I found this book incredibly informative. It was palatable and easy to understand even if you're someone new to information like this. I found it really broke things down well and I would recommend it to people looking for non-fiction books in this area.

this was a very interesting and ultimately true look at American Profiteering. I found it helpful and informative. I listened to it on audio and the narrator is a bit stiff.

A powerful, must-read book for anyone interested in the topic of generational wealth and how that intersects with racism.

While interesting, I do not think this book was an appropriate text to share or incorporate into my classroom.

Rich Thanks to Racism was a difficult but necessary read. The content at times made me cry because I understand how wealth impacts racism and vice versa. This book would be of interest to anyone ready to learn how painfully strategic racism can be.

This was incredibly interesting, important, and thought provoking. It’s a topic that needs to be coveted in our society today and this book has done that very well, would recommend.

For all the people that think racism is over with and that Jim Crow happened so long ago, this book will set you straight. It was a very interesting read, and so needed in today's time. This book is truly a must read.

This was a fascinating read about how racism equates to the rich in the United States. It is a very sad reality to learn about, but it is so very important.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3622016757?utm_medium=email&utm_source=like_notification&ref_=pe_7171740_475446060

Review posted on Goodreads. Generally I can't post that kind of review on Amazon because anything with words colour or color gets blocked.

Mention the name "George Floyd" and immediately people would think of systemic racism, social injustice, Black Lives Matter, and protests against any form of inequality and inequity. The trouble is, when the demonstrations are active and widespread, public media pay attention and join in the chorus against hate and systemic inequity. Once the demonstrations die down, many revert to the "normal" they are used to. So, what is the point of protesting if the results are mere short-term? Is it even possible to eradicate systemic racism? Can BLM provide enough impetus to ensure all races and all ethnic groups can be treated fairly? This book aims to look at how we can join in this long-term effort at rebuilding society into a fair and just one. The phrase "systemic racism" cannot simply be left to anybody's imagination. It needs to be defined clearly and that expectations are communicated justly. More importantly, we need to know the root of it all. As a justice advocate and a long-time civil rights lawyer, author Jim Freeman learns that systemic racism that most of us are saying comes from something far more sinister: "Strategic racism." Many of the efforts to bring about greater equality and eradication of poverty fail eventually. That is because programs alone are never bigger than policies. Solutions alone are not any bigger than strategies. If reforms are only made after vigorous demonstrations and protests, such reforms too are not sustainable. The Freeman starts noticing several patterns. Behind the bad policies are the same few hands that feed the problem. These organizations are profiting from the policies that are encouraging systemic racism in the first place! These are the ultra-wealthy, the powerful, the influencers, and the profiteers. Seeing such things made the author reconsider the words of the late civil rights activist, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr who famously said that "the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice." After examining the contexts of systemic racism, Freeman laments that current contexts point to this moral "was being forcibly bent toward injustice." Strong words. How could that be? How is that so? What could one do about it? These questions are dealt with in this remarkable book about a perennial problem in American society, and maybe many others too.

Before accepting or rejecting Freeman's conclusions, it is helpful for readers to consider his research and the stories of real people who suffered from such injustice. He shares the story of Walter H. Dyett School in Chicago where the mayor and other political leaders ignored the protests from teachers and community coalition to close the school in order to distribute funds to other "needy" schools. The slogan "tough on crime" is responsible for putting more people in jail instead of setting out policies to increase employment and social safety nets. In fact, many public policies go on to privilege predominantly white neighbourhoods. There was no even playing field in majority-white vs non-white neighbourhoods. Whether directly or indirectly, many of the richest tycoons of the country have profited from existing policies that are segregating the rich from the poor. Freeman, himself a white American admits the uncomfortable truth, that "all white Americans have allowed ourselves to become accomplices to racial injustice on a massive scale." From education to businesses, profiteering has become such a grand incentive that anything, including racist policies, is being practiced willingly. This has led to a sad waste of youth potential among non-whites. School privatization is also a powerful tool to fuel systemic racism. The list of philanthropists who gave to top private schools is a list of Who's Who in corporate America. It is not to say that the rich did not donate to the public school system. It is the wide discrepancy that is the problem. Then there are the differences in policing rich and poor; white and non-white neighbourhoods. Why the double standards? Freeman also mentions immigration policies that again favour white majority groups. He ends with a chapter to help us "defeat Goliath" and concludes with an invitation for all of us to pledge interdependence.

My Thoughts
This is one of the most insightful books on the underlying problems of systemic racism and racial inequality. While many people can mouth aloud words like "systemic racism" and "Black Lives Matter," it takes courage to see beyond the surface of our existing societal structures and social infrastructure. Shocking as it is, the very existence of the country we all know is keeping us where we are right now. There are several challenges. Freeman has pointed out the powers and principalities that are keeping people in their set ways. The American saying "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" would also run counter to any desire to change, even for the better. Change is painful, and the current climate of greater sensitivity to the plight of the minority and non-white population should spur change. Freeman is spot on when he notes how unsustainable such movements are over time. We need more lobbyists and influential leaders in the upper echelons of society to enable positive change. That raises several other questions and obstacles. Would the rich and the powerful be willing to change the systems that made them successful? Would the poor even have a voice to lobby for their rights? Who will the media gravitate their coverage and attention to? Even with social media, there is the power to ban or restrict access to the poor or marginalized communities when the powers are threatened or feel insecure. All of these contribute to the uphill battles that need to be fought. Will there be an Erin Brockovich or a Ruth Gader Ginsburg to fight for equal rights and equal treatment? Perhaps the author of this book could be one such force. The trouble is, if what Freeman is saying is true, we need to have buy-in and support from the very powers he is accusing. That in itself is a tough proposition.

Perhaps, the power of public opinion could help sway the elephant in the room. This needs community leaders to work together to share a new narrative, a narrative that will offer benefits for all of society. That means the rich and powerful would also gain. Coming to a win-win-win proposition is not going to be easy. Even the President sitting on the most powerful position in America has to fight hard to push a people-friendly agenda. The author is right to call upon "all white people" to share in this resolve to solve the problem. Will that be possible? I am not sure. Maybe, baby steps would be possible, but how much will that accomplish? Not a lot I think.

In conclusion, I think Freeman has given us a helpful understanding of the underlying reasons and contexts of systemic racism. He might very well be correct. His prescription however is more idealistic. Trying to solve such a colossal problem humanly speaking would be impossible. After all, the Goliath that got defeated by little David was because of divine strength. In 1 Sam 17:45, David said to Goliath: "You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied." I believe that in order to overcome the powers in our land, we need all people to acknowledge that there is a Higher Power that all of us need to answer to.

Jim Freeman directs the Social Movement Support Lab at the University of Denver, which works with communities of color across the US to dismantle systemic racism and create positive social change. He is a graduate of Harvard Law School and the University of Notre Dame and was an editor on the Harvard Law Review. He served under President Obama as a Commissioner on the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for African Americans.

Rating: 4.5 stars of 5.

conrade
This book has been provided courtesy of Cornell University Press and NetGalley without requiring a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.

I recieved a free copy from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book is really interesting. As someone familiar with the ideas brought up in this book, there was a lot I learned as well.
Worth reading.

4.5 out of 5 stars

Trigger warnings: Racism

Ever wondered why people are talking about defunding the police? Read this book. Ever wondered what the connection between Bill Gates and racism is? Read this book. Ever wondered how the macro and microaggressions of racism can be converted into real dollar bills that people have used to accumulate wealth? READ. THIS. BOOK.

Rich Thanks to Racism discusses in three main ways, the methods in which billionaires and the ultra-wealthy make their money off of the suffering of communities of colour whether it is through the creation of private schools, the increase of mass incarceration or the inhumane immigration system. Freeman details how well-known brands such as Walmart and Microsoft profit off of hurting people of colour, and how racism is in fact something that keeps people like the Koch brothers’ pockets full.

On social media, there are a lot of conversations around how billionaires are unethical and how many of the world's issues can be traced back to capitalism. I have been interested in these conversations for a long time, because I know that racism is a systemic and systematic issue, but I had yet to figure out how people directly get rich off of racism in this day and age. This book details exactly how this happens. As I read this book, it felt like the puzzle pieces that I had collected from reading various books on racism and anti - racism were suddenly starting to come together. Freeman did a good job of detailing exactly how the abuse, humiliation and crushing of people of colour is a direct consequence of the ultra - wealthy and the inhumane ways in which they accumulate wealth and exercise their power.

One of the things that the book did well, is explaining any misconceptions that people may be going into the book with, and also specifically emphasises that white people have a definite role in dismantling racism, whether they are Bill Gates or not. I like that Freeman did this because he shows how we have been conditioned to accept some inhumane things about people. For example how distorted our ideas are of people that ‘deserve’ to go to prison without interrogating the issue that people of colour are forced to live in an environment that crushes them and how we have lost so much empathy, that people will find a way to justify why immigrants should be made to feel utter terror every time they step outside their homes.

I also appreciate that Freeman explains in all instances how dire the situation is, but also offers us solutions. I found the hopeful yet realistic tone of this book refreshing, especially as there is something about the US Constitution in here that honestly is so bad that I had to put the book down for a bit, and I live in the UK. He also emphasises that in order to solve these issues, we need to go to the people of colour who are being forced to suffer from them, and that is how we will move forward.

What could be improved is that though Freeman gives us great solutions to these problems (that on face value will make you feel utterly powerless), it would have been nice to hear more about the people of colour that I am sure have already thought of these solutions, because they are dealing with the problems. I understand that he repeatedly talks about listening to the communities affected, but I am sure that these solutions have been proposed before by people of colour but simply not amplified. Therefore, it would be great if he could’ve directed us to slightly more people already doing the work in those communities, even though I am aware he did provide a small list.

Overall, Rich Thanks to Racism is a really great and crucial book to read to continue anti - racist work and for people to realise that the fight against racism really did not begin or end in the Summer 2020. The negative impact that the wealthy are having, which people of colour are always the first to suffer from, are just a vision of what the future for everyone who is not a billionaire is like. If I took one thing away from this book, it’s that being complacent is not only not good enough, but also in a way a form of self- harm and selfishness due to what is at stake here if injustice and inequality persists.

Recommend this book to those who are unfamiliar with the systematic racist policies that exists in primary education, criminal "justice", and immigration. While I was fairly familiar with the inequities that exists throughout these spaces, I still learned plenty. I found the first part of the book - on charter and voucher schools - to be the most compelling to me. The author does a great job drawing parallels across all three of these spaces in terms of solutions, but also in identifying who the big corporations are that are funding all of these horrible initiatives. My only criticism is that I would've expected more time to be spent on explaining how these corporations make profits from these initiatives. Since that is the title of the book after all. I feel like the book was a bit too verbose and repetitive about the injustices, and perhaps overshadowed what the point of this book was supposed to make.

This book must have been written a long time ago. Also, many people would not like the book because of the conclusions and facts included in the book. The author shows well how certain institutions and even laws support specific communities and in fact even reinforce racism. I recommend it, even for people outside the United States, as the conclusions are global.

Rich Thanks to Racism by Jim Freeman

9781501755132

308 Pages
Publisher: Cornell University Press / ILR Press
Release Date: April 15, 2021

Nonfiction, Racism, Civil Rights, Politics

The author discusses the wealth behind the racism in the United States. He states there are about 400 people that make the decisions for the millions in the population. His research his very throughout and although it is a tough subject, the book was amazing. The author’s statement of racism being like the game whack-a-mole made a lot of sense. As one issue is addressed, another pops up. If you would like to learn about the roots of our current racial situation, I highly suggest this book.

I read this book as an advanced copy through NetGalley.

I have read numerous books on racism and our culture, but this book had a very interesting perspective. There was a lot of information on how and why policies and laws that harm the vast majority, and more specifically BIPOC, are able to be put in place and continue to operate even when there is a direct relationship between the law and the detriment to the majority. The author also demonstrates how even the ultra-wealthy who try to present as philanthropic and liberal, are usually still investing in groups and institutions that are harmful towards people in order to produce a profit for themselves. I especially liked that in each chapter the author provided information on the ways money is being made by the ultra-wealthy in the topic area of the chapter, and then another list of ways that this area could be improved and made to benefit the majority of the population rather than the wealthy few.

I think the author also does well with navigating the conversation as a white person and making sure to stay within experiences he has had or heard directly rather than attempting to generalize his opinion to others.

This book was highly anticipated by me and should’ve been written a long ago. It’s a subject it demands to be discussed. Few books talk about the perks of racism and how they keep it going. I highly recommend this one