The Ideology of Whiteness, Privilege, and Race in '13th' Documentary

‘13th’ Documentary Worksheet
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1. What are your overall reactions to this documentary? What were some things that surprised you? What are some things that you knew? What are some things you learned?
My overall reaction to this documentary is that it is beautifully eloquent. The power of ‘13th’ is how it successfully shows the bigger picture, joins the dots, explains the code words and grounds behind certain political speeches and illuminates the contradictions within the American society. What makes ‘13th’ so impactful is that while it is historical, there are various ties to modern-day life, which makes the message all the more relevant.
What surprised me the most after watching ‘13th’ is the misleading ‘War on Drugs.’ The documentary offered cogent evidence that the disproportionate crime rates and incarceration among blacks stem from a politically driven approach to sustain a legacy of racial oppression – not primarily the outcome of poor decisions of those behind bars.
Prior to watching ‘13th’ I already knew that our criminal justice system fails so many individuals, leaving so many communities vulnerable to fall into the trap (or loophole) that is the 13th Amendment to the United States Constitution.
After watching this documentary, I learned that there are various ways that policymakers and the 13th Amendment allow for a form of slavery to continue to exists – namely, in our prison systems.
2. Based on the documentary and your readings, what is race and why does it matter?
Based on the documentary and my prior readings, 'Race' is a system of classification used to classify humans into large, distinct populations on the basis of ethnic, anatomical, and cultural factors. Race matters due to its utility in making discriminations in both unhealthy and healthy ways. However; it is when various attitudes, beliefs, assumptions, opinions, and biased conclusions concerning race are assigned to this view that they stir up discriminatory responses (that is, stereotypes). Perhaps this is partly why race seems to matter in practically everything.
3. Provide and explain 2...