Wishing

I wish I were able to persuade everyone I know to read The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness.

More than that, I wish I had the ability to summon at will some of the staggering research Michelle Alexander cites to support her convincing positions. How satisfying it would be to recall her research when face-to-face with someone who buys into the folly of the prison-industrial complex. Even more satisfying would be if I could present an educated case calmly and dispassionately, without misquoting facts, and never get highjacked by my emotions. How I wish. 

As long as I'm wishing, might as well go for broke. I wish I had the influence to ensure this 2010 book was on the required reading list for every high school in the U.S.