Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

Before I actually review it, I want to make sure people realize that the ratings of the 1-star folks come from people who didn't purchase it and only two have any real history of reviewing books. These reviewers are the ones who twisted the facts, not Professor Brown. I do have some quibbles with the education section - I think it is overly simplistic - but the gist of her argument is undeniably true. That is, after hundreds of years of explicit and horrifying racism in every aspect of society (housing, education, voting, employment, government benefits - like social security, FHA loans, GI Bill, etc), the changes of the 60s to create fairer laws has not undone what was created over the entire history of the USA. And the tax laws have gotten worse, not better, for the poor (yes, of all races). There is no doubt that our tax system is made to keep the wealthy very wealthy (and those are overwhelming white people - 91% of the 1% are white), and their heirs advantaged. Anyone who doesn't have that head start has to play catch up in a system still teaming with multiple impediments to closing the wealth gap (for blacks, but also for Native Americans, Mexicans, Native Hawaiian and the Asian and White poor) Professor Brown lays out well and clearly what those impediments are for Black people (and leaves it to others to explore it for other races, and poor whites). I'm white, wealthy and I clearly see that all that I received - my inheritance tax-free, the stepped-up basis of my parent's house, my income (now all capital gains) taxed well below working folks, the incredible run-up of my home price in a white enclave - exists because the society has decided to give welfare (in terms of are tax code) to folks like me. It's outrageous and it needs to be completely overhauled. I plan to give the bulk of my estate - and plenty of contributions now - to those disadvantaged by our society. My wealth - hard as I did work - is undeserved and a function of my privilege and, particularly, the tax code and the luck of my birth to 2 white people who got to take advantage of things denied Blacks - the GI Bill, buying into a good neighborhood, access to good schools, et. al.