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Special Issue: Race, Police Violence, and Justice July/August 2020 • Volume 48 • Number 4 Inside Special Issue: George Floyd’s Murder Is Race, Police Violence, and Justice 3 the Twenty-first Century Emmett Till Moment: How Sociological Research Sociological Promise in an Age of Crises Informs Police Reform Aldon Morris, Leon Forrest Professor of years later, reached a similar conclu- pandemic, an economic crisis, and Police, Culture, and Sociology and African American Studies, sion: “Our nation is moving toward civil unrest. Perhaps now white 5 Inequality Northwestern University, and ASA two societies, one black, one white Americans are more likely to listen President-elect — separate and unequal.” However, to second sights from African 7 Legal Estrangement: A Second Sight Amidst Crises Douglass’ America did not move Americans because it is evident that, Concept for These Times to separate societies in the 1960s; as Martin Luther King, Jr. insisted, lack people separate societies emerged during “We are tied together in the single 9 Race, Violence, Justice, and Bpossess slavery and never transcended this garment of destiny, caught in an Campus Police critical second split caused by the original sin of inescapable network of mutuality. sights—abilities slavery. And whatever affects one directly Who’s Looting Whom? to critically W. E. B. Du Bois was acutely affects all indirectly.” King warned, 11 Criminal Justice as Revenue analyze struc- aware of the chasm between the “We must learn to live together as Racket tures and situ- Black and white world. He argued brothers or perish together as fo o l s .” ations— when Eight Bullets, Eight Aldon Morris that Black life existed behind a white Because of these triple threats, I evaluating 13 Minutes – What Breonna imposed veil that locked Black believe a unique historical moment America. One hundred sixty-eight Taylor And George Floyd people into a state of structural has emerged. Will we waste this years ago, as Blacks labored in Had in Common inequality and truncated self-con- newly opened window or embrace chains building the American sciousness. Because of their belief it creatively, thus enabling a vital The Love Note That empire, Frederick Douglass was in racial superiority, whites never transformation? 15 asked by the Rochester, NY Ladies’ bothered to look behind the veil and Launched a Movement Corona Pandemic Anti-Slavery Society to deliver a see Blacks as human beings. Rather, The Demography of speech commemorating the signing they treated Blacks with contempt, The COVID-19 pandemic has 17 Police-Involved Homicides of the Declaration of Independence. pity, and distorted their very being. shattered life across the globe. Douglass, an escaped slave and Because of their place behind the This is especially true for America ASA Election Results ................................... 18 towering abolitionist, was agitated veil, Du Bois grasped that Blacks because it is the epicenter of the virus with high rates of infection, ASA Award Winners .................................... 18 by even being asked to celebrate viewed America through a different the 4th of July while his people lens. Their lens revealed that white sickness, and death. Americans have New MFP Recipients ................................... 23 remained trapped in bondage. In Americans lived a deceptive lie of always considered themselves the New Sociological Theory Editor ............... 24 the speech, Douglass spoke from white supremacy while preaching most advanced, powerful, and civ- his core personal experience, democracy but practicing oppres- ilized country in the world. I have Research Snapshot ..................................... 25 “This Fourth of July is yours, not sion, especially racism. Although always been struck by how often New FAD Grantees ...................................... 26 mine, You may rejoice, I must Blacks repeatedly tried to inform this claim is uttered without rebut- tal. Now the country is embarrassed Committee on Presidential mourn.” Then his oratory shifted to whites of this deadly hypocrisy, by its awful and unsophisticated Biographies ............................................. 27 the collective when he put his white their arrogance, coupled with white audience on the racial hot spot: privilege, prevented them from response to the deadly virus. Often Professional Development What, to the American slave, listening to their “lesser” humans. “lesser developed” countries have Videos ........................................................ 28 is your 4th of July? I answer; a The black experience generated a developed more effective strategies Sections Support MFP ............................... 28 day that reveals to him, more rich authentic knowledge regarding for addressing the virus and mini- the nature of America. Because of mizing its devastating effects. This Thank You to Member Donors ................ 29 than all other days in the year, the gross injustice and cruelty these painful accumulated experi- outcome ought to humble America’s Announcements .......................................... 30 to which he is the constant ences behind the veil, Black people, sense of its exceptional greatness. victim….There is not a nation according to Du Bois, gained a Considering the virus, we should on the earth guilty of practices gifted second sight in this American juxtapose our human values to more shocking and bloody world. Yet, even today, it seems the how we value material possessions. than are the people of these barriers preventing whites from This is especially true of powerful United States, at this very hour. benefitting from Black second sight rich Americans who clutch their mansions, yachts, private planes and Douglass demonstrated that are too steep to overcome. But will dividends at the expense of most from the beginning Black and white that remain forever true? Americans, especially the poor and Americans lived in separate worlds. Americans are currently locked The 1968 Kerner Commission, 116 inside a triple prison: Corona Continued on Page 2 footnotes 1 American Sociological Association footnotes.asanet.org Race, Police Violence, and Justice Sociological Promise knew many Black people were From Page 1 unemployed, but they thought it was Black’s own fault because they racial minorities. lacked a strong work ethic. For The pandemic has exposed whites, Black unemployment was a deep racial health disparities. For personal Black failure rather than a decades, sociologists, epidemi- structural problem. ologists and health experts have Because of the pandemic, unem- documented the health crises ployed whites are in the same job- confronting African Americans, less boat as Blacks. They don’t like it. Latinos, Native Americans and the Individuals as disparately posi- poor. Nevertheless, most whites tioned as the sociologist William have paid scant attention to these Julius Wilson and the presumptive disparities, although COVID-19 Democratic presidential nominee, may change these attitudes. As the Joe Biden, have argued that jobs are pandemic surged, Black and brown about much more than money. For bodies continued to expire in large Wilson, jobs provide people with numbers, making the conclusion hope and a sense of importance. mately led to violence, were police and police brutality. Slave revolts, inescapable that decades of racism For Biden, “a job is about a lot more actions in almost half the cases; bus boycotts, sit-ins, marches, and in health care accounts for the stag- than a paycheck. It’s about dignity.” police actions were ‘final’ incidents urban rebellions constitute pillars gering disproportionate numbers of Unemployed whites are experienc- before the outbreak of violence in 12 of this historic freedom struggle. Black and brown fatalities. ing this loss of dignity which they of the 24 surveyed disorders.” The social movement is a grassroots I have participated in numerous considered a God-given entitlement. Generally, whites have overlooked effort of the oppressed to overthrow conversations with white scholars They know their unemployment police brutality in Black commu- domination. Its power derives from and whites generally about racial is a structural problem that leaves nities, viewing it as necessary and the ability of masses to disrupt soci- health disparities leading to fewer them personally humiliated. The fair to control Black crime. Black ety so it cannot function as usual. In years of life, high infant mortality, question is whether they extend this people, utilizing their lived expe- his 1963 “Letter from a Birmingham hypertension, obesity, and diabetes structural analysis to unemployed riences and second sight, pleaded Jail,” Martin Luther King, Jr. suc- for people of color. But now those Blacks or continue to see them as with police, courts, and governing cinctly summarized what he hoped conversation are different. After the lazy welfare cheats. Worse, some elites to address police brutality. In the Birmingham campaign needed initial shock of massive Black and whites may blame Blacks for their return, police continued to beat, to accomplish to force durable brown deaths, whites are beginning unemployment woes, viewing them murder, and imprison Black people structural change: “The purpose to express righteous indignation as less qualified affirmative action which led to the present era of mass of our direct-action program is to about racism determining access hires. Perhaps whites will choose the incarceration. Repeated scenes of create a situation so crisis packed to quality health care. I challenge wisest
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