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a note of caution: there will be many who try and sweep up this grassroots upsurge to abolish / #DefundThePolice into reformist bullshit. don& #39;t let them!
three ways that can happen: watering down, cooption, and over-egging
three ways that can happen: watering down, cooption, and over-egging
WATERING DOWN: many (e.g. liberals) may look to shape this sea change in a new direction, by shifting the meaning of "abolish" e.g. claiming the weak #8CantWait as abolitionist. don& #39;t let them!
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="đź–¤" title="Schwarzes Herz" aria-label="Emoji: Schwarzes Herz">to all doing the grunt work of educating people new to this
to all doing the grunt work of educating people new to this" title="WATERING DOWN: many (e.g. liberals) may look to shape this sea change in a new direction, by shifting the meaning of "abolish" e.g. claiming the weak #8CantWait as abolitionist. don& #39;t let them!https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="đź–¤" title="Schwarzes Herz" aria-label="Emoji: Schwarzes Herz">to all doing the grunt work of educating people new to this" class="img-responsive" style="max-width:100%;"/>
A classic example why we need abolition, and why reform is a dead duck:
Despite banning chokeholds in 1993, the NYPD still killed Eric Garner with one in 2014. the law can& #39;t constrain people who live above the law every day.
Who polices the police? No-one, if they don& #39;t exist!
Despite banning chokeholds in 1993, the NYPD still killed Eric Garner with one in 2014. the law can& #39;t constrain people who live above the law every day.
Who polices the police? No-one, if they don& #39;t exist!
a crucial concept in this justice work is "divest/invest": abolition as a strategy (including the call to #DefundThePolice) asks us to shift resources from harm-creating structures to liberatory and harm-reducing projects (cf. #8ToAbolition)
COOPTION: we are already starting to see many politicians pivot towards language less friendly to police. do not get your hopes up -- they are still 99% careerist scumbags, and 100% working in unsaveable institutions
politicians change their language at times like these: but very few of them attempt to change their deeds, and even fewer of them make any progress
never make the mistake of thinking that good words => good actions
never make the mistake of thinking that good words => good actions
when politicians adopt abolitionist language, they will always speak as if the ~political arena~ is the space through which you can make abolition happen. that is a TRAP!
they fear our power! so keep building power.
they fear our power! so keep building power.
be wary of weird political sects trying to siphon off #BlackLivesMatter https://abs.twimg.com/hashflags... draggable="false" alt=""> energy into their horror shows: a prime example in the UK is Stand Up To Racism (an SWP front - google "Comrade Delta" if you& #39;re not aware of their abuse-enabling rape culture)
energy into their horror shows: a prime example in the UK is Stand Up To Racism (an SWP front - google "Comrade Delta" if you& #39;re not aware of their abuse-enabling rape culture)" title="be wary of weird political sects trying to siphon off #BlackLivesMatter https://abs.twimg.com/hashflags... draggable="false" alt=""> energy into their horror shows: a prime example in the UK is Stand Up To Racism (an SWP front - google "Comrade Delta" if you& #39;re not aware of their abuse-enabling rape culture)" class="img-responsive" style="max-width:100%;"/>
OVER-EGGING: it is refreshing to see the Minneapolis council saying they will "begin the process of dismantling the Minneapolis Police Department"
But don& #39;t uncritically boost this without reckoning with what that means
But don& #39;t uncritically boost this without reckoning with what that means
when you see phrases like "end the current policing system" / the "existing system of policing", you should see red flags.
This is where WATERING DOWN and COOPTION can creep in; there is a long struggle ahead to shape this change, and stop our vision getting lost along the way!
This is where WATERING DOWN and COOPTION can creep in; there is a long struggle ahead to shape this change, and stop our vision getting lost along the way!
I love a victory as much as the next cutie, but it& #39;s crucial to be honest with ourselves about:
what these steps forward means (politicians are scared, keep the threat up!)
and what they don& #39;t ("we are on the home stretch!")
what these steps forward means (politicians are scared, keep the threat up!)
and what they don& #39;t ("we are on the home stretch!")
impossible to tweet about keeping "abolition" powerful without mentioning this super-useful @C_Resistance resource on how to tell abolitionist steps from reformist ones https://twitter.com/C_Resistance/status/1268712313634209794">https://twitter.com/C_Resista...
postscript: https://twitter.com/CunninghamMPLS/status/1270020100003897344">https://twitter.com/Cunningha...
for #DefundThePolice strategy, look to our history. my learnings from #BDS:
* isolate the fuckers: target govts, but also companies that supply govts
* choke supply chains; many local targets => many points of entry
* pick targets carefully: power mapping / strategy is key
* isolate the fuckers: target govts, but also companies that supply govts
* choke supply chains; many local targets => many points of entry
* pick targets carefully: power mapping / strategy is key
wish I& #39;d remembered this link before, could have peppered this thread with lovely @justseeds pieces! https://justseeds.org/graphic/all-power-to-the-people/">https://justseeds.org/graphic/a...
https://twitter.com/miamingus/status/1270523490509053952">https://twitter.com/miamingus...
