Vanessa Mewborn

Period 4

Mrs. Scheutz

American Government

Current Event

My current event is quite different, it's on something that has been going on for hundreds

of years, and hasn't stopped yet -- racism -- The only significance of racism is how horrific,

deplorable, and vile it truly is, also going along with the Charlottesville situations. I understand

that this is a sensitive topic, but the truth deserves to be heard. In my current event I will be using

the Equal Justice Initiative., www.eji.com its a non-profit organization run by Bryan Stevenson.

This is important to me as an African American because this is my heritage.

Let's start from the beginning, In 1619 slaves where brought here from Africa to

Jamestown, Virginia. The colonies economic system became dependent on forced labor,

therefore the start of slavery. We were just proprety. So later when the 13th amendment passed it

prohibited slavery, with the exception of a punishment for crime. This angered southerners, so

they started to target black people no matter their age nor gender. I personally believe this still

happens today, and affects us in ways many people will never understand. Young black people,

predominantly males, are being beaten in Charlottesville, by ‘White supremacist’ and murdered

in Florida, by the gun of a policeman, by the left hand of a man whose right hand swore to serve

and protect.

Another way slavery and racism affects us today is in the prison systems. In 2014 blacks

constituted 2.3 Million or 34% if the 6.8 Million correctional population. African Americans are

incarcerated at more that 5 times the rate of whites. (NAACP.org) Can you see the corruption?
The 13th Amendment states: Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment

of crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the united states or

anyplace subject to their jurisdiction. This goes hand in hand with the way southerners reacted to

the passing of the amendment back in 1865. I believe that in a way that exception of a crime is a

loophole for them to imprison black citizens on minor charges.

Lastly, another way slavery and racism affected us as black people, is in a more positive

way. It pushes us to do better and to try out hardest to escape the stereotypes, to flee from the

belief that we will never amount to anything, to break away from the man-made beliefs that we

are nothing more that property that can be replaced, and to break down the walls of oppression

and let it be known that we have a voice in this world that is loud and proud and cannot be

silenced.

This day in age is full of sensitive topics, but i strongly believe that everything should be

open to discussion. As an African American 17 year old living in America supposedly the “Land

of the Free” I have opened my eyes and I fully and completely understand that we are not all

truly free, and in the time i've been alive, i've noticed that aot of people turn a blind eye to the

topic of racism and to what's happening today, because they are afraid of what people are going

to say no matter what side there on.

When you read this you might think “this is NOT a current event” but please be aware

that slavery and racism is still going on currently and has not stopped, and yes it still affects us

today, and will affect us for generations to come. In a quote by Bryan Stevenson: “ I dont believe

were free in America, I think we are haunted by racial inequality...whether you were born in

2017 or 1930, you are affected by the environment we have created by being silent… I don't

think slavery ended in 1865, i think it evolved.” All i’m asking for is your understanding and to
see where i’m coming from. I do not hate white people at all. I just want people to gain

knowledge about how i feel. I want to feel equal, I want to have the sense of security and

protection when i see a cop. Personally i just want to know that when i have kids and when they

have kids and so on, they will have equal opportunity and they will never feel out of place. My

dream for america is to finally have a nation who is truly free.