Bryan Stevenson's Ted Talk on Injustice: My Views

        Last thursday in my biology class we watched a Ted Talk on injustice by Bryan Stevenson. This is one of the best Ted Talks I have seen because this one truly opened my eyes to the problems with our legal system. Up until now, as a citizen of the United States, I very naively trusted that our legal system was fair and made sense. But, after listening to Bryan Stevenson and thinking about all the statistics and averages he gave us on the mistreatment of African Americans and and minorities in general, I was disgusted. 

       To think that one out of everyone nine people put on death row is exonerated is horrifying. Bryan also brought up another disturbing point; that the United States is the only country in the world that sentences 13-year olds to die in prison. A thirteen year old is a child. Does it make sense to essentially take the freedom of a person for his/her entire lifetime for a mistake that they made when they were a child? Also, the fact that in some states your right to vote can be taken away from you, due to a specific criminal record, is alarming. 

      These facts brought to my attention by Mr. Stevenson show me that there are some serious issues with our legal system that must not be ignored. This is not something to be ignored nor accepted. This is something that must change. The United States has always been this great figure of power and freedom yet are we so free? The points brought up by Mr. Stevenson should make us all ponder that question. 

Ted Talk by Bryan Stevenson: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2tOp7OxyQ8