Freedom Is a Constant Struggle : Ferguson, Palestine, and the Foundations of a Movement

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I think that, as far as content, the ideas and concepts and arguments and connections she presented on the various topics in these talks, it was brilliant. An important point here is that racism and colonialism are not only interwoven as constitutive dimensions within the international development of modern capitalist social formations, but have been reworked and updated under globalizing conditions. We maintain, therefore, that the oppressed Negro citizens of the United States, segregated, discriminated against and long the target of violence, suffer from genocide as the result of the consistent, conscious, unified policies of every branch of government. So there is this connection between the US military and the Israeli military … the militarisation of the police in the US, or police forces all over the country has been accomplished in part with the aid of Israeli government. There's a part of me that thinks it would be cool to create a tour of Israel and Palestine that focuses on actual issues, rather than conflict tourism areas.

I borrowed this from the library when I realized that I had yet to read or see any of Angela Davis' work, and didn't really know anything about her at all. I understand how sometimes it is necessary to repeat points over and over because, sadly, sometimes people don't want to listen. I don't want to create conditions for improving people's lives- we shouldn't condition help on liberal values. A little disappointing, but maybe this was a good starting point for me anyway, because this was a collection of speeches (and one interview) from different talks and appearances that Davis made around the world in the 2010s, and as such, it covers a WIDE array of topics, but in short bursts. She is an outspoken advocate for the oppressed and exploited, writing on Black liberation, prison abolition, the intersections of race, gender, and class, and international solidarity with Palestine.Or, in other words, talking about "the Zionist's media's tentacles" plays into a classic antisemitic troupe of Jews controlling the world, of Jews doing evil and getting away with it because they're so powerful. From the Author of WOMEN, RACE AND CLASS, this is a timely provocation that examines the concept of attaining freedom in light of our current world conflictsIn these newly collected essays, interviews and speeches, world-renowned activist and scholar Angela Y. And it would be fine, if you were in person, hearing it and experiencing it for the first time, perhaps, or maybe even several times, if you had been a longtime follower of her work and familiar with her. The text, while concise and accessible, draws out critical arguments that must be engaged with and provides the reader with the ability to tease out broader ideas and concepts of equality. His many books include Race Matters, Democracy Matters, and his autobiography, Brother West: Living and Loving Out Loud.

Reflecting on the importance of Black feminism, intersectionality, and prison abolitionism for today's struggles, Davis discusses the legacies of previous liberation struggles - from the Black freedom movement to the South African antiapartheid movement. This wide-ranging and brilliant set of essays includes a trenchant analysis of police violence against people of color, of the systematic incarceration of black people in America, the grounds of Palestinian solidarity for the Left, the affirmation of transgender inclusion, and the necessity of opposing the G4S corporation and its high-profit empire dedicated to the institutionalization of racism in the name of security.When we recognize how intricately the forces against poor people of color throughout the world work together, it's easier to unite against them. We cannot argue for Black liberation without recognizing the struggles of Black women, Black queer people, etc. A nice collection of essays, lectures, speeches and interviews in which Angela Davis challenges us to think harder, to reason more, and to question the status quo. It is not a question of whether or not one should prioritize a movement, be it a feminist movement or a black freedom movement—there should be BOTH.