Eric Mitchell III

AP Language & Composition

Social Issues Speech

2/23/16 Mitchell 1
Would You Be Scared To Be Me

Would you be scared to be me? I am a young black male. I repeat that statement. I am a

young black male. One of the most frightening things to a black male such as myself is the

American judicial system. Simply because of my skin color, I am twice as likely to be arrested as

a white male my age. And when we grow up to be men I will be six times as likely to be

incarcerated. For a Hispanic man, he is 2.3 times as likely. In fact, 1 out of every 10 black men in

their 30s are in jail ( The Sentencing Project News - Racial Disparity). So I ask you again, would

you be scared to be me? As my statistics show, there is an unfairly large disparity in incarceration

rates for minorities versus whites.

So what causes this disparity? The answer lies in the judicial systems systematic racism.

Those whose jobs are to protect and serve, instead bully and harm. Many cases of police brutality

in the news show the large amount of racism and corruption in the police force who have shown

favoritism towards whites and disdain towards minorities. But the true root of the problem goes

beyond the outside world, and instead in the world of the courts. Unfair sentencing is what

causes the disparity in incarceration. Take for instance Judge Jeffrey Reed, who was recently

accused of racist sentencing in his courts. When the data for Reeds sentences was compiled,

Reed was shown of heavily increasing the months sentenced on average for blacks versus whites,

with blacks being sentenced to many more months for the same crime committed (Sowinski,

Greg). Judge Jeffrey Reed is one of hundreds of judges who dull out these unfair sentences.
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How do we overcome this seemingly insurmountable obstacle known as the courts? Well

some within Congress, Republicans and Democrats, have drafted a bill known as the Sentencing

Reform and Corrections Act. This bill effectively reduces over-sentencing by creating mandatory

minimums and maximums of federal crimes, while also reviewing, and as necessary applying,

the bill to those jailed (Los Angeles Times). This means that those incarcerated unfairly would be

able to petition for their freedom and escape the cruelty of unfairness created by the courts.

The problem is the unfair disparity in incarceration rates between minorities and whites.

It is caused by the corruption of the sentencing of the courts. The solution is the Sentencing

Reform and Corrections Act. This act is being heavily challenged by some in Congress because

of the justice and goodness it would bring. You can help stop this by voting for fair local judges

and senators willing to help pass the bill. So I beg you, fight for the bills passing. I beg you,

fight for what is right. I beg you, fight for the ability to be able to answer No when I ask

would you be scared to be me?

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Works Cited

"The Sentencing Project News - Racial Disparity." The Sentencing Project News Racial

Disparity. Web. 23 Feb. 2016.

Sowinski, Greg. "Defense Attorney Accuses Judge of Unfair Sentences against Blacks -

LimaOhio.com - Limaohio.com." LimaOhio.com. Web. 23 Feb. 2016.

"Pass the U.S. Sentencing Reform Bill to Rein in Mass Incarceration." Los Angeles Times. Los

Angeles Times, 17 Feb. 2016. Web. 23 Feb. 2016.