Young people make stupid decisions, but being young and irresponsible does not have the same consequences for all people. When you are white wealthy and well connected you can get yourself out of almost any predicament. But when you are poor and black you are more likely to be arrested and cannot even afford a lawyer. These disadvantages have cause white people to get away with many crimes including those that were committed on the basis of racism. Black and white youth use marijuana at about the same rate but black youths are four times as likely to be arrested for it. Black men are usually associated with being criminals and in our society being a poor young black man is the equivalency of being guilty of something. For example, a young black unarmed teenager was gunned down by a white police officer in Ferguson, Missouri, Immediately the authorities released a video of Brown allegedly robbing a store and reported he had marijuana in his system. No matter what crimes Brown had committed the authorities made it seem as if Brown was a criminal and deserved what came to him. These social stereotypes allow for young men like Michael Brown to be wrongfully punished just for being a black man. Meanwhile white youths who commit similar and in some cases worse crimes get a simple warning or maybe some community service. Why is it that we give our white youths a chance to redeem themselves after committing crimes but black youths are associated with criminals and get less leniency when it comes to committing crimes. Would Michael Brown have been gunned down by the police officer if he were white? Or was it because the police officer saw a black man and automatically considered him a threat and a criminal and felt he had no other choice but to gun him down?
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