Assignment:
MUST WATCH THE FOLLOWING
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=krfcq5pF8u8
1) How did you feel after viewing the 13th?
2) How did this film shape your understanding of the prison system? Was there a particular case or series of facts that altered or challenged any of your pre-existing views? Explain.
3) How much did you know about the war on drugs and war on crime before watching the film? Were you surprised to learn about the racial underpinnings of these legislative policies and the active role of the state in criminalizing and targeting communities of color?
4) How do you think the media and popular culture representations of Black Americans, particularly of Black men, have contributed to a dangerous climate of white fear and anxiety? How can we challenge these instances of racism and dehumanization?
5) Many politicians, including the Clintons, Newt Gingrich and Charles Rangel in this film, have apologized for their role in promoting devastating "tough on crime" legislation. Considering the billions of dollars made off the imprisonment of people, the ongoing practice of prison labor and the cases of unjust imprisonment (as in the tragic case of Kalief Browder), is an apology enough? Is our country compelled to repay these communities and families in a more material, restorative way? Why or why not?