politics
AOC and Mamdani wanted to defund the police. Their backtracking puts organizers at risk
Progressive and democratic socialist politicians are recanting pandemic-era statements on police and prison abolition
TL;DR
- Progressive politicians Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Zohran Mamdani, and Chi Ossé are distancing themselves from pandemic-era statements supporting police and prison abolition.
- The author criticizes this backtracking, arguing that these politicians are dismissing the movements that helped them gain office.
- Abolition is presented not as emotional rhetoric but as a long-term strategy to eliminate violence and build thriving communities, rooted in centuries of organizing.
- The article suggests that police were historically created to protect property owners and slaveowners, not for public safety, and that prison growth is not primarily driven by crime rates.
- The author contrasts politicians' backtracking with activists' strategies, such as renaming campaigns to be more community-oriented or maintaining explicit 'defund' messaging for political clarity.
- The article warns that demonizing justice movements can lead to targeting, surveillance, and violence.