The 13th Reflection documentary is chiefly about the dehumanization of the African American population for many decades. The documentary flashes back to the origin of the oppressive nature and mistreatment that the black race faces since arriving on American shores. The documentary revolves around the ratification of the 13th Amendment Bill, which clarifies that judgments concerning criminal punishment and disciplinary measures should not be decided upon based on race or color. Part of the Amendment states, “Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, nor any place subject to their jurisdiction” (Hammad, 2019).
The documentary makes me pity the African American population for facing mistreatments they would never have encountered had they been left peacefully in their original homeland, Africa. It makes me disapprove of the American leaders who always promise to better the situation but continue passing laws that still give room for further oppression of the black race (Lloyd, 2019). This documentary makes me ponder whether American leadership intends to save the black race from discrimination or heighten it. It makes me question the underlying motive of Amendment XIII when it could leave a gaping loophole for slave labor. Additionally, I wonder why despite the state passing stricter laws and putting into place viable means of preventing crimes and drug use, the number of convicted criminals keeps swelling immensely.
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There are several things that I have learned from this documentary. The first lesson is that the 13th Amendment has lots of loopholes that accommodate room for various forms of slavery. Besides, I have also known that both the Republican and the Democratic parties contributed significantly to creating conditions that initiated the politics of mass incarceration (Davis, 2020). Moreover, I have realized that the media has been one of the principal avenues for amplifying white supremacy and black segregation. The media has also played a substantial role in exposing the black community as “crime-obsessed and drug addicts.” The media, therefore, has played a critical role in spreading the dangerous “black man narrative” that has left the African Americans wondering whether they are equal human beings as per the Emancipation Proclamation or whether they are human beings of lesser importance.
Policy changes are necessary today following the proceedings since the ratification of the 13th Amendment. Since the ratification did not entirely end the discrimination against the black race and the initially enslaved persons, numerous changes have been made. However, they do not exclusively outlaw extreme seclusions the black race has been facing. There is a need to address the “dangerous black man” narrative. Necessary changes in the sentences and the specific judgments made by the judges need to be revisited. These new ratifications will ensure the black race lives peacefully in America and helps in building the nation.
To conclude, the black race has known enough suffering in the land they call home. It is high time the Americans stood together as a people and defended one another, notwithstanding their race or ethnic origin. It is high time the 13th Amendment is revisited, and necessary adjustments are made to let the people of color in America feel equal to, valued by, and treasured by their white counterparts as essential people in society. If America makes these adjustments, the black population will know peace and view America as their true home.
References
Davis, K. C. (2020). The American contradiction: Conceived in liberty, born in shackles. Social Education , 84 (2), 76–82.
Hammad, N. (2019). Shackled to economic appeal: How prison labor facilitates modern slavery while perpetuating poverty in Black communities. Virginia Journal of Social Policy & the Law , 26 , 65-91. http://vjspl.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/REVISED-Table-of-Contents-2019-26.2.pdf
Lloyd, V. (2019). Black natural law. In Jonathan, C., & Constance, Y. L. (Eds.), Research handbook on natural law theory (pp. 223-235). Edward Elgar Publishing Limited. https://www.elgaronline.com/view/edcoll/9781788110037/9781788110037.00020.xml
