Dear Mr. President,

Recently, I have been becoming more aware about important issues in our country. I have found that one of the biggest problems, is racism. I've always known about racism and why it's a problem, but i never noticed how common it is until i looked at some of the ways people are affected by racism today. I have found that one of the most casual ways of racism is when black people face stricter punishments than white people, for the same crimes.

While researching and informing myself about this issue, i ran into two cases that gave a great example of how unequal people are being treated because of their ethnicity. In these cases, one was about how a white couple were not going to be sent to prison for locking their children in a cage with horrible conditions. The other case was about how a single black woman was arrested for abandoning her kids at a food court while interviewing for a job thirty feet away. This was just one of the many examples of inequality being shown in punishments given for similar crimes committed.

Without being said, there is definitely something wrong going on with the cases i came across. I feel very disturbed and unsafe when thinking about how the people given the ability to give punishments are using their power in unfair and discriminating ways. I find myself asking, “How is our country supposed to overcome a problem as big as racism, when the people we have in authority also practice it so casually?”

I continued thinking about why this problem is happening, or in other words, the causes to these unfair sentences. The most accurate and believable explanation I could think of was that the judges were coming from a specific group, most likely not black people. No matter where our authorities come from, I expect the same justice, fairness, and equality to be represented and shown by them. But yet, sadly, these qualities are not being shown by the people who are now granted power.

It was difficult trying to think of a solution for this, just because racism is so hard to deal with as it is. I would just like to push how important making sure the people who are allowed to make and give punishments, are doing so with fairness and justice being represented in ALL of their moves. Racism will continue being a difficult battle for our country, however i believe that if we work hard to focus on issues like these and inform ourselves of why it's wrong and what can be done, our amazing country will continue to strive.

Sincerely,

Lisbet Fuentes