Kamala Harris: Progressive Hero Or Fascist Threat?

[@PrinceShakurYoutube]

Thank you for watching! If you enjoyed this video and want to check out more of my work, check out my memoir ❤ bookshop.org/p/books/when-they-tell-you-to-be-good-a-memoir-prince-shakur/18299855?ean=9781953534422

[@TemujinMSM]

This is truth libruls refuse to hear.

[@MR-cx1mg]

More people desperately need to see this. Liberals have been exhausting this election cycle. Thank you for being one of the few voices of reason on the topic right now...

[@Paperskinglassbones]

That statement from her office is disgusting and full of lies

[@PrinceShakurYoutube]

Truly

[@ElisabeteSuzana]

Yes! I was banned on a social media platform for pointing this out. Isn’t it obvious?

[@mikerwriter]

You just need to stand out by disagreeing, but you’re not actually a part of anything that has a chance of defeating Trump. That’s where you need to focus your pseudo intellectual diatribes.

[@michelehamilton961]

@@PrinceShakurKZbin Thanks for bringing this up. New face, same racist and classist agenda.

[@michelehamilton961]

@@mikerwriter This may shock you but some people are not obsessed with Trump. We have a right to fully vet all candidates. It is the job of the candidate to show why we should vote for them. We owe our vote to no one. Plus it’s his platform. He can discuss whatever he likes.

[@bensear]

Well said, she's of the ruling class and her blackness or womanhood doesn't absolve her of her class position.

[@theorderofthebees7308]

Yes !!! class analysis is so needed

[@katalepsykills]

It only makes her more effective in fooling people. Not just in the US.

[@zzz-nu2re]

Shes descended from Hamilton Brown, an Irish slave owner in Jamaica

[@dirkz.duggitz1567]

Thinking race is more of an issue than class anymore is ignorant at best and dangerous at worst. Poor ppl everywhere, regardless of color aren't treated with respect. And the 2 tier justice system doesn't care if you're white, black, or anything else. Your bank account however is all that matters.

[@johnbuckner2828]

@@zzz-nu2re i’m not sure why it matters if A person is a descendent of slaveowners? Probably most Black people are, given that Slavery was widespread in Africa before, during, and after the transatlantic slave trade.

[@RNNNPTH]

The discourse around voting and electoralism in general is so frustrating. I don't mind the anxiety that Trump is horrible and he could really do a lot of harm, which is all true and something legitimately to worry about, but then people frame their entire perspective around that and view every alternative as some kind of shining light of hope. The world just isn't that binary or simple. "Lesser of two evils" rhetoric needs to be permanently retired... and I'm saying this to people who are inclined to argue that even though I'm not interested in advocating it myself: you will have a lot more success if you shift the rhetoric to something that encourages further action and engagement rather than something that implies "settling for evil", like "choose your enemy". The fact is if Kamala Harris becomes president people will still have to fight against genocide, fight against police violence, fight for justice and equality, fight for marginalized people, because there's no reason to believe she will not uphold all these harmful policies that need to be dismantled. And if you decide that is the argument that you want to make ("choose your preferred enemy"), then you in turn better become a real ally in these fights and not protect people like Kamala Harris from criticism. Blue no matter who people always become complacent when when Democrats hold power and make for utterly worthless allies in fights for real systemic change.

[@mickeyoshea2035]

🙋🏾‍♀️ yes! This right here! This is exactly it. ✌🏽

[@user-kq2we1ex3h]

Well said 👏🏾👏🏾

[@Staylive7]

Amen!! May this message spread far and wide!

[@DiusBaptistae]

Incorrect

[@faithalessandri1879]

💯💯💯💯

[@paulagrant1073]

She is not a hero. Our servicemen and women and our first responders are heros. She is just a politician.

[@grumpycheerleader]

Four years ago they rolled out Joe and Kamala as if they were John Brown and Harriet Tubman. It made me sick. We must not settle for this malarkey.

[@prestonpfeiffer]

The saddest part is I guarantee a very vocal segment of Black folks will completely pivot and begin echoing her sentiments on policing to maintain their symbolism or “representation”.

[@Travelenthusiastrk28]

She does not give me any hope. Your point about building consciousness and community generally resonated so much.

[@klalbritton]

We are never going to get radical change by voting under the two party system

[@etherealradar]

Agreed

[@LangSmith.]

Dope video!!! When Kamala was announced, I honestly felt numb. People use voting as a procrastination tactic, while occasionally paying lip service to activists but usually denigrating their work when it doesn’t “bend the knee” to liberal sensibilities. There’s been a gross reduction of genocide as a whole in favor of “we just need to not have Trump”, ignoring that all of these struggles , on a global level, are intimately connected and consistently isolated to give a sense that they can be fixed outside of one another. Kamala is just a cynical form of representative imperialism, still running the status quo, which only functions well for the same select few it always has. I try to continually stress similar solutions that you posited: organization on a wide scale of the working class, general strikes and boycotts, and how we get into more good trouble on a communal level, rather than rely on individuals that are just a different face of the same oppression. It’s incredibly frustrating to see a wide berth given to the concept that we can somehow hold these powers that be accountable once they’re in office, as though they ever have responded to those attempts with anything other than mild shrugs at best, and state sanctioned violence at worst.

[@PrinceShakurYoutube]

Thank you for these thoughts. The phrase REPRESENTATIVE IMPERIALISM really sticks out to me. Like wow. I'm using that in discussion ♥️

[@PrinceShakurYoutube]

I think a part of radical organizing is having the capacity to articulate our own narratives about what is happening and what we're being sold.

[@LangSmith.]

@@PrinceShakurKZbin This is what I’m trying to learn, how to distill the frameworks into something digestible for people who are not actively tuned in, but still disillusioned with the system as a whole. There’s so much untapped potential for mass organization that can really shift the tide of the world.

[@LangSmith.]

@@PrinceShakurKZbin I’m honored! It reminded me of other folks that referenced the fact that our oppression doesn’t change just because the face of it looks like ours.

[@brandonwoods9952]

@@LangSmith. I agree with Prince Shakur's critique of Harris's international stance and his critique of her record as a prosecutor and DA. I think offering material difference between a Trump and or a Harris administration would help people understand that people are making tough decisions about whom to vote for. Also, as someone who has been involved in community organizing and union organizing for decades, I get frustrated when I see so many comments about people wanting to organize locally, yet local organizations struggle to find organizers (I am in Chicago). I truly hope all the commenters who will actually join local organization and not just pat lib service in the comment section. Yes, I am a long-time community organizer, and I will vote for Harris.

[@benscott5781]

I rarely comment on videos but this was incredible and needs to be heard by more people. Somewhat unrelated but I would be really intrested to here your experiance and how you got started in grassroots organizing in a video, its a subject I rarely see people really diving in to.

[@PrinceShakurYoutube]

Thank you! And I was just brainstorming a similar video idea. Are there any particular organizing/grassroots questions you're interested in?

[@sophiesoprano]

@@PrinceShakurKZbini am interested in seeing how we can make RFK jr win.❤🎉

[@rowingoarsatnight3735]

i love your channel, also really like this video.. addresses some of the frustrations i’ve had as well

[@PrinceShakurYoutube]

Thank you ♥️ are there other topics you're interested in seeing on the channel?

[@TheCakeeISaLIEE]

Obviously a fascist threat to the common worker

[@quinncillian]

great video! v helpful - thank you for articulating my thoughts exactly and filling in the blank areas! I feel much more confident in my stance on voting and Kamala.

[@figsandoranges]

I agree with what you're saying! Kamala being elected is not harm reduction because she just does a different kind of harm. She is friendly fascism to Trump's aggressive fascism.

[@JoshsBookishVoyage]

I don't understand how not voting contirbutes to positive change. Kamala Harris would objectively be less fascistic than Trump. A Trump presidency would almost certainly do more to hinder susbtantative change on a foundational level. Voting may not fix our problems, but it is still a tool that can get closer to addressing them.

[@charliepaige196]

THIS

[@SorellaKez]

couldn't have said it better

[@prestonpfeiffer]

Will it tho? Im voting for her but you’re conflating two points that contradict one another. Democrats are NOT moving left. Voting for her to avoid Trump is one thing but what will actually be addressed if she’s installed to maintain the status quo. Again,Democrats keep moving right, so to pretend she’s gonna magically become this progressive torch bearer when she’s still owned by AIPAC,is completely disingenuous.

[@fluffyfishcool226]

Not voting is a stance of privilidge in my opinion- I have my issues with Harris but we need her to win so we CAN work on building communities that a Trump presidency would most certainly try to disrupt/ make it impossible to do so I agree with you fullheartedly

[@Communistgun]

This

[@utkarshgaur1942]

Terrible take to pose this as a (false) dilemma. There's no requirement for a voter to like the person they vote for - they should vote strategically for what presents them with the best odds of achieving their goal. Yes, you are right that for actual change to take place there needs to be disruptive action. But also, it matters quite a bit who is in power when that disruptive action takes place. If one candidate is 80% likely to just fire all striking union workers (e.g. Reagan) while the other candidate is only 40% as likely to do that, then voting for the latter candidate improves the odds of enacting the change that the striking workers want. Unless, of course, the goal isn't to enact change, but rather the goal is to be in an eternal confrontation about the same issues. In which case, sure, don't vote.

[@PrinceShakurYoutube]

But arguing that voting is some level of harm reduction isn't appealing to tons of people that have serious red line issues they care about like abolition or Palestinian liberation etc

[@PrinceShakurYoutube]

We're voting to procrastinate aspects our suffering while not fighting enough against the fact that both parties sew violence here and abroad

[@utkarshgaur1942]

Then they should get over the fact that it is unappealing to them, and still vote for the party they think is more likely to give in to their demands. You know very well that it's wishful thinking to just wait for a sufficiently sympathetic government to get into office and take no other action. But it's equally wishful to think that only disruptive action is enough to enact change without a sympathetic government in power. The uncomfortable truth is that some mix of both is needed. The larger the disruption, the less you need a sympathetic government. If we get to the point where general strikes can be reliably called for THEN sure you can ignore voting. But until that happens, you should be pushing both levers to increase your odds of achieving success. I don't why I'm bothering with this. It's clear that you see both parties as *literally the same* and so are incapable of enacting political action that can exploit any differences between the two.

[@jerrytuxman4421]

Even on my side of the aisle we have have the same argument. There are many abortion abolitionist who refuse to vote this year because neither party represents their principals, so they are choosing not to vote. It doesn’t make any since to me.

[@itsjessguys7005]

We see through the lies and your voice is important

[@carolinekrall525]

Amazing amazing video! I love the way that you develop your thoughts and you are so well spoken!

[@PrinceShakurYoutube]

Thank you so much!

[@theclowntown]

feeling very politically isolated lately so im so grateful to hear a perspective that feels similar to mine, thank you

[@PrinceShakurYoutube]

thank you for watching! only more to come

[@niepieisme9830]

Oh wow I really needed a laugh this morning. 😂 Thank you for such an entertaining (and cute) opening.

[@ElisabeteSuzana]

My god, she’s worse than I thought. When I heard about her idea of prosecuting parents for truancy, I was appalled. It’s so obvious that poor people, many of them brown and black are the targets for this.

[@deyoncew3311]

While I am for dismantling our current criminal justice system, I don't view that particular policy as the worst thing in the world. If you as a parent aren't ensuring that your children are at school, that is a form of child neglect.

[@SorellaKez]

This was a great listen! If Kamala gets in office, I'm mostly looking forward to seeing more of a push to abolish anti-abortion and anti-trans laws. After watching this video though, I am worried that her presence may make the black community excuse a lot of the negative aspects of Americanism and her history as a prosecutor, but as long as we make a push to see see her as step 1 of 16 and not our "savior" we should be fine. For me though, having Trump in office puts too many queer and black rights in jeopardy for me to be okay with letting him win. In my head, i think we should focus on making sure he loses and we focus more on critiquing Kamala afterward.

[@PrinceShakurYoutube]

Yes. I think one of the main things I'm hoping that large groups of people can do is to actually be militant in their demands of politicians and not just handover power

[@loadishstone]

In terms of historical struggles electoralism has clearly made a difference. Pretending electoral politics doesn’t make a change is so disingenuous. I shortcut to that because I’ve seen your videos where you dive into the history. You *know* electoral politics has made a gigantic change in all our lives. This is where the largest disconnect between leftist online and the ones in the streets occurs because so much of this is just out of touch with the masses. Working outside of electoralism…with half the electorate voting for trump who will actively stamp out revolutionary thought? Which side do you expect a revolution to fall on lol? Its like yall think a revolution can happen without the masses. Now with that said, your voice is still needed because we actively do need people to remember that we need to keep fighting and that it doesn’t end because Trump isn’t in office…but did they do that with Biden? No one stopped fighting. Unless you somehow mistook liberals for being leftists all of a sudden. Kamela would only give me hope in the sense that America isn’t replicating every facist governments origin in the 20th century and actual climate change policy that matters can still happen as well. Some delulu liberals think she’ll save the country because she does reflect their politics in the first place. Why would that be a suprise?

[@PrinceShakurYoutube]

There can different visions of change. Me sharing my literal opinion is the opposite of disingenuous.

[@bushybrow06]

WEB Dubois was very problematic for many blk thought during and after his time. But he changed and decided USA was not place he wanted to die. So leave room for her to change too... Cause no better a thinker than DuBois

[@nullpotential]

Thank you so much for making this.

[@PrinceShakurYoutube]

Thank you for watching

[@mikes_channel]

Hey prince, found you through this video. What a phenomenal explanation. I was a lifelong democrat up until what the DNC did to Bernie in 2016. Id really love to hear your thoughts, good or bad on RFK Jr. And his VP candidate Nicole Shanahan. He seems to be the best candidate so far (mainly because he wants to demilitarize the USA), but I'm hesitant to support him. It would be really cool to hear your thoughts in a video if you're down for it. Glad to have found your channel ❤️

[@KiteMoonwall]

very much appreciate your thoughts. and i agree on pretty much every single point you made i think, thank you for sharing.

[@PrinceShakurYoutube]

Thanks for watching!

[@232tt80]

this video is so good and well put together; rays of your creativity break through in every moment of it. thank you so much for this !!

[@natebookout811]

A friend of mine made a really good point the other day about how it feels, voting for Kamala Harris, when you know she may well be a disaster. She pointed out it feels shitty, like you're sort of a moral failure. And she wondered if that might be a reason voting for a 3rd party candidate appeals more to many people. Because it's more soothing for your moral conscience. Being morally pure is always heartening. That makes a lot of sense to me, since I'm growing more disillusioned with the Democrats everyday (I watched an hour of Netanyahu's genocidal speech until it made me feel sick, and watched the Democratic ghouls who attended give standing ovations to his every sentence). Unfortunately, a soothed conscience does not change political structures. It reinforces them. Puritanism--the idea you must be a perfect human being--has always been about imposing fear, hatred, and control onto a community. That's why moral purity has such a toxic influence on American politics, undermining liberation. Thinking about the points you bring up here, I'm wondering if a more useful way to think about everything that's happening is the concept of subversiveness: "Truly subversive activities... are those that systematically attempt to overthrow or undermine existing political structures." (Schacht and Underwood) From one perspective, not voting (or becoming ungovernable) is subversive, which is why certain subversive activities like not paying taxes are prosecuted with jail time. And don't get me wrong, this context is important because it's the default one we have right now. Choosing to vote Democrat is choosing the status quo. Personally, I don't think it matters if Kamala Harris is a good person or not. I don't believe you can be President and still be a good person. I wonder if it's possible for her identity not to be co-opted by the establishment, at all. There are people who are saying they think she'll be more sympathetic to protesters, but what you've said here makes me doubt that. The moment we ever get a queer President, LGBTQ people are totally fucked. But I think there's another critical context missing, and that's the reality of what Trump is promising to do. He's saying things like "you won't have to vote again" to his supporters; he's even saying they won't have to vote this time, either. And he has good reason to. 70 election officials are certified in swing states around the country who are unapologetic election denialists. The GOP are not planning to win this election through voting; they are planning to refuse to certify results entirely, and then seize power some other way. There's really no more concise way of illustrating what our "choices" are, this November. And it might take more to make sure we keep our democracy than just a victory. We might have to fight to protect it. The role of voting and its nature as a political structure has fundamentally changed. Trump intends to take our votes away, has the wealth and power to do so, and is not shy about it. Against that context, choosing to vote Democrat *absolutely is subversive* . Two things can be true at once. You can vote for Kamala Harris and still resist her, if she's President. We don't deserve it, no, we deserve so much better. But I don't think that makes things easier at all, either. I agree that regardless of the outcome of this election, anti-fascists have a lot of work ahead. We gotta create such a stink that she has no choice but to listen. And I also agree that building our own grassroots institutions, what you said about anti-electoralism, will be a huge part of that. I think critical reasoning with an eye of skepticism towards different modes of thinking is important: whether you're judging something morally, or rationally, or both. I'm sure there are flaws in what I've said here by trying to be purely rational. But the important thing isn't to be absolutely correct in what you say or do, it's that by looking out for those flaws in your reasoning, you can slowly check yourself on the search for truth. And I think the truth is the most radical thing there is. "The Absolutely Fabulous and Flawlessly Customary World of Female Impersonators", by S. Schacht and L. Underwood: pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15132480/

[@N0tt_David.]

This put into words what I've been feeling.

[@katscandance]

Thank you for the honest and truthful video Prince Shakur

[@Justin_Beaver564]

The two party system is destroying us. We need more choices via ranked choice voting.

[@maddiemae73]

One time I asked my APUSH/AP Comparative teacher why ranked choice voting isn’t a thing here, bc it felt relevant. And she replied “well that requires work and the government hates actually doing real work” and that’s so real

[@grumpycheerleader]

It’s a MONOPOLY!!!

[@hvc1233]

kennedy

[@whytheory3251]

You can argue for or against immigration but take racism out of it. Many countries have policies for or against immigration and it has nothing to do with race. I and many people do not care about skin color at all. We care about culture and the economy and crime rates. Its normal for countries to loosen or tighten their borders for different reasons other than skin color.

[@bisiashley]

She your country purposefully funds parastate violence to cause chaos to prevent a non-white country from prospering you really think no racism is involved!!?

[@janusroland]

Yes! This video has so much nuance. I hope people can appreciate it. Let's break the "2-party system" and consider rallying around Jill Stein 💚to keep building momentum for 3rd party movements in this election and beyond.

[@blackswan4486]

I love Jill stein

[@Xx_Gucci-Jesus_xX]

soooooooo true!! appreciate the time and effort put towards making this video

[@PrinceShakurYoutube]

My pleasure!!

[@wuwei5629]

I'm glad I found your channel, this is the critical thinking I was looking for! So much food for thought. Again, thank you

[@PrinceShakurYoutube]

Thank you so much for watching. More to come!

[@giovannituber2827]

How many Kamala’s does it take to change a lightbulb? 0 she has prison labor do it.

[@1colorguru]

Thank you for posting this. As a Californian I lived through her massacre of the black and brown community freedoms and jailing parents of truant kids! Likw WTH? For the record Judge Joe Brown stated that he met her father and his background was Irish and I believe he said Scottish descent and was not black, though he was from Jamaica and her mother is Hindu, Indian. But her race was a non issue until she started pandering to the ethnic communities and particularly black women. She is the phoniest, laziest, most ineffective politician we've ever seen in the WH. Even Joe Biden said in his speeches that she was a DEI hire (not in those words) by tauting his DEI cabinet. And the worst entity in this desperate attempt to steal the election is the DNC. They have literally coronated her before the standard convention without our democratic process standards usually applied. So they're forcing us to vote for her by pandering to ethnic groups under false appeal like having a free concert with Megan the Stallion, like that is remotely related to running for president! I mean, it's not a rich kid sweet 16 party. It's flat out embarrassing. She has listed ZERO POLICIES, she has a horrific track record, she has done absolutely nothing for the border issue which she promised to fix, and she knows nothing on foreign policy as we now are standing on the edge of WW3. No on Queen Coconut! She is literally a danger to our country.

[@ottabee]

Thank-you Prince for the hilarity at the start of the video. It greatly helps to learn more about the blatant sinister/criminal minds attempting to manipulate and control the nation. The puppet-fest ain't cute at all. You are ENORMOUSLY appreciated.

[@PrinceShakurYoutube]

Thank you

[@CherokeeViking]

A prosecutor will always have a go to thought process of putting people in jail. She is a tryant waiting to be given power.

[@Anarchyinthe603]

I just wanted to drop you a line to express to you how thankful I've been for your work as of late. At the tail end of what is being an incredibly personally turbulent spring and summer, I have found myself going from frying pan to fire and merely weeks after returning from my best beloved eldest brother's funeral, I found myself enduring another major mental and physical health episode, one in what has been a lifelong that many of these that I've been continually pushing and fighting against since the start. It's nothing tragic, but it is irritating and lifelong, while at the same time being nothing new to me. Mostly, it's been more frustrating than anything; I'm sure you can relate when I say that this apparent treadmill of cyclical suffering is more than a little tiresome by now for me. But, while I've been convalescing, I've been watching your videos in piecemeal as I have the energy. I, too, am an anarchist, And I'm from the Northeast from a really tiny state and we've been divided like hell since before 2016, but it seems to me that things aren't necessarily getting any better. I've been frustrated with this country I was born and raised in, quite literally since I was a child. And I've been the most frustrated with it over the course of the last two decades. With my recent shift in the level and intensity of my disability, I've recently been debating within myself how best I can recenter and refocus to shift my purpose, and continue to take direct action. How? Where? That was a mystery. And given that I am sort of alone in this bit of a side quest for myself, I was on my own. My friends, family and comrades are also supportive, but you know how it is, everybody has their own work, activism, personal and family needs and I'm always hyper aware of that, having so many of my own. And I've always had more than a little bit of a hyper independent streak, and while at first it started off as a trauma response, well it's been a generational trauma response for over 600 years, given that my mother's from the Philippines. Again, no big thing, and nothing new to me. I got myself, I got the situation handled, and if I need help, I've known since Mr Rogers taught me when I was four that I should always look for the helpers. So maybe this is a solitary side quest, but it's not a solo one, nor is it a fruitless one. And I'm not lonely in it, nor lamenting.

[@Anarchyinthe603]

For the last several days, during my breaks from my work on my at-home physical and speech therapy, I have been in my local state subreddit, having found myself inadvertently fallen into a debate about anarchist theory. And well, this may not come to a surprise to you, but many people have been very Wrong On the Internet about anarchism for a long time, and this subreddit I'm on is no different. However, so far the folks that I've engaged with have been only minimally insulting, or have made minimal attempts to insult me. Just a few jabs here and there to see if I would take the bait. And frankly, regardless of how they tried to "No true anarchist" me via "anarchists don't vote so you can't be an anarchist and it's lame and clearly you don't know what you're talking about and any anarchist would laugh at you if you admitted it that you're voting for Harris..." This whole battle thing that they like to do? It's nothing new, nothing creative, nothing surprising, literally nothing I haven't heard before and quite frankly, nothing I need to get defensive about, so I don't. I know that I know what I'm talking about, and I have plenty of sources, and video and in scholarly works, that I am happy to cite and have been along the way. And I sure ain't tired, because again, smug, likely (Caucasian because our state racial demographic is 93% I think?) White dudes, not just myself but my mother's people have been dealing with these guys since before the Spanish-American War. Compared to that, these guys are pickleball. Given the things that happened to my mother's people and even to my own mother prior to my existence and during the time that I've been alive, (I mean, things got a lot better after the '80s but back then it was 99% white here and we were very much the raisins in the bowl of rice and benign racism is still racism,) cranky men on Reddit that likely live within a 3-hour drive from here, who aren't brave enough to take me up on my offer to name the date and time and meet me at this particular local LGBTQIA owned, activist affirming and friendly, hella queer and painted bright pink on the side coffee shop here in my little tiny city? Pardonn the run-on sentence but My dudes! I've lived in this state my whole life, I'm not hard to find, if you're not willing to take me up and meet me, then I guess I really don't have to worry too much about what you guys have to say or think, right? Sounds about right to me.

[@Anarchyinthe603]

I'm a pretty hyperliteral Autistic, and I'm one of those of us with a knack for information recall and an obsession with getting my facts straight. I'm also damned near pedantically honest, and with a frequently remarked upon intensity of dedication to practicing a way of absolute candor. I've also been a practicing Taoist since 1996; between that all and being still only 46, with a 23-year-old son and a 5-year-old grandson, a husband, our found family of four other neurodivergent oddballs and weirdos and countless bonus kids and more than a few bonus grandkids, trust that I've got more than enough patience to spare. I'm a disabled, queer, poly, disabled, Autistic, non-Christian, mixed race woman of color, I'm not entirely sure how many more intersectional bingo check boxes I would need to check and order for me to become fully unfazed by anything at this point in my life. And while I'm sure fudging my facts or getting defensive may be a frequent pitfall of taking on this sort of thankless correct the assholes on the internet task, what the hell do I have to lie about or get defensive about? I've literally lived in this tiny corner of the Northeast for all of my 46 years, lived in the same zip code for the last 20, and it's not like I'm hard to find because I'm a fairly commonly recognized local in my community. I got a full sleeve of tattoos, a whole bunch of other separate ones, two facial piercings, 99% of my wardrobe is black, I'm under 5 ft tall, drive a distinctive vehicle I mean y'all. I could not be more of a leftist stereotype if I tried. I already know what they think of me, so why get defensive? It's not like I'm saying anything but what I know, and what I believe, and I was taught by my family on both sides of my cultural bridge to stand on freaking business when you have something to say. And I'm one of those folks that just tends to strike up conversation with damn near everyone I come across. It's not like I'm hard to find. So, again, this whole thing has me less than stressed because I'm literally only going to reiterate exactly what I said and why I said it. Every single time, just phrasing it in different ways depending on the response questions or whatever I get back. I have no reason not to. So, all that being said, I've been using speech to text to further my speech therapy this week. (I've devised my own regimen of physical therapies and speech therapies that I can self-administer at home whenever one of these episodes happens to me.) I've largely been self-taught as far as all of my philosophical and educational practices and praxis, Aland while my therapist admits that it's a really idiosyncratic way that I've gone about it, she told me after we'd first gotten to know each other better that, against all odds, I had managed to teach myself dialectical behavioral therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and a personal mental and textual massive library of information about trauma, healing, intersectional political and social philosophies and oppressions and... You know. The usual leftist stuff, plus the stuff you have to learn when you have a relatively rare connective tissue disorder, and you've got special interests that are simultaneously broad yet highly specific? Anyway, she's helping me get prepared for reentering back to university so I can get my masters and eventually hopefully my doctorate but that's beside the point. Right now I'm just at home, fully considered disabled for now but it's not like the brain stopped working🤙🏻

[@Anarchyinthe603]

So every time they misquote me, I simply quote myself back to them. Every time they tell me that no anarchist would agree with me, I cite creators such as yourself, Lucretia McEvil, and Jessie Gender as examples of folks with whom I have extremely vehement agreement with their politics, and equally vehement disagreements. And yet I believe that all y'all would agree with me that any action that's a direct action and in accordance to our principles, is an action that must needs be taken and should after considering the potential outcomes and keeping them in alignment with our stated objective and goals. So I keep citing my sources, keep asking them questions in return, telling them about my personal story and my beliefs (in broad enough strokes to stay anonymous details but specific enough so that there's absolutely no question that I know what I'm talking about. and I'm citing specific examples from my personal and professional life, as well as quoting from text and published works whenever the moment requires. When I dropped out of working society, I slowly began the process of divorcing myself from the sometimes crippling self-consciousness that comes from having some invisible, non-existent, neurotypical capital B boss over your shoulder judging your every move and action negatively. I've been saying ever since I took this leap for my health, what the hell do I have left to lose? I had to give up my career as a social worker, I'm no longer an income earner, I'm not allowed to even earn a dime lest my chances at earning my money back (you know the money that I put into the system for this contingency? Yeah, that money. The SSA certainly likes to pretend that somehow I do not deserve to receive my money back in monthly increments, despite me being the one that put it in there. Still fighting that process.) My child is grown, he and some of my bonus children have enriched all our lives with the joy of my grandkids, and they've got the raising of em well in hand. And I'm just here for help and advice when they ask it, offers of help and advice when they're clearly struggling but haven't asked. It's my joy and responsibility to tell family stories and share memories, help foster their creativity and curiosity and you know the whole grandparent thing. I don't have to worry about a time crunch anymore. I don't have to worry about what my clients may think or what coworkers or teachers may think or anyone may think about how my body behaves or what it sounds like when I speak sometimes. And I am more than willing to verify my bonafides although I really think it's freaking sad that I should have to prove myself to my fellow citizens that I really mean what I said, said what I meant, know what I'm talking about, and do not care to retract it. I explain to them each time, this is why I'm taking this action that you disagree with. What would you rather I do? What would you do in that situation? I'd appreciate your answer. That sort of thing, but phrase as though I'm writing a polite yet cordial, gently firm business letter? Anyway, my friends and family have been teasing me that "you know it's a waste of time correcting people who've been wrong on the internet" and well, they ain't wrong but honestly? I have been able to open up one person's mind so far, and with the pedantic back and forth that I have going with this one other guy, (he keeps mildly insulting me, I keep patiently writing paragraph long responses that are mildly solicitous and measured in return, and we go back and forth like a grimly determined form of verbal pickleball,) that guy has brought me a whole lot of personal enlightenment and perspective on my family, what I believe in, in the vision that I have for our shared future, and the greater community that we have built. My personal circle of biological and found family and extended family quite literally spans across the globe at this point, and all over a couple of continents, let alone all over this country, and all these people know each other because of the effort that I put in to forge this community.

[@Anarchyinthe603]

I have nothing to retract, I have nothing to hide. And I've even gone so far to say like hey, if you really think that you can convince me otherwise about what I believe, and you really want to stand on business, meet me right here in X town where I live, Z coffee shop, you name the date and time and trust me you've seen I've got plenty of time to spare so let me know. Fun part extra, this particular coffee shop I keep naming is painted bright pink on the outside, is LGBTQIA affirming and owned, hosts local activist and queer community events, plus art and music as well, and the owner is running for state rep for our area. Frankly, I really think it's a great place to foster conversation between two people who have a lot of differences. If they're conservative and they really want to take the time, or if they're really that hardcore to want to dunk on one of those leftists they so abhor? Well they've been having their entertainment negging and gently bullying me on the internet, I can quietly call them in to a meeting at my local community affirming coffee shop and maybe, amongst my fellow comrades, we can find some sort of common ground so this country doesn't end up starving or killing us all before we can turn this damn ship around. No joke, I've managed to turn one guy's mind over so far. It's slow but it works. At least it's worked for me, and I want to thank you for inspiring me. By nature, inclination, and cultural history, my people and I have largely been incrementalists... Until we're not. Just ask Ferdinand Marcos, after all. So, all that being said, it's really been thrilling to encounter the work of someone within whose work I find so much affirmation, information, challenging and expanding of my dedication to my beliefs and philosophies, and excellent calls to arms and advice on how to get things done. I understand that time is precious and limited, and KZbin isn't the only life you lead so, thank you. Thank you for taking the time for all of that. After all, I believe that when someone does something that you appreciate, when you have someone's name in your mouth, you thank them, and/or you tell them for good or for ill whatever it was that you had Said if required, because if you're willing to say it in the dark, you'd best be willing to stand alongside it in the light. Someone else might drag it out for you, otherwise. I have no doubt that you likely received more than your fair share of bullying and hassling, far more than just me with my Reddit account with a half a pint of post karma and these two tiny hands of mine, but for real? I'm enjoying it so it's not time wasted is it? And again, we all got to try each to our ability and this is what I've got. A big mouth, shit ton of a vocabulary, dogged patience, nothing but time, and more than a touch of left-wing Fringe lunacy. Thanks for your help with that, sincerely. --Kim (And just for transparency, I'm also going to be dropping a version of this message to the other creators I listed? We're all in this, and it's important to me that we all know that. Thanks for helping me keep myself in the fight.)

[@fc2793]

Very informative 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

[@PrinceShakurYoutube]

Glad it was helpful!

[@akilahbrooklyn8236]

New subscriber. Your generation makes me proud. Keep up the good work!

[@theorderofthebees7308]

I think one of the keen challenges of Kamala Harris presidency would be a strong push from black peoples to collectively protect her and to not criticize her because she would be the first women president first back diaspora president n south asian president of the united states so any concerns folks have would be hushed . I also think that she will actually be less progressive because she would be the first and would feel like she would have to be tougher and less responsive to marginalized folks and less likely to bend because she would be the first black south asian president . folks will be dazzled by the symbolism of it all . If she is elected she will become president on Dr King birthday - and the symbolism of progress will confuse so many

[@loadishstone]

People said this about Biden and yet I saw the strongest leftist collectives push him harder than I’ve ever seen. From gearing him into the most pro-union a president has ever been to where 4 years ago if 10/7 happened there is no way a president would’ve criticized Israel. No one stopped fighting.

[@BeeGeeTee]

Yeah you ate this alllll the way up!! 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

[@PrinceShakurYoutube]

Thank you 😋

[@BeeGeeTee]

I wish I could force all of the liberals on Twitter to watch but alas 😅

[@KenS_Music]

Bravo! Thank you, Mr. Shakur!

[@marcelinegarcia4330]

36:59 What you said here really put in place the perspective that I have been thinking about in my head since Kamala became the next president. I needed to listen to this video. Thank you for sharing cause I wish I could do the same ❤

[@charliepaige196]

With someone as dangerous as Donald Trump in the mix, we cannot sit by and give up our votes. If he wins we may not have the right, the privilege, of voting. She is absolutely worthy of criticism, but she also has the ability to beat that monster of a man if we get behind her. Please do not give up my friends.

[@yretsymsdees1092]

Lesser evil voting is what got us into this situation, and it won't get us out. The threat of a second Trump presidency does not entitle Democrats to your vote.

[@ottabee]

@@yretsymsdees1092 Thank-you!

[@charliepaige196]

So we’re just going to accept the damage that a second Trump presidency will do??

[@yretsymsdees1092]

@charliepaige196 No, we're not. Nor will we accept the damage that Kamala will do. Either way, we need to stay politically engaged. Voting is not enough and never will be.

[@loadishstone]

@@yretsymsdees1092You are literally slways voting lesser evil in a democracy when you are trying to gather votes on one side versus another. If a party doesn’t represent all my leftist values, which I find critical, it is definitionally a lesser evil. But thats what we get in the US when we have to contend with a voting population of about 200 million lol… Anyone who thinks voting was enough is uneducated and not a leftist in the first place. I honestly don’t know who you are criticizing. It sounds like you are trying to address liberals as if they were leftist.

[@Namak91]

Having a cop as a president as the US is becoming increasingly militarized and cop cities are popping up all over the country (currently over 60 facilities) is a horrible idea. I forsee an acceleration of the police state under her.

[@tanyadacosta663]

You’re so smart. I just want to give you the world.

[@kylezo]

12:38 the weird anti-cuban messaging lol. US imperialism is highly infectious. "be careful" applies here too

[@StreetLove410]

..Great Video Brh..🙏🏽

[@gh0ulgirl05]

She thinks we are stupid… and unfortunately a lot of us are.

[@trayvon4484]

LMAO, even though this is serious, funny bit with the dance intro!

[@PrinceShakurYoutube]

I can always tell it's going to be a good video if the intro gets me laughing while I'm editing

[@MortMe0430]

Mature adulthood as a modern American includes disappointment in politicians who claimed to be for the people (especially Obama). Excellent video.

[@jameskuckkan2326]

At this point, I find it more beneficial to look at the political parties as corporations than actual political entities. They have a very specific company code that needs to be followed at all times, and while they outwardly agree with the "market"---the stated overall political sphere of the United States---what they really all want is to be the only one who's actually running it. It's funny that this country fought originally to throw off monarchy, and we turned around and fostered an economic system which not only breeds monarchical institutions like weeds, but incentivizes their growth. Now that corporate monarchism has finally made its debut in our politics. Not that politics, American politics especially, has ever really been absent of those pathologies, but I feel now we're seeing an open and naked wedding of the two that's pretty nauseating. I think the scariest thing in all this is how people around my age---27---still buy into these parties. By now, any time I watch the Democrats or the Republicans, I feel like I'm watching some resurrected cartoon from the 1970s my parents grew up watching. An outdated, cheap, flashy novelty from an older time. I still believe in the value of political organization, and I think a principle of this country is that anything can be changed from the inside-out and made into something totally new. But the fact that there are so many twenty year-olds who genuinely support the Democrats or the Republicans in their current form is astounding to me. They're so laughably out of touch and out of date, and they have failed us all on so many levels, just in the past two decades ALONE, that I cannot, I CANNOT, imagine genuinely supporting them. I don't know if their support from younger audiences comes from blind faith, naïve optimism, cynical careerism, good ol' fashioned American opportunism, or some kind of darker morbid irony in encouraging people to fail, or something else. I have faith in the country overall, I genuinely do. I feel like never before have so many people from so many places been included in the conversation, and I do believe there's a genuine chance right here to make some serious change. That's why I think it's important we remember what these days were like---not just the events themselves, but the psychologies, personalities, little lazy mistakes, and larger historical undercurrents that brought us here.

[@rumpelstilzz]

Never hearf of you before, but holy are you going deep. Instant sub.

[@PrinceShakurYoutube]

Thank you

[@matthewdonohue9667]

I’ll be voting for Jill Stein this November…not this phony progressive corporate Democrat. 💚🇺🇸💚🇺🇸

[@KaitlynBeach]

I’m a leftist and my bf is liberal… it can be annoying sometimes.

[@comrade_kat]

I'm humbled and enlightened by having listened to this analysis. Thank you.

[@sophiesoprano]

I am glad someone is going into details about Harris policies. Kudos to you. Very intelligent Chanel. However i wish you could help RFK jr get eklected. Its a real chance for US and the world.

[@Poisonoustruth]

Like how people use the a word like progressive as if that's a good thing ......sometimes progress is not a good think.

[@damnablethief]

I don't think defunding the police is the answer, although I used to. Rather, there should be legislation in place requiring better vetting, get rid of qualified immunity, fund body cams and punsihment for leaving them off, better deescelation training, better education for cops, and better psych healthcare. That is just my humble opinion. The police do good things too, it's just as it stands you can't tell which ones are good and which aren't. This is xoming from someone who has personally experinced police violence. That being said, yes it sounds like both candidates want to further militurize the police. It scares the hell out of me.

[@richardaldrich4865]

The question is do we want social unrest now? Or later when ai automation takes our food and homes? I legitimately don’t know which one would be less catastrophic… I will be voting blue until the Republican Party descends us into chaos or the hungry eat the rich.

[@BlackDogRaider]

Imagine willingly walking off a cliff over your feelings.

[@lululoveberry4161]

Briliant, brilliant, brilliant!

[@jelly5289]

Leave comments and likes to shove this in the algorithms!!!!!❤❤❤❤

[@PrinceShakurYoutube]

Thank you so much for watching

[@mattesparza2072]

Man this is a great video. Though as someone who’s got a Cuban background, with family in Cuba, pushing back a bit on that excerpt that claimed Cuba as some uniquely evil “most tyrannical government of the 21st century” regime would’ve been great. Though I understand that may have derailed the video and overall point. It may have just been better to find an example that didn’t play into US against Cuba, though I can understand why you used it since it showed that even though they believe Cuba is this unique evil government they still sent people back there after seeking to immigrate here. Regardless this was a great video, I hope that the people who need to see it do. I am already sold on all of this so I am basically just nodding along, going “ayy” and “mhmhmm.”

[@boembo6627]

Chose the lesser of 2 evils, then fight the less evil.

[@PrinceShakurYoutube]

Still choosing evil

[@boembo6627]

@@PrinceShakurKZbin You rather fight corporate shills or Jackboots kicking down doors? I'm partial to accelerationist theory and think maybe yeah, lets have a decade of fascism so the US can grow the f*ck up! but unfortunately I know and care too much about people who won't survive.

[@autobotfan11]

😂​@@boembo6627

[@boembo6627]

@@autobotfan11 You ok?

[@renrenkanazawa]

We don’t have anyone. If you and i want change, vote all the people you want to see from local to nationwide election. People don’t vote, then we all get stuck with people like trump. Show up and change the direction of it all, or at least try to. This is a slow change unfortunately. Change your local officials until everyone is change to the person you want to be there.

[@shirleyvargas1117]

Not voting is your answer 😳🙄🤦🏽‍♀️

[@D3jahRenee]

Eloquently said! I love your videos! 🩷

[@PrinceShakurYoutube]

Glad you like them!

[@etherealradar]

YES thank you.

[@lidu6363]

Oh my god, what a way to word a video title. Neither. The smoothest continuation of status quo in the history of the USA

[@One_Sun_One_People]

you are brilliant thank you for sharing

[@ms.kellydozier]

Thank you !!!!

[@AquariusNation777]

V.P. Harris 2024

[@alexwilson1140]

thank you. i now a more informed person because of of this video.

[@samuelrosander1048]

33:25 It's like I heard on another channel: if people took the threat as seriously as they say it is things would be very different. 34:45 Before listening to your explanation, I've been saying something that sounds similar. People call this "our democracy," but democracy is literally "rule of the people." Rule is determined by who makes the decisions and through what process (individuals through dictate, groups through concensus/democracy, etc). When "the people who rule" is a select minority that most consistently represents the elite minority, then "our democracy" is nothing more than a way to trick the peasants into not revolting. It is "their democracy," not ours. Republics are only colloquially, euphemistically a "form of democracy" because of that reason: the people who get to participate are few, and in no way are they controlled by the masses, nor accountable to them in any meaningful way. 35:30 I'm reasonably sure that's the case for all of the "leftist" channels talkinga bout "lesser evil/harm reduction" voting as necessary. They talk like leftists, they give great leftist critiques including of how their very electoral advocacy is what got us here in the first place, but when elections come around they act like centrists, except worse because their reactions paint them as cultists. 37:50 ish. The only way forward is organizing around democracy itself (which you get into 4 minutes later. Nice). People have been so thoroughly trained to believe that they need a leader to make everything happen through a few thousand years of feudalism and other hierarchies that they can't comprehend anything else. I started an unpublished blog about how to organize when you live in an atomized society. That and 2 other "from scratch" resources are linked in my profile.

[@meaIworm]

people love to throw around the word fascist

[@BeyondTheWilds]

Is supporting the genocide of an entire people not fascistic?

[@PrinceShakurYoutube]

Rewatching and reloving this SILLY 😂 intro

[@SinaLaJuanaLewis]

This is all so on point💯

[@whytheory3251]

I find that the best way to understand America is to compare it to other countries. For example do other countries have police forces? How are countries that have no police? We have to think outside our bubbles...this is also how perhaps we can spot racism on an institutional level.

[@bushybrow06]

It's interesting how you spent 45 minutes on this so called conversation but CONSTANTLY and purposely mispronounced her name. Secondly, there is no one saying she's perfect and have no issues but she's the one we understand that can be worked with for what we need. Pro Israel sentiment is baked into USA politics and even Obama could not turn from it even though he ignored Israels prime minister. And last this means we hold her accountable. As you stated you weren't going to vote Democrats anyway. So vote for Jane Stein cause she's done so much for blk ppl right. Cornell is a super hero who doesn't take of his kids. So lil prince what do want? #smearcampaign

[@PrinceShakurYoutube]

Wow

[@bushybrow06]

​@@PrinceShakurKZbin I thought the same thing after listening to u😢😢😢

[@CalebCarman]

And now she’s selecting JOSH SHAPIRO as a running mate. 😑

[@bryceallen]

While I share some of your criticisms of our current electoral and political system and your belief in the importance of grassroots organizing (I have canvassed and done phone outreach in my county), I don’t share your opinion to abstain from the practice of voting altogether. I agree that our electoral system needs reform so that more of our voices are heard, but I do not believe that not voting is the answer to our current problem. More people must get involved in the political process. That demands more grassroots participation and also more voting.

[@nickb8755]

Good video

[@tehdmanvids3]

Two words. Lesser Evil

[@CIVL901]

I don't believe I've seen anything in the trajectory of the last 10 years especially the past 4 that could make this statement true. The censorship and gaslighting have been ramping up!

[@harambe273]

I think a lot of Americans forget that our government is divided into three branches

[@PinkDesertEagle]

This November I'm voting for no one! No one deserves my vote!

[@PrinceShakurYoutube]

Truly

[@valuelight]

Everything you’re saying is right on the money. It doesn’t matter if it’s Trump or Kamala that takes up the role of “leader of the free world”, for they’re both figureheads. Figureheads of a system that prioritizes domination, hierarchy, and exploitation. I think the people arguing that Kamala is the better option fail to recognize that it doesn’t fucking matter. The state apparatus shouldn’t exist. It rests on the fallacy that human beings need to be governed. People need to let go of the need to have their identities legitimized by the government. I’ve been getting into Egoist Anarchism, and it’s beginning to dawn on me that fighting for laws that’ll benefit your group is an act of submission, an act of relinquishing your autonomy and putting your lives in the hands of lawmakers and rulers. Because it’s not malevolent rulers that is the problem but the fact that there’s a state apparatus, a platform, that allows for such people to flourish in. Why fight for laws when you can just live life according to your own wants and needs, living in total opposition to the government? Why not oppose and destroy these wicked institutions while building a much better world instead? I think this useless discourse about who’s the better candidate stems from a subconscious desire to cling onto the old world (the world we’re currently living in), the world of domination over others. They get nervous when you mention anarchism and what can come from that because it forces them to imagine what life would be like outside of the rigid social paradigm of hierarchy. For them, it’s a fear of death, a fear of plunging into the unknown. Since all they know is authority, hierarchy, and oppression, it becomes difficult for them to think of ways to exist outside of those confines, thus they resort to wanting to work within the confines.

[@linux750]

A vote for Kamala Harris seems to be a vote for Amanda Walker.

[@elijahanderson3288]

Oh, man...never thought of it like that. Shootout for a great DC Comics reference!

[@tanvirkabir4960]

She is Srilankan-Indian.

[@xarynfields7902]

She’s a cop, dude.

[@eridejj]

Great video! Just want to mention "harm reduction" is something Dems co-opted to mean voting. People have done radical harm reduction actions relating to drug use.

[@kylezo]

In the syrian autonomous collective region known as Rojava, "crime" is not escalated to the level of collective carceral attention unless the locality agrees that the harm that took place requires further punishment. instead of a top down carceral approach, it's a bottom up approach. surprise surprise, a system like this fully validates police abolition. youtuber Anark recently did a good series with a big section on Rojava which i'd recommend and there are a lot of other really fantastic leftist YT videos on Rojava as well. the way they address "crime" and violence is truly remarkable.

[@PrinceShakurYoutube]

Hmmm yes. I've researched their methods peripherally but this makes me want to dig in more. Than you

[@vinceinman9666]

This essay fucks hard 👏👏👏

[@PrinceShakurYoutube]

♥️ thank you

[@Bustingink]

Love this vid definitely what I’m feeling on this shii

[@PrinceShakurYoutube]

♥️

[@RogueAcademia]

Aside from critiques of the electoral system and third party candidates, what are your thoughts on Cornel West?

[@enzomthethwa5861]

Thank You for putting my feelings about politics into words! Well said! 👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿