This year, I’ve had a number of folk tell me they used to think I was too aggressive toward cops & capitalists & white folks, but now they are starting to get it. Something about this never sat well with me, even though I live to radicalize people, & I think I finally understand.

I’m sure I’m projecting some, but what I hear when ppl tell me they‘re starting to get my abolitionist politic (especially w/o any acknowledgement of the grief they gave me for it) is that they‘ve searched for any other solution, & have reluctantly accepted the last, worst one.

And that’s cool on the one hand. I don’t believe there *is* any other solution to anti-Blackness than abolishing police and whiteness and capitalism. But even if there was, that wouldn’t make abolition illegitimate. Even if there was, abolition would still be valid and righteous.

It clicked for me yesterday after hearing the ridiculousness Shamiek Moore was spouting on here about how respecting police might save our lives, and many pointed out—rightly—that respectability has hardly ever saved us.

But we shouldn’t just defend the lives of people who resist police because nothing else works. We should defend their lives because resisting police is the right thing to do. Because state policing is an immoral practice and resisting it is a moral position.

There could be a million other ways to stop cops from killing us than getting rid of them entirely, and getting rid of them would still be right. There could be a million other ways to speak the “language of the unheard,” & looting & stealing from capitalists would still be just.

Abolition can’t be our last resort. We have to get to a place where it is our first. Where it is second nature. Because there will always be situations where something else will be easier or more comfortable or will provide a temporary or individualized solution to our problem.

I’m not criticizing anyone for not being there yet. I’m not there yet. But I do think it’s important that abolition as our first response be the goal. I’m glad folks are being radicalized to the point that they arrive here at all, but it is pointless if we don’t keep going.