Nicholas Kristof: In Which I Go to Jail

View in [Browser] | Add [nytdirect@nytimes.com] to your address book. Friday, November 25, 2016 [The New York Times] [NYTimes.com/Kristof »] [Nicholas Kristof] Friday, November 25, 2016 [Janay Manning at the David L. Moss Criminal Justice Center in Tulsa, Okla.] Janay Manning at the David L. Moss Criminal Justice Center in Tulsa, Okla. Andrea Morales for The New York Times [In Which I Go to Jail] By NICHOLAS KRISTOF Okay, that’s clickbait. I went to jail, true, but only to interview women for [my Sunday column] about the tragedy of mass female incarceration in America. This has been a multi-decade failure in America that has broken up families, damaged kids, and punished women who need help. Their stories are so moving — and there is a better way. [Read!] Oh, and the reason this newsletter is early? It’s because although the column will be in the printed paper on Sunday, The Times is posting it today online, as it often does for pieces on the Sunday Review cover. I know this is a time when we’re all focused on politics and Donald Trump (and turkey), but mass incarceration is an enormous national problem. [Please share!] By the way, I didn’t have space to mention this in the article but reporting the piece reminded what heroes grandmothers are. During the AIDS crisis in southern Africa, I saw how grandmas became the social fabric that held nations together — and something similar has happened with the incarceration crisis in America. The woman in the photo above, Janay Manning, has four kids, and they are being looked after by the grandma, who has stepped in to care for a total of 10 children. Grandmas rock! One of my concerns with Trump’s choice of Jeff Sessions as attorney general is that he’s an enthusiastic backer of mass incarceration. The Marshall Project did a [fine look] at how Sessions could change criminal justice in America. I’ve written about the “fake news” problem, and a couple of articles underscore how absurdities go viral. [One describes] how a false report about Hillary Clinton’s supposed involvement in a child sex ring has roared around the world. [Another looked] at the genesis of a bogus report that anti-Trump protesters were being bused to demonstrations; it started with speculation and caught fire. There’s been a lot of talk about whether Democrats have become too focused on identity politics, and insufficiently attuned to economic injustice. I must say that I don’t think it’s an either-or choice, but I found [this article] about how the late philosopher Richard Rorty foresaw today’s developments very provocative. Finally, some good news. The latest batch of Rhodes Scholars were chosen last weekend, and at a time when there’s a backlash against diversity and immigration, it was striking that a record number of blacks and women were chosen — even though there’s no affirmative action, no balancing, nothing but choosing the best of the best. Two of the winners were Muslim immigrants, one from Somalia and the other from Bangladesh (one is a Kansan woman who wears a hijab). Another winner is a Mexican-American, whose parents entered the United States illegally. As [I wrote] on Facebook, they constitute a reminder that immigration enriches us. Know any really talented people in graphics and data visualization? The Times will be hiring three people to work in the opinion section to improve our visual story telling. If you know of a brilliant graphics person, information about the positions is [here]. And now Happy Thanksgiving and warm wishes for losing the pounds you may have gained! Spare a thought for the tens of thousands of women unnecessarily behind bars, a spectacular waste of money and human lives. Here’s the column: [Read! »Â]  ADVERTISEMENT  I welcome suggestions for what to include in this newsletter. You can connect with me on [Twitter], [Facebook], [Google], [Instagram] and [Pinterest]. If you have friends who might enjoy this newsletter, forward this email; they can [sign up here].  Recent Columns [Donald Trump campaigning in September with Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, who will be his national security adviser.] [Trump Embarrasses Himself and Our Country] Too many smart, experienced Republicans are being stiffed in favor of men with reputations for hate. [A peaceful protest at Lake Merritt in Oakland, Calif., on Sunday in response to the election of Donald Trump.] [A 12-Step Program for Responding to President-Elect Trump] Are you traumatized by the election of Donald Trump? Here’s the program for you.  Nicole Sganga [My Blog] My blog, On the Ground, expands on my twice-weekly columns, sharing thoughts that shape the writing but don't always make it into the 800-word text. It also features contributions from other writers.  [My Columns] Explore a searchable collection of my previous columns dating back to 2001. ADVERTISEMENT FOLLOW NICHOLAS KRISTOF [Facebook] [FACEBOOK] [Twitter] [@nickkristof] [Instagram] [Instagram] Get more [NYTimes.com newsletters »] | Get unlimited access to NYTimes.com and our NYTimes apps for just $0.99. [Subscribe »] ABOUT THIS EMAIL You received this message because you signed up for NYTimes.com's Nicholas Kristof newsletter. [Unsubscribe] | [Manage Subscriptions] | [Change Your Email] | [Privacy Policy] | [Contact] | [Advertise] Copyright 2016 The New York Times Company | 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018