what it means to be black and/or poor in America

[Skittles]

the results of racism and poverty speak for themselves:

http://villagevoice.com/news/0501,harkavy,59767,2.html

In 1986, shortly before federal mandatory minimum sentences were imposed, the average federal crack sentence for African Americans was 11 percent higher than for whites. In 1990, after the guidelines went into effect, the average sentence was 49 percent higher for African Americans than for whites. The average crack defendant is sentenced to 115 months, compared with 77 months for those in powder cocaine cases. The majority of crack users, however, are white.

(snip)

People die younger in Harlem than in Bangladesh. The leading causes of death in poor Black neighborhoods are not AIDS, drugs, or homicide. They are "unrelenting stress," "cardiovascular disease," "cancer," and "untreated medical conditions."

[Name removed]

1. Deleted message

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[Skittles]

2. racism has been around since time began

Reagan and Bush are big supporters of racist, anti-working class measures but no it didn't start with them. Now run along, please, to another board where the wording is at second grade level.

[Name removed]

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[Technocrat058]

4. Mandatory minimums are racist!

Perhaps that whole idea of sending drug abusers to jail should be re-thought (Suppose for a second this is something new please). Instead we should offer better health care for poorer neighborhoods, rather than spending money to keep drug users (most of whom do not harm society just themselves).

[Skittles]

5. I agree, Techno

welcome to the DU :hi:

[Technocrat058]

6. Though there is one problem

This would continue the broken health care system in our country. Which perhaps is why the stress, and health care problems in Harlem go untreated. Perhaps thats why I consider myself a Democrat for wanting to fix the problems instead of letting the economy do so (i.e. ignore the problem).

[Skittles]

7. there's always plenty of money to keep people in jail

but never enough to get them help when they truly need it - when they're sliding into a life of poverty and despair. Proactive treatment is the way to go but with republicans in control of everything - well, they can't build enough jails

[Cleita]

8. Another reason to fight for universal health care.

So many people die from being uninsured or underinsured and that is unacceptable in the so-called richest country in the world.