We've spent a great deal of time discussing perceptions of black aesthetics and the criminal/felon. Michelle Alexander suggests the criminal system and mass incarceration are corrupt. She boldly offers prisons should be closed, but that means the acceptance of releasing convicted felons. Could we do that?
Well, Cheo Hodari Coker offers a released felon as the hero in "Luke Cage." Not only is Cage a compassionate, caring man who represents community uplift, but he is a felon. How does this "hero" create an alternate, black beauty aesthetic of black men, or black people as not just criminals, but the quintessential American citizen?
Due Fri., 11/3/17 by the beginning of class.
Michelle Alexander does make a great point about the prison system being corrupt, but i don't believe releasing every convict would be the right thing to do. doing that would bring more harm and make our country even more chaotic. there are some felons who didn't deserve their sentence, but there's some who did terrible crimes and loved every bit of it. with closing down prisons we not only have to think about the convicted that may be didn't deserve the years they were given, we also have to think about the convicts who have done their crime and felt no remorse. Luke cage show people that black men aren't just criminals, this hero breaks a lot of stereo types that most people have about the men in the black community. most people believe the black men who wear hoods are up to something bad, but Luke cage wears a hoodie through out the show and hes protecting and helping people. the assumption that men or women cant change their ways after prison is broken down by Luke cage recovery. he was able to come back from prison and do things differently. overall Luke cage does a great job breaking the stereotypes that affect our society, not only is he a hero but he was a criminal at one point. he changed is life for the better , i feel that this could give people who are sort of in the same situation a different point of view. even though the prison system is corrupt i don't believe releasing convicts and closing down the prison would be a smart move. this method would free a few convicts who were done wrong by the system, but what about the killers and rapist who committed their crimes i don't think giving them a second chance at life would work for them. if any thing they might just put them selves in even more trouble.
ReplyDeleteI see what you are saying, but I feel like every person deserves a second chance. In our jail systems, we do not do anything to help make the inmates become better people. There should be some type of community service to help them grow.
DeleteLuke Cage is a great show that shows how many African American men got caught up in the wrong situation that will label them for life. With that being said, I honestly feel like we have to sit back and look at our laws carefully and really determine should certain laws really be considered a felony. We have to not only fix the state law but also the federal law. Thats the only way we can determine who is worthy of being sent home in a situation where we have to close down a prison. Luke Cage would be a great example of that man. Throughout the season and episode 17 you see that he was a man about his community. He was more so into building up his city and getting the crime out more so then bringing it down. They show a strong, bold, hoodie wearing, black man as a super hero who fights the actual everyday troubles. They disrupt the stereotype that physically big black men are all rough and beastly acting human beings. Incorporating the bullet hole hoodie to me goes back to the Trayvon Martin shooting. Not all black men the wear hoodies are thuggish criminals as they like to call them. Him being able to escape so many times and how he helped stop a robbery while still being the "criminal on the run" showed how much he was really into helping his community and how much it means to him to find the truth. With him acting like that, that just shows that not every ex-convict are all long life criminals. They made an effort to prove to us that a man can turn his life around and fight to stay out of trouble with Luke Cage. They show him as a compassionate, caring black man.
ReplyDeleteI agree! I love how this show is giving us a chance to actually see positive representation of a black man's personality.
DeleteI agree with Michelle Alexander when she says prisons should be closed. Our jails in the United States do not focus on rehabilitation, teaching inmates life skills, and trying to make them better citizens. Instead, our prisons just have people sit in boxes and do physical labor. I think it would be beneficial if our country tried to incorporate, or switch to all together, ways of dealing with “criminals” that are used in some parts of Europe. For example, in Sweden there are programs are about ensuring the inmate will be ready for the outside word when they get out. Here are two links talking about their prison systems. https://mic.com/articles/109138/sweden-has-done-for-its-prisoners-what-the-u-s-won-t#.6mDqILhi8
ReplyDeletehttps://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/nov/26/prison-sweden-not-punishment-nils-oberg
This character is showing how complex black men are. Many people see black men as one dimensional, but this show challenges that. Cage also shows how black men value family and community.
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ReplyDeleteThe idea of releasing all felons and not having a criminal justice system at all is irrational. Instead, there needs to be more accountability set on the justice system to convict the right people who need to be convicted and not throw innocent black and minority men in jail like they have always done for years. There needs to be less laws restricting the freedoms of just black men. The justice system needs to really consider looking into cases as well instead of just throwing black men in there without giving themselves a fair opportunity to defend themselves in court as they would for white men. Luke Cage breaks the whole stereotypical concept of a hoodie representing a "hoodlum" for black men. Luke Cage is a hero because he not only does righteous things for others, but he is black in a hoodie doing it. That is the icing on the cake because he illustrates the stereotype by just looking at him, but his actions speak louder than the way he dresses. Luke Cage reminds us of the importance of the issue of the hoodie since Trayvon Martin. This show gives a prime example of why a hoodie does not constitute a black man as a hoodlum. It brings the idea that a hoodie should be seen as just a hoodie regardless of who wears it. He should be not just considered an American citizen, but an American hero because of his heroic show. He does everything else that Superman and all these other popular heroes do, so why can't he be considered an American hero. Looking at this from a different perspective, it shows why black people are always hated against in society and why so many people hate us in the beginning because we are the only people who can use a stereotype against us and create a hero who does the same thing as the others. He reminds us of the same feeling Obama gave us as a black president. He is a black superhero who struggles with the same issues that every black person struggles with. He is just an average joe before he became a superhero. The hoodie as a cape is brilliant and not all black people are criminals or any of the things people say about us. This show is a prime example that you cannot judge a book by its cover.
ReplyDeleteI understand the point Michelle Alexander was trying to make about the downside to prisons. They are corrupt, dangerous, and a disgrace. I do believe that some people that are in prison are wrongfully committed like Kalief Browder, William Vasquez, Andrew Leander Wilson, and many other innocent people that have been convicted. (http://www.cnn.com/2017/03/17/us/wrongfully-convicted-man-free-after-32-years/index.html). Here is a link to an article about Andrew Leander Wilson, another innocent black man that spent over 3 decades of his life behind bars. Other times people are sent to prison because they committed heinous crimes and they deserve to be behind bars. So I have to disagree with her point that prisons should be closed. Having some of those dangerous people back on the street would only cause everyone to live in fear. Rather than eliminating prisons, we need to eliminate the unjust court system. If people of color have to plead their case in front of judges who don’t want them to be successful and that want to see them behind bars, then we will continue to see an increase of the amount of people of color in prison. Luke Cage shows people that black men should not be a target. Luke Cage reiterates to viewers that black men are good human beings and they need to be protected at all cost. This show is exactly what was needed after all of the police brutality events dealing with black men. Police and social media somehow always find a reason to dehumanize the black men that have been killed by police. Luke Cage creates a black beauty aesthetic of black men by shedding a positive light not only on a black man, but a black hero wearing a hoodie. Luke Cage also gives the black community a fictional black hero. This black man was bulletproof, strong, and invincible. The only people you see like that are Superman, Batman, and other fictional characters. But Luke Cage gives the black community their own hero, and that is beautiful and long overdue.
ReplyDeletePreach!!! That's the issue thank you for bringing that up before you go to jail you have to face the justice system first that is where the problems began and end!
DeleteI don’t think all prisons should or will ever be closed; however, I do believe that they all need to be reformed. Some people need to be placed in jail for crimes such as rape, murder, etc., but just because they deserve to be in jail, that doesn’t mean that they must suffer from the harsh conditions found in majority, if not the totality of prisons. Also, people that commit crime have been shown to sometimes return ack to the behavior that they once practiced, so if they are freely allowed be back on the streets, with no punishment for the crime they committed, then they may feel encourages to commit the crime again; so yes, some people do need to be contained, in good conditions. Something that I often think about in terms of black people that might hate school, or learning, is that before we teach them how to learn, we need to teach them that they deserve to learn. Black people have been conditioned ever since they came into this world that they are less than white people, any other race, an animal, or anything; that we are nothing. So first we, as a people, need to be reconditioned to know that we deserve to learn, and then be taught our history. We need to live by knowing who we are. Luke Cage aims to do this by showing a black man, also deemed as a savage animal, that he can be something. There’s the concept that mass incarceration is modern day slavery, making an inmate a modern-day slave. We are shown today movies of slaves rising up, demanding and fighting for their freedom and making something of themselves after obtaining their freedom. Luke Cage is a modern-day version of this. Showing the black man in a good light, and trying to express what a good man is through good qualities, such as a hero protecting, a man caring about other people. It shows that yes, black people are still forced into a racial caste system, and we are enslaved in prisons, or even those enslaved in the slave mindset, can be something. We are heroes that have survived and continue to survive, and one day strive even. We are worthy to be ourselves, know ourselves, and be proud of ourselves. Depictions of Luke Cage as a hero gives hope to the black boy that he is something and can become somethings that know he made this world and ca have it. And with white people constantly telling us that we are less than them, not even a full person or citizen, this shows shoes the opposite of that and how we can live in society as a citizen.
ReplyDeleteMalachi,
DeleteI truly agree with your statement about prison systems needing to be reformed. Most of the prison systems are filled with wrongly convicted individuals as well as individuals with trumped up charges to keep the system full. I do not believe that our elected officials are trying hard enough for the reform of our prison systems. I then correlate them to the "black successes" we talk about all the time. The ones who have made it that make people think blacks are better off than they really are. When I think of the system that targets our race I cry for our people but I am also mad that even in 2017, I am equally surprised, angry and happy that we are finally getting media to portray a positive image of a black male that is a felon.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with Michelle Alexander’s suggestion that the criminal system and mass incarceration are corrupt, it seems as though black men from ages 16 and up are a target. Being from New York, I have witnessed police officers bother black men just because of the way they look; baggy pants, hoodies, and durags on. Just like the Kalief Browder story these black men go to prison for minor “felons” and either don’t come out or do but years later. This is definitely a set up because police officers target men from the Bronx; where it is poor and they know these men will not be able to get a lawyer or pay their bond so they will end up stuck in prison.
Alexander’s thoughts on closes prisons does sound nice for a second but in reality, it is not the best idea to allow all convicted felons released to the world. Of course, there are some individuals who have been convicted falsely in prison but there are some who have actually committed some harsh crimes, enjoy what they do and would consider doing it again. Those felons should not be release into the world, this would create so much commotion: crime rates would increase and disorder would be everywhere. There could be so type of program for men that tend to stay in trouble, to guide them a better way in life. Something needs to be created to encourage black men that they are not made to fail and they can be successful in life.
In the series “Luke Cage,” Cage represents the black community in a positive light, although, he is a felon who walks around wearing a hood he is actually a caring individual who is considered a “hero.” Just because he may look like a “thug” his actions define him as the opposite. Cage is showing that black men should not be automatically judged because of their appearance but instead their actions. Of course, individuals make mistakes we are not perfect but we should not be viewed as a bad person.
Michelle Alexander is absolutely correct, like unfortunately a lot of things in America, the prison system is corrupt. It has been proven several times in the past the justice system is beneficial to a select few while destructive to the rest. It started out this why so it is impossible to fix something built on such bad foundation. I believe the government itself is just the same and probably the cause of this corruption, which is why Alexander’s solution is one that will never be reached. However, in my opinion, it’s what needs to be done. Because a lot of minority convicted felons are falsely accused, given longer sentences then they deserve, and put through hardships to try to reform their lives when they get out; “Luke Cage” shows examples of these things. While it’s painfully clear there is nothing wrong with in the eyes of the justice system when it comes to police killing unarmed black people. But if we get rid of the system now and release prisoners, I believe there would have to be conditions on who can and can’t be released. What I mean by this is psychological evaluations and interview like questioning, or something of this matter. I say this because, while the prison system does wrongfully keep people in prison, not everybody they keep jailed do not need to be there or aren’t too institutionalized to live in the outside world. So yes, tearing down the system and rebuilding is what needs to be done but if we aren’t being careful we could possibly be releasing dangerous individuals into society. Individuals that have no hope for reforming and or being productive members of society. But as I previously stated, with this corrupt American government, Alexander’s solution with probably never happen.
ReplyDeleteI agree Luke Cage does bring police brutality to light and killing of the unarmed black man. Studies should done towards institutionalized criminals before being released. I agree that Michelle Alexanders solutions will never be met due to the foundation we were built on.
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ReplyDeleteI agree with Michelle Alexander to an extent. The system of prisons and how they treat their inmates should be closed and be done away with, but what about serial killers, rapists, and murderers. We have to implement a system where it educates and reforms criminals instead of dehumanizing but doesn't overlook sick and psychotic criminals in the process. The system is corrupt and crooked but it can serve a purpose, under the right laws and procedures. Although a pure system in America is unrealistic it simply cannot just be done away with without multiple alternates or solutions to fill the void of the never ending crime problem in America. Although I think Luke Cage can be forced at times I understand the purpose of the series. First, a black superhero, it's refreshing to see that there are still writers and creators who are still committed to black excellence and not for a price. Luke Cage is a slap face to all the incorrect stereotypes placed on the black community and especially the DARK-SKINNED black man. It shows for the billionth time that Black people are humans and can be great citizens just like the white community. Luke Cage brings hope and that's all we can ask for. Luke Cage may not single handedly shift the dynamics of this country but it continue to influence and spark the brain of future or present leaders. Change is slow. Always has been, always will be.
ReplyDeleteBeing that we've spoke on perceptions of black aesthetics so much, and them being related to the black males in the black communities, we always see how they are the ones that are given the title "criminal" and "felon", I don't completely disagree with Mrs. Michelle Alexander. She made a very good point saying the prison systems are corrupt, and which they are. She wants to go the route of closing them down. That's where I agree but disagree. If we close the entire prison system down, that means the innocent and the guilty become free. That's a plus for the innocent but then what would we do with the real criminals? I just feel there needs to be an EQUAL fairness. There needs to be a cleansing and redo on the prison system. Even those that are really suppose to be in prison shouldn't get cruel treatment though. Prison should be a place to prepare your second chance.
ReplyDeleteLuke Cage would be a really good example of that. He was one of those "criminals" that got out of prison and had that second chance to do something good. Good for him, and his community. He is not what you would normally see. Especially in the Brooklyn area of New York. He is what people I his community look forward to. He is a model for "criminals" and "felons". He is what they should hope for. The mindset, the strength, and the urge to move forward and knowing that there is something for you to do, and accomplish. Also, even though he's a hero, you'd never know. He shows that the help people, you don't have to dress in fancy clothes and live in nice houses and neighborhoods. His physical appearance doesn't define who he is or what he does. If society could just get that through their heads we really wouldn't have some of the problems we're having now.
While I agree that the prison system is corrupt much like the United States justice system, I do not feel that the closing of all prisons is the solution. Yes, wrongfully convicted men and women crowd these prisons but there are also some VERY deserving people behind those walls. There needs to be a reform to the justice system since that is what lands the wrongfully convicted into prison (which also needs to be reformed, but justice system reform is more important.) The prison system is very inhumane; prisoners learn to dehumanize themselves in order to survive. This takes a huge toll on those who end up being reinserted into society. A lot of them have forgotten how to function as a normal free human being. Coker's depiction of Luke Cage shows a success story. It is very possible for this to be the reality for many freed black men and women, but along with the reform of the justice and prison systems we must change our way of thinking. Ex cons need what Luke Cage had, people that believed in him whether it was his girlfriend, pop, eventually Misty, or anyone else in the community who said he could be great. We treat people who have been to jail as if that is the end all be all of their existence and its not. In order for them to change and do better we have to give them the opportunity to. I think we need more images like Luke Cage. Showing a black person who's had a flawed life (as we all have) still make something out of himself and not just anything hes a HERO. Luke Cage changed his life and the lives of so many others. Luke Cage shows people that its never too late and they can do anything they put their mind to. Yes there will be resistance but in the end no one can deny the truth and excellence. As Luke Cage says and shows us you have to move forward always.
ReplyDeleteI understand that there is frustration about the prison system. I do not agree with the thought of them all being closed though. Michelle Alexander has a point when she speaks on the criminal system being corrupt. It has been corrupt and will continue to be corrupt as long as there is the possibility and option of owning and having private prisons. The whole idea and process of the prison system should and needs to be reformed to have better options in and when one comes out if allowed the option. This
ReplyDeletehttp://atlantablackstar.com/2014/06/08/prosecutors-integrity-units-attempt-ensure-justice-nearly-5000-convictions/
is a link that talks about how there are people advocating for those that may have be wrongfully convicted of crimes to actually make sure their cases were handled in the right way. I feel as though if a convicted felon was wrongfully convicted then of course as soon as possible they should be released and shown some type of compensation. On the other hand, if the means of the conviction are true and accurate then the crime done should be dealt with and with the proper amount of time served. I do feel though the limits of the prisons should greater help the person along while serving time instead of keeping them down. People that serve life sentences shouldn’t be treated inhumane, but at least as a person.
Luke Cage was an inspiration to the black race in the aspects of the series. He creates this image of the black man that was a felon as somebody that paid for his mistakes but lives now for the greater good of the people. He takes care of others without hesitation. He portrays the image of a very large black man that actually has a very soft inside when it comes to that of people or wanting to help people. Even though he has been wrongfully accused of doing a crime he didn’t commit he still put the general safety of the public first without the worry of getting caught or having something else slow him down from his goal.
This shows the humane side of him being this superhero that doesn’t even want to be recognized as a hero. I think this shows the coping mechanism him just playing it cool to continue to be looked at in society as a regular person. This just shows how he is a quintessential American citizen.
I agree how Luke Cage is an inspiration to the black race through media. Society needed a tv that encourages the black man and clear some stereotypes that may have been a concern
DeletePrisons should remain open, but there should be a more in-depth investigation on who’s being convicted and for what, to avoid locking men, especially black men up for crimes they did not commit. The character Luke Cage is represented in the show as a hidden hero because though he is a felon, he’s the only savior for the people in his community when it comes to crime. Like many other Black males, Luke Cage was targeted and wrongly convicted. Wives are without husbands, children are without fathers, and so on, due to the corrupt criminal system. And even once men are released the mere fact that they’re a Black male with a record, makes their life a lot harder than it already is. For centuries America has been afraid of the idea of the Black many being superior and done everything they could to keep them down and broken. Wives are without husbands, children are without fathers, and so on, due to the corrupt criminal system.
ReplyDeleteI believe that many men who are wrongly convicted had good things ahead of them and were probably just at the wrong place at the wrong time. Below is a link to the George Stinney story. He was only 14 years old when he was sentenced to death by the electric chair after being convicted for the murder of two teenage white girls. It wasn’t until 2014, that Judge Carmen Mullen vacated Stinney’s conviction, which was by far, too late.
http://atlantablackstar.com/2015/01/09/worst-cases-white-people-wrongfully-accusing-black-people-committing-crimes/5/
Michelle Alexander suggesting the criminal system and mass incarceration was corrupt and to shut it down for good sounds positive for African Americans. Releasing every criminal could be the right thing to do due to under different circumstances. Some felons who didn't deserve their sentence I believe should be released back to their families such as Kalief Browder who we discussed in class. On the other hand, I believe some criminals deserve to stay in prison due to their cruel acts with no remorse. Reading and watching Luke cage removes some stereotypes that people have against African American. It also characterizes black men not just being a criminal but being your average superhero. Wearing a hoodie in past times have shown only led to deadly killings due to a bad stereotype. In Luke cage he wears a hoodie throughout the show. Luke Cage cleared the air for the bad stereotype. Luke Cage protects, sacrifice, and saves lives to help people. Luke Cage supports Michelle Alexanders theory by incorporating “the released hero/felon from prison”, and turning his life around to a hero to many families in his community just as many black men in prison want to pursue. Luke Cage gives the audience a different point of view of the black man facing the same situations but overcoming those situations. I believe every black community must have some type of unity before we can overcome any other problems. Luke Cage shows notable examples of that.
ReplyDeleteI really love your post. I definitely agree with you as well we can't be releasing everyone its some crazy people who are not fit to be in society. I was also pondering on your statement on we need some sort of unity to overcome. From my perception we are the most divided community. My question what do you think are ways we can become united as a people?
DeleteI agree but at the same time I don't agree I'm torn because. I do believe that the prison system is terrible and needs to be fixed however. We just can't sit here and be releasing everyone from prison because some of them need to stay away. Good number of African Americans have been wrongly convicted and need to be released however there are some killers who need to stay in. We don't need to release cold blooded criminals absolutely not. So for this situation i'm torn its almost like Damn if you do Damn if you don't. The way the system is set up either way you loose. Keep the prison system and the unjust will continue but if you take away the prison system we got people like Jack The Ripper and Jeffery Dahmer who will be on the loose God forbid. Overall on that I'm impartial.
ReplyDeleteLuke Cage greatly changes the script as far as breaking that stereotype of how a black man is supposed to be or behave. He is definitely a wonderful example of how a person can learn from their mistake and evolve from it. Not all felons are evil people not everybody that is a felon is a monster. I'm happy that Luke cage gives mainstream America different view of how us Black men are and give them something more then just what they have been used to seeing and believing. Hopefully this chain will break and the cycle will end but unfortunately I feel as if were going to need more actual Luke Cages in America before we start seeing real change.
I liked your attached video a lot because it is every single stereotype that almost every black person is forced to endure unless they're under the guide of a black writer. I do agree with your ideas regarding the prisons
Deletehttps://youtu.be/7aHEh7OzddQ
ReplyDeleteMichelle Alexander’s point about the criminal justice system and mass incarceration being corrupt is absolutely accurate. We see the proof in her claims by the percentages of black males who are incarcerated as opposed to the percentage of white males who are incarcerated along with the fact that blacks serve longer sentences. Plus programs that are institutionally implemented as such as New York's Stop & Frisk program that was created to harass black and latino people which is evident in the percentages. Despite the adversity that black people face in the justice system, I would deem it ludicrous to shut down the prison system and release convicted felons to the streets. I believe that in order to dismantle the system, there needs to be some type of reform in place. The U.S. is focused on the rhetoric of locking people up and throwing away the key as opposed to other countries around the world like Sweden that are dedicated to the rehabilitation of the inmate. If the U.S. was dedicated to creating evolution within a felon and actually rehabilitating them, then I believe that would resolve many of the issues with the prison system. Before any of this could happen though, the systematic racist would have to be overthrown and that would include everyone from government officials to police officers, so that the proper people could implement the rehab concept. The reform of the prison system would be extremely difficult but it is better than the idea of dumping the prison system completely. Luke Cage is a black man that people are not aware of that they know or see on a daily basis. In reality there are Luke Cages everywhere but because of the projected view of the American black man being scary, untrustworthy, and up to no good, people would have no idea that that Black man is far more reachable to them than they think. Luke Cage opens up the eyes of non black people to the good hearted and compassionate black man. In the Netflix series he is shown reading, helping people, struggling with who he is, and overall just being a human with emotions. Watching him through the screen opens up a closed mindset to how black people really are as opposed to what people assume that we are because of avenues as such as hip hop or the way that non black people have portrayed us on screen. Luke is depicted as relatable, which shows in the music he listens to and the way he isn't dressed up as a typical super hero but as a regular person. Hopefully, as people watch the show they will start making correlations to him and his mindset to the everyday black man that they judge before they even make an attempt to know.
ReplyDeleteI like how you mentioned the stop and frisk program issued by the state of New York. Programs like this give police the right to "legally" stop you for no reason just to try and find something or potentially lock you up. Statistics show that 58% of these stops are made to black people and only 7% to white men. This huge gap shows that the system is corrupted and only looking to put men of color in jail.
DeleteI enjoyed how he challenged the idea of black beauty above everything else. You can see dark skin black men being depicted as evil in almost all instances. I'm going to use Tyler Perry movies for a strong example of this, movies created by a black man and mass consumed by the black community constantly portrays dark skin men as not only the central antagonist and everything evil in the world, it's often coupled with the idea of being a felon or constantly on the wrong side of the tracks. They could've casted Luke Cage as a light skin man and continued to perpetrate this stereotype, they choose Mike Colter. The chose a giant, muscled, bald black man as the hero- the protagonist, the true north of the series and it worked effortlessly and never seemed forced upon the viewers.
ReplyDeleteI, however, don't agree with the idea of releasing every single felon from behind bars. Some people are genuinely bad people and only wish to do harm upon others. I do, however, advocate for the idea of a much higher level of mantience given towards prisoners. Prisoners across the country are forced to work dangerously long hours, malnourished, beaten by both guards and other inmates, things that are cruel and unusual and we all know of these things and ignore them. Many inmates are undiagnosed with mental instability issues and as someone with Borderline personality disorder, I know just how off the rails I can become when unchecked and without the proper medicine and care.
I like what you pointed out about the way Cage looks. I find that very true in many movies and it is a breath of fresh air to see a true black man being a "hero". Something does have to change with the prisons for it to work and people seem to not care about the actual well being and mental health of the people in jail.
DeleteI do agree with Michelle Alexander's suggestion that the criminal system and mass incarceration are corrupt. As Michelle Alexander brought to our attention in chapter six of her book "The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness" many prisons are built in rural areas and are basically off the grid. In a way this is an out of sight, out of mind approach. We do not see these people on the regular basis, so once you make a visit then leave and maybe only visit every once in a while its hard to keep up with them. We do not see the inhumane treatment they face each and everyday, so we often forget about since it is not seen frequently. We have evidence of this inhumane treatment from people who have experienced like Kalief Browder. In the "Kalief Browder Story" on Netflix we are given information from events Kalief himself experienced and video clips to show it as well. It shows savage injuries, how inmates and guards act with each other, and multiple beatings and fights breaking out at any second. Kalief was only a child when he entered Rikers Island prison but was charged as an adult for a crime he did not commit. This situation not only made Kalief an actual prisoner but this also imprisoned his mind by seeing these horrific incidents everyday for three years, not knowing if he was next to get beat, and not knowing when his next meal would come. Even though I agree with Michelle Alexander's statement, I do not agree that closing all prisons would be the answer. Instead of just releasing these people from jail we should focus on the treatment they endure while they serve their time. They are outcasted and live in animalistic and inhumane conditions when they should be treated like the human beings they are.
ReplyDeleteIn Luke Cage, he embodies that black people are not just criminals but the quintessential American citizen by being normalizing being hero, working two jobs, and having weakness. Luke Cage does not take on the role of being a hero because he feels that title does not define him. If he were to make a mistake he would accept it and grow from it instead of dwelling on the fact that he tainted his image. Luke Cage working two jobs cancels out the growing fact of being felon makes it hard to get a job. When majority of people are released from prison they are denied jobs because they are a convicted felon, which causes them to look to the streets to make money and they get caught up and eventually put back in jail. Though Luke Cage is bullet proof he still does have weaknesses like anyone else. His weakness is niceness and care towards other people. He seems to find himself in the most trouble when lending a helping hand but he can't stop doing that because he wants to protect.
I agree with Alexander when she says that the criminal system and mass incarceration are corrupt. I also think shes right when she says that the prisons need to be closed. I do not however feel that this means that we have to accept that we have to let convicted felons out. I think what Alexander means is that we need to close the prisons because the justice system has never been equal for people of color but also we need to find other alternatives to help these people transform their lives. the question is are these people really felon . We have learned that most of these "felons" are charged with simple crimes. They repeat a cycle of going in out of jail do to the system been designed for people of color to fail.
ReplyDeleteCoker flipped the word felon by using the Luke Cage persona. The writer normalized Cage which in return normalized every black man that is labeled a "felon. " black men are shown as humans rather than the animals that the system try to label them as.Luke Cage is beautiful because he shows how complex the everyday black man is while adding a superhero touch. Luke Cage has two jobs , Educated on his culture and he just wants to protect and serve his community. It has been drilled in our head that all those things that I mention are what Americans are all about.In my book this make Cage(felon)an outstanding american citizen.
- China Hopkins
DeleteHello China! You stated the system was corrupt , and most felons have been charged with simple crimes. If this is the case, why do you believe felons shouldn't be released, in order to fix the criminal system and mass incarceration?
DeleteMichelle Alexander suggest prisons should be closed, which then poses the question of how that would look in America. The United States of American has a massive prison rate. More than 2.4 million Americans are locked behind bars in federal penitentiaries, state corrections facilities, and local jailhouses. As a nation, we do need to take a step back and evaluate the validity and fairness of our justice system. While I do not think closing every prison in the united states and realizing every prisoner is the way to do it, I believe something needs to be done. We first need to explore the conditions of the prisons that we are sending people too. The conditions that prisoners live in are not suitable for any human being. Then we need to assess the type assistance and psychological help provided for these individuals. It is easy to leave prison defeated and damaged. In America, it is hard for convicted felons to receive assistance with housing, education, and acquiring a career upon release. We also need to explore the alternatives to prison especially for juveniles. In America, criminals are seen as people who are seen as unworthy of concern or care. Second Class Citizens that are stripped of their rights upon release. In the link, I have included https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQ6H-Mz6hgw, Michelle Alexander talks about the racial biased in the criminal justice system. In this TED talk Alexander ties the justice system to a system of racial and social control rather than a system of crime prevention and control. Black people are often targeted, frisked, searched and interrogated in today’s society. It is odd for a felon to be seen as anything less than just that a felon. So Cheo Hodari Coker defied many odds when the show Luke Cage was created. He created a show around a black man who was a felon but also a hero. A man who was bulletproof but still cared about the community. A man people could look to for strength and as an asset to humanity, but how can a second-class citizen be an essential American citizen? Luke Cage used his body to shield stray bullets in the struggle between cops and criminals. Rather than run from the controversy, Coker and his team face it head on by addressing hard topics in the black community like gentrification. Luke Cage dresses in a hoodie to pay homage to the tragedy of the death of Trayvon Martin. In the show, Luke is also hesitant to use his strength which knocks on the door of the black masculinity stereotype. Both Coker and Alexander are challenging systems that disproportionately affect the black community. Using entertainment mediums to convey a message of rehabilitation rather than regression.
ReplyDeleteMarvel’s Luke Cage: Superhero, Vigilante, and Role-model
ReplyDeleteMy father was a correctional officer with the South Carolina Department of Corrections, for many years. I have heard him speak about inmates’ behavior under his jurisdiction. Often times it was very negative. Men often did silly and despicable things behind bars. My father was often dumbfounded regarding their behavior. These men would do things that they knowingly would cause them to get into more trouble but because of peer pressure or greed, would commit acts resulting in more charges. But, there were those few occasions that he spoke of inmates in a positive manner. Those inmates that wanted to do the right thing, stay out of trouble, had some sense of pride, and a sense of purpose. These men were often a in their 30’s or 40’s, with a solid family structure backing them. Luke Cage would have been one of the men my father would speak of in a positive manner.
Luke Cage is a reluctant hero. He really wants to be left alone to mine his on business and get on with his life. He states, “I am still not sure what I am. I just wanna live my life, day-to-day.” Although, he has a remarkable gift given to him through experimentation, he prefers to stay under the radar. It is not until a tragic event in his life that he begins to use his abilities to help better his situation and that of his community. Many strong black men, are often reluctant to get involved. I believe it has very little to do with bravery but, just how they would be perceived; loud, black, threating, etc. So, it’s important to find ways to use that strength (intelligence, character, abilities, etc.) in a manner that’s effective, progressive, and beneficial.
America is the land of second chances and opportunity. Luke Cage is a prime example of someone that can take the opportunities given to him and become an asset to his community. Although, he has superpowers he can be a role-model as to the drive of a black man to change their circumstance and want to do something better with themselves. Being an ex-con has its on list of difficulties and struggles to just begin to be a beneficial part of the community. If an ex-con has positive motivation, a good network of support, and the drive to be on the right-side of things, they can make their way to a productive life after prison. This will not be easy. It will take drive and stamina to become a quintessential American citizen and foster the belief in an attainable American dream.
I agree with your point of being an ex-con how hard it is and will be to become again an aAmerican citizen, or to live a life they want to live to get used to life behind bars again which is why the prison systems need so much work done. It's also why there needs to be more support from outsiders who want to see these "criminals" turn their life around and do the right thing. I also agree that Cage represents in many ways a real black man today.
DeleteI do not believe that prison should be closed. There are a lot of others in the prison system that aren't convicted felons. There are also a lot of people in jail that are in jail that hasn't committed a crime or has done anything wrong. Especially black men. Yes, not only is Cage a co passionate, caring man who represents community uplift, but he still is a felon. I think while in prison you have to be careful, but everyone isn't the same, and shouldn't be judged the same. I think Luke Cage is someone that takes pride and was given the opportunity to care for his community. Also a lot of people change while in prison. For some people you don't leave out the same way you came in. Cage became more of a role model than a hero. Yes he's saved lives but, he has other black males looking up to him. Give other black men who has these corrupt minds to rethink things and the decisions they make. Life after prison isn't easy but it takes a real man to overcome and make a difference for the better. It's time for the stereotypes to stop for black men and become a good example. In my eyes Cage is an American Citizen that used to be a felon.
ReplyDeleteHey Khalil, your opinion is very interesting! I see you agree and say a lot of men in prison break today are innocent, but you have reservations about closing the jail. My question to you is what alternative, would you offer in order for these men to receive justice, and stop the mass incarceration of the many after them?
DeleteI do think the prison systems in America are very corrupt and I would agree that they should be closed. I wouldn't agree to let every felon be free immediately but I know there are many options other than prisons. I watched a documentary "Where to Invade Next" and Michael Moore showed the prisons in other countries and the things they do as "punishment" and It is nothing like the mass incarcerations America has, the cruelty, but it teaches these "criminals" to learn how to live with their mistakes, live in a safe place, and live in society. Yes far from their loved ones which is punishment also but they get the treated as humans and they get help. Prisons have to go there are other options other facilities, other way to do things. I believe people make mistakes but they don't have to be punished for life or put away for someone to feel justice.
ReplyDeleteIn Luke Cage, I feel that he is a representation of what a black man is. Of course all black men are not criminals but the ones that are need to be understood. One needs to understand the "criminal" in order to understand the "crime" or lifestyle. Since so many people just do not understand black people or do not think we are anything other than the stereotypes put on us and see Cage and through him see the black people and community in a different light. We see him as a normal black man not like a superhero with powers and doing all these things we as humans could never do I.e ( Superman, Spiderman). Instead we see him live a normal life as a hero but at the same time as an unapologetic yet normal black man which is different from what we see everyday.
ReplyDeleteAs Michelle Alexander has suggested, I feel shutting down prisons would be a great idea. The acceptance of felons and criminal is absurd. Criminals are still humans. In today society, criminals are barely criminals. Many people who have been incarcerated are or were targeted. The penile system is torture and is solely based on profit. Also, the Blackman is the number one target for these prisons. White America would HATE to see all back or colored people released from prison. They’d put the stereotypes out there they’d hinder them from living normal by means of probation/house arrest. So yes, shutting down prisons would be beautiful but white America would never even allow the idea of it to process. Like in Luke Cage, the streets were down for supporting him, even the black police officer, but the whites in the show was opposed.
Luke Cage and his characteristics in his show is exactly what black cinema needs. We as whole have been stereotyped in some many ways that man people today believe that these stereotypes are true and coincide with our everyday lives. A black super hero, seldom seen, is on screen today. Not only is Luke Cage a bald black man with a beard, he’s a hoodie wearing felon from the heart of New York city. He is a person just like me or you. The show and its characters created an alternate reality for black people. Its main characters who are black, the villain, Mariah, a black older woman (not usually a villain), the detective was black also. The show was ground breaking in opening an alternate stereotype for black people.
Few out of every odd single dull man the wear hoodies are thuggish and as the people will take advantage in the opportunity to call them one. Him having the ability to escape many of times and how he helped to stop crime put him in a isolated situation. However, he managed to be on the run and be untraceable at the same time. He was genuinely into helping find his true identity and which to him to meant he had to face reality. With him acting that way, that just shows that just one out of every odd group of ex-convicts are not all guilty. Attempted to show to us how a single African American man can turn his life around and fight to keep his name clean against society. He was willing to fight to the death to find out the truth behind every wrong act. This character also portrayed to us how they signal the black man as an unpleasant human being to be around.
ReplyDeleteI don't believe that Luke Cage was showed as an unpleasant human to be around. If anything he was viewed as a hero, sworn to protect his community. Even the police respected him for his commitment to help stop criminals.
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ReplyDeleteFirst and foremost I would like to say I agree with Michelle Alexander, the Criminal system and mass incarceration are extremely corrupt. More specifically, the criminal system and mass incarceration are set up to target African Americans (AA's) and Hispanics making them over 90% of the prison population. Because of these facts I believe the criminal system and mass incarceration is the equivalent of legalized slavery today. That is why I agree with Alexander when she boldly offers that prisons should be shut down, and convicted felons would have to be released. However, in order for this to work , there would have to be an effective rehabilitation program set up for these released citizens to become productive members of society. And the term Ex-Con would have to be wiped from all non violent crimes already committed in order to give them a true chance back into society.
We see a positive representation of a released felon in the show "Luke Cage." Outwardly, he would be judged/ racially profiled as a criminal because of his appearance. He is a tall dark skin black man, who wears a hoodie. And the double whammy is he has a record as a "Ex-felon", a term that taints or marks released felons for life. Making them an outcast, and creating added barriers from allowing them back into society. The beauty of this "Hero" is that he is a regular man, who is all of these things, that would stereotype/ condemn him. The creation of this character shows another side to the forced negative conception that the world sees about black men everyday. Showing them , as true "quintessential American citizens" who live in your community, verse minuses to society that they are commonly pictured as today.
It has been proven time and time again that the criminal justice system is a for profit business that targets black and brown people to increase private prison owner’s revenue. The system thrives off poor neighborhoods and disadvantaged youth. Michelle Alexander supports this theory by giving examples of the school to prison pipeline, the 2nd class citizenship prisoners experience and general racism officers exert over citizens every day. There is no doubt in my mind that the mass incarceration and criminal justice system is corrupt. I believe prisons should be shut down and reformed. I believe there should be rehabilitation centers for people who commit crimes because not everyone who goes in the system is a lost cause. Luke Cage shows us this throughout his series. Cage is a convicted felon who gets out and proves that he is a compassionate, caring man who fights for his community and his loved ones. This image is the first many black people are seeing in mainstream television that shows black men are not the typical “Mandingo” character. This hero, Luke Cage, creates an alternate aesthetic of black men by appearing as a normal every day guy. He is huge and may seem scary at first but once he starts talking it is clear he is no monster. Cage is an example of black men that come out the system for the better, and that is not just science fiction. In 2015 Spike Lee helped produce a film titled, Evolution of a Criminal, a documentary which followed the life of Darius Clark Monroe. Monroe robbed banks and was the typical black, teenage ‘hoodlum’, but as the film shows that was because of a poor upbringing and a system designed to let black men fail. Here is the trailer for the film, the whole film is also available on Youtube. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIlmfgOTgxI) This film is an example of a hero in the community who was a felon. Luke Cage is not fiction as that is just one example of the truths that happen every day. The show illuminates the black man as a person not to be feared. This show is an example for white people who don’t know not all black people are the same. This show is an example to young black boys that they don’t always have to be hard. This show shows that the black man is a normal American and I applaud this show for showing the world a black hero.
ReplyDeleteAlthough mass incarceration is a growing issue in this country, before we consider releasing all felons and closing prisons we must first look at each individual case. The criminal justice system is corrupted but sometimes tend to be correct as far as the severity of a crime. There are hundreds of black men in prisons who were falsely arrested or illegally held from having a trial. Some are kept, beaten and coheres into taking a plea deal. I agree that the justice system should be examined but I do not believe we should release all felons because some are there who are mass murderers or terrorist. Some people are locked up for the protection of everyone else. Luke Cage is an excellent example of a black man rising above his record and doing something positive with his life. He represents that convicted felon or not, you can still have a life past jail. He stayed true to himself, dressed in his hoodie and jeans, he stood tall and fought for his community. All felons are capable of achieving this if they truly want to. All they need is one person to give them a second chance in life.
ReplyDeleteWithin western culture we value the idea of good vs bad, the idea of a hero and about duty to the greater good. Many children grow up having some kind of super hero in their life that they look to that defines the first struggle they know of good vs evil. Actors like John Wayne, Bruce Willis & Chuck Norris permeate American films with this idea of a macho hero that loves his country and justice. During this class we have discussed this idea of a white savior and hero but what about black hero’s ? As DC native rapper Wale puts it “ain’t been a black hero since Robert Townsend”. Despite the “progression” of our society we still notice that within media the only “hero’s” exemplified that are black are celebrities and athletes. All of that changed with the arrival of the Luke Cage series that finally brought into a modern Times a superhero that could connect with the black youth of America. Beyond the idea of a black hero for our youth Luke Cages character creates an alternate mold for white Americans to get their mind around. The mold of growing up poor, struggling through life , having felonies and being incarcerated leads to another cell or early grave is broken by Luke Cage. Not only does he come out of the system not broken , he is able to take his circumstances and make the best of it while improving the lives of those around them. The American hero is the quintessential citizen because they are supposed to have this burning desire for justice to where they become a vigilante. The idea that someone who was once a felon or prisoner could come out and not only be better but have a positive impact on their community seems ludicrous to the aesthetic of the black felon in America. With regards to prisons being closed and the release of convicted felons it should be kept in mind that although not all of inmates deserve to be locked up , some of them do and all have been changed by being behind bars. In order for us to properly release and rehabilitate convicted felons you have to prepare them for the real world before they are released. Similar to how boot camp is supposed to prepare you or simulate certain war conditions so should inmates be prepared to properly assimilate back into society.
ReplyDeleteI do not believe closing the prisons and releasing all convicted felons is the best idea because some of the inmates actually deserve to be in prison for the protection of others. The justice system does need to be examined and revised because there have been a lot of unlawful and unnecessary sentences given to black men and women. Luke's situation is a really good example of a black man striving for success regardless of his criminal background. He is involved in his community, protects his people and uplift his community. I believe this shows that any black american can be successful regardless of their past with the correct guidance.
ReplyDelete"The system" is just that. A system. Not only is it a system, but it's a cyclical one. It's an intricate method of oppression that most don't pay attention to unless they are affected by it. Prisons are for profit BUSINESSES that are in existence purely to make money. They do not care about molding inmates into a better person. Instead, they focus on packing the inmates in as tightly as possible because of the amount of money received per inmate. So it is not completely irrational for Alexander to say prisons should be closed, but in the end, inmates aren't getting proper care, rehabilitation, or coaching on what they should do after they are released, ultimately leading to them being put back behind bars, or worse… dead. As a society, unfortunately, no one would let prisons be shut down, mainly because of fear. Lest we forget, these over-crowded prisons are filled with people who are innocent and have taken a plea deal, those who have trumped up charges for something that could and should be a misdemeanor, and finally, those who are being failed and oppressed by the cycle because prison is sometimes the only "home" a person knows. As far as Cage, a released "felon," he may be considered a sight for sore eyes. his presence alone would intimidate many, but the work he does for his community, although he doesn't want to be a hero, is invaluable. Cheo Coker does a great job of illustrating a black man as a hero. A BULLET PROOF black man, a paradox in itself, gives black people the chance to see that not only can he be a regular man that wears a hoodie, but the black person is powerful beyond measure. I thank Coker because it's been a long time coming for the black person able to see someone that they can identify with as none other than a hero.
ReplyDelete^Jordan Peterson
DeleteI have to say that I must agree with Michelle Alexander, in saying that the prison system in this country is corrupt. Do I believe that prisons should be closed, yes. For the general public to accept the release of convicted felons we would have to understand that some of these "felons" were wrongly accused, and others have been reformed/changed and are ready to be reintroduced as a productive member of society. Luke cage represents the quintessential American citizen because he is an upstanding member of his community that does everything within his power to protect and serve the people surrounding him. He is a black man that has been wrongly accused of killing a cop and shunned by a nation; yet he still shines through as a true hero for his people. The society that we live in has brainwashed the masses into thinking that darker the skin the more afraid of that person that you should be. Luke cage is the darkest thing walking in this show however his character is the most loving caring and non-corrupted person in the cast.
ReplyDeleteThe closings of prisons is an Extremely irrational solution. The best solution would be to reform and restructure the American prison system. The American prison system should rehabilitate, uplift and create better citizens out of people who commit crimes. A great example is prisons in Europe where they allow prisoners to live somewhat normal lives while in prison. Where they can learn trades, consistent conjugal visits and they even get to have jobs in which they make a decent wage. The biggest problem with the American prison system is that it is used to dehumanize its prisoners. With often leads to a higher tension rate of prisoners. As for Luke Cage, he is great example of someone who contradicts the societal norm of what not only what a black man is but what a felon can be in society after being released from prison. As I previously alluded to, the American prison system in a lot of ways is used to punish and retain prisoners because prisoners are often looked at as "trash" to society regardless of who they are as a person or what obstacles led to the committing crime. Luke Cage was far from a criminal in mind or in actions. He was a man with a good heart and someone who wanted the best for his community. Luke Cage shows that not all criminals (Although Cage was innocent) stay in a criminalistics mindset for their entire lives. And it also shows that us a society need to stop looking at felons as bad but try to understand their background and who they are as people.
ReplyDeleteI believe that the system is corrupt in many ways due to the act that they claim to help the inmates but they have no running system to help the inmates back on their feet once their released. However, I don’t agree with shutting prison’s down I feel like we need to take other alternatives and look into how we can better our country not just that but help the inmates out. Once released from prison their label for life as criminals that’s not okay, the prisons don’t teach them life skills, ways to make them a better individual, they just release them knowing they aren’t familiar with the outside world which will eventually get them back in jail. I also feel like the target the African American race, example Kalief Browder was falsely accused at the age of sixteen (he was a baby) for a crime he didn’t commit and spent three years in jail. I feel like they just want to lock us all up and say were all criminals in some mischievous way. I read an article a few days ago saying how “Black kids are overrepresented behind bars in the U.S..” after reading that article I felt that the any race can steal, get into fights, etc. and black kids overwhelmingly are the ones that are arrested. Luke Cage shows us that just because you’re big and wear a hoodies doesn’t mean you’re a felon, he was a caring man that was proven by his actions that being said we shouldn’t judge by the appearance of others.
ReplyDeleteIn every movie and story that we have encountered in class I’ve noticed that the most prominent stereotype found is the “dehumanization” of the black person. This may particularly occur in the black male to the naive, but within movies and readings it is clear that it doesn’t matter about race, or age in that matter. The Webster’s definition of dehumanization is to deprive someone of positive human qualities. Within everything we’ve covered in class, there has been some sort of deprivation of the black individual in the works. Birth of a Nation (1915) shows the usage of black face and the “inferior” nature that blacks have in retrospect to the white man. D.W. Griffith bases this perspective from his life of being a son to a confederate soldier. From looking at blacks at the confederate eye, he seen people without a purpose and felt that they were not human at all. Blacks were considered the enemy and for that reason they have no right to be on “American” land. In Micheaux’s Within Our Gates (1920) there are the lead roles of the Black individuals, yet it shows the negative stereotypes as well. The implied understanding may have been to show the good and bad of every race, yet it shows the dehumanization of blacks by whites. Sylvia Landry’s entire family was intended to be lynched without regard to age, race, or gender. Although the youngest brother escaped, the whites expressed enjoyment to see the innocent mother and father being killed. Ironically, the behavior of the whites was almost barbaric, or not human like. In the situation of Rodney King and Latasha Harlins, they are real-life victims of dehumanization within their own community. Latasha Harlins being a innocent 15 year old girl that was seen as a criminal just based off of the color of her skin. Without understanding her backstory, or attempting to let her justify her reasons for her actions, she gets shot in the back of the head. Soon Da Ju didn’t think of an innocent high school girl that she shot. Never mind the fact that our “U.S. Constitution” grants us the inalienable right to life, or the fact that the child had the money in her hand. Mrs. Ju did not care to think about the life of the mother for the child, or consider the life that the young girl did not have. She shot her in the back of the head in less than 3 feet from her.
ReplyDeleteBack when I was in high school, I read a story called “Black Men and Public Space” which gave the perspective of a black man as he walks in the city alone. He explains how white people (and black women) view him as this monster no matter what time of day it is. To dehumanize him as an individual and assume that he has malicious intentions, people will lock their car doors and move far away as he comes closer. This shows a subconscious perception of the dehumanized black man without any further thought to be considered.
Article URL: https://learning.hccs.edu/faculty/nichelle.puder/assigned-readings/black-men-and-public-space
I don’t understand the prejudice of blacks versus everyone else, even our own kind sometimes.
I know one thing, I’m tired of the dehumanization of my race.