Angela Davis: Prisons perpetuate oppression of minorities

YOUR COMMENTS

Shane,

By the "people before us" I assume you mean our founding fathers and those who fought in defense of our country. It is my understanding that these people advocated for freedom of speech, expression, and ideas and to uphold the Constitution under which all of these things are provided for.

Though it is a shame small minded people like yourself cannot handle being exposed to views and ideas that are different than their own without being offended. It is my opinion that "the people before us" who struggled to gain and maintain freedom and democracy would be more upset by your closed minded bigotry than the fact the Dr. Davis was invited to share her ideas and beliefs on a college campus, an arena in which intellectual freedom, growth, and critical thinking are to be encouraged.
- Anna, Dover

She ran on the communist party ticket twice. If you folks want her, take her. But go far away when you do.You havent a clue as to what the people gone before you did for you, and if you did, you would not care. Therefore, we do not care about you.
- shane, Mpls Mn

"Minorities are often over-represented in prison because police surveillance in their communities is higher, Davis said."

Right, and I suppose there are more men than women in prison because police monitor men more closely?
- David Goodwin, Rockville, MD

Of course, Marxist Davis has it exactly backwards. The reality is that minorities perpetuate the necessity for prisons! In any case were Davis correct, would we not see more whites than blacks in the prisons of most African nations? After all, whites are minorities in most of Africa.
- Joe Dozer, Oakland, CA

- Mike Lane, did it occur to you that if Sarah Palin's husband was part of any legitimate "violent secessionist movement", he probably would've been charged with a number of crimes and in jail. Apparently you are a bonafide "donkey" - eehaw!
- Mac Wade, Newmarket

I think Angela should talk to Officer Michael Briggs. Oh, wait. She can't. Why? A disenfranchised black male, who had plenty of opportunities to succeed, did not. Instead, the poor black child decided to embrace a life of crime and kill a police officer. Angie, darling, we should all hang around the prison that Mr. Addison, the lonely young man that he is, and PRAY the our governor gives him a pardon and a pat on the back.

Kudos Angela, ignorance is bliss and you must be the happiest idiot on the planet.
- scott, chichester

Zeke - Weare. Gandhi also is responsible for partitioning India to create the country of Pakistan as a means of separating the muslims and the Hindu. Now they are two separate, nuclear armed countries that hate and fear each other. Moral of the story - Gandhi was far from perfect.
- George E., Hopkinton

Angelo - it is truly a shame that have to deal with that stuff but here's the flipside. My white wife has a good friend who is black and her friend would take her to an area of our former city where mostly black folks hung out. My wife would get the bad looks from black gals at the clubs. Ignorance is not just white towards black or vise versa, it can be liberal towards Jew, black towards hispanic, etc. My advise - toughen up old man. The world's not going to get any easier.
- George E., Hopkinton

"over-representation of minorities in prison" ?????? Guess what? The truth hurts. Don't commit crimes if you don't want to be in jail. Maybe instead of working towards equal opportunity prisons, Miss Davis should focus on teaching the demographic with the highest prison rates the difference between right and wrong.
- steve, Derry

I can’t add to what has been said here except to say that I never knew there was such a lucrative speaking circuit for 60s terrorists. How could I have known that the likes of William Ayers, Angelo Davis et al are no longer ‘former criminals’, but in fact ‘respected educators’. (My God, we are worse off than I ever thought possible.)
- Jeff, Corinna, Maine

"The mark of your ignorance is the depth of your belief in injustice and tragedy."

-Bach
- DM, Hampton

Always a victim and never a victor!
- Dave Q, Baltimore,MD

"The memory of that moment will stay with me forever"

That would pretty much explain the rest of your post, Angelo.

Three words from an ignorant child. That was a very long time ago. Today, that same child is far more likely to learn that word from a member of the black community. Please see my earlier post for my thoughts on that.

As for your experiences in Southie, do you not see the irony that when you walk into a pub the first thing you apparently notice is the color of other people's skin? I'm inferring your assertion is that these pubs are filled with exclusively white people. Are you perhaps an unusually large man? Unsusually small? Are you perhaps strikingly handsome? Do you dress like former presidential candidate Paul Simon? Is it so far fetched to postulate that the culture of the pubs in question causes people to stare at *any* stranger regardless of appearance? Why is it that if someone stares at you that it's because of the color of your skin?

In case what I'm getting at here isn't clear, let's take an example from my dog. Whenever my dog encounters a stranger, he checks the stranger out. What he is checking specifically is how the stranger reacts to being checked out. If the stranger is nervous (the dog can smell that), it's a red flag for the dog and he may bark to literally say, "Something doesn't smell right here." Does this lead the dog to false alarms? Yes. Does a stranger with ill intent ever pass this test? No. Humans have a bit of this instinct built into them (and the vast majority of humans do not realize they have a bit of this in them). For thousands of years encountering a stranger was a potentially dangerous experience with no common language or laws. Sizing up a stranger is a built-in defense mechanism. The stranger's reaction to being sized up helps determine whether the encounter is a safe one or not.

I have good friends in Southie and they'd give you the shirt off their backs if they found you in their neighborhood and in need. I can say that with confidence because they would simply see a human in need - none of the other details of that human would matter.

I am not by any means denying that racism still exits. The amount you see, however, is directly proportional to how you view yourself and the rest of the world. You have to admit things are moving in the right direction. There are some people who will never move on from their old, ignorant habits, but those people will become extinct eventually. You see, for every bit of pain that those ignorant people inflict, whether it be emotionally or even physically, it will come back to them ten fold in their lifetimes because they've allowed the world to pass them by. They will get theirs, and they will eventually cease to exist.
- Jose H, Manchester, NH

I think William in Deerfield hit a spot that I'll pick up on. Whites don't blatantly defend whites when they know the white person is wrong. Take the Wall Street example. I'm white and the CEO's and greedy execs are white, but I want to see them executed for what they've caused. I say executed because they are beyond learning or caring, they WILL do this all over again, don't be ignorant and think they won't.

African Americans hardly EVER criticize other African Americans, except for maybe Bill Cosby. If this woman comes out and defends criminals who have murdered, raped or robbed, and not speaking of the real victims, she has no credibility what-so-ever.

To me she's basically Al Sharpton or Jesse Jackson, a racist. Period. Obama should be careful not to pair up with the likes of these three. He already screwed up with a racist preacher.
- Jay, Londonderry

Some pencil neck fool leftist named Gandhi once said, "Civilization is the encouragement of differences." What a loser! What did he ever do besides free India from England?

One commonality amongst many right wing posters here is a very provincial disinterest in welcoming the full range of the American experience. Well folks you can stand still, but the country is and will be changing to a more diverse place without you.

I'd bet it will be five terms, at least, before we have to suffer another repeat white male president.
- Zeke, Weare

Mike Lane, please I am begging you to at least attempt to get the truth before spouting off. We have had many arguments and you have never won one. You just make yourself sound foolish. Read this article from the right wing ABC News then I will be looking for you to publicly apologies to all that have posted here and to Gov. and Mr. Palin. http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/09/members-of-frin.html, you were so adamant about your daughter being treated fairly because she was a "girl" and how boys got all the breaks, why won't you give Gov. Palin the same courtesy you ask for your daughter? Now do you remember me? You still owe me a cup of coffee. And please, stop embarrassing yourself.
- Allan, Rochester

Hey Angela..you have it all wrong. Blacks are arrested at a higher rate because they commit a much higher rate of crimes than non whites. Your act is getting old.

When is someone intelligent like Ann Coulter getting the invite to UNH?
- mike, east kingston

two thoughts Angela, get a clue and, get a real job.
- Keith, Newmarket

*** Editor's note: Her theories are nothing more than 1960s propaganda presented as social science." ***

- Bravo UL. Tell'em like it is. The truth will set us free. I'm buying ten of your papers tommorow and handing them out to people on the street.
- Sam Hajj, salem

One point Ms. Davis brings up that we seem to be missing is the role a prison should play.

If you commit the crime, you pay with time. But what should your experience be while in jail?

Should we pay for rehabilitation to help these people find a way out of their troubled lives, or do we ignore them, let them "get what they deserve" so that when they are finally released they come out even more disenfranchised?

How many become repeat offenders where their aggregate time on the inside is longer than the time on the outside?
These are breeding grounds for gangs and the perpetuation of their "craft". And we get the short end of their stick - increased crime and greater fear to venture out alone.

It is true a good many learn from their experience and never go back to jail. But what about the others? And how do we treat them after they've paid their debt to society and ask for nothing more than to be left alone to start anew?

Take away color from the equation and a lot of what Ms. Davis is stating is true for any prisoner. Re-education should be a key factor.
And these prisons should be made to fund these activities through work programs where the prisoners themselves labor to cover their costs instead of passing the buck to us.
- Angelo, Manchester, NH

Speaking from personal experience; back in the late 80's when I was young and stupid and abusing drugs I had the misfortune to be arrested on a serious drug charge in NYC. I consequently learned a lot about the downside of abusive use of drugs, and I learned a lot about where Black people stand in the justice system here in the US.

I was guilty, and facing some time in jail. My hope was to plead guilty to a lower charge, which in end I was allowed to do. My defense attorney (a former prosecutor in Queens) was there to help me through the hell I had put myself in. The penal system in NY at the time was about 75% Blacks, 20% Hispanics, and 3% all others including Whites. As we approached trial and any possible plea out the hell I was in, I recall one thing in particular my attorney said to me; "Stay positive, we should be able to negotiate you a decent deal because you are white. I know it shouldn't matter, but the fact is it does." And it did.

You can conjecture all you want, but I was there and I was never happier to have been born Caucasian - I know, pitiful, but true. I did do some time and as a side note I can tell you the men with the most integrity and character in a big prison are the Muslims, but that's another story.
- Tony, Nashua

I'm sorry Ms. Davis, but I don't recall hearing you argue that these minority convicts were INNOCENT? Well, if they aren't...they are exactly where they belong regardless of the color of their skin.

And as a correction to her "statistics".... the incarceration rate could be an indicator of racism on the part of the police....or it could be that minorities are more likely to commit crime. Nah, that couldn't possibly be it.
- Mark, Bedford

So what Ms. Davis is saying is blacks are imprisoned too often compared to other races? Even if statistically blacks commit more crimes... How about instead of imprisoning someone for a crime they committed, we just have them move into her posh neighborhood. I am sure she would be tolerant of that. Blacks or any race for this matter are not forced to commit crimes. They do it on their own. Any person who commits a crime, no matter what race, needs to pay the price for their actions.

Ms. Davis, has made a fortune with her books, speaking fees, etc. She obviously has worked hard for what she has. A person of any race can do the same if they work hard enough. She should speak to different races on making themselves better & succeeding. She shouldn't be teaching excuses.

Our justice system isn't perfect by any means, but this country does a fairly good job compared to other countries. With all the processes of our courts, everyone is given the right to a fair & impartial trial & appeals process. She needs to stop with the excuses & allegations and teach on being a better person & motivate people of all colors to succeed in life. Just stop the blame game...
- Dave, Manchester

Well New Hampshire you heard it. You are all a bunch of racists unless we have equal amounts of every nationality in our prisons. From now on only people of color should sit on jury's of other people of color, whites only on white criminals, and Hispanics only on Hispanic criminals. Other wise every ten years we will be letting them all out of jail because of the race card.

Just my opinion but not every radical has society’s best interests at heart. Some are simply radical nuts. Look around and ask yourself how many more radical changes we need? My parent’s generation had far fewer problems with crime because they did not have the radical judges letting out every sex offender who came along and asking them to register please. Then as this story points out came the sixties radicals. One too many pills can do that to you. People like this lady really crack me up, but those who listen to them and are swayed scare me.
- Ross, Derry

Angelo, Manchester, NH 4 years ago I worked a contract job in Harlem, 6 months long. Every day I was accosted because of my race. It was well beyond stares and sporadic comments or jokes. This kind of thing goes on all the time but because I'm white I'm told I need to be tolerant of this behavior. Because these poor and unfortunate souls don't know any better. Then I'm made to feel guilty for complaining about it. I'm not saying there isn't racism, I'm simply saying white people need to stop feeling guilty about it, and non-whites need to stop using it as an excuse to buck the system. And if you don't see that happening then you are part of the problem too!
- Bill, Andover

Ahh yes, I should care of the opinion of a Black Panther? The same group who blocked a white man from going to vote on election day? Hypocrisy is grand, isn't it?
- Leslie, Derry

"For all the hate that all of you bigots will spew here on the comment board, or you token toms, who try and trademark Martin Luther King Jr's legacy and tell lies about what you think you know about him, I say SHHHH! no one wants to hear your BS. Go back to your caves you bigots and cry.. Today was a great day in this blind to the facts state.

and for all you haters of Ms.Davis, I say please for all of us good people. Please stand in rush hour traffic you scum"

Let me guess D...you're a minority? I find it completely hypocritically to put down people who understand how it works...you commit a crime, you go behind bars regardless of your color..

And yet YOU come on here and throw around a bunch of names and you look just as stupid and scummy as you claim everyone else to be. Great way at proving that sometimes maybe you should look at yourself and you're own peers before claiming that everyone else who is different around you is responsible for your negative life.
- Janet, Dover

I can think of a number of African-American conservatives that could be invited to UNH as a response to Md. Davis appearing there.

Michael Steele
Shelby Steele
Thomas Sowell
Walter E. Williams
Condoleeza Rice
Ken Blackwell
Larry Elder
Clarence Thomas
James Meredith

Or even Bill Cosby

Or even

Colin Powell

But, I'm not going to hold my breath.
- BW, Concord

I am sick of hearing about the poor minoritys being in prison because of thier color. The reason they are in prison is because they comitted crimes. i hope our tax dollars didn't pay for ms davis to come here and tell us how badly we treat the minoritys. She should be preaching to the minoritys about how they shouldn't be committing crimes.
- steve m., manchester

Terri I would think it far more likely that the bomb threat is in response to the Union Leader's blatant (and apparently successful) efforts to stir up the extremists on their side with their over the top editorials against Angela Davis.

The Union Leader should be ashamed of itself for it's runaway partisanship and hateful fear mongering. The Union Leader and the rest of the Right Wing have done everything in their power to divide this country over the last 8 years and all they have to show for it is a shattered GOP that has now become a Regional Party, and a crippled ideology that has become radioactive.

*** Editor's note: The Union Leader has mentioned Angela Davis in only one editorial. It was focused not on her, but on the academic event in which she took part.

The portion of the editorial about her read as follows: "Its keynote speaker is former 1960s radical Angela Davis, who has spent years arguing that prisons in the United States exist in large part to enslave blacks. Davis, a former Black Panther and Communist Party member, has a habit of claiming -- falsely -- that locking up more criminals does not reduce the crime rate. Her theories are nothing more than 1960s propaganda presented as social science." ***
- Mike Lane, Manchester

All of your points are well taken, but Angela was not convicted, she is not a crimminal. Whether you like her or not, she has a point. Ofcourse not all who commit crimes should go free, but the non-violent offenders as well as recidivism needs to be addressed finally. Opportunity is the key, and for the past 8 years opportunity has gradually faded away.(especially for the poor) If we can waste money on bailing out the financial giants, why can't we give more attention to prevention? We definitely need to give attention to the crimminal justice system! Right on, Angela!! As for "welfare", in my state, you work for it!
- v leonard, Columbus, Oh

If you do the crime, you do the time.Period. Why do people have to stir the pot? You are what your parents make you,and if you have any common sense,you'd abide by the law and do the right thing. That is don't be a follower, be a leader.
- Richie V., Clifton Park,NY

Angela Davis, remember the courthouse where the judge was shot by Angela and cohorts? NH is turning into a liberal cesspool. To those who belong in NH, please refer to Article 10 of our Great States Constitution.
- CS Laurie, Ventura CA

I dont care if you are white, black, orange or polka dot. I dont care what your race or creed or religeon is. If you do the crime, you do the time. Why are there always people trying to stir up race issues? Mostly I believe to get their 15 minutes of fame.
- Rob, Manchester

Bill Cosby is my hero.

Thank you to Joe Bicknell and George of Exeter. You guys get it.

For those of you asserting that low income neighborhoods or areas of high minority concentration need more programs and opportunities available to them, they already have the most assistance of any group in this country. How does that saying go about leading a horse to water?
- Jose H, Manchester, NH

This must be the reason why UNH is investigating a phoned-in bomb threat. What brainiac invited this Communist?
- Terri, Londonderry

Back in 1973 I was walking down the street in Morrisville, Vt, and I walked up to a young boy of about 6 or 7 who was playing on the sidewalk.
I said “Hi Buddy” as I walked up to him because he reminded me of my younger brother who was the same age
And he looked up at me and my big afro and as politely as he could he smiling replied “Hi Mister Nigger”…

The memory of that moment will stay with me forever.
Here was a child who was obviously brought up to be polite to adults
He addressed me as Mister…
But where had he learned the word?

Racism cannot be erased by the election of a black president or the appointment of cabinet members.
It is something that is learned, absorbed and can lay dormant in ones psyche over a lifetime until something, some event uncovers it.
And it is equally ugly on both sides – blacks or whites

As a black engineer in the working world I would “blend in” with my colleagues and they would forget my background
Racially tinged jokes and comments would sporadically appear, occasionally with the caveat that they weren’t talking about me…
As an educated person of color, I ran in circles where economic or social standing was the separating distinction not race.

But on the flip side, I could walk into many a bar in Southie and feel the stares boring a hole right through me.
I am sure our Arab neighbors feel the same.
We respect the Asian doctors we visit, or the Indian store owner down the block, but we put down the “damn foreigners” driving our taxi’s in NYC.

I am not an advocate of racial preferences.
They had their time and place and that has gone.
It is now a crutch and does more harm than good.

But to say that racism is erased because “the chosen one” is now President is ludicrous and an easy out for those in denial.
And if you don’t believe me, I’ll take you down to Boston and buy you a beer in South Boston
Let’s see what kind of looks we get when we enter the local pub...

Racism is real. Just because it isn't on your block doesn't mean it isn't down the road.
- Angelo, Manchester, NH

Great idea - let's empty the prisons and send all of them to Santa Cruz, CA where this lady currently lives. This will quickly solve all the problems of the black community. I am thrilled that we have finally reached the point as a society that even the worst among us are victims.
- Joe, Hooksett

I agree, lets do away with prisons. One good option is to take Manhatten and put Angela Davis in charge and ship all the criminals to live with her. Sounds like a movie.
- jd, hooksett

She isn't just a Socialist, but, a Communist. I'm old enough to have read her first radical book in the 60's, when she went down to Cuba holding hands with Castro. I am really bothered by our own UNH now pandering to that far left...They want us to all be a Communist country..just like George Soros and our new President. Watch out world...but no one here wanted John McCain. We will loose our country as our Founding Fathers fought for, and democracy and freedom and free enterprise, and Capitalism that made America, will be out with the bathwater.
- Jan Worthen, Goffstown, NH

I agree with Justin in Manchester - "My own opinion is that there are a lack of opportunities in areas where minorities live". The tone of the other comments seem very defensive and shows the inability of receiving criticism. America is not perfect because people are not perfect; however, individuals are responsible for the decisions they make and the subsequent consequences. Unfortunately, I don't have the tax dollars to support all these programs to make conditions improve but what prisons and institutions can freely reinforce is hardwork, sacrafice, reponsibility, reward, and consequence.
- hughan, manchester

Perhaps if people of any ethnicity did not commit crimes they would not be behind bars. Being punished for committing a crime is not opression.
- Walter, Concord

Mike Lane, I think you’re going to see more and more secessionist movements that are caused directly because of this type Marxist tripe being pushed down the throats of average Americans. As a result balkanization will accelerate in the US I fear. I think Atlas is going to shrug very soon and it's not going to be good for anyone. As an aside, your comments about the Alaskan Independence Party being violent. While I don't condone violence, it would be understandable that one can look at where Angela Davis is today after her violent past and extrapolate that it worked. After all what is it they say? One mans terrorist is another mans freedom fighter. I guess we won't know until the history books are written.
- Adam Williams, Durham, NH

Clynton Nuomo.Radical turned academic??What's for lunch Einstein.Can't have one without the other??This women graduated Magna cum laude.
Your article is soo short sighted.Jennifer Hill can have your position ANYTIME!!!!!!
- Jimmy from Hooksett, hooksett nh

UNH allowing Davis to speak on campus...
No problem
UNH paying Davis to speak on campus...
Shameful

I would like to apologize for my employer's idiocy.
- Steve, Durham

I think that some people are misconstruing her point. She is not saying that crimes that should be ignored. Her point is that people in low income neighborhoods(which are primarily minorities) need to be provided with more opportunities for education so that opportunities for making money legally are as readily available as the illegal opportunities. That there should be programs to help bring hope to the next generation so that the cycle of fear and despair can be broken.

Our prison population continues to grow, with a high rate of repeat offenders, so clearly the system that we have isn't improving society.

I also agree that privatizing prisons is one of our biggest mistakes. Companies are making a profit from keeping people behind bars. At the very least, that means that we are spending more than we have to, to keep these people locked up. Perhaps this money can be moved from a private companies bottom line to a social program.
- Jeff, Manchester

It didn't take long for the name calling to begin. Hypocrites, treehuggers, scum, bigots, uncle Tom. No wonder we can't have a civil political discussion any more. It seems in this thread anyway that if you have a disagreement with what Ms Davis is saying ( and I can say I disagree with every single point she makes ), rather than defending the point, the more vicious the name calling gets. I bet the ones with the most reprehensible name calling are the ones that would consider themselves to be the most "tolerant".

Just my 2 cents.
- Wayne S, Manchester

Some lyrics about Ms Davis written by Jagger/Richards. "Sweet Black Angel" from Exile on Main St.

Well, she ain't no singer
and she ain't no star,
but she sure talk good,
her borthers been a fallin',
fallin' one by one.
............................
For a judges murder
in a judges court,
now de judge he gonna judge her
for all dat he's worth.
Well de gal in danger,
de gal in chains,
but she keep on pushin'
would you do the same?
She countin' up de minutes,
she countin' up de days,
she's a sweet black angel,
not a gun toting teacher,
not a Red lovin' school mom,

That's for sure Mick, and she's still at it 37 years later.
- Sydney, Londonderry

I feel dumber for having read this article. Prof. Davis' conclusions read like racist generalizations rather than qualified, academic opinion. I shouldn’t worry however; a “black” president will fix everything.
- Mike, Bedford

Funny how crime statistics show that in most crimes committed by black people, the victim is also black. I'm sure some white person is to blame for that.
- Tim, Derry

Mike in Concord/John in Dover
Unlike both of you, I attended the event in Durham last night. I certainly wouldn't consider myself a leftist, and I don't agree with her assertions of a racist culture. If you commit a crime regardless of race you should be prepared to do the time. That being said, the event was held in a small theater on campus (capacity of 500) and many people were turned away due to lack of space. Unlike the Whittemore Center that holds thousands, this venue was smaller, but as I said was at capacity. If you are going to criticize something, perhaps you should at least open your minds and leave your protective bubbles and attend a forum that you don't necessarily agree with. Heaven forbid you may actually learn something new.
- Mike, Rollinsford

People end up in prison because they broke the law. Justice is supposed to be color blind. If more blacks are in prison it's because they wouldn't live by the laws we all are subject to.
Break the law - go to jail.
- BC, Salem

I'm troubled to see that a person like this is given such a public stage to preach her bias, racism (look up the definition and you will see her views fit), and hatred towards what she precieves as an unjust world.

Her comment that minorities are 'over represnted in prison' because their neighborhoods have a higher level of 'police surveilance' is crazy dribble. The fact is, police deploy resourses in areas where crime is most prevelant, or where residents demand more of a police presence. The fact that these neighborhoods might happen to be populated by 'minorities' is not the fault of the police!

It's like when a neighborhood complains to the police that thier street has a problem with speeders and they demand a focused, targeted patrol on that street. Well guess who the police tend to catch speeding in that neighborhood.....the people who live there!

This woman should never be given such a public statge, certainly not at a State University.
- J, Concord

I'm with Aldo in Portsmouth, "Davis shows us what she really is. A hate monger. Her goal is to blame whites for everything." That hits the nail on the head. She is playing into white guilt, which is not only alive and well in this country and state, it's also very profitable. Something like 80% of this country is white, if we are so racist why do we have a black man for president. Also, if all these minorities are in prison, who do you think voted for him?
- Bill, Andover

UNH should have invited Bill Cosby to speak. He puts the blame where it belongs, with the individual. Get an education, take personal responsibility and make something of yourself. Don't have good role models at home (not many two parent households out there) then pick one from the rest of the world. Stop having kids out of wedlock. Don't want to go to prison; stop committing crimes. Stop blaming the rest of the world. Have some pride in yourself.

And notice there was no mention of color in the previous paragraph.
- George, Exeter

While I was reading the article (and the posts after it), I feel very troubled by both. I think that Ms. Davis is more part of the problem than the solution. At the same time, I think some of the folks who have posted may be missing SOME of the point as well.

My own opinion is that there are a lack of opportunities in areas where minorities live. Many of these folks make more money through criminal activities than through normal jobs, and the conditions they live in while in prison are (in some cases) better than on the outside. There is also a lack of educational opportunities beyond secondary education for minorities since it is less affordable than for many whites. Also, welfare seems to be to easily available with little stipulations for receiving funds.

I am a frim beleiver that blaming things on outside factors (whether it is slavery, injustice, or the economy) is a huge coverup for a lack of personal effort. Leave those things in the past, and focus on how to fix the problem instead of pointing fingers.
- Justin, Manchester

"That means a black man in this state is 10 times more likely to be discovered behind bars..." Did it ever occur to this enlightened academic that that may be because a black man is 10X more likely to commit a crime?

"Justice that is compassionate, justice that is community building, not community destroying." - how about Justice that prevents recidivistic dirt balls from perpetrating multiple crimes on law abiding citizens. Often within their own "racial communities." Black, White, Brown or Blue.
- Bob, Nashua

having a black president just means they don't have to pull the race card...they can now be openly racist! i'm white, i'm proud and i've never committed a crime. a black kid shot a cop recently in florida...shot him FIVE times while committing an armed robbery...the family of the black kid(yes, including the reverend uncle) blamed everyone under the sun, except the kid or themselves. even had the AUDACITY to blame the cop.
- fpc, manchester

Is Ms. Davis saying that judges choose not to prosecute whites? Did it ever occur to her that more blacks are committing the crimes? I know that myself, as a white man, would find myself in jail if I do commit a crime....that's one reason why I choose to live an honest life. Life is full of choices.
- Bill, dunbarton

The intolerance of different points of view that most of these posts show would be shocking anywhere but in backwoods New Hampshire. Professor Davis may overstate her case, but there is no escaping that the US has a dismal history of relations among the races. Add to that the fact that we have more people in prison than any country in the world and one is forced to conclude that all is not well.
- LJC, Manchester

I agree with Mike in Concord.

500 people turned out for this??? Add a zero to that number for how many people turn out for a hockey game. I heard Libbys Bar had a better turnout!

Yes, it is nice to know that even in Durham, the liberal capital of NH, nobody cared about what this racist had to say.
- John, Dover

Tom Labrie said "She is not making money floating from CNN to Fox Noise on a book tour. She is going to hamlets like Durham to speak to students at state Universities..."
I LOVE his eloquent description of Ms. Davis traveling from hamlet to hamlet, doing this for social justice and not making money.
Ms. Davis received $15,000 plus expenses for her race based diatribe. Geez, if I made that kind of money, I'd need only work 4 nights a year.

This is all about the victim mentality that is permeating this society. Ms. Davis states "Minorities are often over-represented in prison because police surveillance in their communities is higher." Could it be that the REASON the police patrol these areas more is that there are higher incidents of crime in these areas?

Lastly, must everyone (usually liberal) claim that they're being attacked when others have a contrary view point? Sorry, it's that victimhood thing again.

I defend the right of Ms. Davis to say what she is saying. With that right comes the freedom for the rest of us to point out where she is completely and utterly wrong.

In the market of free ideas, liberals such as Ms. Davis, tend to try and silence their critics. If one has a valid argument, then it should stand up to scrutiny.

Just wait until the left tries to reintroduce the misnamed "Fairness Doctrine". If happens, we'll be hearing a lot more from the likes of Ms. Davis.

If you have a valid counter- argument, then respond to it. If all you can do is call me a bigot, then it proves that you have no argument.
- Jim Powers, Bedford

Here we go... Whatever happened to being responsible for yourself, I am so tired of all the victims who are only victims of their own actions.
GO HOME Black Panthers!
- mark, manchester

Angela

I really think you should look at the majority of countries in Africa before you spew your hate filled rhetoric. Africa has not changed in hundreds of thousands of years. Starvation and slavery were rampant thousands of years ago, just as it does now. Why? greed and contempt. contempt becomes laziness because of all the greed and hate, thus Africa becomes a cesspool of "gimme, gimme, gimme!" Similar to the Ghetto's in the United States.

But, on a more serious note, Angela...

please, tell us one black community that has actually tried to flourish instead of falling into the depths of drug abuse, murder, rape, prostitution and neglect. Just one. We'll wait. You can spew "the crypts and bloods" all you want, and what they originally tried to do, but that does not take away from the fact that the ghettos of America are quite similar to the oppressive governments in almost all African countries.
- scott, chichester

Thank God we have people like Miss Davis. If it were not for her insipid drivel, people might not be motivated to speak up and be heard. Rather the would sit quietly and fear offending the politically correct noisy minority (not used in a racial sense). These people make us think. This is good. For example she complains that crime ridden neighborhoods are patrolled more and thus are over represented in the prison population. I assume she would prefer the police sit outside the rich white folks houses to protect them from the ghettos gone wild. The police can't catch a break. If they patrol they are racist. If they stick to writing tickets they are allowing the cycle of crime to intimidate the hopeful. Miss Davis should ask herself, "Who dialed 911 and put that guy behind bars?" It was probably a neighbor who had had enough of his drug dealing, petty crime, intimidation of her kids, you name it. Only gangs ask for less police presence. Oh yes, and academics!
- Andrew, Hamilton, MA

There is no mystery, nor surprise here. people like Mike Lane, Tom Labrie and D in Manchester are this blog's token leftists. Mike Lane's AIP assertion about Todd Palin is weak...and untruthful..."violent successionist movement?" that is some leftists characterization. Funny stuff. Talk about a sore winner....

Angela Davis is a criminal...nothing more...She really should be in jail with her buddies from the Black Panthers. But in this country sometimes the legal technicalities benefit scumbag criminals like Davis.
- Rick Olson, Manchvegas

It is interesting to take the word black out of this article and put in white, then take out the word prison and put Wall Street in its place and then consider the amount of damage done by the perpetrators. If 9/11 settled the value of a Trade Center stock manipulator at 4 million dollars that amount alone has gone up tremendously as there were $18 billion handed out as bonuses. Was this money given to keep these greed mongers off the street? Didn't seem to work with Maddoff now did it? Like Henley said there is much more robbery done with a briefcase and pen than with a gun.
- William, Deerfield

What is not said in the article, and not commented in the responses, is that the victims are also overwhelmingly black.
But that would gut her contention, wouldn't it?
Liberalism destroyed the black family unit with illegitimacy rates going from 20% to 70% with the Great Society.
Now since welfare reform the family unit has begun to repair itself and the black middle class is growing.
That will begin to decrease the community crime rate and the incarceration rate.
Why make this a race thing when it is a family unit/society issue? Intact families produce stable children who succeed. Promote strong families and values and the issue will resolve itself.
- Joe Bicknell, Shawnee KS

That's amazing because NOT having prisons perpetuates the oppression of law abiding citizens.

Angela Davis is a racist.

It never ceases to amaze me that the people who do the most whining and griping about racism are those who do the most to perpetuate it.
- William Smith, Manchester, NH

Its people Angela Davis and Jesse Jackson who perpetuate rife in race relations.

Last I knew, we had a black President. The days of racial preference and affirmative action are long gone.

Minorities over represented in prison? Really? And I suppose middle eastern men between 18 and 40 are over represented in terrorism too.........
- Gus, Manchester

Anyone of any color can stay out of prison rather easily. Just don't commit any crimes. Is that so difficult?
- Mark, Amherst

While I read all this dribble I kept asking myself"is she saying we should let them commit crimes and not have consequenses?"
It's the same old sob story about how people are repressed when in reality they choose to remain that way in many cases. I came from a poor family and had relatives who were into crime and drugs. But I worked hard and made my life better. There are examples of that all the time. Instead we have welfare families creating more welfare families and the rest of us should feel guilty?
If they commit a crime then they should do the time no mattter what color, race, ethnicity or anything else.
It's easy to point fingers but until people take personal responsiblity for themselves and their actions the rest of us have nothing to be guilty of.
Now how about they have a speaker who comes and tells them about the success stories of those who have gone to prison and righted their lives. Or those who have lived in poverty and worked and fought their way out and don't feel like society is responsible to give them everything?
Not much chance of that is there?
- Bill B., Pelham

Lets look at the bright side and not focus on the negative. Davis shows us what she really is . A hate monger. Her goal is to blame whites for everything. She came to N.H. with the belief that we are a bunch of dumb hicks who never seen a black person. Dn't forget she is getting rich with this gig. If she gave up the hate she would have nthing to do.
- Aldo, Portsmouth

Ms. Davis a true hero??? Pullleeezzzeee.... If blacks are over represented in prison, its for one reason and one reason only. They are committing more crimes (per capita) than other races. This isn't rocket science. What are we supposed to do, say to them after conviction, we aren't going to send you to prison, just be a good boy and be behave yourself? What incentive is there to not commit more crimes??? You do the crime, you do the time. Plain and simple. If an article came out about white people going to prison out of proportion to the general population, there would be an outcry from the minorities that would be loud and clear...
- STEVE, NASHUA

Only 500 people?? All this hype and they only got 500 for this?? Thats actually refreshing to see that local citizens are too smart to buy into this liberal college having racists speak on campus. To D in Manchester I say "After you, my friend, after you".
- Mike, Concord

What a convenient thoery for a criminal. Funny how she, a black woman, did not end up in prison.

And if prisons divert money from education, aren't all races affected by this?
- Kelley, Manchester

Gawd. How tired of the victim mentality am I? So Nouveau chic to be outright wrong and blame someone else. You commit a crime, you go to jail. I don't give a crap what color you are. Get over it. In this day and age when we DO have a black president, it says to me that the excuses are over. No more wah wah whine whine I'm black that's why I steal and rape. If you're in jail and you are black it's because you are a criminal. And if there are more black than any other race in jail, then mayhaps the black men might want to take a look at the fathering/mentoring process they have bladantly ignored and abused for decades pawning the bill off on everyone else, get off their fat asses, get a job and raise their kids to be decent citizens. Otherwise, this will just continue and if the blacks want to point fingers, it should be at their patriarchs. Period.
- Miller, Simi Valley

Mr. Labrie,

How nice of Ms. Davis to donate her time to come speak in this lovely hamlet. Thank God she wasn't paid like those merceneries on TV! What a beautiful world you live in.
- Dave McNally, Derry

The Manchester Union Leader, fomenting anger and stirring up the ignorant masses. Oh, wait, that's a pinko term isn't it.
- JB, NB, NH

how about seeing a study of city vs. non-city crimes? or based on income?

it has nothing to do with race. Can't we get beyond race?

And why wasn't the fact that a Communist spoke out listed in the first paragraph?

*** Editor's note: Angela Davis, after twice running for vice president as a Communist, left the party. ***
- Ken, Bedford

D from Manchester, it is apparent that intulectual debate is not one of your better traits. It would appear to me that violence in your argument is in the fore front of your way to solve what you percive to be an issue of injustice. The fact is, I belive that a majority of crimes nation wide are committed by minorities. So, I guess that would explain why so many minorities are in prison. As for your reference to uncle Tom, I can only assume you mean blacks who choose not to be violent or demand unreasonable rights that are not earned, are stero typed into the perception of the compliant balck man. I think you could call that comment racist. So you D from Manchester are a racist. Tom from Rochester, I would say to you, What kind of message are we sending to College students when Universities hire individuals to teach that have backgrounds such as Mz Davis and lets not forget B Ayers in Chicago. Both Davis and Ayers are members now or have been promoting communism. You do know that communism has failed world wide correct? So let me get this straight you want your/our kids to learn from profeesors who teach vilolence and communism that is your model for success correct? You can thank God (if you beleive in one) that this is a free country and not the type of regime you both promote. My offer stands from yesterday, I will gladly escort either one of you into south Chicago to get a lesson in Race Relations.
- Michael King, Epping

The only true statistic in american prisons is they are GUILTY. Stop blaming slavery on the plight of these so called poor americans who are given no shot in life.
Dont blame me or other americans, blame them. I will give you thw fact that prejudice remains in many portions of the world..but dont tell me it s that prejudice that put these people in jail.
An educated black panther telling us how bad we are... WAKE UP PEOPLE
Start thinking for yourself....
- Frank, Manchester

What happens to a “person” when undergoing “rehabilitation” in the American Justice System?

From the moment of initial contact with “law enforcement”, a person relinquishes control over one’s life and dignity as a “person”, and is forced to plain and simply, go through the motions. It becomes like an out-of-body experience: watching oneself do what others tell you to do, often with no rhyme or reason. Starting with the police, then attorneys, then a judge, then a sheriff, then correctional officers, prison counselors, prison civilian staff, parole officers, and community treatment “experts”, “system”-atic control is exercised over offenders in such a way that person-hood is de-humanized. Indignity after indignity is hurled at the perpetrator of a crime in a systematic effort to control crime by “controlling” the criminal.

With the livelihood of so many people dependent on promoting the myth (or image) that all offenders are bad people (or worse, NOT people), is it any wonder that inmates and ex-cons find it difficult to overcome that image when trying to get their lives back in order? Job security is counter-intuitive to “corrections”. Employee advancement within the system is usually based on self-aggrandizement, so it is in the employee’s best interest to make the criminal look worse than he really is, all the way through the system. Correctional Officers are the low men on the totem pole. They are treated by their superiors and inmates alike like glorified baby-sitters. They are typically less educated (high school graduates) and the lowest paid. If they can instigate a problem and become the “hero”, they may get recognized and make Corporal. So CO’s provoking inmates is commonplace within the system. Counselors, managers, and staff all exaggerate their “accomplishments” at the expense of the inmates in order to get ahead. An atmosphere of contempt for the inmates is ingrained in the “system”, and reinforced by societal ignorance, justifying almost any indignity you can think of. Although the Constitution and all criminal laws proscribe the “loss of liberty” as the punishment for crimes, the “system” condones the infliction of humiliation, pain and suffering upon inmates with impunity. Remember Abu Ghraib? Similar atrocities happen every day in every Corrections facility across this “civilized” nation. Maybe not as blatant, but against the law nonetheless. Whether it’s lying on incident reports, subjecting an inmate to retaliatory humiliation (strip search, etc) “because you can”, spreading rumors among the inmate population to “get back” at a certain inmate, or the chain of command covering up any of the above, how can such a corrupt system, that encourages and even rewards law breaking, hope to instill the opposite in its’ wards?

The solution: Since a great deal of the prison population consists of "parole" violators, where offenders are returned to prison for technical violations of often arbitrary, sometimes meaningless conditions imposed by the "system" (parole boards covering their butts and parole officers exercising their power), a simple shift in philosophy to base employees' performance evaluations on how they keep parolees out of prison, rather than rewarding them for self aggrandizement at the expense of the parolee under the auspices of "keeping society safe". How much safer are we when we lock up a person for pissing off a PO? For missing an appointment? For missing curfew? For having alcohol in the house? For not being able to find a job? For helping another felon try to stay on the straight and narrow? The list goes on and on.
- Walter, Salem

As much as people try to make Obama 'black" to support their causes the truth is he is biracial - raised in a white environment. The makes Davis' argument, like others, pointless.
- Bob, Meredith

If you read this piece of drivel from the bottom it may help to put a context around it:

"Davis was once a radical and member of the Black Panthers, the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and the Communist party. She gained notoriety for a headline-making 1972 trial in California, where she was acquitted of murder and kidnapping charges."

Come on and wake up.. I am not disputing that there may be a disproportionate amount of minorities in prison but is that because of oppression and some form of Racism?

As far as I know the people in Prisons are, by and large, criminals. People convicted of crimes. Rather than making this a cause of oppression and erasing all forms of personal responsibility (I know.. that is not our way of doing things anymore.. personal responsibility really no longer exists). I think Ms. Davis is showing a form of racism by only caring about the plight of minority prisoner when the recidivism rate is high regardless of race.

I find welfare far more oppressive than people sitting in prison for crimes they committed. A system where people are kept down, ripped of pride and given hand outs is a horrible form of oppression to minorities and non-minorities. Tell someone they can't survive without welfare long enough and you will see generation after generation turn from self respect and turn towards crime, towards the acceptance and "love" a gang seems to offer. We are too far from personal responsibility and the "first help yourself" attitude.

Anyway, thanks for publishing this black panther spiel.......
- Mike, Milton, NH

Police surveillance will obviously be higher in areas where crime is more prevalent. I'm sorry if those areas just happen to be depressed or inhabitated by minorities. Half of those people don't belong in this country anyway. I am dead against racial profiling in law enforcement, but Ms. Davis give me a break.

Regardless of race, if you commit a serious crime you need to go to prison.
And no, I'm not wasting my taxpayer money on criminals who most likely will re-offend, not due to lack of education, but because of their lack of moral sense of right/wrong; black or white. That to me is something a prison educator will never be able to teach a grown adult.
- Jay, Manchester

Funny, I don't see Asians or Latinos complaining that they are jailed at a higher rate. Hmm, maybe that's because they aren't jailed at a higher rate because they choose not to commit crimes. I don't have ANY sympathy for anyone (white, black, Asian, Latino) who commits crimes and then someone cries o woe is them.
- Bob, Manchester

OK not for nothing but usually if you are in jail it is due to committing a crime of some sort and being convicted. So how can it be racist that there happen to be more minorities in the prison system?
I respect Ms Davis's opinion, but personally it has absolutely nothing to do with race. They did a crime and got caught, that is not bogotry, perhaps if they would not commit the crime they would not be there in the first place, easy as that.
and D in Manchester, everyone is entitled to their opinion, you telling people to go in rush hour traffic, or calling peole bigots simply because they disagree with someone are doing the exact same thing that you "hate" to others....
- Jen G, Manchester NH

Yes, let's have opposing voices like Bill O'Reilly, Rush Limbaugh, and Ann Coulter give talks at UNH. I'd love to see the attendance figures for one of those circuses. Probably have to bus folks in from the Rockingham County Home, even if they were kicking and screaming.
- Tom, Dover-Foxcroft, Me.

How do we know where Ms. Davis' numbers come from? How about mentioning the numbers associated between whites and minorities who commit crimes? What she said are more lies to encourage more hate. It doesn't matter what color a person is, if they commit a crime, the suffer the negative consequences of their own actions. How about if Ms. Davis speaks of taking personal responsibility for ones own actions? Nothing is mention of this because she promotes blaming others, encouraging entitlements to include social welfare. How about teaching everyone to live a good responsible life by working hard and taking pride the right way instead of forcing it through violence as the Black Panthers have always done. Thanks, Ms. Davis, but your not helping anyone with your false information.
- Jamal Maalin, Nashua

So, what Ms Davis is saying is we shouldn't put minorities in jail for commiting crimes? THAT is true discrimination!
- Dan B, Concord

I think it's a shame that criminals are "over-represented" in prison. And that it's people who break laws that we "discover behind bars". And that
"education suffers". And that people "end up along trajectories". And that we don't have "different modes of justice".

What a load of excrement! Is this what passes now for reason or clear thinking? And this child of God is considered a "respected university professor"? Within what circles? Yes, I know, it's pretty typical for higher ed. We're to be impressed with how much she "cares". Instead of what (little) sense the thoughts/words make.

Her victims would do well to find better mentors.
- Mark T., Goffstown

Bobs premise is basically sound.

Prison is for criminals. Criminals commit crimes. Certainly there are innocent people in prison however the justice system we have is the best in the world and affords the most comprehensive means to limiting that occurence.

We can certainly and should open a dialog as to how to improve the system.

And we can and should open a dialog as to what crimes should be punishable by jail.

I think its fair to say that crime oppresses all people AND minorities to a much greater extent than the demographics of the prison population.
- John II, Manchester

Bob in Manchester - anger management is available at your local mental health clinic. Good luck!
- Eddy, Newton

Ms Davis has her points, and she is obviously not the least bit concerned about saying them in a way that people here might respect. This is unfortunate, and as such we can expect a torrent (probably 50 or more) of attack responses to this article by coffee break tomorrow, completely drowning out any calm and collected readers.

Consider this; Ms Davis only motivation is to move this society closer to justice. She is not making money floating from CNN to Fox Noise on a book tour. She is going to hamlets like Durham to speak to students at state Universities, the classic method of all well meaning intellectuals. I am absolutely sure she would debate the Union Leader's "leadership," given the opportunity. She is in fact an educator, not a firebrand or bomb thrower.

Those of us who give some care to their posts, and refrain from jumping Ms Davis along with the rat pack of reactionaries that typically infest the UL comment areas, are the braver (and more creative) of posters here.

Female Black West Coast Radical (ok former) comes to NH! Dare you say something positive?
- Tom Labrie, Rochester

Meeting Ms. Davis, a true hero, was a great experience.

For all the hate that all of you bigots will spew here on the comment board, or you token toms, who try and trademark Martin Luther King Jr's legacy and tell lies about what you think you know about him, I say SHHHH! no one wants to hear your BS. Go back to your caves you bigots and cry.. Today was a great day in this blind to the facts state.

and for all you haters of Ms.Davis, I say please for all of us good people. Please stand in rush hour traffic you scum.
- D, Manchester,NH

and where would miss Davis like all the oppress black people that are convicted by a JURY OF THEIR PEERS to go if not in prison? I am sure she would let them move in with her...black, white, orange, purple...if you commit a crime, get caught, convicted...you should be in prison. I am sick of these tree hugging sociologist preaching about what is proper to keep everyone happy.
- bob, manchester

Sarah Palin's husband was a member of a violent secessionist movement, the Alaska Independence Party, and Sarah Palin addressed their convention by videotape as recently as last year. The Union Leader supported her for Vice President. Blatant hypocrisy.
- Mike Lane, Manchester