When we think of moments such as these, you know, troops in the street, armed, you know, standing around, looking at citizens with grimaces on their faces under their masks, I actually think of Kent State. In Ohio, I think it was May of 19667 — I may be wrong on that date, but I remember it, and I remember it like yesterday. It broke the heart of millions of people. When the state opened fire on students demanding an end to the Vietnam War. These were average college students, and the real irony is the ages of the students really wasn’t very different from the ages of the National Guard troops who killed them.
They were under orders. They were scared. This time right now, where troops are in American cities, armed, masked, looking at their fellow citizens with hatred and fear. These times will be both terrible and wonderful. I’m betting on the wonderful, because I think we’ll provide the wonderful; the wonder, the resistance, the transition, and the change. With love, not fear. This is Mumia Abu-Jamal.
These commentaries are recorded by Prison Radio.
