1 00:00:11,880 --> 00:00:15,080 Speaker 1: Welcome to woke f with Me Danielle Moody. This week 2 00:00:15,120 --> 00:00:18,119 Speaker 1: America breathed the heavy sigh of relief as three consecutive 3 00:00:18,120 --> 00:00:21,239 Speaker 1: guilty verdicts came down in the murder trial of Derek Chauvin. 4 00:00:21,480 --> 00:00:24,079 Speaker 1: We shouldn't have to feel surprised, we shouldn't have to 5 00:00:24,120 --> 00:00:27,360 Speaker 1: feel relieved. But the reality is that cops murdering black 6 00:00:27,360 --> 00:00:30,000 Speaker 1: people in broad daylight and getting away with it is 7 00:00:30,280 --> 00:00:33,680 Speaker 1: the norm in American policing. This week on woke f Daily, 8 00:00:33,720 --> 00:00:36,280 Speaker 1: I was joined by my friend fill up Atiba Goff, 9 00:00:36,560 --> 00:00:39,280 Speaker 1: CEO of the Center for Policing Equity. We talked for 10 00:00:39,360 --> 00:00:41,640 Speaker 1: half an hour about what can be done to radically 11 00:00:41,680 --> 00:00:45,600 Speaker 1: transform policing, including his thoughts on calls to defund the police, 12 00:00:45,840 --> 00:00:48,040 Speaker 1: which you will hear coming up in a few minutes. 13 00:00:48,080 --> 00:00:49,839 Speaker 1: If the ten minutes I share with you today in 14 00:00:49,960 --> 00:00:53,240 Speaker 1: form and inspire you, do consider supporting woke f Daily 15 00:00:53,240 --> 00:00:56,080 Speaker 1: on Patreon to hear the full interview and so much more. 16 00:00:56,240 --> 00:00:58,960 Speaker 1: You can become a patron right now at patreon dot 17 00:00:58,960 --> 00:01:01,920 Speaker 1: com slash woke Yeah. But for now, let's pick up 18 00:01:01,960 --> 00:01:04,440 Speaker 1: on me asking Philip to share his thoughts on ending 19 00:01:04,520 --> 00:01:14,000 Speaker 1: qualified immunity for police officers. Where are we with qualified immunity? Right? 20 00:01:14,600 --> 00:01:17,880 Speaker 1: Where where are we with being able to at least 21 00:01:18,200 --> 00:01:21,640 Speaker 1: get to some type of level playing ground where you 22 00:01:21,720 --> 00:01:26,080 Speaker 1: don't have this get out of jail free card. Yeah, 23 00:01:26,120 --> 00:01:29,800 Speaker 1: so unqualified immunity. There are states that are making changes. 24 00:01:29,920 --> 00:01:32,720 Speaker 1: They're saying they're abolishing it. That's not quite right. What 25 00:01:32,760 --> 00:01:36,559 Speaker 1: they're doing is they're changing the standard for it, which 26 00:01:36,600 --> 00:01:41,480 Speaker 1: should be useful on state cases and can be useful 27 00:01:41,600 --> 00:01:46,120 Speaker 1: on local cases. But we're not close from any of 28 00:01:46,120 --> 00:01:49,520 Speaker 1: the states. As examples, the Justice for Justice and Police 29 00:01:49,520 --> 00:01:53,000 Speaker 1: saying George Floyd Act would end in this current iteration, 30 00:01:53,040 --> 00:01:56,280 Speaker 1: would end qualified immunity, and I think that has a 31 00:01:56,360 --> 00:01:59,600 Speaker 1: shot of making it through the Senate. So in that case, 32 00:01:59,680 --> 00:02:03,680 Speaker 1: we would be in fact revealing the precedent and saying, no, 33 00:02:03,760 --> 00:02:07,520 Speaker 1: you cannot use it this way. But qualified immunity might 34 00:02:08,280 --> 00:02:11,840 Speaker 1: might make a difference in about a quarter of the 35 00:02:11,880 --> 00:02:15,080 Speaker 1: cases that come forward where they're charging. So even those 36 00:02:15,120 --> 00:02:17,040 Speaker 1: things that are that are sort of easy villains in 37 00:02:17,040 --> 00:02:20,960 Speaker 1: this fight, the real villain here is the way we 38 00:02:21,160 --> 00:02:27,680 Speaker 1: use police. So if most cities ninety six percent of 39 00:02:27,720 --> 00:02:30,840 Speaker 1: what police do has nothing to do with violence, do 40 00:02:30,880 --> 00:02:33,000 Speaker 1: you think we could figure out a way to spend 41 00:02:33,120 --> 00:02:37,280 Speaker 1: less and get less armed response for that ninety six 42 00:02:37,360 --> 00:02:40,520 Speaker 1: percent of behavior. So I'd be happy toly qualified immunity 43 00:02:40,520 --> 00:02:43,280 Speaker 1: in place if police had ninety six percent less contact 44 00:02:43,280 --> 00:02:46,560 Speaker 1: with folks, Right, Like, if all I'm trying to do 45 00:02:46,680 --> 00:02:48,320 Speaker 1: is reduce the number of bodies going to the morgu 46 00:02:48,320 --> 00:02:51,120 Speaker 1: as a result of contact with the state, that seems 47 00:02:51,160 --> 00:02:53,720 Speaker 1: like the bigger lever to pull is to pull police 48 00:02:53,760 --> 00:02:55,840 Speaker 1: out of the places where, by the way, for the 49 00:02:55,919 --> 00:02:58,560 Speaker 1: last quarter century they've been saying, we can't do this. 50 00:02:58,800 --> 00:03:00,600 Speaker 1: You give us too much. We can't do mental health 51 00:03:00,639 --> 00:03:03,680 Speaker 1: and substance abuse and homelessness and child welfare. Why do 52 00:03:03,680 --> 00:03:06,280 Speaker 1: you give all that to us? Right, So they want 53 00:03:06,320 --> 00:03:07,760 Speaker 1: to get out of the business. They just want to 54 00:03:07,760 --> 00:03:11,160 Speaker 1: do it without losing their budgets. Right, I'm happy to 55 00:03:11,200 --> 00:03:13,160 Speaker 1: law enforcement to get them out of the places they 56 00:03:13,160 --> 00:03:15,760 Speaker 1: always wanted to get out of. And in many cities, 57 00:03:15,800 --> 00:03:18,640 Speaker 1: by the way, we should be standing up those systems 58 00:03:18,680 --> 00:03:23,200 Speaker 1: before we're disinvesting, so we can invest before we divest 59 00:03:23,200 --> 00:03:25,640 Speaker 1: in some places. But it's got to be push pull, 60 00:03:25,760 --> 00:03:28,720 Speaker 1: because we have fed this beast so much that if 61 00:03:28,760 --> 00:03:31,680 Speaker 1: they were the military, US law enforcement would be the 62 00:03:31,760 --> 00:03:37,120 Speaker 1: third largest military in the world after our military and 63 00:03:37,160 --> 00:03:42,760 Speaker 1: then China's military. That's too much, which is obscene when 64 00:03:42,800 --> 00:03:46,280 Speaker 1: you look at the lack of money we put into 65 00:03:46,920 --> 00:03:51,760 Speaker 1: let's say education, right, like you judge a country by 66 00:03:51,800 --> 00:03:54,600 Speaker 1: where they put the most of their resources, and like 67 00:03:54,640 --> 00:03:58,520 Speaker 1: you said at the beginning, America is addicted right to 68 00:03:58,640 --> 00:04:02,440 Speaker 1: locking people up. And it's no wonder to me. I mean, 69 00:04:02,680 --> 00:04:06,280 Speaker 1: we would rather in America send children to school with 70 00:04:06,360 --> 00:04:14,000 Speaker 1: bulletproof backpacks, armed teachers, then do something substantive on gun reform. 71 00:04:14,160 --> 00:04:18,400 Speaker 1: We'd rather have a Dante right a week or a day, 72 00:04:19,560 --> 00:04:23,080 Speaker 1: then admit to the fact that our policing system is 73 00:04:23,160 --> 00:04:27,440 Speaker 1: absolutely atrocious and if it didn't have a badge, would 74 00:04:27,440 --> 00:04:30,960 Speaker 1: be considered the KKK in terms of the number of 75 00:04:31,080 --> 00:04:35,599 Speaker 1: black people that they murder on a regular basis. I 76 00:04:35,760 --> 00:04:42,520 Speaker 1: just you know, what expectations do you have of this 77 00:04:42,680 --> 00:04:49,599 Speaker 1: current administration to be able to move the ball forward 78 00:04:50,320 --> 00:04:55,000 Speaker 1: with this systemic problem that we have. It will really 79 00:04:55,040 --> 00:04:58,359 Speaker 1: depend to me on who they get through Senate confirmation. 80 00:04:59,120 --> 00:05:03,359 Speaker 1: The Senate confirmed nominees right now are of fantastic slate 81 00:05:03,360 --> 00:05:07,560 Speaker 1: of folks that are way bolder in terms of their 82 00:05:07,640 --> 00:05:11,839 Speaker 1: vision for what can be done than this president campaigned on. 83 00:05:12,279 --> 00:05:15,360 Speaker 1: So we get Kristin Clark, and we get Venita Gupta, 84 00:05:15,440 --> 00:05:18,599 Speaker 1: and we get Anne Milgram has had a DA that's 85 00:05:18,839 --> 00:05:21,920 Speaker 1: good for the set of things I care about. Vinita 86 00:05:21,960 --> 00:05:23,800 Speaker 1: Gupta was the best thing that had happened to the 87 00:05:23,800 --> 00:05:27,880 Speaker 1: Civil Rights Division in at least a generation. And for 88 00:05:27,920 --> 00:05:30,240 Speaker 1: her to come up and then have Kristin Clark take 89 00:05:30,320 --> 00:05:32,000 Speaker 1: that over, I send it confirmed. I mean, it's not 90 00:05:32,040 --> 00:05:36,680 Speaker 1: just history setting. It sets a table for removal qualified immunity, 91 00:05:36,839 --> 00:05:39,680 Speaker 1: for really ramping up what investigations look like a civil 92 00:05:39,760 --> 00:05:42,960 Speaker 1: rights for expanding how civil rights investigations of law enforcement 93 00:05:43,040 --> 00:05:46,359 Speaker 1: actually go into the full municipality. Right because before the 94 00:05:46,400 --> 00:05:49,640 Speaker 1: Ferguson report, no one was talking about how cities generate revenue. 95 00:05:49,839 --> 00:05:52,680 Speaker 1: So how much more can of folks who are really 96 00:05:52,680 --> 00:05:55,680 Speaker 1: credential to have some experience? How much more could they do? 97 00:05:56,360 --> 00:05:59,680 Speaker 1: And also I want us to be thinking about what 98 00:05:59,720 --> 00:06:02,960 Speaker 1: are we gonna make them do? Because under Obama, what 99 00:06:02,960 --> 00:06:04,680 Speaker 1: we did was we said, there's a black dude there 100 00:06:05,240 --> 00:06:08,520 Speaker 1: right plays basketball. We like his march madness, his wife 101 00:06:08,560 --> 00:06:13,520 Speaker 1: is wonderful, his kids are wonderful. Let's not embarrass him. 102 00:06:13,680 --> 00:06:16,360 Speaker 1: Let's not put him in bad spots, and so we 103 00:06:16,440 --> 00:06:19,000 Speaker 1: didn't push. I'm not saying that's what I thought. I'm 104 00:06:19,000 --> 00:06:21,080 Speaker 1: not saying this what everybody thought. No, no, no, But 105 00:06:21,279 --> 00:06:24,120 Speaker 1: I mean, but that's right. But that's right. There's no 106 00:06:24,160 --> 00:06:27,600 Speaker 1: reason not to push Uncle Joe. There's just not. And 107 00:06:27,640 --> 00:06:29,360 Speaker 1: so I want to say, what are we going to 108 00:06:29,400 --> 00:06:33,000 Speaker 1: insist on? And I hope we insist on the recognition 109 00:06:33,200 --> 00:06:37,960 Speaker 1: nationwide that we have a system that punishes people for 110 00:06:38,000 --> 00:06:41,080 Speaker 1: the choices they make in a context where we have 111 00:06:41,160 --> 00:06:44,799 Speaker 1: given them only terrible options. So we should be giving 112 00:06:44,800 --> 00:06:47,160 Speaker 1: them better options before we even talk about how we 113 00:06:47,200 --> 00:06:50,280 Speaker 1: want to ratch it up punishment. Last question for you, 114 00:06:50,839 --> 00:06:55,040 Speaker 1: fill Up is this, do you feel like we need 115 00:06:55,480 --> 00:07:02,680 Speaker 1: to change our messaging around defund the lease, around abolish 116 00:07:02,720 --> 00:07:07,039 Speaker 1: the police. Do you think that the messaging is off 117 00:07:07,400 --> 00:07:10,000 Speaker 1: or do you think that it's right where it needs 118 00:07:10,040 --> 00:07:13,280 Speaker 1: to be. So this conversation around messaging, I actually think 119 00:07:13,280 --> 00:07:16,600 Speaker 1: it is super duper important because there's a lot of 120 00:07:16,640 --> 00:07:19,040 Speaker 1: assumptions that have gone into it when we've had it 121 00:07:19,080 --> 00:07:22,720 Speaker 1: in public. So members of what i'll call a democratic 122 00:07:22,800 --> 00:07:26,040 Speaker 1: establishment have said, well, we can't be making this defund demand. 123 00:07:26,080 --> 00:07:29,240 Speaker 1: That's ridiculous it's killing us electorally, be like, you were 124 00:07:29,280 --> 00:07:33,280 Speaker 1: not the one's making it. It wasn't for you. It 125 00:07:33,320 --> 00:07:36,160 Speaker 1: was activating folks who were outraged and felt like what 126 00:07:36,200 --> 00:07:37,960 Speaker 1: on earth can I do? Like you and I were 127 00:07:37,960 --> 00:07:40,000 Speaker 1: saying and feeling at the very beginning of this conversation, 128 00:07:40,760 --> 00:07:42,720 Speaker 1: and those folks are like, you know what, Yeah, I'm 129 00:07:42,720 --> 00:07:44,840 Speaker 1: not up for reform, I'm up for just getting rid 130 00:07:44,880 --> 00:07:48,160 Speaker 1: of this because it's actually killing us. Yeah. So if 131 00:07:48,160 --> 00:07:52,080 Speaker 1: folks want to have different messaging, feel free to develop some. 132 00:07:52,920 --> 00:07:56,160 Speaker 1: That's how I feel about. It's like, so we all 133 00:07:56,200 --> 00:07:59,080 Speaker 1: of us were not messaging the same thing. So I 134 00:07:59,440 --> 00:08:01,680 Speaker 1: have a listeners talking about I want to talk about refund, 135 00:08:02,120 --> 00:08:04,840 Speaker 1: not defund, refund to the community. I hear abolition is 136 00:08:04,920 --> 00:08:07,640 Speaker 1: saying that, oh right, that feels good to me. But 137 00:08:07,720 --> 00:08:10,000 Speaker 1: you know what, defund is still working in places. And 138 00:08:10,080 --> 00:08:12,720 Speaker 1: I also, I know you said last question. I'm gonna 139 00:08:12,760 --> 00:08:15,920 Speaker 1: try not to be too profound, come on now, but 140 00:08:16,240 --> 00:08:18,720 Speaker 1: my deal is we think of abolition right now like 141 00:08:18,760 --> 00:08:22,160 Speaker 1: it's it's something brand new, okay. And then some folks 142 00:08:22,200 --> 00:08:23,560 Speaker 1: are like, oh, Miriam Cobb has been around for a 143 00:08:23,560 --> 00:08:25,960 Speaker 1: little while, Yes she has, she's been doing it and 144 00:08:26,000 --> 00:08:27,800 Speaker 1: then some people are like, well, Angela Davis been around 145 00:08:27,800 --> 00:08:30,360 Speaker 1: for a little while. Okay, okay, okay. But Angela Davis, 146 00:08:30,400 --> 00:08:33,080 Speaker 1: when she is summarizing a great portion of her life's 147 00:08:33,080 --> 00:08:34,839 Speaker 1: work in two thousand and five, writes a book called 148 00:08:34,840 --> 00:08:38,800 Speaker 1: Abolition Democracy. She is quoting from W. E. B. Du 149 00:08:38,800 --> 00:08:43,840 Speaker 1: Bois writing in nineteen thirty five about black reconstruction. This 150 00:08:43,880 --> 00:08:47,560 Speaker 1: thing goes back to the point of emancipation, when we 151 00:08:47,679 --> 00:08:51,560 Speaker 1: have black geniuses talking about not just the destruction of 152 00:08:51,559 --> 00:08:56,559 Speaker 1: the systems that kill us, but the proactive, affirmative construction 153 00:08:56,600 --> 00:08:58,559 Speaker 1: of systems that will keep us safe and the will 154 00:08:58,640 --> 00:09:02,440 Speaker 1: rip body politic of the toxins of historical legacies of racism. 155 00:09:02,840 --> 00:09:07,079 Speaker 1: Abolition is not just about getting rid of something. It's 156 00:09:07,080 --> 00:09:09,840 Speaker 1: about standing up something that's better than what we've had. 157 00:09:10,160 --> 00:09:14,599 Speaker 1: And when we have a more historically literate appreciation for 158 00:09:14,720 --> 00:09:17,280 Speaker 1: what that word means, I think it stops being so 159 00:09:17,320 --> 00:09:23,240 Speaker 1: scary and starts being a bit inevitable. You know, you're 160 00:09:23,320 --> 00:09:29,679 Speaker 1: so right on so many things. What makes me discourage, though, 161 00:09:30,320 --> 00:09:35,280 Speaker 1: is that we're a nation that is illiterate about our 162 00:09:35,280 --> 00:09:39,000 Speaker 1: own history, about our own lives, about the lives of 163 00:09:39,000 --> 00:09:45,000 Speaker 1: our neighbors. We are purposefully ignorant. And so for every 164 00:09:45,000 --> 00:09:49,839 Speaker 1: issue that we have, there is a re education that 165 00:09:49,920 --> 00:09:52,480 Speaker 1: needs to happen, because the way that we have been 166 00:09:52,640 --> 00:09:55,920 Speaker 1: educated is through the lie. I keep saying that the 167 00:09:56,000 --> 00:09:59,480 Speaker 1: big lie wasn't just about election fraud. The big lie 168 00:09:59,480 --> 00:10:01,800 Speaker 1: has been what we've been teaching in public school since 169 00:10:01,840 --> 00:10:05,240 Speaker 1: the beginning of time, right, And so it's just like, 170 00:10:05,920 --> 00:10:08,440 Speaker 1: you know, you make sense if you were to take 171 00:10:08,480 --> 00:10:11,960 Speaker 1: things into historical contests and actually understand the context of 172 00:10:12,000 --> 00:10:14,680 Speaker 1: the words that we are using. But my fear for 173 00:10:14,760 --> 00:10:18,319 Speaker 1: America is that we continually show our ass and our 174 00:10:18,400 --> 00:10:22,720 Speaker 1: celebratory around just how ignorant we are. And so if 175 00:10:22,800 --> 00:10:25,320 Speaker 1: that be the case, Philip, it's like, do we ever 176 00:10:25,400 --> 00:10:28,679 Speaker 1: see the needle move? Right? If we're in a constant 177 00:10:28,760 --> 00:10:32,480 Speaker 1: state of having to go back and re educate folks 178 00:10:32,480 --> 00:10:34,960 Speaker 1: and bring them up to where they should be, are 179 00:10:34,960 --> 00:10:39,800 Speaker 1: we ever moving forward? If I got to keep looking back? Yeah, 180 00:10:40,240 --> 00:10:44,480 Speaker 1: I understand the frustration. And so let's say there's two options. 181 00:10:44,840 --> 00:10:47,480 Speaker 1: There's a yes and there's a no. If the answer 182 00:10:47,640 --> 00:10:52,240 Speaker 1: is no, then what we're doing just give up? Right? 183 00:10:52,600 --> 00:10:56,640 Speaker 1: I should I should become a black person who says 184 00:10:57,000 --> 00:10:58,679 Speaker 1: that black people just need to pull the pants up, 185 00:10:58,720 --> 00:11:00,800 Speaker 1: and that will get all the shots are because there's 186 00:11:00,800 --> 00:11:03,200 Speaker 1: money in that, for sure. Oh, I find your percent. 187 00:11:03,280 --> 00:11:06,960 Speaker 1: You could be rich on Fox News go ahead if 188 00:11:06,960 --> 00:11:09,679 Speaker 1: you didn't care about a conscience or yeah, like if 189 00:11:09,679 --> 00:11:11,480 Speaker 1: I didn't have a soul, I could just do that. 190 00:11:12,320 --> 00:11:16,600 Speaker 1: And so I answer yes both because I see change 191 00:11:16,679 --> 00:11:20,080 Speaker 1: happening and I watch the genius of communities coming together 192 00:11:20,120 --> 00:11:23,200 Speaker 1: and saying we will demand better, we will insist on more, 193 00:11:23,960 --> 00:11:27,760 Speaker 1: and because that is the only option that makes living 194 00:11:27,800 --> 00:11:30,439 Speaker 1: the way that I'm trying to live makes sense, living 195 00:11:30,480 --> 00:11:33,440 Speaker 1: with any kind of hope, looking at babies and saying 196 00:11:34,520 --> 00:11:36,840 Speaker 1: not just I'm sorry for what we're giving you, but 197 00:11:37,080 --> 00:11:40,120 Speaker 1: I think you can make this place better, literally looking 198 00:11:40,160 --> 00:11:43,680 Speaker 1: at my god kids and saying that that it's required 199 00:11:43,720 --> 00:11:45,959 Speaker 1: for me to believe it can be and to work 200 00:11:46,000 --> 00:11:49,920 Speaker 1: so that that's true. Yeah. Now, I believe that optimism 201 00:11:49,920 --> 00:11:51,599 Speaker 1: in the face of reality is a revolutionary act, and 202 00:11:51,600 --> 00:11:53,240 Speaker 1: I try and be a little bit of a revolutionary 203 00:11:53,240 --> 00:11:56,600 Speaker 1: every day. Right, So I'm not trying to sugarcoat stuff. 204 00:11:56,880 --> 00:12:01,400 Speaker 1: But if we're talking about is it possible, Slavery wasn't 205 00:12:01,480 --> 00:12:04,920 Speaker 1: ended till it was right, Voting rights weren't secured until 206 00:12:04,960 --> 00:12:08,000 Speaker 1: they were. Now they're not. We're gonna do it again, right, 207 00:12:08,120 --> 00:12:10,440 Speaker 1: all the things that weren't possible. You think about it. 208 00:12:10,640 --> 00:12:13,440 Speaker 1: The moon was just something up in the sky for 209 00:12:13,480 --> 00:12:17,080 Speaker 1: a long time throughout all of human history, and then 210 00:12:17,120 --> 00:12:20,280 Speaker 1: a small group of folks got a bunch of resources 211 00:12:20,679 --> 00:12:22,720 Speaker 1: and the will of the people to say, let's go. 212 00:12:23,440 --> 00:12:26,400 Speaker 1: And now that's a thing that probably in the next 213 00:12:26,440 --> 00:12:29,440 Speaker 1: twenty years you can buy a ticket to. You can 214 00:12:29,480 --> 00:12:32,480 Speaker 1: buy a ticket to the moon. This thing that doesn't 215 00:12:32,480 --> 00:12:35,680 Speaker 1: have oxygen doesn't exist within our earth. The things that 216 00:12:35,760 --> 00:12:40,679 Speaker 1: humanity can do when we decide it is required are amazing. 217 00:12:41,040 --> 00:12:45,200 Speaker 1: We dream about technology, and we dream about power, But 218 00:12:45,240 --> 00:12:48,600 Speaker 1: when do we dream about a better society? What does 219 00:12:48,640 --> 00:12:52,800 Speaker 1: democracy look like twenty thirty forty one hundred, five hundred 220 00:12:52,880 --> 00:12:55,200 Speaker 1: years from now? How have we set ourselves up to 221 00:12:55,240 --> 00:12:58,560 Speaker 1: be better? When we start dreaming about freedom not just 222 00:12:58,600 --> 00:13:01,600 Speaker 1: for ourselves, but as the the root construct of what 223 00:13:01,640 --> 00:13:04,320 Speaker 1: we're going to gift to the next generation. I imagine 224 00:13:04,320 --> 00:13:06,840 Speaker 1: that we can take ourselves to the Moon, to Mars, 225 00:13:07,040 --> 00:13:10,840 Speaker 1: to solar systems we can't even see with the naked eye. 226 00:13:11,520 --> 00:13:14,400 Speaker 1: In terms of how we keep ourselves safe, I know 227 00:13:14,600 --> 00:13:18,440 Speaker 1: that's possible, because humanity does the impossible all the goddamn time. 228 00:13:18,600 --> 00:13:20,480 Speaker 1: It's just we've done it for the wrong reasons and 229 00:13:20,559 --> 00:13:31,720 Speaker 1: for the wrong set of people. Optimism in the face 230 00:13:31,800 --> 00:13:35,560 Speaker 1: of reality is a revolutionary act. Every week on Woke 231 00:13:35,600 --> 00:13:37,720 Speaker 1: a f daily, I strive to leave my listeners with 232 00:13:37,800 --> 00:13:40,439 Speaker 1: the message of hope and positivity so that we aren't 233 00:13:40,480 --> 00:13:42,400 Speaker 1: defeated by the fight in front of us. I hope 234 00:13:42,440 --> 00:13:44,839 Speaker 1: you can let Phillips the words carry you forward, as 235 00:13:44,880 --> 00:13:47,560 Speaker 1: the mere act of remaining optimistic in the face of 236 00:13:47,559 --> 00:13:51,600 Speaker 1: our grim, oppressive reality is itself a sign of strength. 237 00:13:52,080 --> 00:13:54,120 Speaker 1: But I also wanted to leave you this week with 238 00:13:54,200 --> 00:13:56,920 Speaker 1: my own thoughts on the schaubun verdict and what this 239 00:13:57,040 --> 00:14:00,120 Speaker 1: case says about the state of policing in America. Do 240 00:14:00,160 --> 00:14:03,560 Speaker 1: we need to defend? Do we need to abolish? Keep listening, friends, 241 00:14:03,600 --> 00:14:08,640 Speaker 1: and hear my two cents, I thought to myself yesterday, 242 00:14:08,760 --> 00:14:17,640 Speaker 1: as I know many people have, which is about Darnella Frasier. 243 00:14:20,440 --> 00:14:28,760 Speaker 1: If not for Darnella Frasier's video, the seventeen year old 244 00:14:28,800 --> 00:14:34,000 Speaker 1: now eighteen year old young woman who recorded George Floyd's 245 00:14:34,080 --> 00:14:40,400 Speaker 1: death murder and uploaded it to social media, if it 246 00:14:40,480 --> 00:14:49,360 Speaker 1: had not been for her her bravery, her courage, her 247 00:14:49,440 --> 00:14:53,200 Speaker 1: quick thinking, recognizing that there wasn't much that she could do, 248 00:14:53,280 --> 00:15:01,440 Speaker 1: but she's sure as hell could record it. Listening to 249 00:15:01,480 --> 00:15:06,680 Speaker 1: her break down on the stand about the apologies that 250 00:15:06,720 --> 00:15:09,920 Speaker 1: she sends up in prayer to George Floyd that she 251 00:15:10,040 --> 00:15:18,560 Speaker 1: didn't do enough. Yesterday, she did the most because for 252 00:15:18,640 --> 00:15:23,720 Speaker 1: the first time in the history of that city, the 253 00:15:23,920 --> 00:15:29,240 Speaker 1: history of that state, a white police officer was held 254 00:15:29,280 --> 00:15:41,200 Speaker 1: accountable from murdering a black person in cold blood. Darnella 255 00:15:41,240 --> 00:15:44,440 Speaker 1: Frasier's action did that. But what's worse, folks, is that 256 00:15:44,480 --> 00:15:50,280 Speaker 1: it shouldn't have had to. In too many instances, it 257 00:15:50,360 --> 00:15:53,680 Speaker 1: doesn't matter whether or not we have cameras and have 258 00:15:53,840 --> 00:16:04,000 Speaker 1: recorded because accountability is always elusive when it comes to 259 00:16:04,080 --> 00:16:15,880 Speaker 1: black lives. Too many times we've been told that the 260 00:16:15,960 --> 00:16:21,080 Speaker 1: homicides that we've seen or read about have been justifiable 261 00:16:21,760 --> 00:16:25,560 Speaker 1: because they are at the hands of police officers. But 262 00:16:25,680 --> 00:16:27,680 Speaker 1: what we know to be true, and what we need 263 00:16:27,840 --> 00:16:31,800 Speaker 1: to remind ourselves of, is that Derek Chauvin is not 264 00:16:32,200 --> 00:16:37,640 Speaker 1: a bad apple. Derek Chauvin is the product of a 265 00:16:37,800 --> 00:16:43,760 Speaker 1: poisoned orchard that spans the entirety of the United States. 266 00:16:46,680 --> 00:16:54,560 Speaker 1: To dismiss the systemic violence that is prevalent in police 267 00:16:54,560 --> 00:17:01,680 Speaker 1: departments across this country is to ignore the true problem 268 00:17:04,840 --> 00:17:13,520 Speaker 1: in pursuit of a quick fix, which is to make 269 00:17:13,720 --> 00:17:22,639 Speaker 1: Derek Chauvin an anomaly as opposed to a shift and 270 00:17:22,920 --> 00:17:33,200 Speaker 1: necessary shift in policing. Now, I am of the mindset 271 00:17:36,680 --> 00:17:40,600 Speaker 1: that policing in this country is too far broken for 272 00:17:40,760 --> 00:17:47,879 Speaker 1: it to be quote unquote reformed. I believe that it 273 00:17:47,920 --> 00:17:53,199 Speaker 1: needs to be abolished. I believe that police need to 274 00:17:53,200 --> 00:17:58,080 Speaker 1: be defunded the way that we have been defunding public education, 275 00:17:58,400 --> 00:18:02,560 Speaker 1: our healthcare system, and social services across this country for decades, 276 00:18:04,160 --> 00:18:07,119 Speaker 1: which is why police have become the catch all for 277 00:18:07,240 --> 00:18:10,359 Speaker 1: things that society refuses to deal with that they have 278 00:18:10,480 --> 00:18:26,480 Speaker 1: fucking caused. What I continue to say is that this country, 279 00:18:28,800 --> 00:18:33,840 Speaker 1: everything that we are seeing unfold is purposeful. We're the 280 00:18:33,880 --> 00:18:38,760 Speaker 1: eleventh wealthiest nation in the world. We are also the 281 00:18:38,880 --> 00:18:46,520 Speaker 1: leaders in incarceration, police killings, death by gun, and every 282 00:18:46,520 --> 00:18:54,600 Speaker 1: other thing fucking wrong. Where are we exceptional, I guess 283 00:18:54,640 --> 00:18:59,520 Speaker 1: for in our love of guns and our love of violence, 284 00:19:00,640 --> 00:19:07,719 Speaker 1: in our love of trauma. Folks, I hope that you 285 00:19:07,760 --> 00:19:12,359 Speaker 1: can find some solace in the outcome of this case. 286 00:19:16,280 --> 00:19:24,480 Speaker 1: But do remember that it took an international uprising activists 287 00:19:24,480 --> 00:19:30,760 Speaker 1: in the streets, the courage and dedication of the Floyd family, 288 00:19:32,960 --> 00:19:37,000 Speaker 1: the bravery of a seventeen year old black girl named 289 00:19:37,080 --> 00:19:43,000 Speaker 1: Darnella Frasier, the bravery of the witnesses that took the 290 00:19:43,119 --> 00:19:47,600 Speaker 1: stand to tell the truth about what they saw and 291 00:19:47,720 --> 00:19:52,360 Speaker 1: who they were. Not an angry mob, as the defense 292 00:19:52,400 --> 00:19:55,879 Speaker 1: would have had us believe, but a group of concerned 293 00:19:55,920 --> 00:19:59,840 Speaker 1: citizens watching the life being squeezed out of one of 294 00:19:59,880 --> 00:20:09,640 Speaker 1: the their own. Take a deep sigh of relief that 295 00:20:09,680 --> 00:20:13,320 Speaker 1: we as a collective can create the change that is necessary. 296 00:20:13,359 --> 00:20:16,679 Speaker 1: But the amount of work that lies ahead of us 297 00:20:19,119 --> 00:20:25,840 Speaker 1: to rid ourselves of the poisonous way policing exists in 298 00:20:25,880 --> 00:20:39,160 Speaker 1: this country will take all of us. The most important 299 00:20:39,160 --> 00:20:41,239 Speaker 1: thing I can say, and it's something I tell my 300 00:20:41,280 --> 00:20:44,439 Speaker 1: listeners on almost a daily basis, is to take care 301 00:20:44,640 --> 00:20:47,879 Speaker 1: of yourself. You don't have to watch every video or 302 00:20:47,960 --> 00:20:51,199 Speaker 1: follow every hashtag. We know what's going on in this 303 00:20:51,280 --> 00:20:53,200 Speaker 1: country and we know what's going to take a lot 304 00:20:53,240 --> 00:20:55,840 Speaker 1: of work to change things for the better. Do not 305 00:20:56,040 --> 00:20:59,000 Speaker 1: give up, but that includes not giving up on yourself. 306 00:20:59,440 --> 00:21:01,959 Speaker 1: As I always say, make sure you take breaks so 307 00:21:02,000 --> 00:21:04,800 Speaker 1: that you don't have a breakdown. I hope this message 308 00:21:04,840 --> 00:21:07,000 Speaker 1: carries you through until the next time you hear me, 309 00:21:07,280 --> 00:21:09,800 Speaker 1: and as always, I do hope to see you over 310 00:21:09,920 --> 00:21:13,680 Speaker 1: on Patreon at patreon dot com slash woke AF. I'm 311 00:21:13,720 --> 00:21:15,960 Speaker 1: working on even more ways to stay connected with the 312 00:21:16,000 --> 00:21:19,040 Speaker 1: WOKEA family, and I would love, love love for you 313 00:21:19,119 --> 00:21:21,760 Speaker 1: to join us on that journey. Power to the people 314 00:21:21,840 --> 00:21:25,000 Speaker 1: and to all the people. Power, get woke and stay 315 00:21:25,240 --> 00:21:25,960 Speaker 1: woke as fuck.