Episode 4 of ‘We’re Not Kidding’ on the violent state response to anti-war protestors and the racist history of policing in America. Plus, why Mehdi thinks Bruce Wayne is a rightwing Republican.
Refreshing conversation. Something deeply resonates with me and the defund police conversation. 1 month before I graduated summa cum laude from my university, I was stopped by 3 police officers and beaten to unconsciousness just 1 block from my home, in my neighborhood. In Court, the judge ruled in my favor and I was found not guilty for the trumped up charges of resisting arrest, etc but there was no restitution or reprimand for what happened to me. I'm a white middle class male and believe we should absolutely put our local funds into community programs that bring people together. The police don't need more funding; they need an overhaul of tactics, mission statements, and purpose.
This is why we must keep on fighting for police accountability. I look forward to young legislators like Jasmine Crockett, Maxwell Frost, Jamal Bowman, Cori Bush, et al to write and pass laws making cops personally responsible for their behavior when they're out of line.
American foreign policy is a constant threat to those countries that prefer not to be beholden to America. America's Middle East policy, servile to the State of Israel, is an existential threat to the Palestinian people. American police brutality towards Black Americans, Muslims and now White folks (young and old) who protest against Israel's Genocidal action in Gaza is on the rise. Is this the death knell for unadulterated Democracy in America?
I can’t agree more on students being on the right side of history. A prominent political scientist, Robert Putnam, has said the same thing when presenting his book The Upswing that all those famous “old” figures who played key roles in positive political reforms in the US—during “the Progressive era” covered in the book—were in their 20s when they actually brought about the changes. Putnam believes in the power of young leaders who say “I don’t want to live in this system. I want something else.”
Not only the students/young people have a 100% batting average with being on the right side of history (The White Rose, The Greensboro Sit In, Tiananmen, The Velvet Revolution, The Tlatelolco Uprising, Soweto Protests, Protests against Iraq war, etc. etc...), the police, the military and political establishments have a 100% batting average of being on the wrong side in each of these situations.
As a former police officer and tree hugging left winger, I have to say that I found this show to be absolutely right on with every aspect covered by Medhi and W Kamau Bell.
We do have a long way to go and your two voices are valuable, insightful and refreshing to hear. The militarization of police is a huge problem in our society and around the world and reform should be important to all of us.
Much of that money should be going to help communities not victimize them.
Love hearing these casual conversations with intellectuals, each guest has differing reference points and those then become kernels of knowledge for viewers. I'm now googling Dr. King's Riverside Church speech to read in entirety.
Among so many profound and excellent guests and Zeteo episodes, this one hit home in a really powerful way. All the stuff that has been going through my head about the long curve of American yuck, this conversation hit on a bunch of them. Kamau’s intellect and voice is like…wish I could focus and speak to all this horribleness of America like he does. The thing I see coming to the forefront is the US has been a bad actor since its inception and the American citizenry is gradually wising up. But not to the degree it should. We’ve all heard the disgusting phrase, “America, love it or leave it.” Well, unless you’re in the top tier of American wealth, you got nowhere to leave to. And who would want an ugly American? We’re at a crossroads here were the choices for Republican and Democratic presidential candidates and many other federal and state representation is calling out for something very different than where we are now. The status quo is the road to the end.
Refreshing conversation. Something deeply resonates with me and the defund police conversation. 1 month before I graduated summa cum laude from my university, I was stopped by 3 police officers and beaten to unconsciousness just 1 block from my home, in my neighborhood. In Court, the judge ruled in my favor and I was found not guilty for the trumped up charges of resisting arrest, etc but there was no restitution or reprimand for what happened to me. I'm a white middle class male and believe we should absolutely put our local funds into community programs that bring people together. The police don't need more funding; they need an overhaul of tactics, mission statements, and purpose.
This is why we must keep on fighting for police accountability. I look forward to young legislators like Jasmine Crockett, Maxwell Frost, Jamal Bowman, Cori Bush, et al to write and pass laws making cops personally responsible for their behavior when they're out of line.
Lovelies, Mehdi and W. Kamau Bell, you are wonderful and thank you for your voices ❤️❤️❤️
American foreign policy is a constant threat to those countries that prefer not to be beholden to America. America's Middle East policy, servile to the State of Israel, is an existential threat to the Palestinian people. American police brutality towards Black Americans, Muslims and now White folks (young and old) who protest against Israel's Genocidal action in Gaza is on the rise. Is this the death knell for unadulterated Democracy in America?
I don’t think we’ve ever had unadulterated democracy in the US but what we do have is slipping away quickly!
I can’t agree more on students being on the right side of history. A prominent political scientist, Robert Putnam, has said the same thing when presenting his book The Upswing that all those famous “old” figures who played key roles in positive political reforms in the US—during “the Progressive era” covered in the book—were in their 20s when they actually brought about the changes. Putnam believes in the power of young leaders who say “I don’t want to live in this system. I want something else.”
Brilliant show today & so glad to see Kamau Bell will be back. Keep up the great work!
Please, please also invite Michael Moore the film director/star who has also written many books including SiCKO.
Thank you Mehdi for starting Zeteo & platforming all these fantastic folks (yourself included)! 👊🇵🇸🖤
Not only the students/young people have a 100% batting average with being on the right side of history (The White Rose, The Greensboro Sit In, Tiananmen, The Velvet Revolution, The Tlatelolco Uprising, Soweto Protests, Protests against Iraq war, etc. etc...), the police, the military and political establishments have a 100% batting average of being on the wrong side in each of these situations.
Is there any doubt left that there are two different factions of Zayo NOT-Z:
Those who are denying the existence of Palestinian and those who are insisting to make Palestinians nonexistence.
*Rest* *in* *Power* *Aaron* *Bushnell* I will never forget you and your last words of " *Free* *Palestine* "
Great episode and I’m so happy to see Kamau in the co-host rotation!
As a former police officer and tree hugging left winger, I have to say that I found this show to be absolutely right on with every aspect covered by Medhi and W Kamau Bell.
We do have a long way to go and your two voices are valuable, insightful and refreshing to hear. The militarization of police is a huge problem in our society and around the world and reform should be important to all of us.
Much of that money should be going to help communities not victimize them.
Wonderful conversation. As a Black Muslim woman, I have the fear of living while Black and silenced as a Muslim.
Love hearing these casual conversations with intellectuals, each guest has differing reference points and those then become kernels of knowledge for viewers. I'm now googling Dr. King's Riverside Church speech to read in entirety.
Among so many profound and excellent guests and Zeteo episodes, this one hit home in a really powerful way. All the stuff that has been going through my head about the long curve of American yuck, this conversation hit on a bunch of them. Kamau’s intellect and voice is like…wish I could focus and speak to all this horribleness of America like he does. The thing I see coming to the forefront is the US has been a bad actor since its inception and the American citizenry is gradually wising up. But not to the degree it should. We’ve all heard the disgusting phrase, “America, love it or leave it.” Well, unless you’re in the top tier of American wealth, you got nowhere to leave to. And who would want an ugly American? We’re at a crossroads here were the choices for Republican and Democratic presidential candidates and many other federal and state representation is calling out for something very different than where we are now. The status quo is the road to the end.
Love the energy here. Great conversation between two intelligent, compassionate men.
Guest request: Noam Chomsky!
Is he also a comedian?
That would be amazing.