Jay Newton: Laws are not applied, enforced equally to all people regardless of skin color

To The Daily Sun,

Ever wonder why people of color in the U.S. seem to break more laws than white people? It’s the result of applying the same law differently according to the color of one’s skin, a very common practice that has been around since Jim Crow.

Jim Crow laws were a collection of state and local statutes that legalized racial segregation. The laws — which existed for about 100 years — were meant to marginalize African Americans by denying them the right to vote, hold jobs, get an education and other opportunities.

When the Civil Rights Act was signed into law in 1964, it was supposed to end Jim Crow laws but states and towns got tricky and simply created many laws that were supposed to apply to everyone but were only enforced against Black people and now all people of color.

Since it is easy for a person of color to commit a criminal act without realizing it (white people aren’t prosecuted...), the result is that a person of color is more likely to have a criminal record than a white person. A criminal record which reduces their prospects for a good job and often brings the stress of not making enough to live.

This stressor, along with many others exclusive to being a person of color in the U.S., shortens the lives of our neighbors and friends.

People of color are people like us, trying to get by and make life better for themselves and their children. They deserve our respect and support.

Jay Newton

Gilford