- What’s the connection between “whiteness” and racism, do you think?
Ruth Gilmore says racism isn’t just about personal prejudice it’s built into how society works. Capitalism depends on inequality, and racism is a way to keep that inequality in place. Whiteness isn’t just about being white, it’s about having advantages that the system gives. That’s why she says capitalism would still be racial even if white people weren’t part of it. As long as the system needs inequality, it will keep creating racial divides.
2. According to Gilmore, how does that happen, how does the prison system create new “criminals“? Do you agree with her view?
Gilmore argues that prisons actually help create criminals instead of just punishing crime. The system needs people to label as criminals, so it keeps expanding laws, giving longer sentences, and making it hard for people to return to a normal life after imprisonment. Barriers to jobs, housing, and community support push people back into the system. I agree with her because the system focuses on punishment instead of solving the problems that lead to crime to begin with.
3. Describe how you understand what Prof. Gilmore calls “liberation struggle.
Liberation struggle is about people in communities working together to solve problems where they live. It starts with real needs, like protecting homes, and grows as people learn together about history, racism, and society. It’s not just protesting it’s building knowledge, support, and solidarity. Gilmore believes, it’s about depending on each other and creating a community that cares for people instead of just punishing them.
