class a little while ago. One of the questions on the sheet asked us to either agree or disagree with the statement that if we were to get in trouble with the law, we would be sure that the police would let us off easy.
I agreed with the statement because I think that tends to happen a lot in the society we live in. The "people of color" that Alexander is talking about are typically given very harsh punishments— mainly time in prison— for minor, nonviolent crimes. The same crimes that are committed in societies such as the North Shore rarely result in harsh punishment, but rather a stern warning or a slap on the wrist.The fact of the matter is that this is just not fair. Both groups of people are equally human, which means that we are both liable to make mistakes. One mistake for them means a reason for them to be discriminated against in the workforce or in society for the rest of their lives. One mistake for us means a quick sweep under the carpet. What does it say about the progression of America if there is still discrimination and a huge separation between race groups?
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