The oppression of a people in terms of race, gender, or religious sect could be economical, political, or even social.  In the democratic system we live in today in the United States, the ability to vote and choose your leaders, lawmakers, and representatives is the ultimate foundation of having a voice for yourselves and your descendants in the larger society.  This is because these are the people that make the laws and regulations on how we live, work, educate ourselves, and do business. 

You all must have heard that if you commit certain crimes or have been in jail for a number of times, you might lose your drivers license and/or lose your ability to vote in the elections as well.  It does not matter if your have served your time in jail as a punishment, but when you come out you still lose these privileges.  If you have any sense of fairness and justice, you will observe that young Black males are targeted for petty crimes such as theft in stores or illegal crossing of the streets.  It seems the system is more interested in catching them young before they actually learn to read, write, and apply their knowledge.  This is done by putting them in jail early in order to give them a criminal record. 

While they are in jail or correctional facilities, they come out with more criminal influences, especially those in low income neighborhood and single mother homes.  Even when they have matured, have served their jail time, and have changed their ways, they still can not vote to elect leaders or seek employment in many places.  In the long run, they lose respect from their women and society because the can not provide for their families, and they can not chose leaders that can improve their situation or plead their issues.  Do you think the jail system of America is a kind of racist, segregationist, and apartheid system of holding Black men and the Black race from political and economic relevance?