13th
Summary of the source
The documentary focuses on the lives of the African Americans after the enactment of the thirteenth amendment that abolished slavery in the united states and declared all the black people to be free. However, the document included a clause that allows the government to treat individuals labeled as criminals almost in the same way as the slaves were treated. Therefore, throughout history, individuals have used this clause as a loophole to further discrimination and racist actions that target the African American population. The result is the massive number of citizens of color in incarceration and dozens more killed in confrontations with the police. The political and corporate class has also come up with a way of benefitting off of these individuals, and the oppressive laws passed (DuVernay n.p).
What the topic? Who are the scholars featured?
The main topic of discussion in the documentary is how modern-day slavery is manifested by leaders who have manipulated the laws to fit their gains. The documentary involves several individuals who contribute and offer their thoughts on the topic. Some of these include Professor Khalil Muhammad, a history, race and public policy professor at Harvard University, Prof. Angela Davis from UC Santa Cruz, Prof. John Hagan a sociology and law professor from Northwestern University and Prof. Jelani Cobb, a professor of African-American studies at the University of Connecticut, to mention a few (DuVernay n.p).
What is their argument?
The scholars included in the documentary argue that the loophole left in the 13th amendment is being manipulated for the wrong reasons. In this post thirteenth amendment period, the system and unscrupulous corporates, in conjunction with some politicians, have managed to manipulate the criminal clause of the 13th Amendment (DuVernay n.p). A result is a massive number of blacks labeled as criminals, all of whom end up in correctional centers. The collaboration between the privately-owned correctional centers and the state has seen some inmates taken to work on farms and in industries owned by the corporates as free labor.
Is it compelling?
The arguments presented in the documentary are very compelling. The speakers refer to known statistical data in their arguments, for instance, the rising number of persons sent to prisons from the 1970s. Additionally, the speakers quote individuals who came up with these oppressive policies that were used to undermine the human dignity of the African Americans, for instance, the recording of John Ehrlichman explaining the oppressive policies used to get President Nixon to power (DuVernay n.p). Furthermore, they refer to recorded historical evidence that is known and available from several sources.
What is your critique? What is your evidence for your critique?.
I believe that the war on racial oppression has been misunderstood for a long time, and through the documentary, the truth could not be any clearer. Based on Prof. Angela Davis’ recount of how she encountered the oppression at a personal level and was able to maneuver her way through, the abuse comes out clearly (DuVernay n.p). Additionally, a majority of the interviewees agree that the oppression of African Americans in the U.S is a significant issue that has claimed many lives and destroyed many more.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it is clear that though the 13th amendment was supposed to be the end of human oppression in the United States, that is not the case. Some individuals have found a way of manipulating it and using it to fuel their hate against a portion of the population, others finding a way of benefitting off of their suffering. Since the problem seems only to change its form through time, dealing with the oppression and negativity in the United States needs to take a new direction. For the war against oppression to be won, a people-centered approach should be adopted.
Works Cited
DuVernay, Ava. 13TH. Netflix, 2016. https://www.netflix.com/ke-en/title/80091741. Accessed 21 Apr 2020