August 26, 2025 • 40 mins
Dr. Melina Abdullah is a professor of Pan African studies at Cal State Los Angeles, the Director of Black Lives Matter Grassroots and a lead organizer with BLM Los Angeles. Dr. Abdullah is the host of This is Not a Drill Saturday mornings on KBLA Talk 1580. On this podcast Dominique and Dr. Abdullah unpack the case of Jabari Peoples by police in Homewood, Alabama, Donald Trump's executive orders on flag burning and cash bail, Blac August celebrations and the petition for the emergency medical release of Mumia Abu Jamal.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:02):
KBLA Talk fifteen eighty Kean Harold. He will be joining
me in the studio next hour, and so just really
appreciating his music all day. That's Frith Street, Frith Street,
all right, So I'm being joined by my friend. She
(00:25):
also happens to be a host here on KBLA Talk
fifteen eighty. She hosts This Is Not a Drill Saturday
mornings eight to ten most weeks. She is the director
of Black Lives Matter Grassroots, which is the real, actual
Black Lives Matter. She is the one of the lead
organizers for BLM Los Angeles and a professor at cal
(00:47):
State LA, among many other jobs. She also ran for
vice president last year along on the ticket with Cornell West.
Sorry my apologies to the president of the Prince Fan
Club or more on the key on Arald Fan Club
bandwagon this morning, Doctor Malina Abdullah welcome.
Speaker 2 (01:09):
Hey, look I'm on that key on hero Old Van
wagon too. You know, the last time we saw him,
we were together. What tremendous brother. If I'd known, I
would have tried to get myself up a little earlier
and get to the studio to say hi.
Speaker 1 (01:24):
Right, yeah he yeah, yeah, He's amazing and I have
an amazing lineup today because I have you on. I'm
always glad to have you on, And I'm going to
ask you to go back and forth between your you know,
activist hat and your professor of political science hat, because
there's so much to cover twoday. One of the things
(01:50):
that I really want to talk about, because I haven't
seen it getting the kind of attention that one would
hope is the case of this young man Jabbari, people's teenager,
really a kid who was killed by police and he
(02:14):
was just he was just chilling. But the cops, from
what I understand, were playing clothes. This is in Alabama, surprise,
and so there's been a lot of confusion in the reporting.
What happened was, you know, and we know that law
enforcement takes advantage of that. What happened? Are we? You know?
(02:39):
Were they did they say they were cops? Did they
not say they were cops? Of course they always say
they're they were feared for their life. But this guy
was just sitting there with his girlfriend, is what I understand.
What happened with that case? And where are we?
Speaker 2 (02:53):
Yeah, so on Friday, we staged a mass protest. This
is Homewood, Alabama. So it's outside of Birmingham, and I've
experienced a lot of police violence, but when we talk
about the history of policing and how they come from
(03:14):
slave catching, I haven't seen it as palpable as when
we were in Homewood. And who these cops are. They
are absolutely disgusting. You're positive, I was positive when we
were confronted by them that they just took off their
sheets last.
Speaker 3 (03:35):
Night like they.
Speaker 2 (03:39):
In the morning, just trade one uniform for another. It
is disgusting and you can tell who they are. So
Jabari People's is this beautiful black child. And we say
children because we have children his age. He's eighteen years old,
had just finished this freshman year at Alabama A and M.
(04:02):
Here's what I didn't realize until the demonstration on Friday
is that he's from this really loving, intact home with
two other children. So his parents raised three children, all
of them are in college. So he has a brother
and a sister at Alabama State University. He was at
(04:22):
Alabama A and M University. All of them were excellent students,
straight A students who are the kind of children that
we pray for. Right that they Jabbari was home working
for the summer. So after he'd gotten great grades at
Alabama A and M, he came home and was working
and then was sitting on the soccer field with his
(04:44):
girlfriend after a date. It wasn't even late. They were
sitting in the car, and what we're hearing is that
he was approached rolled on by a cop in an
unmarked car and ordered out. The ordered out of their viehicle. Well,
of course they're afraid, and so they run and Jabari
(05:05):
is shot in the back by the cop. And the
last words that he spoke is sir, this is a
phone in my hand. And we don't have anything else
other than both the account that his girlfriend gives as
well as the family, we've been demanding the release of
(05:27):
the bodycam footage. They have refused to publicly release the
bodycam footage, and the family was only given one minute
of edited bodycam footage. But in that one minute, what
was reported is that Jabbari's last words were sir, this
is a phone in my hand.
Speaker 1 (05:47):
And this is yeah. This is in June of this year,
so not long ago at all. I know, I don't
expect anything different because I know that the mainstream media
has pivoted away from covering them of black children, black adults, anybody,
other people who aren't black, Like the coverage that we
(06:09):
saw in twenty twenty and twenty nineteen is gone. But
I thought maybe because this child, you know, a football player,
a straight a student, you know, as you point out
an intact family that the car, that the car was unmarked,
that maybe they would cover it. And they're not. There
was a so called investigation, they said it ended August first,
(06:31):
but they're still not releasing that body camera footage. Is
there any bystanderd footage? Is there any any other means
of you know, getting to the truth here.
Speaker 2 (06:45):
Here's the thing. No, no, So there is no bystander
footage that we know about. Remember, this is a soccer field.
They went out, you know, went out on a date,
and then they're sitting talking in the car after the date.
This is nighttime, you know, in not a big city
in Alabama, and so there's no other footage that we
know of. His girlfriend was not recording. So we're demanding
(07:08):
the release of that footage. But we're also demanding the name, firing,
and prosecution of that cop. There is no legitimate reason
that Homewood is continuing to hold on to that footage.
What they claimed initially is that there was an ongoing investigation.
Jabari was killed June twenty third, so since that day
(07:29):
we've been demanding the release of the footage. Initially they
said there's an ongoing investigation, so they can't release it.
But the DA actually said that he is not charging
the cop, the unnamed cop. So if that's the case,
then there should be the public release of the unedited footage,
(07:50):
and that is not something that's happening. And so this
is why we have to organize, and that's what the
demonstration was about on Friday, which I think was hugely affective.
And if it weren't effective, if it weren't a threat
to them, they wouldn't have rolled on us with in
the way that they did. Homewood Police rolled on us
(08:10):
dozens deep and didn't give any warning, just immediately started
slamming people to the ground, arresting folks and holding them
without bond. And so this is what happened. As we
continue to march, we did meet a lot of folks
who hadn't even in the small town of Homewood, hadn't
heard about Jabbari, and so as we came up on
(08:33):
folks and began to tell them Jabbari's story. We actually
were met even with white folks who were tearing up,
especially some of the students. We met a couple dozen
students from UAB University of Alabama, Birmingham who hadn't heard
about Jabbari and had then committed themselves to help uplift
(08:54):
Jabari's name. So people are going to have to organize,
and your right, mainstream media has not covered, but people
like you, people like Capital b Roland Martin and others
have been willing to talk about Jabbari peoples. And so
we're going to have to keep pushing and honestly and
then I'll be quiet to many if we're honest about it.
(09:16):
You know, Trayvon Martin was not initially in the news,
Mike Brown was not initially in the news. It took
black medium, black organizing to push those stories forward.
Speaker 1 (09:26):
Yeah, that's a good point. I did see some local
footage though from w VTM there in the homewood, and
you can see Black Lives Matter grassroots organizers from more
than one chapter. I can spot it because I know
some of these folks. And also they say in the
story here that there's a Black Lives Matter Atlanta, Black
(09:51):
Lives Matter, LA. And I feel like I see at
least one other chapter there.
Speaker 2 (09:57):
Yeah, Black Lives Matter in New Orleans, Birmingham, Atlanta, and
Los Angeles. We're all there on Friday, standing in solidarity
with Jabari people's family and with BLM Birmingham, which has
been organizing every single day in honor of Jabbari peoples.
They're doing just a brilliant job. And I hope that
(10:19):
people will follow them at BLM dot BHIMBLM dot bhim
on Instagram.
Speaker 1 (10:25):
I think I follow them already, let me check. And
of course you can follow BLM Grassroots. And that's the
kind of the umbrella organization, the big organization of which
all these is it fifty chapters.
Speaker 2 (10:38):
Now fifty two chapters around.
Speaker 1 (10:41):
Two chapters, all of all of them are part of
the Grassroots umbrella organization, but each has their own local
org and so that's why you can follow BLM Grassroots
and you can individually follow the chapters to keep up
with what they're doing. Doctor Malina Abdullaz my guests, and
you're invited into all love to hear your thoughts and questions.
(11:01):
At eight hundred and nine to oh fifteen eighty eight
hundred nine two oh, fifteen eighty. I'm dominic Daprima for
KBLA Talk fifteen eighty. It does, And I'm talking with
doctor Malina Abdullah here and wanted to share with you,
Doctor Abdullah. Molly Bell in our chat says that her
and her prayer groups are praying for you. I love
(11:23):
that so much, she says, Doctor Malena Abdullah. Know that
we various prayer groups keep you and your family and
your life visions in our prayers be blessed. How do
you seemingly be you.
Speaker 4 (11:36):
Well?
Speaker 2 (11:37):
Thank you, Molly Bell, Thank you Molly Bell. We appreciate it.
We feel those prayers and them prayers do keep us protected.
So thank you so much. And of course, so many
of you try to walk in your footsteps because you've
been such a fearless leader for our people for such
a long time.
Speaker 1 (11:53):
Yes, and we're sending you joy, queen, because Molly Bell's
been struggling with her joy. Yeah, and you know I
can see it. She's used to being at every single,
every single protests and her doctor just won't let her
do that anymore.
Speaker 2 (12:13):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (12:14):
So yeah, it's black August. I don't we haven't talked
a lot about it. We've talked some about it. I
feel like, you know we're getting this is the last
week obviously, so also Virgo season. It's somebody's birthday. I
should have started there. James yelled at me yesterday for
(12:35):
not starting with Happy Virgo Season. So I guess I
should have started with you your birthday, Tavis's birthday, James
fart birthday, Michael Jackson's birthday, Happy Solo return in advance.
Speaker 2 (12:47):
But thank you. Yeah, it would be a Virgo that
says you didn't say that is Virgo season.
Speaker 1 (12:54):
Yeah, y'all like stuff, how you like it. But so
let's let's talk about before it's over. Let's talk about
a little bit about Black August. What it is, how
and how. I guess you're winding it down.
Speaker 2 (13:09):
Sure, so you know, actually we're not winding it down.
I know it's August, but we're going to keep the
principles of Black August. We should be practicing them all
year round. So Black August was founded in the nineteen seventies.
And I know you've covered this already, but just as
a quick reminder, founded in the California State prison system
(13:30):
in the nineteen seventies in honor of our freedom fighters
and warriors and people like comrade George Jackson who fight
for we're fighting from the inside of the prisons, who
my Baba Baba Hank Jones will talk often about how
freedom fighters, black folks inside political prisoners are those who've
(13:53):
given up their freedom for ours, and so Black August
commemorates those martyrs and freedom fighters and political prisoners. And
we practice four core tenants. We fast, we study, we train,
and we fight. We fast, we study, we train, and
we fight. One of the things that we're doing in
BLM grass Roots is a collective read of George Jackson's
(14:17):
Blood in My Eyes, So people can pick up that
book if you haven't read it already or don't already
have it on your bookshelf. Reparations book Club and other
Black owned bookstores should have Blood in My Eye. Reparations
we confirmed that they do have it, so you can
go there to get your copy. But in that book,
it's really instructive for the times that we're in because
(14:42):
it talks about how people black people. George Jackson obviously
is writing in the early nineteen seventies. He was killed
August twenty first, nineteen seventy one. He's talking about how
we feel overwhelmed, how our neighborhoods are under siege, at
how people who feel like they have less power actually
(15:04):
do still have power, and how we kind of seize
that power and come together. Those are his words, settle
your quarrels, come together, and discover your love and revolution
right fascism is already here, and so it's really important
that we do that. So we study, and I also
have an open class where we're talking about all of
(15:25):
these things every Thursday from three fifteen to four fifteen.
Freedom Campus is back on, so if people want to
explore this more, they can join me online on Facebook,
dot com, slash Molina dot Abdullah and we're talking about
these things. Black August, Los Angeles is closing out Black
August on the last day on Sunday, August thirty first,
(15:49):
we're hosting the closing event at the Center for Black Power,
so everybody is invited out Black August. Los Angeles has
been leading the work in LA around Black August. So
we'll talk about how the fight that fourth tenant fast
study train fight so fast, be careful about what you
put in your body, they say don't eat from son
(16:10):
up to sundown. I restrict what I eat from sen
up to sundown. Study, read, fill your mind, train, and
I know you believe in this. Keep your body strong,
keep your body strong. There's no time more important than now.
To get your body strong. You got to be able
to outrun the popo, right and then fight. Don't just
(16:34):
submit to the fascism that's here, the fascism that's already here,
we have to resist it. We fight. So at the
Black August closing, we'll talk about how we continue the fight.
And this is why I say that. For me, I
think we're not winding down Black August. We're winding down
what's officially Black August, but we're maintaining especially that last
(16:58):
tenant of the fight as we fight back against fascism
and unmasked racism.
Speaker 1 (17:07):
And so that's I think why folks say it is
a commemoration, not a celebration. It's not a party, it's
not Juneteenth. It's it's about you know, commitment and preparation.
Speaker 2 (17:26):
Absolutely, and it's also a time and I should say
this where we remember our political prisoners and freedom fighters.
Right now, I hope people have been paying attention Mumia
Abu Jamal who is still a political prisoner in the
state of Pennsylvania. His eyesight is in grave danger, and
so we are calling on folks to make sure that
(17:48):
they push the state of Pennsylvania. Yeah, it's a free Momea.
But also the immediate action that needs to be taken
is around preserving his eyesight. So we're encouraging people to
remember that, especially during Black August, we have to fight
for our political prisoners, and people can actually call the
(18:10):
detention center in uh Pennsylvania at seven seven to one,
seven to eight two five seven three, that's seven seven
to one, seven to eight two five seven three and
demand that you know, he'd be given immediate medical attention.
We have to remember that h Rat Brown or formerly
h Rat Brown, who became Emam Jamiel Lamine, is still
(18:35):
in prison. And as we come up on the twentieth
anniversary of Hurricane Katrina and the role that h Rat
Brown played in demanding freedom for our people, right, it's
really really important that we demand the release of Jamil Lalamine,
whose health is also in peril. And then we have
contemporary freedom fighters like Jay Burton who's inside Kerrn Valley
(18:58):
State Prison and we're demand his release. He was arrested
when he was sixteen years old by the Linwood Vikings
in La County Sheriff's Deputy, Gangs and gang and he
continues to be held. So we continue to say free
j Burton, and so all of that is part of
Black August, that we have to continue to fight for
(19:19):
our freedom fighters and if we don't, then we'll become
the political prisoners of tomorrow.
Speaker 1 (19:24):
Yeah, well, that seems to be hopefully is becoming a parent.
We only got a couple of minutes here before news,
traffic and sports, but I'm gonna ask you to put
on your political scientists hat. President Trump yesterday did a
couple more big executive orders. One of them is he
saying he will withhold federal funding from Washington d C
if it doesn't reinstate cash bail. And so that along
(19:50):
with the arming of the National Guard that's patrolling d C,
the intended occupation of Chicago, it seems like very clear
that the criminal justice agenda is targeting the poor and
black people. What are your thoughts on that executive order?
Speaker 2 (20:11):
Yeah, one, it's absolutely sick. We have to remember that
cash bail is a policy that only applies that only
impacts poor people. Right, in the name of Wakeisha Wilson,
in the name of so many who've died inside the
jails because they simply couldn't afford to bail out. This
is why there's been decades long fights against the cash
(20:36):
bail system, because it is a punishment that only impacts
poor people and working class people. Everybody else. Trump's kids,
Trump right, can bail out because they got the money.
We do not have the money, and so it's an
unjust practice. But also we have to remember that a
(20:57):
lot of these mayors and a lot of these local
leaders capitulate. So we want to push decision makers in Washington,
DC and everywhere else to push back against Donald Trump.
One of the things that I don't I don't think
I've ever quoted Gavin Newsom before, but Gavin Newsom did
(21:17):
it remind us that a lot of these cities and states,
we actually pay more into the federal government than we
get back from them. And so that should straighten our
backs a little bit and say no, no, we're not
going to do that. We're not going to oppress our
people for you. We're going to do what's right for
(21:39):
folks in DC, for folks in Chicago, for folks in
LA and really poor and working class folks all around
this country.
Speaker 1 (21:47):
Yep. And I just want our KBLA delegation to note
there's a build here, there's a strategy here, bringing in
the National Guard. We're occupying black cities, now, we're arming them. Now,
we're getting rid of part of cash bail. All of
these things are like stackable cups. They're all part of
a plan for us, and I think we should not
(22:08):
take them as separate acts, but as an overall program.
What does it add up to. We've got news, traffic,
and sports than more on KBLA Talk fifteen to eighty
kay b LA Talk fifteen eighty. Let that hel you
right there. Let that make you courageous, strong, fear less, less,
(22:31):
fearful in this environment. He'll be joining me next hour,
Kean Harold and I told you all we were going
to have a whole whole bunch of music, art, beauty
this week, this whole month. We'll be joined by Ami
tough Row tomorrow more unhapped. She's just an incredible new
(22:51):
jazz voice from Morocco. So yeah, yeah, yeah, got a
lot going on around here. Right now, I'm talking with
doctor Malina Abdullah, and she is the director of Black
Lives Matter grass Roots, which of course is Black Lives
Matter and lead organizer for BLMLA, but also a political scientist.
So I asked you to put on the polycy hat
(23:14):
for a minute. We were talking about these executive orders.
The one that says, you know, he's going to bring
back cash bail, get rid of cashless bail, also requires
the formation of a special National Guard unit for public order,
which is basically turning them into local cops. And there
(23:34):
is another executive order about flag burning. And when I
said they're stackable cups that are part of a bigger
program aimed at a certain person, namely you KBLA delegation,
certain profile a person, I feel like the flag burning
is part of that too. How do you see it?
Speaker 2 (23:54):
Yeah, I mean it's a part of threats against protests
and descent. And that's what he's been doing, is threatening
protests and descent. We see this also as you talk
about stackable cups, also this ripple effect, right, it's creating
more cup stacks. Right, So I got the federal stack
(24:16):
of cups, but unfortunately in a lot of these cities
and locales they're jumping on this unleashing where you know,
they're coming after protesters, they're coming after black communities, they're
coming after black youth. And so this is what we're
seeing happen all around the country. You can see it
(24:37):
in DC, and I keep telling people look closely at
those videos. Those harassments and arrests and brutalities that people
are experiencing aren't just the federal troops. In fact, when
we think about a FENI who you know was probably
the most viral arrest, she was arrested by DC Transportation
(25:02):
Metro police. Right when we think about what just happened
in a park, there was a brother who was just
arrested by park police. So you know, these are police
that we used to call rent a cops, not even
real cops, who been I think, wanting to get some
so called action, and they see it. They actually see
(25:25):
the presence of federal troops as a green light for
them to do what they wanted to do all along.
And so yes, they're coming after protesters. They have now reasons,
now new rules, new executive orders that give them ways
to come after us. But also you know, as we
talk about assaults on cities with large black populations, and
(25:49):
even though as a percentage, Los Angeles doesn't have a
large black population, as numerically, we got a lot of
black people, right, and cities that are led by black mayors.
We got to make sure that we don't capitulate to
their fascism and become fascists to themselves. We got to
(26:11):
be saying things other than we can brutalize our own people,
which is kind of the subtext of what people like
Muriel Bowser and others have said, you know, let Metro
do it. No, No, these are young people should be
allowed to take the subway. Right, young people should be
allowed to exist. People should be supposed to be a
(26:32):
First Amendment right to protest, and so we should be
doubling down on that, on protecting free speech, protecting our
young people, protecting our poor people. As Donald Trump declares
war on unhoused folks, we should take that as a
reason to say, well, everybody should be housed, and that
(26:54):
should be what our counter is not just you know,
local will do with them says, it should be this
is the kind of world that we want, need and demand.
Speaker 1 (27:06):
Yeah, it's it's also interesting that these executive orders reach
in to local policy, and they're trying to get rid
of any kind of orders that stop police from not
just not working for ICE, but actually turning you know,
(27:32):
undocumented folks over or folks uh, giving information on people
that are arrested for other things. So at the same time,
you know, they lean on states' rights for things like abortion.
In this case, they're trying to go in and micromanage
city policing policies in order to give the ICE agents
(27:52):
more latitude and flexibility.
Speaker 2 (27:57):
That's right, that's right. And even the like oversight, how
most cities are not doing a good job, but even
things like oversight are under threat, and so we need
to make sure that we double down on what it
is we need, which includes oversight and accountability and protections.
(28:20):
So it's not enough to say no federal troops. We
have to be saying this is what the difference is, right,
this is how LAPD is different, This is how DC
Metro police are different. And of course in BLM we
still believe all cops are bad.
Speaker 1 (28:36):
But right, I mean, that's the what abolition means is
to end policing as we know it and replace it
with another kind of public safety system.
Speaker 2 (28:49):
Absolutely, And as we talk about Trump's lives, you know,
the one of the big lives and pulling in federal
troops is that crime is increasing in these cities and
we have to keep cities safe. Well, no, crime is plummeting,
especially violent crime is plummeting in the cities that he's targeting,
(29:10):
and back in many places, including VC, they're at thirty
and fifty year lows. Right in Los Angeles, crime is plumbting.
And so when we recognize that that's not because LAPD
or DC Metro Police or Chicago PD are doing good jobs.
It's because of investment in community based public safety. So
(29:33):
when we think about organizations that are doing community based
public safety all over the country, concerns men in VC
is doing a phenomenal job in New York, right, there's
probably the best data is out of Newark with New
York community street teams right driving down crime. So Trump
(29:56):
is lying in order to scare people into thinking that
they need federal law enforcement, federal forces like ICE and
Homeland security and all of that. But really this is
the safest in terms of community violence and community crimes
(30:16):
that we've ever been in many of our lifetimes, and
so the real threat is law enforcement. Are so called
law enforcement themselves.
Speaker 1 (30:27):
Talking with doctor Molina Abdullah when we come forward. I
want to we haven't spoken on the situation the murder
of a black woman in Norway, but I want to
talk about that case when we continue. Doctor Malina Abdullah's here.
We're taking your phone calls at eight hundred and nine
towoh fifteen eighty. I'm Dominique Diaprima. You know where you're
at KVLA talk fifteen eighty. I hate that drop Vandy.
(30:51):
I just feel like I don't want to say we
knew you'd stick around. We hope you'll stick around. We're
grateful that way you stick around. I'm just not that
brazen with it. I'm happy see that doctor Malina Abdulla
is sticking around. Though you can hear her Saturday mornings
on This is not a drill from eight to ten
on kblah. And I was gonna draw you into this
other battle, but I think I won't because we've got
(31:12):
folks on the phone. I want to go to Lynette
from La Highlyannette, good.
Speaker 3 (31:19):
Morning, queens, thanks for taking my call. I know we've
been here before the mass and carcentration.
Speaker 1 (31:27):
Uh oh, I think we love ever okay is yeah, hello.
Speaker 3 (31:31):
Yeah, good morning queens, thanks for taking my call. I
know we've been here before with this mass incarceration, bail stuff,
now detention. However, I don't see any real changes in
how we're dealing with it. I mean, definitely we've got
to stay prayed us and protest and everything. But where
is it where we gonna be able to die desk?
(31:52):
And you know, ask our government, you know, our governors
and everything to take their pitchion funds out of prison
to a complict, you know, and about this big beautiful bill,
where is it We don't go to court behind because
you know they got money in there to take away
money from voting. And when Trump talked about no more
mail and voting, that let me know something too. This
(32:15):
is all about subverting our democracy as we know it,
and so we you know, we can also go to
other streams too, like the International Court to say, hey, listen,
we don't have a democracy anymore, you know, and to
the UN and everybody else is saying we don't have
a democracy. We gotta fight for it. Can you guys
monitor our elections now? And also will you faction the
(32:37):
United States of America for what they're doing to its
own people, because this is unacceptable to have tanks kumatas
they say, this is this is a gift of.
Speaker 1 (32:49):
Yeah, yeah, that's what you're talking about. We're not supposed
to have the military patrolling our cities, but yet they are.
Speaker 3 (32:56):
Yeah, and a const y'all watch this, watch to you know,
this is coming out about. I think this has a
lot to do with the President have a low writings
and he don't want everything to come out about you know,
the Epstein Files where the costa is gonna be really
really uh a big thing to do. But we we
got to superhind this big beautiful bill and everything else,
(33:19):
you know. And I'm looking for the fight there and
also on Wall Street. There's gonna be a protest with
uh Nan and everybody on Thursday, you know, So we
we got to get them where it really is hurt
because we've been down this road before and divest You're.
Speaker 1 (33:35):
Like, Okay, I need you to formula and that you're
you're hitting with a lot of great points, but I
need you to come and land for me. You know
what it is. You need to call. You need to
call more often so you don't have to get it
all into one car. Thank you for calling Queen's hand them.
God bless you too, handing the mic to doctor Malina.
(33:55):
I'm dula to pick up on some of those points.
Speaker 2 (33:59):
I I mean, there are so many points to be made.
I think it just underscores George Jackson's point right that
he was writing in nineteen seventy, that fascism is already here.
So the reason, one of the reasons, sister Lynette, and
thank you for calling in, Sister Lynette, is hitting so
many points is because fascism uses a tactic of hitting
(34:21):
us at all sides. Where they're coming after everything from
what's in the Smithsonian to cashless bail, to flag burning
to what I can teach in the classroom. And so
the answer really is to organize. So we encourage everybody
to be organized and to plug in and do the work.
(34:43):
The thing I do want us to be reminded of
is all of these things Trump is ordering, he cannot
carry them out by himself. So when we organize, when
we resist, when we refuse to give in, we actually
ca hand make him powerless. He's not going to take
(35:03):
Mama Harriet's Shawl out of the Smithsonian by his own
two hands. Let him try. I would love to see
what Mama Harriet's spirit did to him as he tried
to set her. Shawl right, we have to if we
don't carry out his plans, If we don't carry out
the plans of the devil, then the devil is powerless.
Speaker 1 (35:26):
Okay, let's go to Eric calling us from Carson High, Eric.
Speaker 4 (35:30):
Hi, Dominique, and doctor uh Doulah. I wanted to Oh sorry,
I want to address cash bail. My employer was a
part of this process. So the thing that I'm confused
about is is that it was established to remove the
(35:54):
unfairness that typically was directed towards black and brown people
with limited resources. So am I limited knowledge? I would
think that there hasn't been a sufficient amount of time
to assess the benefits of the cashless bail, and Trump
is removing it, which makes me believe that it's prejudicial
(36:18):
and his. Of course we know it is, but that's
what it's.
Speaker 1 (36:23):
Yeah. I think Eric was right in the middle of
his point and we lost him. Are you still there?
Speaker 2 (36:28):
You're right?
Speaker 1 (36:29):
Yeah, we can hear you now.
Speaker 4 (36:30):
Yeah, did you hear everything I said?
Speaker 1 (36:33):
Yes?
Speaker 2 (36:36):
Yes, and brother, you're right, there's no the data. So
cashless bail systems are fairly new. We've been fighting for them,
and this is what I should have fit. We've been
fighting for the end of cash bail for decades, but
winning cashless bail systems is very very new post twenty twenty,
and as organizations but also as scholars attempt to study
(37:01):
the impact of cashless bil, what we do know is
that cashless veil has not driven up the crime rate.
So we do know that there is no negative impact
in terms of crime statistics on cash veil. What we
don't know is if cashless veil in any way means
(37:23):
that people are less likely to return for their court date.
Just from a perspective of what's fair, we know that
it is not fair to punish people before they've been
proven to have even committed a crime. Anybody can be
arrested for anything. That's what just happened in Home with
We had six of our folks arrested for hitting a
(37:47):
sidewalk and being prepared to say the name of Jabari peoples.
They were arrested in a system that requires cash veil,
which costs organizationally almost ten thousand dollars to get them out.
If this had been a cashless veil system, then we
would have been able to argue that there was no
crime committed once they got to court.
Speaker 1 (38:09):
Yeah, we don't have time for this, but I want
to at least mention it, which is that the President
says he's firing Federal Reserve Governor Lisa cook It's something,
it's unusual. It means he's, you know, seizing control of
this organization. I know you're not big on like defending
the Federal Reserve, but it is interesting that every seemed
like everybody this man is targeting is a black woman
(38:32):
when it comes to government jobs, and everybody that he's
targeting in terms of cities is a black mayor.
Speaker 2 (38:40):
That's right, that's right. So again, I'm not a Lisa
Cooks fan. I'm not a mayor Muriel Bowser fan. However,
this man I love what Chicago mayors says about him
about his energy. What does he call it? Small hand energy? Energy? Right?
Is energy? Is Clearly he is definitely afraid of black people,
(39:04):
especially black women, who are truth tellers. And it has
been black women who've been the tip of the spear
and fighting for black freedom and so even when they
seek banks found the comfortable place and oppression, black women
are still targeted by Donald Trump. So I think the
lesson is, don't try to find a comfortable place and oppression,
(39:26):
fight for black people.
Speaker 1 (39:28):
And yeah, all right, we've got thirty seconds, doctor Abdoula,
how you want to use them?
Speaker 2 (39:35):
So we want everybody to plug into the work. Follow
Black Lives Matter Grassroots on all social media at BLM
grass Roots. You can follow me at doc Melly mel
on social media, and you can join us Sunday night
at seven o'clock as Black August Los Angeles hosts the
closing of Black August at blmla Center for Black Power.
(39:56):
That's free. That's Sunday night at seven o'clock. And of
course meet us every Wednesday in these streets as we
protest Nathan Hotman and Police Associations at two eleven West Temple.
Speaker 1 (40:07):
That's tomorrow, Doctor Molinea Abdullah, thank you so much for
coming on. It's always informative and fun to talk to you.
Speaker 2 (40:16):
Thank you, appreciate you. Sister Dominique.
Speaker 1 (40:19):
We're moving to the music. Keon Harald is next, looking
forward to it. On KBLA Talk fifteen to eighty
KBLA Talk fifteen eighty Kean Harold. He will be joining
me in the studio next hour, and so just really
appreciating his music all day. That's Frith Street, Frith Street,
all right, So I'm being joined by my friend. She
(00:25):
also happens to be a host here on KBLA Talk
fifteen eighty. She hosts This Is Not a Drill Saturday
mornings eight to ten most weeks. She is the director
of Black Lives Matter Grassroots, which is the real, actual
Black Lives Matter. She is the one of the lead
organizers for BLM Los Angeles and a professor at cal
(00:47):
State LA, among many other jobs. She also ran for
vice president last year along on the ticket with Cornell West.
Sorry my apologies to the president of the Prince Fan
Club or more on the key on Arald Fan Club
bandwagon this morning, Doctor Malina Abdullah welcome.
Speaker 2 (01:09):
Hey, look I'm on that key on hero Old Van
wagon too. You know, the last time we saw him,
we were together. What tremendous brother. If I'd known, I
would have tried to get myself up a little earlier
and get to the studio to say hi.
Speaker 1 (01:24):
Right, yeah he yeah, yeah, He's amazing and I have
an amazing lineup today because I have you on. I'm
always glad to have you on, And I'm going to
ask you to go back and forth between your you know,
activist hat and your professor of political science hat, because
there's so much to cover twoday. One of the things
(01:50):
that I really want to talk about, because I haven't
seen it getting the kind of attention that one would
hope is the case of this young man Jabbari, people's teenager,
really a kid who was killed by police and he
(02:14):
was just he was just chilling. But the cops, from
what I understand, were playing clothes. This is in Alabama, surprise,
and so there's been a lot of confusion in the reporting.
What happened was, you know, and we know that law
enforcement takes advantage of that. What happened? Are we? You know?
(02:39):
Were they did they say they were cops? Did they
not say they were cops? Of course they always say
they're they were feared for their life. But this guy
was just sitting there with his girlfriend, is what I understand.
What happened with that case? And where are we?
Speaker 2 (02:53):
Yeah, so on Friday, we staged a mass protest. This
is Homewood, Alabama. So it's outside of Birmingham, and I've
experienced a lot of police violence, but when we talk
about the history of policing and how they come from
(03:14):
slave catching, I haven't seen it as palpable as when
we were in Homewood. And who these cops are. They
are absolutely disgusting. You're positive, I was positive when we
were confronted by them that they just took off their
sheets last.
Speaker 3 (03:35):
Night like they.
Speaker 2 (03:39):
In the morning, just trade one uniform for another. It
is disgusting and you can tell who they are. So
Jabari People's is this beautiful black child. And we say
children because we have children his age. He's eighteen years old,
had just finished this freshman year at Alabama A and M.
(04:02):
Here's what I didn't realize until the demonstration on Friday
is that he's from this really loving, intact home with
two other children. So his parents raised three children, all
of them are in college. So he has a brother
and a sister at Alabama State University. He was at
(04:22):
Alabama A and M University. All of them were excellent students,
straight A students who are the kind of children that
we pray for. Right that they Jabbari was home working
for the summer. So after he'd gotten great grades at
Alabama A and M, he came home and was working
and then was sitting on the soccer field with his
(04:44):
girlfriend after a date. It wasn't even late. They were
sitting in the car, and what we're hearing is that
he was approached rolled on by a cop in an
unmarked car and ordered out. The ordered out of their viehicle. Well,
of course they're afraid, and so they run and Jabari
(05:05):
is shot in the back by the cop. And the
last words that he spoke is sir, this is a
phone in my hand. And we don't have anything else
other than both the account that his girlfriend gives as
well as the family, we've been demanding the release of
(05:27):
the bodycam footage. They have refused to publicly release the
bodycam footage, and the family was only given one minute
of edited bodycam footage. But in that one minute, what
was reported is that Jabbari's last words were sir, this
is a phone in my hand.
Speaker 1 (05:47):
And this is yeah. This is in June of this year,
so not long ago at all. I know, I don't
expect anything different because I know that the mainstream media
has pivoted away from covering them of black children, black adults, anybody,
other people who aren't black, Like the coverage that we
(06:09):
saw in twenty twenty and twenty nineteen is gone. But
I thought maybe because this child, you know, a football player,
a straight a student, you know, as you point out
an intact family that the car, that the car was unmarked,
that maybe they would cover it. And they're not. There
was a so called investigation, they said it ended August first,
(06:31):
but they're still not releasing that body camera footage. Is
there any bystanderd footage? Is there any any other means
of you know, getting to the truth here.
Speaker 2 (06:45):
Here's the thing. No, no, So there is no bystander
footage that we know about. Remember, this is a soccer field.
They went out, you know, went out on a date,
and then they're sitting talking in the car after the date.
This is nighttime, you know, in not a big city
in Alabama, and so there's no other footage that we
know of. His girlfriend was not recording. So we're demanding
(07:08):
the release of that footage. But we're also demanding the name, firing,
and prosecution of that cop. There is no legitimate reason
that Homewood is continuing to hold on to that footage.
What they claimed initially is that there was an ongoing investigation.
Jabari was killed June twenty third, so since that day
(07:29):
we've been demanding the release of the footage. Initially they
said there's an ongoing investigation, so they can't release it.
But the DA actually said that he is not charging
the cop, the unnamed cop. So if that's the case,
then there should be the public release of the unedited footage,
(07:50):
and that is not something that's happening. And so this
is why we have to organize, and that's what the
demonstration was about on Friday, which I think was hugely affective.
And if it weren't effective, if it weren't a threat
to them, they wouldn't have rolled on us with in
the way that they did. Homewood Police rolled on us
(08:10):
dozens deep and didn't give any warning, just immediately started
slamming people to the ground, arresting folks and holding them
without bond. And so this is what happened. As we
continue to march, we did meet a lot of folks
who hadn't even in the small town of Homewood, hadn't
heard about Jabbari, and so as we came up on
(08:33):
folks and began to tell them Jabbari's story. We actually
were met even with white folks who were tearing up,
especially some of the students. We met a couple dozen
students from UAB University of Alabama, Birmingham who hadn't heard
about Jabbari and had then committed themselves to help uplift
(08:54):
Jabari's name. So people are going to have to organize,
and your right, mainstream media has not covered, but people
like you, people like Capital b Roland Martin and others
have been willing to talk about Jabbari peoples. And so
we're going to have to keep pushing and honestly and
then I'll be quiet to many if we're honest about it.
(09:16):
You know, Trayvon Martin was not initially in the news,
Mike Brown was not initially in the news. It took
black medium, black organizing to push those stories forward.
Speaker 1 (09:26):
Yeah, that's a good point. I did see some local
footage though from w VTM there in the homewood, and
you can see Black Lives Matter grassroots organizers from more
than one chapter. I can spot it because I know
some of these folks. And also they say in the
story here that there's a Black Lives Matter Atlanta, Black
(09:51):
Lives Matter, LA. And I feel like I see at
least one other chapter there.
Speaker 2 (09:57):
Yeah, Black Lives Matter in New Orleans, Birmingham, Atlanta, and
Los Angeles. We're all there on Friday, standing in solidarity
with Jabari people's family and with BLM Birmingham, which has
been organizing every single day in honor of Jabbari peoples.
They're doing just a brilliant job. And I hope that
(10:19):
people will follow them at BLM dot BHIMBLM dot bhim
on Instagram.
Speaker 1 (10:25):
I think I follow them already, let me check. And
of course you can follow BLM Grassroots. And that's the
kind of the umbrella organization, the big organization of which
all these is it fifty chapters.
Speaker 2 (10:38):
Now fifty two chapters around.
Speaker 1 (10:41):
Two chapters, all of all of them are part of
the Grassroots umbrella organization, but each has their own local
org and so that's why you can follow BLM Grassroots
and you can individually follow the chapters to keep up
with what they're doing. Doctor Malina Abdullaz my guests, and
you're invited into all love to hear your thoughts and questions.
(11:01):
At eight hundred and nine to oh fifteen eighty eight
hundred nine two oh, fifteen eighty. I'm dominic Daprima for
KBLA Talk fifteen eighty. It does, And I'm talking with
doctor Malina Abdullah here and wanted to share with you,
Doctor Abdullah. Molly Bell in our chat says that her
and her prayer groups are praying for you. I love
(11:23):
that so much, she says, Doctor Malena Abdullah. Know that
we various prayer groups keep you and your family and
your life visions in our prayers be blessed. How do
you seemingly be you.
Speaker 4 (11:36):
Well?
Speaker 2 (11:37):
Thank you, Molly Bell, Thank you Molly Bell. We appreciate it.
We feel those prayers and them prayers do keep us protected.
So thank you so much. And of course, so many
of you try to walk in your footsteps because you've
been such a fearless leader for our people for such
a long time.
Speaker 1 (11:53):
Yes, and we're sending you joy, queen, because Molly Bell's
been struggling with her joy. Yeah, and you know I
can see it. She's used to being at every single,
every single protests and her doctor just won't let her
do that anymore.
Speaker 2 (12:13):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (12:14):
So yeah, it's black August. I don't we haven't talked
a lot about it. We've talked some about it. I
feel like, you know we're getting this is the last
week obviously, so also Virgo season. It's somebody's birthday. I
should have started there. James yelled at me yesterday for
(12:35):
not starting with Happy Virgo Season. So I guess I
should have started with you your birthday, Tavis's birthday, James
fart birthday, Michael Jackson's birthday, Happy Solo return in advance.
Speaker 2 (12:47):
But thank you. Yeah, it would be a Virgo that
says you didn't say that is Virgo season.
Speaker 1 (12:54):
Yeah, y'all like stuff, how you like it. But so
let's let's talk about before it's over. Let's talk about
a little bit about Black August. What it is, how
and how. I guess you're winding it down.
Speaker 2 (13:09):
Sure, so you know, actually we're not winding it down.
I know it's August, but we're going to keep the
principles of Black August. We should be practicing them all
year round. So Black August was founded in the nineteen seventies.
And I know you've covered this already, but just as
a quick reminder, founded in the California State prison system
(13:30):
in the nineteen seventies in honor of our freedom fighters
and warriors and people like comrade George Jackson who fight
for we're fighting from the inside of the prisons, who
my Baba Baba Hank Jones will talk often about how
freedom fighters, black folks inside political prisoners are those who've
(13:53):
given up their freedom for ours, and so Black August
commemorates those martyrs and freedom fighters and political prisoners. And
we practice four core tenants. We fast, we study, we train,
and we fight. We fast, we study, we train, and
we fight. One of the things that we're doing in
BLM grass Roots is a collective read of George Jackson's
(14:17):
Blood in My Eyes, So people can pick up that
book if you haven't read it already or don't already
have it on your bookshelf. Reparations book Club and other
Black owned bookstores should have Blood in My Eye. Reparations
we confirmed that they do have it, so you can
go there to get your copy. But in that book,
it's really instructive for the times that we're in because
(14:42):
it talks about how people black people. George Jackson obviously
is writing in the early nineteen seventies. He was killed
August twenty first, nineteen seventy one. He's talking about how
we feel overwhelmed, how our neighborhoods are under siege, at
how people who feel like they have less power actually
(15:04):
do still have power, and how we kind of seize
that power and come together. Those are his words, settle
your quarrels, come together, and discover your love and revolution
right fascism is already here, and so it's really important
that we do that. So we study, and I also
have an open class where we're talking about all of
(15:25):
these things every Thursday from three fifteen to four fifteen.
Freedom Campus is back on, so if people want to
explore this more, they can join me online on Facebook,
dot com, slash Molina dot Abdullah and we're talking about
these things. Black August, Los Angeles is closing out Black
August on the last day on Sunday, August thirty first,
(15:49):
we're hosting the closing event at the Center for Black Power,
so everybody is invited out Black August. Los Angeles has
been leading the work in LA around Black August. So
we'll talk about how the fight that fourth tenant fast
study train fight so fast, be careful about what you
put in your body, they say don't eat from son
(16:10):
up to sundown. I restrict what I eat from sen
up to sundown. Study, read, fill your mind, train, and
I know you believe in this. Keep your body strong,
keep your body strong. There's no time more important than now.
To get your body strong. You got to be able
to outrun the popo, right and then fight. Don't just
(16:34):
submit to the fascism that's here, the fascism that's already here,
we have to resist it. We fight. So at the
Black August closing, we'll talk about how we continue the fight.
And this is why I say that. For me, I
think we're not winding down Black August. We're winding down
what's officially Black August, but we're maintaining especially that last
(16:58):
tenant of the fight as we fight back against fascism
and unmasked racism.
Speaker 1 (17:07):
And so that's I think why folks say it is
a commemoration, not a celebration. It's not a party, it's
not Juneteenth. It's it's about you know, commitment and preparation.
Speaker 2 (17:26):
Absolutely, and it's also a time and I should say
this where we remember our political prisoners and freedom fighters.
Right now, I hope people have been paying attention Mumia
Abu Jamal who is still a political prisoner in the
state of Pennsylvania. His eyesight is in grave danger, and
so we are calling on folks to make sure that
(17:48):
they push the state of Pennsylvania. Yeah, it's a free Momea.
But also the immediate action that needs to be taken
is around preserving his eyesight. So we're encouraging people to
remember that, especially during Black August, we have to fight
for our political prisoners, and people can actually call the
(18:10):
detention center in uh Pennsylvania at seven seven to one,
seven to eight two five seven three, that's seven seven
to one, seven to eight two five seven three and
demand that you know, he'd be given immediate medical attention.
We have to remember that h Rat Brown or formerly
h Rat Brown, who became Emam Jamiel Lamine, is still
(18:35):
in prison. And as we come up on the twentieth
anniversary of Hurricane Katrina and the role that h Rat
Brown played in demanding freedom for our people, right, it's
really really important that we demand the release of Jamil Lalamine,
whose health is also in peril. And then we have
contemporary freedom fighters like Jay Burton who's inside Kerrn Valley
(18:58):
State Prison and we're demand his release. He was arrested
when he was sixteen years old by the Linwood Vikings
in La County Sheriff's Deputy, Gangs and gang and he
continues to be held. So we continue to say free
j Burton, and so all of that is part of
Black August, that we have to continue to fight for
(19:19):
our freedom fighters and if we don't, then we'll become
the political prisoners of tomorrow.
Speaker 1 (19:24):
Yeah, well, that seems to be hopefully is becoming a parent.
We only got a couple of minutes here before news,
traffic and sports, but I'm gonna ask you to put
on your political scientists hat. President Trump yesterday did a
couple more big executive orders. One of them is he
saying he will withhold federal funding from Washington d C
if it doesn't reinstate cash bail. And so that along
(19:50):
with the arming of the National Guard that's patrolling d C,
the intended occupation of Chicago, it seems like very clear
that the criminal justice agenda is targeting the poor and
black people. What are your thoughts on that executive order?
Speaker 2 (20:11):
Yeah, one, it's absolutely sick. We have to remember that
cash bail is a policy that only applies that only
impacts poor people. Right, in the name of Wakeisha Wilson,
in the name of so many who've died inside the
jails because they simply couldn't afford to bail out. This
is why there's been decades long fights against the cash
(20:36):
bail system, because it is a punishment that only impacts
poor people and working class people. Everybody else. Trump's kids,
Trump right, can bail out because they got the money.
We do not have the money, and so it's an
unjust practice. But also we have to remember that a
(20:57):
lot of these mayors and a lot of these local
leaders capitulate. So we want to push decision makers in Washington,
DC and everywhere else to push back against Donald Trump.
One of the things that I don't I don't think
I've ever quoted Gavin Newsom before, but Gavin Newsom did
(21:17):
it remind us that a lot of these cities and states,
we actually pay more into the federal government than we
get back from them. And so that should straighten our
backs a little bit and say no, no, we're not
going to do that. We're not going to oppress our
people for you. We're going to do what's right for
(21:39):
folks in DC, for folks in Chicago, for folks in
LA and really poor and working class folks all around
this country.
Speaker 1 (21:47):
Yep. And I just want our KBLA delegation to note
there's a build here, there's a strategy here, bringing in
the National Guard. We're occupying black cities, now, we're arming them. Now,
we're getting rid of part of cash bail. All of
these things are like stackable cups. They're all part of
a plan for us, and I think we should not
(22:08):
take them as separate acts, but as an overall program.
What does it add up to. We've got news, traffic,
and sports than more on KBLA Talk fifteen to eighty
kay b LA Talk fifteen eighty. Let that hel you
right there. Let that make you courageous, strong, fear less, less,
(22:31):
fearful in this environment. He'll be joining me next hour,
Kean Harold and I told you all we were going
to have a whole whole bunch of music, art, beauty
this week, this whole month. We'll be joined by Ami
tough Row tomorrow more unhapped. She's just an incredible new
(22:51):
jazz voice from Morocco. So yeah, yeah, yeah, got a
lot going on around here. Right now, I'm talking with
doctor Malina Abdullah, and she is the director of Black
Lives Matter grass Roots, which of course is Black Lives
Matter and lead organizer for BLMLA, but also a political scientist.
So I asked you to put on the polycy hat
(23:14):
for a minute. We were talking about these executive orders.
The one that says, you know, he's going to bring
back cash bail, get rid of cashless bail, also requires
the formation of a special National Guard unit for public order,
which is basically turning them into local cops. And there
(23:34):
is another executive order about flag burning. And when I
said they're stackable cups that are part of a bigger
program aimed at a certain person, namely you KBLA delegation,
certain profile a person, I feel like the flag burning
is part of that too. How do you see it?
Speaker 2 (23:54):
Yeah, I mean it's a part of threats against protests
and descent. And that's what he's been doing, is threatening
protests and descent. We see this also as you talk
about stackable cups, also this ripple effect, right, it's creating
more cup stacks. Right, So I got the federal stack
(24:16):
of cups, but unfortunately in a lot of these cities
and locales they're jumping on this unleashing where you know,
they're coming after protesters, they're coming after black communities, they're
coming after black youth. And so this is what we're
seeing happen all around the country. You can see it
(24:37):
in DC, and I keep telling people look closely at
those videos. Those harassments and arrests and brutalities that people
are experiencing aren't just the federal troops. In fact, when
we think about a FENI who you know was probably
the most viral arrest, she was arrested by DC Transportation
(25:02):
Metro police. Right when we think about what just happened
in a park, there was a brother who was just
arrested by park police. So you know, these are police
that we used to call rent a cops, not even
real cops, who been I think, wanting to get some
so called action, and they see it. They actually see
(25:25):
the presence of federal troops as a green light for
them to do what they wanted to do all along.
And so yes, they're coming after protesters. They have now reasons,
now new rules, new executive orders that give them ways
to come after us. But also you know, as we
talk about assaults on cities with large black populations, and
(25:49):
even though as a percentage, Los Angeles doesn't have a
large black population, as numerically, we got a lot of
black people, right, and cities that are led by black mayors.
We got to make sure that we don't capitulate to
their fascism and become fascists to themselves. We got to
(26:11):
be saying things other than we can brutalize our own people,
which is kind of the subtext of what people like
Muriel Bowser and others have said, you know, let Metro
do it. No, No, these are young people should be
allowed to take the subway. Right, young people should be
allowed to exist. People should be supposed to be a
(26:32):
First Amendment right to protest, and so we should be
doubling down on that, on protecting free speech, protecting our
young people, protecting our poor people. As Donald Trump declares
war on unhoused folks, we should take that as a
reason to say, well, everybody should be housed, and that
(26:54):
should be what our counter is not just you know,
local will do with them says, it should be this
is the kind of world that we want, need and demand.
Speaker 1 (27:06):
Yeah, it's it's also interesting that these executive orders reach
in to local policy, and they're trying to get rid
of any kind of orders that stop police from not
just not working for ICE, but actually turning you know,
(27:32):
undocumented folks over or folks uh, giving information on people
that are arrested for other things. So at the same time,
you know, they lean on states' rights for things like abortion.
In this case, they're trying to go in and micromanage
city policing policies in order to give the ICE agents
(27:52):
more latitude and flexibility.
Speaker 2 (27:57):
That's right, that's right. And even the like oversight, how
most cities are not doing a good job, but even
things like oversight are under threat, and so we need
to make sure that we double down on what it
is we need, which includes oversight and accountability and protections.
(28:20):
So it's not enough to say no federal troops. We
have to be saying this is what the difference is, right,
this is how LAPD is different, This is how DC
Metro police are different. And of course in BLM we
still believe all cops are bad.
Speaker 1 (28:36):
But right, I mean, that's the what abolition means is
to end policing as we know it and replace it
with another kind of public safety system.
Speaker 2 (28:49):
Absolutely, And as we talk about Trump's lives, you know,
the one of the big lives and pulling in federal
troops is that crime is increasing in these cities and
we have to keep cities safe. Well, no, crime is plummeting,
especially violent crime is plummeting in the cities that he's targeting,
(29:10):
and back in many places, including VC, they're at thirty
and fifty year lows. Right in Los Angeles, crime is plumbting.
And so when we recognize that that's not because LAPD
or DC Metro Police or Chicago PD are doing good jobs.
It's because of investment in community based public safety. So
(29:33):
when we think about organizations that are doing community based
public safety all over the country, concerns men in VC
is doing a phenomenal job in New York, right, there's
probably the best data is out of Newark with New
York community street teams right driving down crime. So Trump
(29:56):
is lying in order to scare people into thinking that
they need federal law enforcement, federal forces like ICE and
Homeland security and all of that. But really this is
the safest in terms of community violence and community crimes
(30:16):
that we've ever been in many of our lifetimes, and
so the real threat is law enforcement. Are so called
law enforcement themselves.
Speaker 1 (30:27):
Talking with doctor Molina Abdullah when we come forward. I
want to we haven't spoken on the situation the murder
of a black woman in Norway, but I want to
talk about that case when we continue. Doctor Malina Abdullah's here.
We're taking your phone calls at eight hundred and nine
towoh fifteen eighty. I'm Dominique Diaprima. You know where you're
at KVLA talk fifteen eighty. I hate that drop Vandy.
(30:51):
I just feel like I don't want to say we
knew you'd stick around. We hope you'll stick around. We're
grateful that way you stick around. I'm just not that
brazen with it. I'm happy see that doctor Malina Abdulla
is sticking around. Though you can hear her Saturday mornings
on This is not a drill from eight to ten
on kblah. And I was gonna draw you into this
other battle, but I think I won't because we've got
(31:12):
folks on the phone. I want to go to Lynette
from La Highlyannette, good.
Speaker 3 (31:19):
Morning, queens, thanks for taking my call. I know we've
been here before the mass and carcentration.
Speaker 1 (31:27):
Uh oh, I think we love ever okay is yeah, hello.
Speaker 3 (31:31):
Yeah, good morning queens, thanks for taking my call. I
know we've been here before with this mass incarceration, bail stuff,
now detention. However, I don't see any real changes in
how we're dealing with it. I mean, definitely we've got
to stay prayed us and protest and everything. But where
is it where we gonna be able to die desk?
(31:52):
And you know, ask our government, you know, our governors
and everything to take their pitchion funds out of prison
to a complict, you know, and about this big beautiful bill,
where is it We don't go to court behind because
you know they got money in there to take away
money from voting. And when Trump talked about no more
mail and voting, that let me know something too. This
(32:15):
is all about subverting our democracy as we know it,
and so we you know, we can also go to
other streams too, like the International Court to say, hey, listen,
we don't have a democracy anymore, you know, and to
the UN and everybody else is saying we don't have
a democracy. We gotta fight for it. Can you guys
monitor our elections now? And also will you faction the
(32:37):
United States of America for what they're doing to its
own people, because this is unacceptable to have tanks kumatas
they say, this is this is a gift of.
Speaker 1 (32:49):
Yeah, yeah, that's what you're talking about. We're not supposed
to have the military patrolling our cities, but yet they are.
Speaker 3 (32:56):
Yeah, and a const y'all watch this, watch to you know,
this is coming out about. I think this has a
lot to do with the President have a low writings
and he don't want everything to come out about you know,
the Epstein Files where the costa is gonna be really
really uh a big thing to do. But we we
got to superhind this big beautiful bill and everything else,
(33:19):
you know. And I'm looking for the fight there and
also on Wall Street. There's gonna be a protest with
uh Nan and everybody on Thursday, you know, So we
we got to get them where it really is hurt
because we've been down this road before and divest You're.
Speaker 1 (33:35):
Like, Okay, I need you to formula and that you're
you're hitting with a lot of great points, but I
need you to come and land for me. You know
what it is. You need to call. You need to
call more often so you don't have to get it
all into one car. Thank you for calling Queen's hand them.
God bless you too, handing the mic to doctor Malina.
(33:55):
I'm dula to pick up on some of those points.
Speaker 2 (33:59):
I I mean, there are so many points to be made.
I think it just underscores George Jackson's point right that
he was writing in nineteen seventy, that fascism is already here.
So the reason, one of the reasons, sister Lynette, and
thank you for calling in, Sister Lynette, is hitting so
many points is because fascism uses a tactic of hitting
(34:21):
us at all sides. Where they're coming after everything from
what's in the Smithsonian to cashless bail, to flag burning
to what I can teach in the classroom. And so
the answer really is to organize. So we encourage everybody
to be organized and to plug in and do the work.
(34:43):
The thing I do want us to be reminded of
is all of these things Trump is ordering, he cannot
carry them out by himself. So when we organize, when
we resist, when we refuse to give in, we actually
ca hand make him powerless. He's not going to take
(35:03):
Mama Harriet's Shawl out of the Smithsonian by his own
two hands. Let him try. I would love to see
what Mama Harriet's spirit did to him as he tried
to set her. Shawl right, we have to if we
don't carry out his plans, If we don't carry out
the plans of the devil, then the devil is powerless.
Speaker 1 (35:26):
Okay, let's go to Eric calling us from Carson High, Eric.
Speaker 4 (35:30):
Hi, Dominique, and doctor uh Doulah. I wanted to Oh sorry,
I want to address cash bail. My employer was a
part of this process. So the thing that I'm confused
about is is that it was established to remove the
(35:54):
unfairness that typically was directed towards black and brown people
with limited resources. So am I limited knowledge? I would
think that there hasn't been a sufficient amount of time
to assess the benefits of the cashless bail, and Trump
is removing it, which makes me believe that it's prejudicial
(36:18):
and his. Of course we know it is, but that's
what it's.
Speaker 1 (36:23):
Yeah. I think Eric was right in the middle of
his point and we lost him. Are you still there?
Speaker 2 (36:28):
You're right?
Speaker 1 (36:29):
Yeah, we can hear you now.
Speaker 4 (36:30):
Yeah, did you hear everything I said?
Speaker 1 (36:33):
Yes?
Speaker 2 (36:36):
Yes, and brother, you're right, there's no the data. So
cashless bail systems are fairly new. We've been fighting for them,
and this is what I should have fit. We've been
fighting for the end of cash bail for decades, but
winning cashless bail systems is very very new post twenty twenty,
and as organizations but also as scholars attempt to study
(37:01):
the impact of cashless bil, what we do know is
that cashless veil has not driven up the crime rate.
So we do know that there is no negative impact
in terms of crime statistics on cash veil. What we
don't know is if cashless veil in any way means
(37:23):
that people are less likely to return for their court date.
Just from a perspective of what's fair, we know that
it is not fair to punish people before they've been
proven to have even committed a crime. Anybody can be
arrested for anything. That's what just happened in Home with
We had six of our folks arrested for hitting a
(37:47):
sidewalk and being prepared to say the name of Jabari peoples.
They were arrested in a system that requires cash veil,
which costs organizationally almost ten thousand dollars to get them out.
If this had been a cashless veil system, then we
would have been able to argue that there was no
crime committed once they got to court.
Speaker 1 (38:09):
Yeah, we don't have time for this, but I want
to at least mention it, which is that the President
says he's firing Federal Reserve Governor Lisa cook It's something,
it's unusual. It means he's, you know, seizing control of
this organization. I know you're not big on like defending
the Federal Reserve, but it is interesting that every seemed
like everybody this man is targeting is a black woman
(38:32):
when it comes to government jobs, and everybody that he's
targeting in terms of cities is a black mayor.
Speaker 2 (38:40):
That's right, that's right. So again, I'm not a Lisa
Cooks fan. I'm not a mayor Muriel Bowser fan. However,
this man I love what Chicago mayors says about him
about his energy. What does he call it? Small hand energy? Energy? Right?
Is energy? Is Clearly he is definitely afraid of black people,
(39:04):
especially black women, who are truth tellers. And it has
been black women who've been the tip of the spear
and fighting for black freedom and so even when they
seek banks found the comfortable place and oppression, black women
are still targeted by Donald Trump. So I think the
lesson is, don't try to find a comfortable place and oppression,
(39:26):
fight for black people.
Speaker 1 (39:28):
And yeah, all right, we've got thirty seconds, doctor Abdoula,
how you want to use them?
Speaker 2 (39:35):
So we want everybody to plug into the work. Follow
Black Lives Matter Grassroots on all social media at BLM
grass Roots. You can follow me at doc Melly mel
on social media, and you can join us Sunday night
at seven o'clock as Black August Los Angeles hosts the
closing of Black August at blmla Center for Black Power.
(39:56):
That's free. That's Sunday night at seven o'clock. And of
course meet us every Wednesday in these streets as we
protest Nathan Hotman and Police Associations at two eleven West Temple.
Speaker 1 (40:07):
That's tomorrow, Doctor Molinea Abdullah, thank you so much for
coming on. It's always informative and fun to talk to you.
Speaker 2 (40:16):
Thank you, appreciate you. Sister Dominique.
Speaker 1 (40:19):
We're moving to the music. Keon Harald is next, looking
forward to it. On KBLA Talk fifteen to eighty
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