We Do This Till We Free Us by Mariame Kaba introduces the political vision of abolitionism, which focuses on abandoning the current system of oppression, such as police brutality, and reorganizing it into a community-based structure of care and accountability.
One of Kaba’s main arguments lies in the distinction between punishment and accountability. She critiques the use of punishment and urges communities to engage in accountability. Punishment is more closely tied to the legal system, involving jails and prisons where individuals face incarceration and legal consequences, whereas accountability arises from the responsibility of citizens.
While Kaba’s vision and argument are valid, I find them somewhat utopian. The idea of abolishing the legal system entirely and replacing it with community-led accountability groups raises concerns about feasibility and equity. Personally, I find it difficult to imagine a world without a legal system, relying solely on accountability. Her vision seems more plausible in highly educated and affluent communities. In societies with systemic economic disparities, it is difficult to envision a world without theft or conflict, where everyone behaves exactly as others expect.Hence, I do find Kaba’s argument compelling though it is very idealistic in the current society where extreme disparities still perpetuates.
At the Ready is a documentary that follows Latino high schoolers preparing for a career in law enforcement. Mariame Kaba lays the groundwork for questioning whether policing is necessary, a debate that also arises in law enforcement classes. I was particularly intrigued by the classroom discussion on deploying the military to the border. Kassy remarked, “I wasn’t participating in the debate because they weren’t discussing them as people; they were discussing them as pests.” I think her point is valid—such classroom discussions might dehumanize the subjects and frame them as “others,” thereby reducing the empathy students should have for their own communities.
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