What’s the connection between “whiteness” and racism, do you think?
Whiteness is connected to racism because it has been used as a way to divide people into groups, where one group (white people) has more power and privileges. This system makes it harder for other groups to have the same opportunities. Racism keeps these divisions strong by treating some people as less valuable because of their skin color. When Ruth Gilmore talks about “whiteness disappearing,” she means that the system of giving power to whiteness must stop for true equality to happen.

How does the prison system create new “criminals,” according to Gilmore? Do you agree with her?
Gilmore says the prison system creates new criminals by punishing people instead of helping them. When someone goes to jail, they lose opportunities for education, jobs, and housing after they get out. This makes it hard for them to live a normal life, and some might commit crimes again because they don’t see other options. The system also targets poor people and people of color more, making the problem worse. I agree with her because many studies show that prisons don’t fix problems but make it harder for people to change.

Describe how you understand what Prof. Gilmore calls “liberation struggle.”
Liberation struggle means fighting for freedom and fairness for everyone. It is not just about ending racism or fixing prisons; it is about making a world where everyone has what they need to live a good life, like jobs, homes, and education. It’s a long fight to change the systems that keep people trapped in poverty or unfair treatment. Gilmore says this fight is for all people, not just one group, so everyone can have a better future.

In the Wal-Mart v. Dukes case, the Supreme Court said the women could not sue as a group (class-action). The Court explained that they did not have “commonality,” which means they didn’t all share the same problem that could be solved in one case.

The women said local managers were unfair, but the Court said managers made different decisions in different stores, so there wasn’t one big problem affecting everyone the same way. Without this, they couldn’t sue as one group.

1. The court system can protect individual rights better than elected branches like Congress or the President. This is because judges in the courts focus on interpreting the law fairly, without needing to worry about being re-elected or making popular choices. Elected officials, on the other hand, sometimes focus more on what will get them votes, which may not always protect every individual’s rights equally.

For example, think about a case where a person’s right to free speech is threatened by a new law passed by Congress. If that law becomes popular with voters, Congress might not want to change it. But a judge in the court system can rule that the law goes against the Constitution, even if it’s unpopular to do so. This way, the court system helps protect individual rights without worrying about political pressure.

2. Federal judges, like those in the Supreme Court, are appointed instead of being elected. This is why some people say that the Supreme Court is “anti-democratic” because the people don’t directly choose these judges. I agree that it seems less democratic because we, the people, don’t have a direct say in who becomes a judge. However, there is a reason for this.

The framers of the Constitution, like James Madison in “Federalist #10,” worried about what he called “the tyranny of the majority” — where one big group of people could push for laws that may hurt smaller groups. By appointing judges instead of electing them, the court system can focus on protecting the rights of all individuals, including minorities. This setup helps keep a balance between popular opinion and the fair treatment of every person in society, no matter their background.

The statistic on page 29 that made the biggest impression on me is the fact that a very small percentage of people own most of the wealth in the U.S. It’s surprising to see just how much wealth is concentrated in the hands of the top 1% while the majority of people have very little in comparison. This highlights just how extreme the wealth gap really is.

Living in a society with such huge wealth inequalities can create many problems. For one, it can lead to unequal access to resources like education, healthcare, and housing. People with less wealth may struggle to meet basic needs, while the wealthy have more than enough. This inequality can create tension and division, as people feel that they are not given equal opportunities.

We see this in everyday life, for example, in education. Wealthy families can afford private schools or extra resources for their children, while lower-income families have fewer options and may end up in underfunded public schools. This difference in access affects people’s chances of success later on, making it hard to escape lower-income situations. This wealth gap is a cycle that keeps repeating, as those who start with wealth often stay wealthy, and those who don’t face an uphill battle.

The diagram M-C-M shows how capitalists increase and maintain wealth. Here, “M” stands for money, “C” for commodities, and “M’” for a larger amount of money than what was originally invested. This process starts with a capitalist using money (M) to buy commodities (C), like materials or labor. Then, they use those commodities to produce goods or services. When they sell these goods or services, they get more money back, which is M’ (the original money plus extra, known as surplus value).

Surplus value is created through labor power—the workers’ ability to work. Capitalists pay workers for their labor, but the workers produce more value than they receive in wages. This extra value, or surplus labor, is what capitalists keep, transforming it into profit.

In other words, money becomes capital when it is used to buy labor and materials that produce goods or services for profit. This cycle, M-C-M, is how capitalists continuously grow wealth, by investing in production, extracting surplus value from workers, and generating more money than they started with. This process keeps the capitalist class wealthy, as they constantly reinvest to make even more.

The “means of production” are the things needed to make products, like factories, machines, and raw materials. For example, a factory and its equipment are part of the means of production. “Labor” is the work done by people to create goods and services. For instance, workers putting together products in a factory are doing labor.

“Value” is the worth or price of a product. Something becomes valuable when people need it or want it. For example, a smartphone is valuable because people use it and are willing to pay for it.

Labor and value are connected because labor creates value. The work that people put into making a product makes it worth something. If a lot of work goes into a product, it often becomes more valuable.

The difference between “labor” and “labor power” is that labor is the actual work done, while labor power is the worker’s ability or potential to work. Labor power is what workers “sell” to their bosses, who then use it to create goods.

“Surplus value” is the extra value made by workers that goes beyond what they are paid. It’s the difference between what workers create and what they are paid. This is important for understanding social class because it shows how business owners get richer while workers only get wages. For example, if a worker makes $100 worth of goods but is paid $50, the extra $50 is surplus value kept by the owner. This surplus value is what builds wealth for owners, which highlights the difference between classes.

In Reading 4.3, the difference between owners and employees is that owners control businesses and make profits, while employees work for wages. For example, the owner of a restaurant makes money from the business, while the servers are employees who earn hourly wages.

The Adam Smith quote on page 28 means that labor is essential for creating wealth. Workers’ efforts produce the goods and services that drive the economy.

Reading 4.4 argues that class is not about identity; it’s about where people stand in economic relationships. It’s less about how people see themselves and more about their role in the economy.

When Reading 4.4 says “class structures are built around a close form of dependency,” it means that classes depend on each other but in an unequal way. For example, workers need jobs to earn money, and business owners need workers to make profits. This creates a close but unequal relationship.

The closest station to where I live in Brooklyn likely fits within the working or middle class category based on concepts in Reading 4.1. I’m not entirely surprised by this answer because I see that most people around here have jobs that provide enough for basic needs but maybe not much extra for luxury spending. I feel it’s a fair representation, although there might be some variation, as I know people here have different backgrounds and levels of income.

From Reading 4.2, a general pattern I notice about social classes in NYC is that they are often separated by neighborhood. Wealthier classes tend to live in areas with more expensive housing, better schools, and other resources, while working-class or lower-income families are in neighborhoods with fewer resources and sometimes longer commutes to work. This separation can make it harder for people from lower-income backgrounds to move up, as they may not have access to the same opportunities as those in wealthier areas.

Describe how you understand the “Establishment Clause” and the related “Lemon Test.”

The Establishment Clause stops the government from supporting any religion, keeping church and state separate. The Lemon Test is used to check if a government action violates this. The action must (1) have a non-religious purpose, (2) not favor any religion, and (3) not overly involve the government with religion.

Is burning the US flag protected by the First Amendment? Explain by referring to the relevant court case discussed in the reading.

Yes, burning the US flag is protected as free speech. In Texas v. Johnson (1989), the Supreme Court decided that flag burning is a form of expression, even if it offends people.

What does it mean when someone says “I’m taking the Fifth”?

When someone says, “I’m taking the Fifth,” they mean they’re using their Fifth Amendment right to stay silent so they don’t incriminate themselves.