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Raven McCormick
BOOK
Alexander, Michelle. The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness. N.p.:
The New Press, 2012. 59-64. Print.
In the book “The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration In the Age of Colorblindness”, the
author explains how and why black discrimination is very much alive in our “justice” system. He
gives numerous examples of African Americans who have been unjustly accused and
incarcerated because of their color, and well as things such as unjustified searchers, police
brutality, and incarceration rates. In an age that claims to be colorblind, the author Michelle
Alexander explains how our justice system has ways around this anti-discrimination belief, even
if it is unintentional.
This source would be helpful in a debate in the PRO side of an argument with the
resolution: Black Lives Matter is an adequate and validated movement in the African American
Community. The source gives multiple examples that directly support the resolution and the
information is valid as well as strong. This source is less biased that many other sources,
however, I believe that there is a small amount of bias on the bases of personal belief, however,
all the information expressed in the book are all statistics and can be backed up.
The author of this book is beyond qualified. For many years she was the director of the
Racial Justice Project at the ACLU of Northern California, where she led a campaign against
racial profiling in the justice system. She also directed a Civil Rights Clinic at the Stanford
School of law. Alexander served as a Civil Rights Clerk for Justice Harry Blackman of the
United States Supreme Court. After litigating multiple discrimination cases and becoming the
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recipient of a 2005 Soros Justice Fellowship, she began working at the Kirwan Institute for
Racial and Ethnicity Research.
ARTICLES
García, Jennifer Jee-Lyn, and Mienah Zulfacar Sharif. "Black Lives Matter: A
Commentary on Racism and Public Health." American Journal of Public Health 105.8 (2015):
E27-30. ProQuest. 11 Feb. 2016
In the Article Black Lives Matter: A Commentary on Racism and Public Health, the
authors explain the alarming number of police officers who were not indicted after killing
unarmed black men. Included in the writing as well, are racial injustices, racially related police
brutality, and unprofessionalism in our legal system.
This source would be helpful in a debate in the PRO side of an argument with the
resolution: Black Lives Matter is an adequate and validated movement in the African American
Community. This piece does an excellent job of showing just how many African Americans have
been mistreated because of their color.
This source is validated in its information for many reasons. One being that both of the
authors have substantial experience in the topic. They are both the head of research departments
at California State College. And both had PhD’s.
Johnstone, Megan-Jane. "Bigotry and Racial Discrimination." Australian Nursing and
Midwifery Journal 22.2 (2014): 27. ProQuest. 11 Feb. 2016
In the article “Bigotry and Racial Discrimination”, the author Megan-Jane Johnstone
explains how racism is almost impossible to completely cut out of our society. She quotes
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Attorney General George Brandis when he says “People do have a right to be bigots.” This
prompted an amendment that would monitor racial situations more closely to attempt to cut
down on racial discrimination in the legal system and society.
This source would be helpful in a debate in the PRO side of an argument with the
resolution: Black Lives Matter is an adequate and validated movement in the African American
Community. There are many statistical arguments in the piece that are backed up and come from
strong references.
The validity of this source has been determined by multiple reviews, earning it a “Peer
Reviewed” title. This article also does a very good job of citing and giving credit where credit is
due. All of the references are at the end of the article and they are all reliable sources.
WEBSITES
Cullors, Patrisse, Opal Tometi, Tometi, and Alicia Garza. Black Lives Matter. Ed. Janisha R.
Gabriel. Haki Creatives, n.d. Web. 11 Feb. 2016. <http://blacklivesmatter.com/>.
The website BlackLivesMatter.com may seem like an unreliable source but I believe it is
actually a good source. The website focuses on the movement Black Lives Matter. Throughout
the site, many examples of this are shown. There are sections about racial injustice, proof of this
injustice, ways that it can be changed, and reason that it takes place.
This source would be helpful in a debate in the PRO side of an argument with the
resolution: Black Lives Matter is an adequate and validated movement in the African American
Community. There are multiple references and the authors of the site are very qualified.
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The first author, Cullors, is simply a freedom fighter. She is the director of Dignity and
Power Now in California, as well as a board member and director of the Ella Baker Center for
Human Rights. Tometi is a Co-Founder of the Black Lives Matter Movement as well as the
Executive Director at the Black Alliance for Just Immigration. Garza is an even leader and
organizer for domestic rights rallies and meetings. She has held multiple Anti-Racial
Discrimination rallies to unite the black community as well as the people of nay community who
have been mistreated. She is also the Director of the National Domestic Workers Alliance as well
as a Co-Founder of the Black Lives Matter Movement. The publisher of the website, Janisha
Gabriel, has been involved in, led, and even funded, many social justice acts, including LGBTQ
movement, Gender Justice, Black Lives Matter, and she is the Founder of the Speak My Name
project.
Race Forward. Ed. Abika Solomon and Sameer Rao. ColorLines, Mar. 2015. Web. 12 Feb. 2016.
<https://www.raceforward.org/about>.
The website RaceForward.com is a vesical for letting people know news and information
about racial injustices, as posted by ColorLines and Facing Race, two of the largest and most
widely used multiracial justice conferences. The mission of the website it to help society gain
awareness of racial injustices and how through leadership and understanding, racism can be
overcome.
This source would be helpful in a debate in the PRO side of an argument with the
resolution: Black Lives Matter is an adequate and validated movement in the African American
Community. After combing through this website and researching all those involved in its
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survival, it is in my confidence that it would be a good and reliable source that could be used in
an argument due to its accuracy and the education of its editors and founders.
The knowledge and experience of its editors only prove that this website is a valid source
of information. The executive director of the website, Rinku Sen, has published multiple books
on the topic of discrimination of any type as well as racial injustice. She is a board member of
Philanthropic Initiative for Racial Equity, and sought-after college speaker on the topic of racial
issues and awareness. The executive researcher, Dominique Apollon, PhD, received a degree in
Political Science, where his thesis was based on that of racial toxic issues and their tie to politics
was published. He then began teaching seminars of race and ethnicity at Stanford University.
After reviewing all of this information, I still do not believe that Black Lives Matter is a valid
movement. Not because there isn’t racial issues today in this country, but because another
reason. I was going to the gym on campus, and walking with my black friend, Lasia. When I was
walking with her, I didn’t think, “She’s black so I have to be careful what I say and make sure I
don’t step on her toes or say anything about her skin.” Imeadetly after, we saw a group of
protestors walking, yelling “Black Lives Matter”. After this happened, all I could think about is
that Lasia was black and how did she feel about me for being white and did she think I was
racist. This issue would have never came up had we not saw those protestors to remind us that
racisim is alive. I feel like there is racial injustice in our society, however, black people throw
gas on the fire by always reminding us that they are black. If something happens that doesn’t
seem fair…”It’s because I’m Black, Isn’t it?” Things like this don’t let the fire die, they just keep
fueling it.
