In recent weeks, we have seen naked violence unleashed against trans women, directed against them by the state in the form of police beating and by rightist forces in this emerging fascist movement in America.
What does this mean? Why now? I believe it comes now for a specific strategic purpose, for trans women stand on the periphery of the gay rights movement, not its nucleus. This means they are isolated and as such targeted by rightist forces to isolate them further.
We must not forget that they are, after all, black folks in the land and at an era where and when black life remains cheap. Now add black, gay, and transgender. See where the analysis goes? And if it’s black trans women today, it’ll be black straight women tomorrow and black children soon thereafter.
That’s the nature of the fascist beast: attack those who seem weak, isolate them, destroy them. Since Charlottesville, we’ve seen the emergence of rightist racist forces that are committed to destroying black life and to proving that black lives don’t matter.
The lines of black people are the literal foundation not just of America but all of us. We need to build a radical movement that protects all of us, for all of us can consign such racist violence to the trash heaps of history.
From imprisoned nation, this is Mumia Abu-Jamal.
These commentaries are recorded by Noelle Hanrahan of Prison Radio.
