2014 Shaping the Future of New York Fridays: 11:00-1:45 Boylan Hall, 2231

As many of the other posts expressed, the information in these chapters was quite startling. Similar to my reaction last week, I just find it so shocking that in a time where the stupidity of racism is so widely acknowledged our policies can be so, well, racist.

To me, the solution to this problem must be widespread education about the failures of our justice system. As the reading stressed, at every level- from legal decision making to the the police on the street- our justice system and public opinion is corrupted. The only feasible explanation for this, to me, is the misconceptions that are in so many of our minds about minorities and crime. These misconceptions are what allow our society to continue the prejudice. The only hope that I can see to rectify such a situation is to have sweeping education and information reforms about these sensitive subjects. I know that for myself, I didn’t know a ton of the facts mentioned in these chapters. I’m sure much of the public is in the same boat as I was.

Josh Setton

As I began the reading, I felt that the claims being made were quite outlandish- a sentiment I’m sure many of my classmates felt as well. However, as noted by some of the posts that I’ve looked at, the author provides a well-thought out argument that, by the end of the first chapter, has you convinced that her claims are true to a large extent.

What bothers me most about this disturbing idea- that our justice system is, in fact, a vehicle for racism- is the fact that it is so unnoticed. How can it be that in such a race-conscious time, where the idea of equality is ingrained in us and stressed in most institutions of higher education, that such an elaborate system of racism exists under our nose? How can it be that officials who went through several years of schooling meant to provide a liberal arts education of rational and free thinking make policies intended to freeze out a sizeable portion of our population from their rights?

The idea of the ‘new Jim Crow’ and these questions are things that leave much to be thought about. We must answer these crucial questions if we hope to ever achieve true equality.

If one look at American History, it is pretty clear that we have moved further and further away from true capitalism as Adam Smith intended it. Many necessary social structures have been put in place- such as social security, welfare, and food stamps- that give American society a more balanced distribution of resources. We’ve come a long way from the days pre FDR’s new deal.

For some reason, however, up until very recently, our healthcare system has stayed outdated throughout the second half of the twentieth century. As our European counterparts implemented healthcare structures to ensure that health was something available, America simply stood by and watched as it got more and more privatized. As the reading stressed, we simply have not, as a nation, viewed healthcare as something that society owes to its populace.

As we move into the future, placing healthcare on the same level as our other social works project is a necessity. We have subsidized housing, food stamps, and unemployment insurance. How can it be that only the very poorest among us get assistance from the government in the most vital area of all, our health?