Scholar Angela Davis on Prison Abolition, Justice for Palestine, Critical Race Theory & More

World-renowned author, activist and professor Angela Davis talks about the prison abolition movement from her time as a Black Panther leader to today. In her tireless efforts as an abolitionist and a teacher, Davis continues to be a fierce advocate of education and the interconnected struggles of oppressed peoples. Davis talks about Indigenous genocide, Palestine, critical race theory and the role of independent media. “Democracy Now! helps us to place our own domestic issues and struggles within the context of global battles against fascism,” says Davis.
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[@tommyselbe1999]

And that’s why I love Angela Davis I’ve always loved this woman.

[@carolmiller5713]

Davis has been a motivation since I was in college during civil rights upheaval & as relevant as ever now. Biden sitting on his hands re Palestine is Absolutely shameful.

[@IzitAllGoUnder]

Biden is doing much worse than sitting on his hands, he's providing more $$$ and more weapons to enable them which is criminal.

[@wiseteacher3599]

Biden sad he was a Zionist, but he was still unwisely voted for by the majority.

[@SensoriaMaRia]

My forever woman of the year! Professor Davis; I hold you in such high esteem for many reasons & also live in NorCal. I especially thank you for standing firm for the freedom of my people in Palestine. Only LOVE!

[@lwells3937]

My goodness, I've loved Angela Davis since the 60s. Stay strong sister, we love you

[@michellesotelo6537]

Thank you very much Angela Davis and Amy Goodman for bringing up Leonard Peltier and supporting his release

[@matt_cummins28]

I do like hearing the words 'the institute was disgraced' when that institute is one that regards support of the Palestinian struggle as a legitimate reason for rescinding an award to a great figure like Angela Davis. Great piece, very exciting to hear her talk, very inspirational. Thanks to Angela Davis and the Team at DN for this interview. Great stuff. Stay safe, be well.

[@pohakumana4288]

I'm sure she's not concerned with awards.

[@Stop-and-listen]

The Zionists at the UCSC have demanded the firing of Angela Davis to no avail. She and Cornell West have done much for the Palestinian cause in the USA. West was denied tenure at Harvard for supporting Palestinian rights.

[@johnnycreighton29]

Whaaaaaht ?

[@matt_cummins28]

@@Stop-and-listen On so many levels that's just a disgrace, isn't it?

[@Stop-and-listen]

@@matt_cummins28 The Zionists have lots of power. In 2016 Ehud Barak and Hanan Ashrawi gave a conference at Texas A&M. The forum was packed, and many students were supporting the Palestinian cause. Hannan Ashrawi destroyed Ehud Barak on every single point he made regarding the annexation of Palestinian land, the subjugation of the people, the stealing of water, and, most important, the settlements. Barak ended his Nazi-like rhetoric by claiming that God gave them land. The audience did not well receive such a statement. The pro-Palestinian audience reacted negatively to such a statement, which many considered an insult to our intelligence. Ehud Barak left the conference the same way he entered, in disgrace. The administration, in retaliation to the outcome of the conference, terminated all student associations that were supportive of Palestinian rights, and the faculty was targeted for termination.

[@nelsongonzalez4533]

I met Angela Davis and shook 👏 hands with her in the middle of a big crowd on the street outside Havana Libre hotel. At that time I was a teenager back in the late 60's. 👍🤔🙄

[@maribellelebre6809]

I would have been a stammering fool!

[@maribellelebre6809]

Thank you so much for posting!

[@midknight1968]

Agree with Angela Davis 👏 thank You Democracy Now!

[@brooks8792]

The more people try to hide information, the more interesting it becomes to the young.

[@rasjahson6261]

One of my Black Panther Party heros! Give thanks for life! Rastafari! 🦁🎶🙏✌️🔥❤️🇪🇹

[@mywrittenvoice]

She wasn't a black panther.

[@user-wl2xl5hm7k]

@@mywrittenvoice She was for awhile but then got fed up with how sexist and toxic the male leaders of the Black Panthers she interacted with were

[@rasjahson6261]

@@mywrittenvoice Please read and do your homework before you talk to someone who was born in the 60"s and embarrass yourself.

[@rasjahson6261]

@@user-wl2xl5hm7k You may want to tell her again. Ultimately the Black Panther Party fell apart due to the FBI/CIA tactic cause the members to turn on each other instead of being calm and talk to each other to find out what happened to the togetherness. They could have figured out that was a government trick to yet again stop a revolution.

[@user-wl2xl5hm7k]

@@rasjahson6261 What? No, read Angela’s writing on her experience with Blank Panthers. It wasn’t a CIA conspiracy. She didn’t like the authoritarianism and treatment of women in Black Panthers. There was too much toxic masculinity from her perspective

[@vinniecasqer840]

Abolishing lead water for poor black Americans?

[@nelsonoviedo8870]

Thank you for your great job DN

[@za2206]

Which Welch translation of this, where?

[@za2206]

Find Welch 1st English 2nd... what does that mean? Why end Welch?

[@antoinerichard7312]

Two powerful humanists on one screen, beautiful

[@whiteindianone]

if you hate this country so much move away.

[@Kpop-lh7um]

Lionel White. Miss him

[@mustafabinsober1248]

Thank you Angela Davis for standing up for lesbian rights in Gaza and in occupied West Bank

[@exmuslimexsomali5564]

when I watch old footage of Angela Davis she doesn't have this manner of speech. Locution, mannerism, enunciation, accent all changed. I wonder when exactly this happened.

[@prabhacar]

Happy Silver Jubilee!

[@marcillioficino4663]

Geez, I thought Amy was gonna lick her boots.

[@ellobo768]

Simply admiration for another extraordinary leader.

[@rodmeauxadesacra8758]

So be it. Say so. .

[@queenmommie8295]

God's chosen people will not come together with anyone else because we now understand that they are all Confederate against us. We are the indigenous aboriginal natives of our lands and we will not come together with African because most of them are not us. They look like us but are also Confederate against us as God's chosen people Israelites. APTTMHY Our Creator will teach all who we are they will learn it by living their life and being broken down by our creator. They will not deny our God TMH. HalleluYah

[@carpenter3069]

I'm just glad Democracy Now is not in Hong Kong. What a horror show. Old Winnie the Pooh has gone power mad.

[@ivanmiller3826]

( YAHAWAH - BAHASHAM ) 🌹🌹 ( The Most High ) GOD ✡️🌹❤️🌹

[@clearfield2009]

banning the teaching of critical race theory is in violation of the first amendment, period. Sue sue sue sue sue

[@randallmadison9910]

Even Angela Davis is not omniscient. There are many problems with criminal justice system, but prison abolishment is absurd. It is not a zero sum game.

[@altravinoobrien1633]

Communism is not the way

[@marciamakesmusic]

Nah

[@pohakumana4288]

on the way out, Russia went capitalist, China is commercial and has all our manufacturing. Where do you see communism coming from? If you even know what it is.

[@table1552]

and our capitalist dystopia is?

[@pohakumana4288]

@@table1552 toast

[@ellobo768]

No. But Democratic Socialism sure is. Predatory capitalism is a dead end.

[@moviemusicmash4899]

Had res[pect for Angela Davis but she wondered off into the weird zone with tamika mallory and Cardi B.

[@samfinlay8408]

As regards to CRT, I disagree with her. Do to the fact I think it is terrible that an adult should tell a person of color they can't make it in America. Look at Obama, Morgan Freeman, Clarence Thomas. Also I personally don't know white people whom are oppressing others based on skin color. Slavery and history should be taught, but don't tell kids lies saying they can not make it or they are the reason the country is racist is because of them.

[@AudioPervert1]

Massive yawn.. Angela Davis (great lady) shows up at least 3 if not 4 times a year on Bureacracy Now. That itself shows, that in a country of 300+ millions (Ameri'can's) there are less than 20 people who play Musical Chairs on Bureaucracy Now and every other left- leaning channel. No one else?! Now Now...

[@johnhenninger1980]

stylish stutter, as as as well.

[@AudioPervert1]

@@johnhenninger1980 get lost with your pathetic random lalala

[@ProletariatPrince]

How many times you gonna copy paste that? My dude is out here trying to generate copy pastas.

[@lucymolockian1849]

Murderers and rpists cannot be reformed, nor should their victims be forced to pay for their lives.

[@marciamakesmusic]

I'm sure you have an expertly informed opinion

[@lucymolockian1849]

@@marciamakesmusic If you want to allow murders to walk among us and predators around your children...fine, that means I can keep you off of my lawn by force with no consequences from gov't. Chaos and violence is so progressive.

[@WAEVOICE]

@@marciamakesmusic "The Farmer and the Viper" wasn't written out of boredom, you know.

[@vinniecasqer840]

DN is very harsh on those posting thought crimes.

[@tubester4567]

When does Angela Davis speak for the women and gays who are persecuted and oppressed in Palestine, and most other Islamic countries? When does she speak for the minorities that are persecuted, oppressed and killed in most Islamic countries? Does she speak out for the victims of FGM and child marriage and slavery across Africa?

[@keeponliving2481]

Stop that bullshit. When do you speak up on it. When do you put your freedom and life on the line like she did. No question marks because it’s rhetorical. SMDH.

[@Bronzebk]

My exact thoughts.

[@tubester4567]

@@keeponliving2481 How is it bullshit? Its a fair question if you claim to speak for people but you only criticize people in safe countries where it is safe to do so, while ignoring much worse oppression in other countries.

[@matthewbudlong9813]

will somebody please tell her to quit saying huh huh huh huh hhuhiuhhhh. my gosh

[@westindianduchess]

It's a delight to see Amy Goodman's face light up every time she interviews Angela Davis. Great work as always, from both these women.

[@antunesiaharris32]

It happens Everytime they are together. I too absolutely love the love these two sisters have for one another. It is very real sisterhood. There was a moment when a confederate statue had been pulled down, as I watched the two of them, they were so incredibly elavated with one another, I felt as if I were intruding on a very intimate important moment but I could not look away.

[@westindianduchess]

@@antunesiaharris32 well said 🤗

[@highvibee]

"fortunately we did manage to evict fascism from the Whitehouse" REALLY?

[@megg.6651]

Amy Goodman has lost touch with REAL people. So has Angela Davis

[@rationalvids9836]

It's a different flavor of the same corporate fascism.

[@loriwakefield1]

thank you both Angela and Amy for your activism and caring

[@johnnycreighton29]

Yes, thanks ladies!

[@stevep5408]

The loss of MLK was a tragedy, the loss of Malcolm X was a disaster!

[@renfax3549]

ANGELA IS ALL LIVES MATTER * FROM LGBT TO PALESTINIAN BUT IS NOT BLACK PANTHERS

[@barbarawernig6347]

Parents need to be sure children know this history and how it’s continued even today.

[@bpalpha]

Great piece! Thanks for bringing these issues to the forefront! ✊🏿

[@commewijnepineribo7899]

Why fighting for other groups than FBA, because nobody is fighting for them to get reparation, because everybody is getting something except for the people who build America

[@oghyeahoo6165]

America is becoming what it always was

[@tommyselbe1999]

She understands the definition of colonialism and slavery… americas original sin… Why is that blasphemous in America

[@tubester4567]

Because it ignores the fact that the US has the best equality and human rights standards in the world, and that the US/West started human rights protections and standards. It ignores the fact that only western countries have equality for women and minorities protected by law. It ignores the fact that nearly all non-western countries still dont have basic equality for women, and they still have slavery. Non-western countries still have backward practices like FGM and selling young girls into marriage. I could go on but you get the picture.

[@tommyselbe1999]

@@tubester4567 And I’ll just be ignoring you

[@Stop-and-listen]

@@tubester4567 Your comment lacks historical facts.

[@WAEVOICE]

@@tommyselbe1999 Just like how you ignore colonialism and slavery everywhere else.

[@maxmeggeneder8935]

Free Mumia Abu Jamal! Free Leonard Peltier! Free Julian Assange! Amnesty for Assata Shakur and all Black Panthers! Amnesty for Snowden! For a world without prisons! Abolish police and prisons! Abolish Capitalism! Fight and end Imperialism! Workers and opressed peoples of the world unite! An injury to one is an injury to all!

[@tmnt10000]

If you want to abolish capitalism, all the stuff you own was gathered and made by you?

[@tmnt10000]

Also, I take it your going to house all the violent offenders? Like murders, rapists and child molesters? Since you advocate no prisons.

[@marciamakesmusic]

@@tmnt10000 you could research prison abolition and read some of the volumes of literature that's been written about it, or you can be intellectually lazy and expect KZbin commenters to deliver all the info to you. But I'm sure you're actually intellectually curious and not just here to rock the boat right? This is a rhetorical question. I know what your purpose is. I'm not even saying you have to agree with it, just engaging with the idea is a valuable exercise. I guess that's asking a lot from someone who thinks Matt Walsh and Dave Rubin have anything meaningful to contribute to society but hey, I've gotta try.

[@marciamakesmusic]

@@tmnt10000 also I hate to break it to you but capitalism doesn't mean "people buying and selling things". Markets gave existed for much, much longer than the idea of capitalism

[@thestonedandstripped]

Free your mind too!

[@tamaradavidson1505]

Thank you !

[@johndunne7900]

Angela, the indigenous people of Israel are the Jews, Judea. Also occupation defined in international law is A sovereign country ruling over another sovereigns land. Arab Palestine was never a sovereign Country. The mandate for Palestine which was a trust established by the league of nations set up a land area for Jewish settlement. that area included Samaria, Judea in the entire area of the Palestine mandate. Early on in the Palestine mandate Transjordan was formed for a Arab state. Transjordan now called Jordan is a Arab state formed out of the mandate which excludes Jews .

[@lonnieford635]

From revolutionary to retired intellectual. Every sentence begins and ends with:"ah". Every sentence...? "We managed to evict fascism from the white house"? Jim Crow Joe/Copmala? Time to be quiet, and retire with your wife to the beach of Santa Cruz. The global system of whiteSupremacy has no more use for you. Thanks for your service. Angela. CUT THE CHECK!! B1

[@moviemusicmash4899]

News flash AMy all media corps lie. Angela Davis is uotta touch with whats happening in the grass roots. She's old and is lookin got retire. We need fresh new young people and ideas to take up the fight.

[@clearfield2009]

Somehow I always feel like Angela Davis is my spirit mother. My own mother died in 2008 in her early 60s - she was an Angela Davis fan and my sister and I were raised on repeated playing of Martin Luther King's "I have a dream" speech on the stereo. My mother and Angela Davis have / had a similar unsinkable spirit and intellect. Thank you for having her on. Adore her.

[@tsiyanebantundlovu4814]

That hair like wool☺️☺️☺️🏆

[@clearfield2009]

Bell Hooks talked about that kind of nationalism - she called it "Identity Politics." Read her books.

[@megg.6651]

bell hooks does not capitalize her name

[@rafaelpena4269]

I AGREE w/ ANGELA! Some ppl. who say they're RADICAL'S..just want to be CAPITALIST'S..

[@Stop-and-listen]

The Zionists ave been demanding the UCSC administration to fire Angela Davis to no avail. JVP, on the other hand, has made it clear that to equate Zionism with Judaism is in itself antisemitic.

[@AudioPervert1]

Massive yawn.. Angela Davis (great lady) shows up at least 3 if not 4 times a year on Bureacracy Now. That itself shows, that in a country of 300+ millions (Ameri'can's) there are less than 20 people who play Musical Chairs on Bureaucracy Now and every other left- leaning channel. No one else?! Now Now...

[@rafaelpena4269]

@@AudioPervert1 what does that have to do w/ ANYTHING?? What CONSTRUCTIVE have you BROUGHT to the CONVERSATION 🤷

[@Stop-and-listen]

@@rafaelpena4269 When people see the person and not the ideals and message, dialogue becomes irrelevant.

[@rafaelpena4269]

@@Stop-and-listen "INSECURE" ppl..KEY word👌.

[@selamethiopia214]

I’m so happy to see this beautiful woman! Very powerful

[@colorpurple4623]

I love Angela Davis hair being grey it's absolutely beautiful

[@tsiyanebantundlovu4814]

CRT is them trying to hide behind a net curtain, behind a finger, they won't succeed.

[@carpenter3069]

Has prison abolition occurred to some extent? The slow smothering of a human spirit.

[@kimtolliferreo4717]

Thank you democracy now, for having Angela Davis on...💞

[@carolyncorbin1825]

Yes

[@aseelmh4530]

🇵🇸🇵🇸❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@aseelmh4530]

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@bubbiesdad]

Davis belongs in prison.

[@terryallen9546]

Did she ever receive the Nobel Peace Prize?

[@Airbag15]

The only leader.

[@fuckbankers]

Happy Birthday

[@Juancarlos2016]

uuuh daa uggg uuuh daa

[@charleskesner1302]

Excellent discussion. Thanks.

[@altravinoobrien1633]

What type of communism are you talking about

[@bz7901]

Would it occur to Dr. Davis to consider the reasons why regular people object to CRT in the schools?

[@howardmctroy3303]

It wouldn’t occur to her for one second.

[@maribellelebre6809]

Probably more than most. There is no sound argument against teaching it, no matter what these people feel.

[@howardmctroy3303]

@@maribellelebre6809 What if it's the will of the majority to not teach it?

[@bz7901]

@@maribellelebre6809 There is no sound argument? That is the typical, truth-by-assertion presuppositionalist argument that creeps me out completely.

[@revolutionishere]

​@@bz7901teaching about the sciences includes social sciences, you can't have it both ways. That's why y'all a bunch of uncivilized brutes.

[@user-wl2xl5hm7k]

Angela, can you please research & advocate for full intellectual property (IP) abolition? This is the most important activist aim for working class people! Prison abolition (& most leftist projects) has very little chance without first abolishing IP. IP is the most severe & oppressive tool of the rich & powerful. Please see the work of Stephan Kinsella, Michele Boldrin, & David K. Levine. These are the best experts on intellectual property in the world. Everyone who cares about seriously improving things for humanity needs to know what IP abolition is about.

[@user-wl2xl5hm7k]

IP laws make no sense from either left or right politics. The ‘property’ in intellectual property is a false term used for propaganda purposes. Intellectual property is not property in any sense. It’s monopoly. IP actually stifles innovation & creativity. And IP seriously screws up our economy & stacks it for the rich & powerful more than any other tool (especially IP with digital tech and the internet). IP abolition is the most important aim to liberate artists, programmers, inventors, etc. and make them all better off financially.

[@user-wl2xl5hm7k]

All 4 types of IP must be fully abolished ASAP: patents, copyright, trademarks & trade secrets.

[@user-wl2xl5hm7k]

IP provides for censorship. IP is the main component of cultural control, propaganda, & advertising. Copyright does not just monopolize art- copyright also monopolizes all text, video, audio, photos, images, software & websites. And patents monopolize important aspects of media infrastructure. Therefore, IP is the main component which allows media conglomerates to “manufacture consent”.

[@user-wl2xl5hm7k]

The 2008 economics book ‘Against Intellectual Monopoly’ and the 2001 essay ‘Against Intellectual Property’ are both as important as Marx’s ‘Capital’! Each has nearly flawless argumentation. All leftists need to read both (free online). If you can’t read them now, then write down both titles so you can tell others so they can read them

[@user-wl2xl5hm7k]

And Uniquenameosaurus has two excellent and entertaining videos from April 2021 about IP abolition. Patricia Taxxon has another excellent one from October 2017 about copyright abolition.

[@johanmassy5290]

I'm sorry but I am not against punishment for crimes an individual, nation or organization commits against another. What would prison abolitionist suggest be done in cases where an individual rapes brutalizes, kills or swindles someone whether by force or conniving schemes?

[@terryallen9546]

Hello Johan, Sometimes we have to go back and listen and read several times before we comprehend. She answered your question several times.

[@mackenziedog1872]

Lock Trump in a cage with Rapists! That'll bugger him!!!!Argghhhh

[@improbablywrongabouteveryt6781]

Angela Davis is dope.

[@clearfield2009]

The idea that true reparations after the Civil War means giving land and property back to African American families and every time I hear that I feel like - hey - hey - hey - what about the Native Americans who were murdered to build those houses and had their land stolen in the first place. You don't hear that at all. I want to hear that.

[@dusanvuckovic17]

Who came up with the term "critical race theory"? What are the terms origins?

[@megg.6651]

Kimberly Crenshaw

[@adrienneweller485]

An interesting conversation. It is important that Angela Davis is internationalist and her support for Palestine is essential. I wonder why she did not mention capitalism even once. Especially when she spoke of the founding role racism played in the U.S. and rising fascism. I know she knows that capitalism is the root of fascism.

[@gabrielabdullah2475]

I was wondering if you had any information about the KZbin video What is Palestine? Who are the Palestinians? It talks about a English leader and a Palestinian leader having a conversation about the Garza strip. The English leader asked if the land had been sold to the Israelis, the Palestinian leader replied yes.

[@rafaelpena4269]

✊

[@justin0ldman233]

Let's Go Brandon

[@rafaelpena4269]

Go ENJOY your day..lol

[@Stop-and-listen]

Biden approves your message.

[@user-wl2xl5hm7k]

@@Stop-and-listen Biden loves Brandon. They’re buddies

[@marciamakesmusic]

You can just say fuck Biden. No one is stopping you

[@justin0ldman233]

@@marciamakesmusic my kids read this 😇 Let's Go Brandon 🇺🇸

[@hughjassle5876]

I would venture to guess anyone in prison would be an advocate for abolishing prisons. Still, that begs the question, what do we do with criminals if prisons are abolished?

[@jeffreyhhatcher3992]

No sane person is actually advocating for ALL prisons and ALL inmates to be released back to the community though that is the rallying cry of the current emotional time. The question that SHOULD be begged is: how do we reduce the number of people in prison who are labelled 'criminal' only because of their incarceration itself? Don't conflate a mass killer with someone who is in custody only for non-violent drug 'crimes,' which is the majority of the US prison pop. America has criminalized so many behaviours - especially if you are poor and/or Brown or Black - that prisons have been bursting since Reagan, and getting bigger. Some few citizens must be separated from the rest for the safety of all but the group above, combined with those who haven't the $ to bail themselves out - again, poor/Black/Brown - explains the numbers.

[@hughjassle5876]

@@jeffreyhhatcher3992 the number of people in prison solely for a non-violent drug crime is comparatively few. Most that are serving time for non-violent drug crimes are in conjunction serving time for violent crimes committed while under the influence, or in possession of illegal drugs. The drug charge is usually a tack on charge. Your contention that only an insane person would advocate for a complete abolition of prisons not makes me wonder if you actually listened to everything she said, (because she didn't qualify prison abolition in any way) and reaffirms my belief that the woman is nuttier than squirrel poop.

[@johanmassy5290]

@@jeffreyhhatcher3992It upsets me to hear activists who understand the effects individuals/groups arrested for "non violent" offenses such as selling cocaine, heroin fetanyl, etc. consider those illegal dealings as "non violent"? We've all seen or heard reports of shootouts and domestic violence stemming from disputes over drug sells/use not to mention child neglect & abuse. Let's stop kidding ourselves by making it seem as though these crimes don't equally hurt our people & community.

[@tubester4567]

@@jeffreyhhatcher3992 Thats BS, most people in prisons are in there for multiple violent crimes.

[@michaelpcoffee]

Social status front and center. Very progressive. CRT promotes the notion that the fact that a group is measurably superior is proof that everybody in that group is guilty; and, that a group being inferior is proof that everybody in that group is a victim. Further: this principle projects through time; asserting that what happened to the long dead projects onto the guilt or victimhood of the living; even if the living never experienced it at all...........

[@edwardstaley2594]

True safety is you will not tread on me or my neighbors! WEAREARMED!!!!!!!!!! You value my stuff more than your life then that's your problem. I value my saftey and will protect my family! END OF STORY!!!

[@Empowergirlstothink]

The struggles of education in the 60's nothing was taught TRUTHFULLY regarding racism yet we were living through th Civil Rights movement at the same time. We went to the library often and checked out the books Hung out at the Billy Book worm Club every Saturday. I taught my own children yet it did effected them I kept material around the house. They had to give me a book report regularly 🙏❤