Article Analysis

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Nov 24, 2024

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1 Article Analysis The New Jim Crow Summary The New Jim Crow speaks of racial injustices that have dehumanized and significantly limited the lives of Black Americans. The book provides more than adequate evidence of how the inherently unjust criminal system has for decades undervalued the lives of African Americans (Alexander, 2020). The author places great emphasis on the criminal justice system, which has imposed unfair criminal sentences on Black people. He explains how the majority of African Americans were discriminatorily incarcerated through irrational and cruel mandatory minimum laws (Alexander, 2020). Enforced sentences were made to appear fair and impartial, but in reality, they were solely based on race. The author also explains how racial narratives about criminality have and continue to negatively impact the lives of Black people. For instance, in the slavery era, patterns and rates of crime were used as a predictor of black people's behavior (Alexander, 2020). This notion though unsoundly based, has persisted over time, and Black People continue being perceived as barbaric and criminal-minded (Johnson & Martin, 2020). The author also explains racial narratives as the reason why prisons in the late 1950s were strategically designed to promote segregation and servitude of people of color (Alexander, 2020). In response to this racial narrative, the author makes a pertinent and rational remark, insisting that patterns and rates of crime should not be used to rationalize racial disparities in the criminal justice system (Alexander, 2020). The New Jim Crow book carefully dissects and presents the broad disparities that exist between Whites and people of color. Apart from the theme of unjust incarcerations, the book also discusses segregation. Blacks were not allowed to integrate with Whites in interstate buses, schools, public spaces, and residence areas (Alexander, 2020). Additionally, African Americans

2 were excluded from real estate purchases (Alexander, 2020). This is one of the many generational disadvantages that Blacks experience to date. According to Johnson & Martin (2020), the majority of African Americans reside in hazardous or under-resourced neighborhoods. The segregation of African Americans is now less prevalent compared to the 19th century (Johnson & Martin, 2020). Nevertheless, it is responsible for many adverse life experiences of black people. For instance, The Black Men’s Health Project denotes that segregation is a common stress factor among people of color and can be directly linked to poor health outcomes of African Americans (Johnson & Martin, 2020). This book implies that racial justice will not end any time soon. An explanation being that, humans tend to cling to their privileges, which makes them less sympathetic to the needs and exclusion of others (Johnson & Martin, 2020). Dying of Whiteness Summary The book Dying of Whiteness elucidates the impacts of racial resentments on the health and general well-being of communities (Metzl, 2020). The author investigates how racial anxieties affect the Missouri, Tennessee, and Kansas states. Racial prejudices in Missouri led to the annulment of gun control laws (Metzl, 2020). Previously, citizens were permitted to possess arms, ammunition, and other accessories needed for the proper functioning of arms to protect self, family, property, or home (Metzl, 2020). Unfortunately, this law brought about deleterious consequences such as the increase in gun-related violent crimes. Gun homicides, robberies, sexual assaults, and other crimes rose in an overwhelming upward trajectory. Gun ownership in Tennessee was a white privilege, and Blacks were constantly victimized and subjected to violent acts of brutality (Metzl, 2020). Racial anxieties also hindered the progress of the Affordable Care Act in Tennessee (Metzl, 2020). White residents declined to expand Medicaid costs as they

3 connected their well-being to that of other ethnic or racial groups. In terms of insurance, only whites were accorded adequate coverage while Blacks were treated as property. The book elucidates how costs, losses, and damages associated with racial conflicts affect both White and Black populations. Article 1 Analysis The article by Johnson & Martin sheds light upon the innumerable obstacles and challenges Blacks experience in America. The article explains why African Americans are so vulnerable in terms of health and survival. Poverty is a huge challenge for most Blacks. The majority live the better part of their lives, struggling to break free from the poverty cycle. James hypothesizes that the struggle to defeat an inherently unjust system is so intense that over time it wearies Blacks making them more susceptible to illness and factors that increase their mortality (Johnson & Martin, 2020). The COVID-19 pandemic has further compounded Blacks’ vulnerability. Statistics reveal that coronavirus mortality is nine times higher among African American youths than White youths (Johnson & Martin, 2020). This can be attributed to the accumulated arduous efforts that Blacks exert over time while trying to rise above an exploitative economy (Alexander, 2020). Racism has practically locked them out of the mainstream economy, impeding their ability to move up the economic ladder. Poverty is also a reason why communities of color are plagued with numerous problems associated with crime and mass incarceration (Metzl, 2020). Black children are the main victims of these crises, experiencing burdensome childhood adversities uncommon to White children of the same age (Johnson & Martin, 2020). The article includes real-life examples of children who overcame formidable challenges following their parents’ incarceration. Unfortunately, the current criminal justice institutions are ingrained with inequality and prejudice (Metzl, 2020). There is

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4 no shortage of evidence of cases in which irrational mandatory minimum laws were used for sentencing African Americans. In a racially prejudiced society, these prisons serve as caste systems rather than correctional facilities (Alexander, 2020). People of color are typically under caste, permanently excluded by the law from mainstream society. In the 19th century, Black inferiority was used to justify servitude and oppression in prisons (Johnson & Martin, 2020). Following numerous protests against Black oppression, new laws and systems of social control have emerged over time. Nevertheless, there is still evidence that modern prisons still practice racial hierarchy much as former prisons did (Alexander, 2020). Poor health outcomes among Black men are an enduring public health problem in the US, yet only a few researchers direct their efforts towards finding a permanent solution (Johnson & Martin, 2020). Black communities have more cases of chronic conditions like diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and stroke than White people (Johnson & Martin, 2020). Additionally, the onset of these diseases occurs at a much younger age compared to the general population. Blacks’ lifespan is 71.5 years, approximately five years less than white men (Johnson & Martin, 2020). Insurance packages are also better for the White community compared to People of color (Metzl, 2020). These health disparities are only a few of the many that exist. Sadly, public health experts purport to address these inequalities but instead invariably blame victims for their situation (Johnson & Martin, 2020). Meltz (2020) discusses the blame culture in a historical setting and elucidates how the practice only increased victimization rather than provide solutions. Similarly, this article frowns on scientists’ behavior of blaming chronic diseases on the lifestyle, genetics, neighborhood, and income levels of Black men (Johnson & Martin, 2020). Eradication of racial resentment is unattainable unless the majority of healthcare experts cease to

5 perceive the prevalence of chronic diseases among Black men as a personal failure while considering disease prevalence among Whites as a misfortune. Article 2 Analysis The article by Epstein discusses the recent rising in deaths of despair. Research findings indicate that victims of these ordeals are identified by their race and level of education (Epstein, 2020). Previously, the deaths of middle-aged Whites with a college degree were higher than those of Whites without a BA (Epstein, 2020). Over time the economy has changed, and capitalism is placing more economic pressure on Whites without BA (Meltz, 2020). It is particularly difficult for this group due to the decrease in manual jobs available. Manufacturing jobs in the US have declined from 19 million in 1979 to 12 million today (Epstein, 2020). Downsizing has negatively impacted the lives of many White manual workers, leaving them unemployed and economically unstable. Such instability increases their vulnerability to suicide and death and alcohol-related fatalities. Nevertheless, the general mortality rates among Blacks are still higher than Whites (Bower, 2020). Meltz (2020) describes that the despair among black people is a result of the accumulation of numerous inequalities this community has had to endure. Blacks have always been perceived as the inferior race, the underclass. This notion has greatly impeded their socioeconomic success as racial resentments influence the shutdown of programs and opportunities meant to benefit minorities (Alexander, 2020). Poverty, undoubtedly, plays a major role in the epidemic of deaths of despair. Statistics show the prevalence of these mortalities, with the leading group being Whites with No BA, followed by Blacks with No BA, then Whites with a college education, and lastly, Blacks with Education (Bower, 2020). The article provides sound explanations for the statistic disparities. Whites were more expectant to achieve the American dream, but then many radical changes were

6 enacted over the past century upending their hopes. This explains why the psychological toll on whites was worse compared to other ethnicities (Epstein, 2020). Compared to whites, blacks are more accustomed to poverty (Alexander, 2020). They are also more likely to sympathize with unemployed and economically unstable people within their community (Meltz, 2020). African Americans' support for each other alleviates the burden of social stressors that cause fatal despairs. Deaths of despair seemingly arise from financial stressors and premature deaths related to suicide, alcoholic related diseases, and drug overdose (Shanahan et al., 2019). The psychological aspect of these fatalities has also generated significant interest. Researchers denote that despair can be traced back to early childhood and can be potentially detected before it progresses to a psychological disorder. Victims may express feelings of low-self-esteem and hopelessness, a depressive state that can last up to two years (Bower, 2020). Victims also have signs of major depression, such as social isolation and extreme sadness, that persists at least a fortnight (Bower, 2020). Another indication of despair is habitual worrying, which eventually contributes to anxiety disorders (Bower, 2020). Therefore, promoting mental health among non-Hispanic whites is fundamental in reversing the rising trend of premature mortality (Shanahan et al., 2019). It is also important to implement strategies that protect people from despair. Actions like increasing social and personal capital, promoting healthy cognitive behaviors, and embedding people in social structures that provide meaning and hope will be instrumental in barring people from committing acts of despair (Shanahan et al., 2019). There is a desperate need to reinforce the social safety net to protect high-risk groups.

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7 References Alexander, M. (2020). The New Jim Crow (Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness - 10th Anniversary Edition) (1st ed.). NEW PRESS. Bower, B. (2020, October 31). ‘Deaths of despair’ are rising. It’s time to define despair . Science News. https://www.sciencenews.org/article/deaths-of-despair-depression-mental-health- covid-19-pandemic#:%7E:text=The%20expression%20%E2%80%9Cdeaths%20of %20despair,50%20years%20to%20nearly%2080. Epstein, H. (2020, July 6). Left Behind | by Helen Epstein . The New York Review of Books. https://www.nybooks.com/articles/2020/03/26/left-behind-life-expectancy-crisis/ Johnson, A., & Martin, N. (2020, December 24). How COVID-19 Hollowed Out a Generation of Young Black Men . ProPublica. https://www.propublica.org/article/how-covid-19- hollowed-out-a-generation-of-young-black-men Metzl, J. M. (2020). Dying of Whiteness: How the Politics of Racial Resentment Is Killing America’s Heartland (Updated ed.). Basic Books. Shanahan, L., Hill, S. N., Gaydosh, L. M., Steinhoff, A., Costello, E. J., Dodge, K. A., Harris, K. M., & Copeland, W. E. (2019). Does Despair Really Kill? A Roadmap for an Evidence- Based Answer. American Journal of Public Health , 109 (6), 854–858. https://doi.org/10.2105/ajph.2019.305016

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