12/28/21 12/28/21 [captioning made possible by democracy now!] amy: from new york, this is democracy now! >> it is so exciting now to seek young people, especially, talking about building a new world, recognizing it is not about punishing this person and that person, it is about creating a new framework so that

we do not have to depend on institutions like the police and prisons for safety and security. amy: the world-renowned author, activist, and professor angela davis joins us to talk about abolition, the power of movements, palestine, mumia abu jamal, the pandemic, and imagining new worlds. >> i still think we need

economic, political, social organization of our world and capitalism has to fall. amy: today, and and heavier conversation with angela davis. plus biden mumia abu jamal remembering desmond tutu who visited him on death row thing called for his release. all that and more, coming up. welcome to democracy now!, democracynow.org, the war and peace report. i'm amy goodman. global coronavirus cases hit a record high monday as the omicron variant continued to spread at an unprecedented pace. worldwide, countries reported nearly a millionnd-a-half positive coronavirus tests in just 24 hours, with the rate of new infections rising rapidly in southern africa, europe, north america, and elsewhere. france ordered new public health measures monday, including a requirement people show proof of vaccination to enter restaurants and other public places. but french officials abandoned a stopped short of a new lockdown and abandoned a push for vaccine workplace mandate. british prime minister boris johnson said he will not introduce new covid-19

restrictions in england in december despite a record 114,000 new cases reported on christmas day. in argentina, cases spiked to their highest level in six months and are increasing rapidly. in south africa, covid-19 cases have fallen by 40% in a week after the nation was the first to be hit hard by the omicron variant. but cases are rising fast in neighboring countries, including zambia, where only about 6% of people are fully vaccinated. israel has opened clinical trials looking into the safety and efficacy of a fourth shot of pfizer's covid-19 vaccine. israeli heart surgeon jacob lavee was the first to receive the job monday. >> i am excited to be the first person apparently in the world who got the fourth booster of the covid. a small jet initialed are probably a giant step for mankind.

amy: australia reported nearly 12,000 coronavirus cases on monday, by far the nation's highest daily toll. officials also reported australia's first death from the omicron variant. here in the united states, the average number of daily coronavirus infections is poised to surpass last winter's record high, with nearly a quarter-million new cases being reported each day. at the white house, president biden met virtually with some of the nation's vernors monday, waing the omicron surge threatens to bring shortages of hospital beds and ventilators. biden defended his administration's moves to supply u.s. households with coronavirus test kits but said more needed to be done. pres. biden: it is clearly not enough. if we had knn, we would have gone harder and quicker if we could. amy: the centers for disease control has reduced the recommended isolation time for people with asymptomatic infections to five days, down from 10 days. the move comes as the omicron variant has sicken hundreds of thousands of workers, creating labor shortages in some

esntial industries. meanwhile, top white house medical viser dr. anthony fauci on monday suested u.s. aiines should consider a vaccine requirement for all passengers and crew aboard domestic flights. >> when you make vaccination requirement, that is another incentive to get more people vaccinated. if you want to do that with domestic flights, i think that is something that tears sleigh should be considered. amy: but dr. fauci later walked back those remarks, telling cnn he doesn't expect to see a vaccine mandate anytime soon. in afghanistan, the taliban has banned long-distance travel for unaccompanied afghan women, saying they should not be allowed on road transport unless they're escorted by a close male relative. the ministry of the promotion of virtue and prevention of vice also demanded vehicle owners to refuse rides to women not wearing headscarves. the ministry has long drawn condemnation from afghan women's rights advocates.

and taliban spokesperson said, "there is no need for these commissions to exist and operate." iran has entered an eighth and potentially final round of talks in vienna aimed at restoring the landmark 2015 nuclear agreement, which former president trump abandoned in 2018. ahead of the talks, a spokesperson for iran's foreign ministry said any new nuclear deal, known as the joint comprehensive plan of action, or jcpoa, would have to guarantee the u.s. will not withdraw agai >> we are in vienna to reach an agreement at the first opportunity, a good agreement that guarantees the interests of the islamic republic of iran and the iranian people under the jcpoa, an agreement where we can be assured united states will

not block international rights once again. amy: iraq's supreme court has ratified the results of october's parliamentary election, which saw the party of shiite cleric muqtada al-sadr win the most seats. the court rejected several appeals by iran-backed shiite muslim groups that contested the poll results, clearing the path for the new parliament to soon hold its inaugural session. in 2004, al-sadr ordered his army to attack u.s. forces occupying iraq and george w. bush ordered the military to kill or capture him, though the white house later canceled that order. u.s. and russian officials are scheduled to hold security talks on january 10th amid mounting tension over the military build-up at the russia-ukraine border. a biden administration spokesperson said russia and nato are likely to meet jaary 12 and that a broader discussion including russia, the u.s., and other european countries is also set for january 13. russia has blamed the escalating tensions over ukraine on western powers.

germany's new coalition government has moved to legalize recreational use of marijuana. a deal among the social democratic party, free democratic party, and greens would see the creation of a regulated market for the adult sale and use of cannabis. the plan also calls for broader drug policy harm reduction programs, like allowing people to test illicit drugs for contaminants without facing criminal penalties. if the deal is approved, germany will become the wor's largt market for marijuana. among european nations, only malta currently allows for recreational use of the drug. president biden signed a military budget bill monday that will see the pentagon receive nearly $778 billion during the next fiscal year. it's a record high for a national defense authorization act, surpassing previous the record under trump and $24 billion more than the white house requested from congress. public citizen's robert weissman blasted the bill as a "reckless misuse of resources," adding -- "why is there more money for the military-industrial complex,

providing no additional protection for our national security and arguably diminishing it, at the same time the u.s. is refusing to spend the $25 billion needed to make enough additional vaccines to vaccinate the world?" a warning to our audience, the following story contains graphic footage and descriptions of police violence. in california, the los angeles police department has released surveillance and bodycam footage of the fatal shooting of 14-year-old valentina orellana-peralta last thursday. the teenager was killed after an lapd bullet bounced off the floor and into the dressing room where she was trying on dresses with her mother. the footage shows about a dozen police officers entering the clothing store after receiving reports a man was assaulting customers. almost immediately after encountering the supposed suspect in an aisle, one of the officers fired three rounds from

an assault rifle, fatally injuring 24-year-old daniel elena lopez, who was unarmed. -- who was armed with a bicycle lock. the officer didn't make any commands and elena lopez didn't appear to pose a threat to the officer. the teenager's death has been ruled a homicide due to a gunshot wound to the chest. the lapd officer who killed her hasn't been identified and was placed on paid leave. valentina died in her mother's arms. both had come to the u.s. from chile about six months ago to be with valentina's older sister in los angeles. the girl's aunt told "the los angeles times" -- "valentina was a shy girl in chile, but everything was turning out well for her in the u.s. my sister does not understand how this tragedy could have happened just when they had managed to reunite the family," the aunt said.

the legendary poet and singer and songwriter patti smith has been awarded a key to new york city. her song "pew blood the power" has become an anthem at protests across the globe. she performed regularly at antiwar rallies and political benefits. she gave an emotional acceptance speech during the ceremony with new york city mayor bill de blasio. >> i cap think of what new york has given to me. i came here from south jersey in 1967. i had jusa few dollars in my pocket, noere to stay, no real aspects, but i came here to get a job and to see what -- see wh i was madup. and i found thathe city, with all of its diversities and possibilities, if you are willing to wk, attain your enthusiasm -- maintain north

whose esm, will make it. amy: and those are some of the headlines. this is democracy now!, democracynow.org, the war and peace report. i'm amy goodman. ♪

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amy: patti smith performing "people have the power" with michael stipe of r.e.m. at democracy now's 20th anniversary celebration five years ago at riverside church. she was awarded the key to new york city on this is democracy monday. now!, democracynow.org, the war and peace report. i am amy goodman. well, this year we have been marking democracy now's 25th anniversary. earlier this month, angela davis, noam chomsky, arundhati roy, martin espada, winona laduke, danny glover, and danny devito joined us for a special

virtual anniversary celebration. you can watch the full special at democracynow.org. today we bring you our full conversation with angela davis, the world-renowned abolitionist, author, activist, and professor at the university of california, santa cruz. juan gonzalez and i interviewed her from her home in oakland, california. and make of this 20 fed anniversary, angela, it is such an honor to have you with us as you have done so many times in the last decades. >> well, thank you so much, amy. you know, it seems like it's been longer than 25 years. it seems like democracy now! has always been there. but i think i may also be thinking about i.f. stone's newsletter and some other progressive media in your lineage. amy: well, to be counted in that amazing pantheon, someone like

i.f. stone, who said to journalism students, "if you can remember two words, remember 'governments lie.' if you can remember three words, remember 'all governments lie,'" it would be an honor for us to be counted together with i.f. stone. >> well, thank you so much for your work over the years. i was just reflecting on the fact that when no one else would cover mumia abu-jamal, we were able to hear his voice on democracy now! and when no one else was thinking about assata shakur and the demonization of assata shakur, amy, you and juan and your colleagues were covering her case. so thank you so much. i don't know what we would have been able to do in our efforts

to push for radical social change if democracy now! had not been there. juan: well, angela, i wanted to ask you -- when we first spoke on democracy now! about abolishing about the prison-industrial complex, that was back in 2010. and you said tn that "prison abolition is about building a new world." here we are more than a decade later, the abolition movement has drawn more attention. what is key to understand about how this movement can continue to grow? >> well, you know, let's remember that the abolition movement has a very long genealogy. we can go back to the 1970's and the attica brothers uprising. the people in prison there who rose up against the horrendous conditions also called for prison abolition. juan: that's right.

>> thisas the fst time ere wa this public display of a way to address the prison system th was notouched ithe eology oreform. i am absolutely surprised that abolition has entered into public discourse during this period. to tell the truth, many of my comrades and i assumed that it would be decades and decades, you know, perhaps 50 years from now people would finally begin to understand that we cannot keep attempting to reform the police or reform the prisons. reform is actually the glue that has held these institutions together over the ars. but it's so exciting now to see young people, especially,

talking about building a new world, recognizing that it's not about punishing this person and that person, it's about creating a new framework so that we do not have to depend on institutions like the police and prisons for safety and security. we can learn how to depend on education and healthcare and mental healthcare and recreation and all of the things that human beings need in order to flourish. that is true security, true safety. juan: i wanted to ask you about another aspect of that movement as well. you're the daughter of civil rights activists. you went on to become a prominent member of the communist party usa, a leader of the black panther party. and you were targeted by the fbi. at one point, the fbi had you on its list of the 10 most wanted fugitives in america. yet today, some of the loudest voices within the young radical

resurgence in america, especially on the college campuses and in middle-class intellectual circles, are openly dismissive or simply ignorant of the most vital lessons of the panther party, the young lords and figures like malcolm x, you and w.e.b. dubois, who all urged the need not only to battle systemic racism, but also to strive for the solidarity of oppressed people of all races, for unity of workers against imperialism. but this new trend now, it seems to me, is focusing more on racial identity, individual biases, and anti-blackness as the central question for social change. and in doing so, they echo a historical strain of narrow nationalism, what we used to call in the young lords back then "pork chop nationalism." the panther party, as well, called it that. some have even sought on social media to cancel you and the lived experience and the sacrifices of radical socialists and the revolutionary movement within the black and brown communities.

i'm wondering your thoughts on that? i've heard you speak on it, i think, at a forum in germany recently. >> well, yes. yeah, i'm very disappointed that we don't have a more capacious public understanding of what it means to stand up against racism, that racism is the very foundation of this country, based on colonialism and slavery. and that means in the very first place, it is important to recognize the connections between indigenous people and people of african descent. is not possible to tell the story of people of african descent in the americas without also telling the story of indigenous people. you know, i think that when we

engage in serious conversations with young people who really want to learn, they begin to get it. they begin to recognize that we can't work with these narrow assumptions about blackness and who counts as black and the efforts to dismiss what is often referred to as political blackness. and of course, dubois taught us so many decades ago that the reason for identifying connections and relationalities among african people and people of african descent has little to do with the biology or genetics of blackness, but rather has everything to do with struggles against imperialism, everything to do with global struggles for a better world.

but, of course, we continue those conversations. and i'm actually impressed by the fact that increasing numbers of people are recognizing how important it is to have a decolonial or anti-imperialist perspective. if we did noexpect to have abolition become a central element of public discourse during the early part of the 21st century -- and it has become that -- then i think we can be a little more optimistic about the possibility of encouraging people to think more critically about the future struggles against racism.

amy: angela, i want ask about the latest news, the north dakota's republican governor has signed legislation banning the teaching of critical race theory. public schools are now barred from teaching students that "racism is systemically embedded in american society." critics say the law can ban the teaching of slavery, redlining, as a civil rights movement, even discussion of the law that was just past is now prohibited in north dakota's schools. you see this happening across the country. i see democracy now! an overall dependent -- independent media, one of his powers, aside from assuring there is a form for people to speak for themselves, is bringing historical context to everything. when we talk about you today in 2021, you constantly go back in

time and you look to the future. he talked about the struggles of the 60's and what is happening now. what about this movement, this against education in america? >> well, amy, i think what we are witnessing at this momen is a profound clash between forces of the past and forces of the future. the campaign against teaching critical race theory in schools -- first of all, critical race theory is not taught in high schools. i wish more critical race theory or taught at the university level, but critical race theory has become a watchword for any conversations about racism. any effort to engage in the

education of students in our schools about the history of this country and of the americas and at the plan' any discussions about slavery as the foundational element of this country are being barred according to the proponents of removing "critical race theory" from the schools. but let's not be misled by the term they're using. what we are witnessing our efforts on the part of the force news of white supremacy to regain control which they more or less had the past. i think it is absolutely essential to engage in the kinds

of efforts to prevent them from considating a victory in the realm of education. of course, those of us who are active in the abolitionist movement, see education as central to the process to dismantling the prison, essential to the process of imagining new forms of safety and security that can supplant the violence of the police. juan: angela, i am wondering if you can talk about the growing threat of fascism and authoritarianism here in the united states. clearly, that january 6 events were a wake-up call to those who had not awakened during the period of the trump presidency. but the signs, not only in the united states, but much of western europe, are that the right wing fascist a populist --

right-wing populist movements and fascist movements keep growing. your sense of how progressives and radicals can unite to beat back this tide herin the united states? >> well, of course, fortunately, we did manage to evict fascism from the white house, but i think people are often a little too shortsighted and assume that by evicting the forces of fascism from the white house, that we have consolidated a victory. no, this is simply a skirmish, that we need to continue the effort to challenge fascism that relies on racism in this country

and white supremacy as the ways in which it expresses itself. there is brazil, of course, and we see continuing efforts to challenge, you know, the terrible forces of fascism have done in that country. i would suggest that here in the u.s., if we are serious about being victorious over fascism, that we have to have clinic international perspective. we can't simply focus on what is happening in washington. we can't simply focus on only on our domestic issues. we have to have a greater understanding of what is happening in brazil, the philippines, south africa, palestine, throughout europe.

this is why we need democracy now! democracy now! helps us place our own domestic issues and struggles within the context of global battles against fascism, against climate change, especially against climate change, against racism. we are becoming aware that racism is not primarily a u.s. phenomenon. not primarily a south african phenomenon. it has infected our global atmosphere. amy: you mention palestine come angela. in 2019, you were very excited when the birmingham civil rights institute announced you were going to get the fred shuttlesworth human rights award. you come from birmingham and you

were returning home and it was going to be this big celebration. so we ended up following you back to birmingham, but this was after the institute rescinded the award, reportedly due to your activism around palestine. this became a major brouhaha. in the end, thousands of people -- we cover this whole journey you took -- came out to the convention center to hear you speak, to show their support. the institute was disgraced. people resign from the board. ultimately, they reversed their decision and you did get the fred shuttlesworth award. it was an amazing series of months what happened. i was wondering if you could talk about that and advice you have for others who have come under attack for their support

of palestine? >> well, yeah, amy, that was actually an incredible experience. i am so excited now about the attention that palestine has gone in a place like birmingham, alabama. so many of the people became involved in the effort -- the birmingham civil rights institute, or not necessarily familiar with the struggles in palestine. but in the process of recognizing that everyone deserves the attention of human rights activists, one cannot be in favor of human rights with the exclusion of certain communities, certain struggles,

certain countries. so i am excited to recognize now the people who were not necessarily involved in the campaign for justice and palestine, have joined that movement. black people, jewish people, and as someone who has been involved virtually all of my life and struggles around palestine, as difficult as things remain and we see the evictions continuing to take place, we see efforts to consolidate the rule of the zionist, both there and -- in the region and throughout the world, but at the same time, i think there is more hope than we have experienced ever in the struggles for justice for palestine.

more people who are involved. at first, i was so disappointed when i discovered they were resending that award, but now i think in many ways, that was a gift because it generated conversation and generated renewed reflection, collective reflection on the absolute importance of focusing on justice for palestine. amy: we will be back with scholar, activist angela davis in 20 seconds. ♪♪ [music break]

amy: this is democracy now! i'm amy goodman. we return now to our conversation with angela davis, the world-renowned abolitionist, author, activist, and professor i recently interviewed her with . i recently interviewed her with juan gonzalez. juan: you have been on democracy now! to talk about president obama and president trump and in the biden campaign as well. you said in 2020, i do think we have to participate in the election but noted that in our electoral system as it exists, neither party represents the future that we need in this country. here we are one year into the biden presidency. the battles over these various huge stingless programs, including now build back better, the progressives island over what they should do if the build back better program is further

eviscerated. your counsel to the radicals and progressives about how they should deal with the biden administration? >> well, you know, those of us o voted for biden and harris did not do so because we expected to followhem as leaders in our struggle. we could have predicted this moment now. but i think what we have learned, especially since the mobilizations of the summer of 2020, is that history does not change because a few leaders here and there decide to take particular positions or decide to pass bills. of course, i am not at all trying to minimize the importance of electing

progressives and radicals both to congress and to local office. i am not at all disparaging that. but what i am saying is that in order to make real lasting change, we have to do the work of building mements. it is masses of people who are responsible for historical change. it was because of that movement, the black freedom movement, the midcentury black freedom movement that black people acquired the right to vote -- not because someone decided to pass a voting rights act. and we know now that victory cannot simply be consolidated as a bill passed because their

continual efforts to suppress the power of black voters. and we know the only way to reverse that this by building movements, by involving masses of people in the process of historical change, and that holds true for the current administration. amy: angela, we're still in the midst of the pandemic. i am wondering how it affected you over this past year and a half? you talk about movements -- so often it is people gathering, whether we're talking about the critical resistance conferences, the mass protests in the streets after george floyd was murdered by the police. there were mass protests in the streets even during the pandemic come of course, but if you can talk about just personally, what this meant for you and if you feel like we have learned something -- everything from

respecting science, and that goes not only from talking about vaccines but to climate change, the issue of vaccine and equity in the world come emphasizing those who have and those o don't have any soany ways. it also, personally, how you got by? >> amy, i am very fortunate in that i live in california. i live in oakland. i have access to the kind of technology that puts me in touch with people all over the world. so there are some things i found really exciting about this terrible pandemic that claimed the lives of so many people, particularly black and indigenous and people of color and poor people more broadly.

what i might say was a kind of gift that was offered as in the midst of this sadness and tragedy was the fact we can communicate with people all over the world. so i participated in conversations that never would have happened had i been compelled to travel in order to be involved in these conversations. for example, a conversation in the amazon in brazil that involved afro descendant brazilians, indigenous resilience, people who are active and the struggle against police violence. so i think there are some ways in which we consolidated our

internationalism -- not consolidated, butwereble to engage in the kinds of practices that allowed us to recognize how important those ties are. on the other hand, of course we all need human community. we all need the closeness and the touch of human beings. and that has been so difficult. i would also point out that i don't know whether we would have achieved this kind of awareness of the nature of structural racism. and i don't know whether 70 people would have gone out into the streets -- so many people would have gone out into the street in their own peril.

in the summer of 2020, we were not clear about the ways in which the virus is transmitted. but i don't know whether so many people would have felt compelled to go out and protest it we had not become aware as a country -- and i'm talking about a given geordie at the population in the country -- of the realities of structural racism. the impact of the virus taught as about the nature of structural racism as it has an impact on the health care system. as the virus claimed the lives of disproportionate numbers of indigenous and black people and people in the latinx community. that awareness helped to condition the response to the

police lynching of george floyd. and so as tragic as this period has been, as difficult as it has been to live without the closeness of our community, as terrible as that has been, it has also offered us some gifts. i don't know whether we would have experienced a situation in which more people than ever before in the history of this country went out in e streets and marched in protested and said no to racism. juan: you mentioned earlier on mumia abu jamal. in early years of democracy now! , we were knocked off the air and a bunch of pennsylvania stations as result of hearing his commentaries.

i knew him personally because we worked as journalists togher in the early 1980's. he has continued to be in prison, turned 67 and april, 40 years now in prison. had covid, heart surgery this year. can you talk about his importance? he is one of the most famous political prisoners in the world. he has continued to have an amazing commentary and writing throughout his time in prison. his impact on the radical movement in america and if you could talk about the pressing need to continue to demand his release? >> yes. thank you so much, juan. i don't think we would be where we are today without the consistent and dedicated participation of mumia abu jamal in our struggles. first of all, i would say that

mumia is known all over the world. there are streets named after him in germany and in france. he became the second person in the history of france after pablo picasso to receive in honorary citizenship in the city of paris. so his importance is recognized elsewhere in the world. because of the ways in which the police and the fraternal order of the police, because of the ways in which they have misrepresented mumia and mobilized the entire police community all over the country against mumia, he remains in prison.

after having served time for more than 40 years, including much of it on death row. what i would say now is precisely because we have succeeded in making public critique of the police -- of course we see them now trying to re-consolidate their power all over the country -- but because there are these fissures in the power of the police, we should take advantage of that to intensify the campaign to free mumia abu jamal. i was just communicating the other day with the daughter of richard wright who has been so important in france in developing the campaign to free

mumia. she and people all over the world want to see us bring the case of mumia's to the fore, especially now, considering the fact that david gilbert, who has been in prison almost half a century, was released on parole recently, two weeks ago. we have to claim that victor and recognize this is precisely the moment to demand more releases, to demand the release of leonard peltier who has been in prison even longer than mumia and all of the political prisoners who remain behind walls. amy: people can go to democracynow.org to see our interviews with leonard peltier. i know we have to wrap up and it is very hard for me and juan to

stop this conversation, and we will talk to again on democracy now! your book is being reissued "angela davis: an odd about edited by toni morrison. we talked to you when toni morrison died. we talked you would aretha franklin died. we tracked you down. i can't remember -- it is amazing while people talk about aretha's great artistry, when they did not realize is she was involved with offering to post bail for you when you were in prison saying black people will be free. i wondering if you can reflect -- we will go much more extensively into this when your book comes out -- on these relationships you have had and what gives you hope for the next generation of artists, writers, scholars, and activists, all of which you are rolled into one? >> well, i think having -- i

think having lived this many decades and having experienced what i have in the conxt of movements ainst racism and imperialism, i am more committed than ever to using what talents i might have to developing movements for radical change. you mentioned aretha franklin and the fact she offered to post bail for me. that was a very moving movement for me in my life, and i have come to recognize how absolutely essential the role of artists has been an will be for our

movement. this is a period during which musicians and visual artists, poet writers, all using their talents collectively to create more possibilities for the kinds of conversations that will bring people into movements for justice, for freedom, for equality. let me say one more thing, which unfortunately we have no discussed, wide-ranging conversation, and that is the power of global capitalism and i still see -- i still think we need artists to show us the way toward a very different

organization, economic, social organization of our world and capitalism has to fall. amy: angela davis, we want to thank you so much for being with us. i what to ask you finally about the issue of independent media, people shaping their own narratives. i mean, i think that's the power of the corporate media, is they tell a sry, whether it is true or not, brought to you by the weapons manufacturers every five minutes or the drug industry every 10 minutes, you know, the commercials, as you talk about capitalism. if you could talk about a different kind of media, in perhaps, if you want to imagine this, a post-capitalist society and what that would offer since it's the way people can communicate with each other all

over the world? >> well, i think it's so important now, amy, to imagine new worlds. we cannot fight for those worlds unless we know how to imagine them. and independent, progressive media like democracy now! help to inspire us in that project of collective imagination tallow people to tell their own stors. and, of course, you gohere the movements are unfolding. i'll never forget watching your arrest at standing rock and how that campaign helped to galvanize a more holistic understanding of what it is we're struggling for, the freedom that we're fighting for, that we have to save this planet.

and indigenous people, the stewards of this land for so many millennia, have taught us that the struggle for the environment has to be central to our work. and you present their stories. so i thank you and juan and all of your colleagues for the work that you continue to do. and i'm sure we'll be speaking to each other in the near future. amy: world-renowned abolitionist, author, activist, and professor angela davis. we end today's show with the words of imprisoned journalist mumia abu jamal remembering remembering desmond tutu who died at the age of 90. >> archbishop desmond tutu 1931, 2021. almost a century ago, a little

african voice was born to a small family in a small town where gold-mining was the chief industry. the count was then called -- father was a teacher and the young boy wanted to follow in his father's footsteps. but the politics of white supremacy, known by the term apartheid, prevented him from making that choice. that policy, developed by the national party after it won the election in 1948, passed a law called the bantu education act of 1953 legalizing racial segregation in schools. that state decision forced desmond tutu to change from

teacher to preacher. desmond tutu studied, graduated, and was ordained in anglican priest. again, steady climb in the church hierarchy being named its archbishop in 1986, the archbishopf cape town. as the anti-apartheid movement elled in south africa, so, too, did repression by the state. and with most militants from the african national congress, or agency, driven into exile, the archbishop stepped into the breach, presiding over funeral after funeral and giving voice to the black oppressed majority of the nation. he played a pivotal role in speaking out against the racist system of government and

suffered arrest and attacks by police, tear gas at protest. throughout it all, he stayed true to his religious beliefs, committed christian who saw all life as valuable. he preached for peace and reconciliation. he preached, too, for justice. he spoke out firmly against violence, whether by the government or the freedom movement and as the profile of the little priest grew, so did his concerns for justice and freedom, even beyond the borders of south africa most of the archbishop, lovingly called the arch by his friends and family, called the government violence, repression, separation against the palestinian people a new form of apartheid. he called for freedom for the

puerto rican people from the united states government. he critiqued the suffering and state violence against the muslim minority in myanmar and the little priest even visited a man on death row, where he wondered why a man had to be shackled in a little room divided by a glass window where the door was closed shut, locked, and did not even have door handles. the arch was quiet, serious, a ray of spiritual light in dark places and a joy to meet. when apartheid felt in the 1990's in south upper -- and south africa became reborn as a democracy, archbishop tutu heightened his critique of the new black government, which he

said was getting rich as the people got poorer. this passage on the planet was love. he struggled for change with his prophetic voice, his sweet humor, his deep love, and the boundless sense of compassion. desmond tutu, born october 7, 1931, returned to his fathers after 90 summers, an example of love not fear. this is mumia abu jamal. these commentaries are recorded by prison radio. amy: imprisoned journalist mumia abu jamal remembering former -- archbishop desmond tutu.

we continue our year end conversations with national book award winning public martin espada on wednesday, noam chomsky on thursday, and on friday we will look back at 25 years of democracy now! democracy now! is looking for ■■■■■■■

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