Night of pain — night of rage

Once again, a Black unarmed youth has been killed by a cop.

And while the facts surrounding the shooting are presently unclear, what is clear is that a cop shot 18-year-old Michael Brown eight times.

According to at least one eyewitness, Brown was shot as he stood with his hands up in the air.

To anyone who knows American history, this is not a rarity.

It is the result of a systematic function of police across the country to repress, track and target the nation’s Black population.

That has been the case for generations.

We shall see voices trotted out to call for calm, as outrage arises in Black hearts in response to outrageous treatment. Never do those calling for calm become voices calling for true justice, for justice is equality.

And who dares demand that cops be treated like the people that they oppress? For they have no influence over the repressive forces, and in fact, no political office in America does. They have been bought off, paid off or both.

Listen to the voices of “Black” politicians.

Indeed, listen to the voices of white politicians.

Listen to the raging silence.

Needed in the suburbs of St. Louis, Missouri — and in every Black community in America — are independent and uncompromising Black revolutionary collectives determined to protect the lives and well-being of Black people, period.

Existing political structures — silent in the face of these outrages — have failed us and cannot be made to serve our interests.

It’s time to learn from this, and build for our future necessities.

Mumia Abu-Jamal (guest author)

Share
Published by
Mumia Abu-Jamal (guest author)
Tags: youth

Recent Posts

Denver university launches tent city for Palestine

Denver Students set up a tent city on April 26 on the Auraria campus of…

May 2, 2024

Labor Notes conference draws thousands of militant unionists

Chicago For decades the Labor Notes conference, organized around the slogan “put the ‘movement’ back…

May 2, 2024

End all criminalization of sex work, including the “Nordic Model”

Sex work is a spectrum, a spectrum consisting of work such as erotic dancing, nude…

May 2, 2024

PDF of May 2 issue

Download the PDF. Campus revolts inspire anti-imperialist solidarity Editorial: Behind repression of campus occupations: Follow…

May 2, 2024

Drop ALL charges against pro-Palestinian students!! Cops OFF the campuses!!

Should anyone have illusions that the United States is a bastion of democracy, those illusions…

May 1, 2024

Defying police violence, students extend encampments for Palestine

Reports from Workers World correspondents, supplemented by social media, give a feel of the breadth…

May 1, 2024