Harvard and the New York Times

Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton and other leaders of the Jena demonstration who view events there, and the racial horror of our prisons, as solely the result of white racism are living not just in the past but in a state of denial. Even after removing racial bias in our judicial and prison system — as we should and must do — disproportionate numbers of young black men will continue to be incarcerated.
– Orlando Patterson, “Jena, O.J. and the Jailing of Black America”

Professor Patterson can be forgiven for his reductive misstatement of Jackson and Sharpton’s position vis a vis white racism. In fact, there’s a lot to argue with in his op-ed; but, he only had a thousand words or so to convey a picture that is incredibly complicated. With limited op-ed column space he’s forced to paint with a broad brush. He summons the popular iconography of the struggle for equality and justice. Sharpton and Jackson appear. O.J. Simpson takes a villain’s turn upon the boards.

I’m afraid that in dredging up the old avatars of struggle, Orlando Patterson’s most important point may have gotten lost. He says about the gathering in Jena, Louisiana,

“…the real motive was a long overdue cry of outrage at the use of the prison system as a means of controlling young black men.

America has more than two million citizens behind bars, the highest absolute and per capita rate of incarceration in the world. Black Americans, a mere 13 percent of the population, constitute half of this country’s prisoners. A tenth of all black men between ages 20 and 35 are in jail or prison; blacks are incarcerated at over eight times the white rate.

The effect on black communities is catastrophic: one in three male African-Americans in their 30s now has a prison record, as do nearly two-thirds of all black male high school dropouts.”

Patterson asks, “How, after decades of undeniable racial progress, did we end up with this virtual gulag of racial incarceration?” Then he seeks to answer the question with commonplace observations about family values and percentages of black kids born to single mothers, with the phrase “crimes more likely to be committed by blacks,” and a nod toward “draconian mandatory sentencing.” Everything he says rings true, but it leaves me unsatisfied. This little piece on microaggressions that I read this morning brightens my understanding somewhat.

How did we end up with the gulag? Fear triumphed. Greed won out. The southern racism that was institutionalized following reconstruction came north. The old Southern Dems were welcomed into the Republican Party and their racism was legitimized in the language of economic conservatives. All that deserves to be explored, but it’s a sidebar issue today.

American racism is not a situation that we can correct with a few cultural shifts and changes in the black community. Accountability is a two way street, and until police and correctional officers are as accountable as suspects and perpetrators the American dream of equal justice for all is hogwash. Who benefits from the racism and exploitation of the criminal justice system? Who benefits from the tension and the fear of racial conflict? Who else must be held accountable.

I read this morning, “We can also call for accountability from our elected officials. DAs and judges who perpetuate injustice, state representatives who are in bed with the corrections department and private prison companies – these people should not be allowed to hold office. They should be ousted whether by recall, regular elections, or public pressure to step down.”

Professor Orlando Patterson’s expertise is not in question, but for the New York Times to call an expert on slavery and black history like Patterson to address the compelling issue of disparities in the justice system is wrong. Instead of promoting the academic op-ed star system, I think we should look for lower profile people with deeper understanding of these specific issues to inform us. For example:

Xochitl Bervera
Marc Mauer

(Thanks to Scruggs for this and to Beth for the Patterson piece.)