Can anyone explain "Why America's drug war is racist?"... that is the question?

Question

given to us by our professor for this paper I have to write.

Answer 1

I don't think it to be racist by color. I think it is more by status level,ie, the rich get away with it and the poor pay for it.

Answer 2

I think a lot of it has to do with socioeconomic status, not ethnicity. Though if you define ethnicity as "a complex set of factors, ranging from economic and political discrimination to biological and family background, to access to health care and employment, to racism and privilege,to religion and culture -including coping style, diet, and health behaviors" then indeed it is a racist war. I think a lot of this has to do the coping mechanisms of communities (more drug usage among the poor than the wealthy etc etc.), education, availability of extra curricular activities (going with the theory that the more positive things kids are involved in, the less likely they are to do drugs), the lack of legitimate job oppurtunities for the poor (why make $6/hr bagging groceries when you can make a few hundred a day selling weed?), the persons targeted by anti drug campaigns (often reach people who aren't at as a high a risk) and the laws themselves (ex. penalities for crack vs. cocaine). So reading over that it's confusing as **** and I could have put it in better terms, but hopefully that gives you some ideas to go on.

Answer 3

Oh, sure, that's easy. Because mostly blacks are involved in the drug trade and use. cops can't arrest everyone, so if they look for blacks, and target them to pull them over or arrest the chances of them finding drugs on the blacks is a lot higher than on a white guy. So that makes it seem as if the drug war is racist.

Answer 4

The illicit drug industry is typically an underground economic activity in third world countries. The majority of consumers of the illicit products are the lower classes, they may not have started as a member of the lower classes but eventually degenerate to that status.
In that sense perhaps it could be construed as a racist activity, but that of course ignores that pesky "free will" argument.

Answer 5

it is racist because judges and senators are elected officials. and a racist country like america wants to see minorities locked up. if amrica wanted to end the drugs in this country all you have to do is arrest the rich white man bringing the drugs in this country by plane or boat.

america is still the most racist country in the world. the media plastered the OJ trial all over the television, it even received higher ratings than Steinfield, and when he was found not guilty white americans were outraged. when robert blake "baretta" killed his wife it wasnt on television, and when he ws found not guilty no one said a word or cared, why? because he was white.

Answer 6

racist
1 : adjective form of racism
2 : one whose views conform to racism

racism
1 : a belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race
2 : racial prejudice or discrimination

If the drug war is racist, it would be predicated on racism and we would expect that at least one race would be entirely excluded from its enforcement actions. Does data exist to support this charge? Data that says a majority of those subjected to enforcement actions is not enough to justify the accusation of racist.

Answer 7

that's a good question, but i think the drug war is failing, it costs way too much fighting the war on drugs

Answer 8

it's not racist, it's just that black people are the ones doing drugs YA JUS' CANT TRUST EM' ******* ALWAYS GOT CRACK ON EM' haha jus kidding.