Summary

Sanders begins this chapter by reminding the reader that his presidential campaign stood for “all of us standing together, as one nation, to demand a better life for all” (375). The only way to accomplish this is to address one of America’s most embarrassing yet prominent stains: racism. Sanders relates the perpetuation of slavery in America’s history is indicative of how the criminal justice system is run today; those groups who were traditionally slaves are now the most highly incarcerated. While he is sure to praise the advancements the states of civil rights, criminal justice, and racism, he notes there is still much work to be done.

Sanders’ focuses regarding criminal justice reform include ending police brutality, ending private prisons, confronting mental health, ending the war on drugs, and most importantly, ending structuralized racism. When describing the scope of these...