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When the trigger-happy wannabe cop George Zimmerman went unpunished after shooting and killing the unarmed teenager Trayvon Martin, many felt outrage. But only few channeled their anger, and tackled an unbearable situation in which black men, women, and children are constantly subjected to injustice and victimization. Patrisse Khan-Cullors is one of those courageous few.
Along with fellow activists Alicia Garza and Opal Tometi, Khan-Cullors founded Black Lives Matter—one of the most significant civil rights movements to emerge in recent decades. Since its inception, Black Lives Matter has been at the forefront of raising awareness of racially motivated injustice and the victimization of black men, women, and children. The movement has been highly prolific in their work of documenting cases and organizing protests.
Together with co-author Asha Bandele, Khan-Cullors has recently presented the story of her life that would eventually lead to her work as an activist. I typically approach the memoirs of extraordinary people with some questions in mind. Rather than mere historical documentation, I seek a non-fiction Bildungsroman. I hope to understand how such individuals have become who they are and, perhaps, to gain a glimpse at the factors that contributed to their distinction.
When They Call You a Terrorist does not disappoint. Despite the subtitle, the Black Lives Matter movement appears only relatively late in the book. The bulk of the text is dedicated to Khan-Cullors’ life, always connected to the larger social and political context. There are harrowing scenes throughout the book: The abuse of her brothers, then teenagers, by local police officers. The collapse of her family life after her father’s repeated incarceration. The revelation that her classmate’s friendly, caring father was the very slumlord that would let her family exist in the most unsanitary, undignified subs-standard conditions. The torture of her mentally ill brother in prison.
Khan-Cullors’ personal narrative serves to educate about various pressing issues. The reader learns about mass incarceration, the school-to-prison pipeline, and the criminalization of addiction and mental illness. The book also illustrates that racism is by no means limited to the overt and direct expression of racial hatred. Subtler, though no less harmful, are policies leading to detrimental outcomes that disproportionately affect one or more minority groups.
Khan-Cullors’ first-hand experience with these issues would eventually influence the Black Lives Matter agenda. This agenda, while resonating with thousands, also led to a remarkably hostile response. Opposing the accountability of law enforcement, uncritically worshiping authority, and clinging on to undeserved privileges, the right-wing enemies of Black Lives Matter have aggressively denounced the movement and its key players. Their efforts eventually culminated in the ludicrous claim that Black Lives Matter was a terrorist group.
But there is nothing terroristic to be found in Khan-Cullors’ memoir. In fact, most of her statements shouldn’t even be controversial. It seems self-evident that the War on Drugs has turned out to be a disastrous failure, that law enforcement should use lethal force only as last resort, and that mass incarceration is a problem with devastating social and personal consequences.
In the end, When They Call You a Terrorist does not give one specific reason why Patrisse Khan-Cullors speaks out while so many others, with similar experiences, remain silent. Her memoir does, however, tell the inspiring tale of an extraordinary woman who possesses the decency to be appalled by injustice and the courage to do something about it. The book also educates the reader about multiple forms of racism, about its far-reaching consequences, and about the impact a few determined people can have. For these reasons When They Call You a Terrorist is a worthwhile read.
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