The reason abolition is scary is because we've all been told the US prison system is normal and we're all in danger without it.

That's a lie.

Prison labor is a $9 billion industry annually.

That's why they lie to you.

We don't need prisons. We need healthcare, housing, and education for all.

Americans: "We can't protest or resist this administration because we'll get arrested and imprisoned!"

Abolitionists: "You're right. Let's get rid of the system that does that!"

Americans: "But we need it so we can't do that."

There's this bizarre myth that prison abolition is an ivory tower narrative led by privileged white people who have never interacted with the legal system.

Please, I beg you. Read Angela Davis. Read Mariame Kaba. Read Olayemi Olurin. Prison abolition is led by Black women.

And yes, I support it.

Whenever I talk about abolition, someone inevitably brings up victims' rights. And I agree, people who experience violent and terrible crimes should have rights. They need care. They need therapy. They need community. They need protection.

None of which is provided by our system of cages.

As an almost 70 year old man, I have some advice for young men.

Please boost this if you think it will help

1. Your voice doesn't need to be heard. In fact, realizing that you don’t HAVE to have an opinion on everything and voice opinions or ideas in meetings or social gatherings, is amazingly liberating. You can actually just shut up, and relieve yourself of all that effort and stress. Let Bob utter his embarrassingly dumb idea, let Shirley have a say. You can just let it be for the most part

TDOV reminder:

Trans men and nonbinary people exist.