1. What is the connection between “whiteness” and racism?
    Gilmore suggests that whiteness plays a major role in racism because it has been treated as something valuable and protected. Over time, whiteness has shaped who gets opportunities and who gets excluded. Capitalism developed in ways that benefit white people more than others, making inequality part of the system. Racism is not accidental but built into laws and institutions. I think this explains why racial inequality still exists today.
  2. How does the prison system create “criminals,” according to Gilmore? Do you agree?
    Gilmore argues that the criminal justice system produces criminals by over-policing certain communities. Small mistakes can turn into permanent criminal records that follow people for life. Once labeled a criminal, it becomes hard to get work or housing, which increases the risk of re-arrest. This system keeps repeating the same cycle instead of reducing harm. I agree with her because mass incarceration comes more from system design than individual behavior.
  3. What is Gilmore’s idea of a “liberation struggle”?
    Gilmore uses the term “liberation struggle” to describe collective efforts to end systems of inequality. She believes liberation means more than prison reform; it means changing society itself. People need real access to education, housing, and resources to live safely. Punishment alone does not create justice or safety. Liberation, for her, is about replacing control with care and opportunity.

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