Black August, Hip-Hop and Political Symbolism

Prison has long been central to the maintenance of a racial, social and class structure in the United States. Prisons are used like society’s credit card. Societal contradictions which generate enormous wealth and inequality are masked by mass incarcerating those forcibly removed as a result just as credit cards mask the contradiction of stagnant wages for labor and enormous production of goods, services and wealth for bosses and owners. Thus, prisons, jails and their captives (both real and employed) are everywhere.

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Assata Shakur, Excluding the Nightmare After the Dream by Dhoruba bin-Wahad

Extending our earlier discussion of Herman Wallace and the Political Context of Black Self-Defense Dhoruba bin-Wahad continued with this frank – and highly explicit* – discussion of the shortcomings of many current strategies chosen by those looking to free political prisoners.  Our conversation picks up with bin-Wahad discussing Alice Walker and much of what he sees as flaws with…

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