The Widening Divisions

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JoeP
Posts: 523
Joined: Sat Jun 25, 2011 5:10 am

Re: The Widening Divisions

Post by JoeP »

Eberhardt concludes, “Our research shows that numbers don’t always speak for themselves. Reducing inequality takes more than simply presenting people with evidence of extreme inequality.”
I'd like to read an in depth interview with this Eberhardt to fully understand what he means by reducing inequality and his recommended solutions for doing so. Maybe run some possibilities by him and get his reaction.

For example, what if we limited the percentage of black criminals in the prisons to the same percentage that they are in the population at large. Say 13%. These slots in the prison are reserved for the harshest black offenders. So if you have too many, then the overflow simply get pardoned as "not meeting imprisonment criteria" and released back into society until more slots open up. A FIFO queue could also work.

Likewise, the other 80%+ are reserved for whites, latinos, etc. Same rules. Obviously, the whites will have to make up the much greater number of slots by going to prison for lower and lower offenses until the cells max out before the criteria pardoning happens. And the FIFO queue is also much, much longer. But who cares, right?

You think this Eberhardt would go for this plan? A nice two tier system that forced to conform to his numerical sense of equality?

MSimon
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Re: The Widening Divisions

Post by MSimon »

These slots in the prison are reserved for the harshest black offenders.
That is what you are told. In fact what they are reserved for is prohibition violators. It is why you see resentment towards police so high among the black community. My white retired detective friend Howard Wooldridge calls Prohibition the worst thing that has been done to blacks since slavery and Jim Crow.

But this resentment is nothing new. We had a similar resentment towards police by the end of alcohol prohibition.

And let me ask again - who will the SWAT teams be used on next? After prohibition? I think the recent IRS scandal gives a clue.

You know how it goes. When power shifts the previously disempowered are going to want their revenge. It is human nature. And the Party that is supposed to be so wise in the nature of humans didn't see it coming. Still doesn't.
Engineering is the art of making what you want from what you can get at a profit.

williatw
Posts: 1912
Joined: Mon Oct 12, 2009 7:15 pm
Location: Ohio

Re: The Widening Divisions

Post by williatw »

MSimon wrote:
These slots in the prison are reserved for the harshest black offenders.
That is what you are told. In fact what they are reserved for is prohibition violators. It is why you see resentment towards police so high among the black community. My white retired detective friend Howard Wooldridge calls Prohibition the worst thing that has been done to blacks since slavery and Jim Crow.

But this resentment is nothing new. We had a similar resentment towards police by the end of alcohol prohibition.

And let me ask again - who will the SWAT teams be used on next? After prohibition? I think the recent IRS scandal gives a clue.

You know how it goes. When power shifts the previously disempowered are going to want their revenge. It is human nature. And the Party that is supposed to be so wise in the nature of humans didn't see it coming. Still doesn't.
The problem is this...let's say you are a "typical" white person asked to sign the petition. If you see that the majority of those being incarcerated are black, you are strongly tempted to look at it like this: You the white majority gain the perceived benefit of the mass incarceration, reduced crime without paying the price, erosion/abuse of (your) civil liberties (blacks arguably get the benefit too..but they pay the price with said incarceration). After all it is black and Hispanic youth being imprisoned disproportionately not you or people like you; so why upset the applecart you might reason; your "sorry" about the injustice done to them, but on balance you feel it is in the best interest of the majority (people like you). You are willing then to overlook the abuses of the system because you feel on balance it benefits the majority of the people; you also suspect that those who would change it may not have your best interest at heart "bleeding heart liberals"; after all compare NY city today (crime wise) to NY city in the David Dinkins days; few people (white or black) would want that back.

MSimon
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Re: The Widening Divisions

Post by MSimon »

williatw,

Yes. Of course. Except.... Prohibition is ending. And states can no longer afford the prisons or housing the people that used to fill them. We have already seen one wave of releases. There will be more.

Colorado is a harbinger. In Denver the murder rate is down 60%. Auto thefts are down by 1/3rd. Overall crime has dropped 10%. With state budgets strained other States are going to want to replicate that. Especially the tax money that will be generated. In Illinois there are already rumblings of legalization by legislation. I estimate they have 2/3rds of the vote required. And the legalizers are gaining ground.

So who will the SWAT teams target given the coming change.

Our Conservative friends have put a sword in the hands of their enemies. I predict it will not turn out well.
Engineering is the art of making what you want from what you can get at a profit.

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