African american Quote by Michelle Alexander
““The temptation is to insist that black men 'choose' to be criminals; the system does not make them criminals, at least not in the way that slavery made blacks slaves or Jim Crow made them second-class citizens. The myth of choice here is seductive, but it should be resisted. African Americans are not significantly more likely to use or sell prohibited drugs than whites, but they are made criminals at drastically higher rates for precisely the same conduct. In fact, studies suggest that white professionals may be the most likely of any group to have engaged in illegal drug activity in their lifetime, yet they are the least likely to be made criminals. The prevalence of illegal drug activity among all racial and ethnic groups creates a situation in which, due to limited law enforcement resources and political constraints, some people are made criminals while others are not. Black people have been made criminals by the War on Drugs to a degree that dwarfs its effect on other racial and ethnic groups, especially whites. And the process of making them criminals has produced racial stigma.””
About This Quote
Source Book: The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness, 2010
The system disproportionately criminalizes Black people through drug policies, creating a false narrative of personal choice and reinforcing racial stigma.
In simple terms: Drug laws unfairly target Black people, creating a myth of choice.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and challenge systemic bias in law enforcement.
Themes
racial justice
criminal justice reform
systemic racism
policy analysis
Mood
critical
concerned
determined
Type
analytical
activist
When to use this quote
- policy advocacy
- community education
- legal reform
- public health initiatives
Key Concepts
mass incarceration
racial stigma
law enforcement bias
Questions to Reflect On
- How do we dismantle the myth of choice in criminalization?
- What policies can reduce racial disparities in drug enforcement?
A Different Perspective
The argument may overlook individual agency and socioeconomic factors beyond drug law enforcement.
![“[T]he slave went free; stood a brief moment in the sun; then moved back again toward slavery. —W.E.B Du Bois, Black Reconstruction in America For” quote by Michelle Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/fdb/michelle-alexander-750_slavery_t-he-slave-went-free-stood-a-brief-momen_96485.jpg)
