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We need a deeper, refined analysis for a clear vision of the inherent repression of Black life, says Mumia Abu-Jamal. (Photo: City Lights Books)

In a righteously angry yet calmly principled collection of commentaries and essays, an acclaimed incarcerated author and intellectual asks: Have Black Lives Ever Mattered? "Mumia Abu-Jamal's painstaking courage, truth-telling and disinterest in avoiding the reality of American racial life is, as always, honorable," says Alice Walker. Order your copy today by making a donation to Truthout!

In his new bookHave Black Lives EverMattered?, author and activist Mumia Abu-Jamal explores this question over 75 essays, spanning from the late 1990s to 2017. Each essay explores the violence of policing and the criminal legal system, whether from a historical perspective or through the stories of people who have died by the hands of police. In the first essay, "Hate Crimes," Abu-Jamal questions the legitimacy of the idea of hate crimes, pointing out that police are never charged with a hate crime when they brutalize and kill Black and Brown people. Abu-Jamal's essays discuss the murder of Trayvon Martin by George Zimmerman, the killing of Tamir Rice by Cleveland, Ohio, police officer Timothy Loehmann, and what the aftermath of these slayings reveals about how the United States views Black people. His conclusion is perfectly summed up in the first two lines of his October 2015 essay titled, "Tamir Rice of Cleveland" -- "Question: When is a child not a child? Answer: When it's a Black child."

Abu-Jamal spoke with Truthout about some of the issues he engages with inHaveBlack Lives Ever Mattered?, including police violence and the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement.

Tasasha Henderson: You talk about several cases of police violence that did not make national and international news:Carl Hardimanin Chicago, Shep McDaniel in New York City. And in your essays written in the early part of 2014, you convey a feeling that you had a sense that something big was coming -- that there would be an incident of police violence that would set off a powder keg. Did you have a sense or a feeling that there would be an incident, like what eventually did happen to Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, that would lead to the beginnings of a mass resistance?

Mumia Abu-Jamal:I did have an inkling, say, a feeling. I've seen this before, when the frequency and intensity of attacks on Black life was so naked, so ugly, so offensive, that resistance became imperative. Our people have an almost ungodly patience; but when the flames ignite, it can be a formidable social force. Indeed, that is the essence of Black history in the American settler-state. I think Mike Brown's community was one such instance. And when I saw five young brothers tell a reporter: "My name is Mike Brown," "My name is Mike Brown," it was a historic echo from the "Spartacus" era, when slaves of Rome rose and rebelled against the Empire, and identified with each other.

In your essay "Hate Crimes," you question what types of violence are considered hate crimes, and the fact that police violence against Black and Brown people is never considered a hate crime. With the introduction and/or passage ofBlue Lives Matter lawsacross the country, making the assault or killing of police a "hate crime," how do you view legislative attempts to reduce police violence through such policies as body cameras or increased training of police officers? As we see with hate crime statutes, what was supposed to protect vulnerable people has been turned against us.

As the Black Movement, now exemplified by Black Lives Matter, has taken a hashtag and exploded beyond its banks, so too must the people seize the slogans tossed out by their class enemies, and lob it back, as in "Blue Lives Are the Only Lives That Matter!," dig? For words are weapons, and when the state, the empire tries to bullshit people with their white supremacist stuff turn it around. Utilize the truth to open eyes and minds about the intrinsic nature of the state.

For example, we know, for sure, that cops croak hundreds of people every year, often with impunity. Why not ask, "How many cops are on death row?" If not, why not? My purpose here is hardly to endorse the obscenity of death row, but [if] all lives are equal, and the site of a courtroom is the place where people are treated fairly and equitably, well, why not? Or is death row only for "other" people? Dig?

My point is that the state will always utilize its "law" as a tool of repression -- that's the essential nature of the state; but movements must create and expand the space to raise contradictions. Body cameras? Training? BS. Nonsense. Done. It is a bourgeois mirage. In 1978, when [three] cops beatDelbert Africasenseless, breaking his jaw, it was recorded on video. When it came to trial, the trial judge, Stanley Kubacki, dismissed the all-white jury, and threw out the charges, saying the (armed) cops had reason to fear (unarmed) Delbert, because he was so muscular!

We must understand thatthe stateisa hate crime against the poor, the oppressed, Black folks, and Latinas, etc.

In your essay, "Where is the Outrage?" you write, "the unity of the people is the greatest weapon against the silence, fear, and oppression imposed by the system. Our unity -- as communities, networks, and movements -- is so important. Therefore, our unity is attacked." We are seeing different communities and organizations unify, whether it is the Black Lives Matter network, Fight for $15, immigrant rights, etc. How can coalitions sustain themselves and how can communities remain unified in the midst of state repression?

Movements emerge out of necessity, out of the felt sense that they no longer have anything to lose; out of certainty that the state has failed them yesterday, is failing them today, and will fail them tomorrow (to paraphrase MOVE'sJohn Africa).The state isn't the solution, it's the problem. It is this sense, shared by increasingly large parts of the population, that fuels movements, and builds rebellious, and then revolutionary consciousness.As capitalism -- and its concomitant rise of the crony-capitalist-gangster-state -- fails, people begin to see commonalities across our false border, and begin to march toward each other, and not against each other.

Remember, capitalism needs racism, and utilizes it to create false consciousness in millions of white poor and working people who live in the illusion that they have something in common with Trumpites. Unity can't be presumed, or wished to come into being. When people work together and fight together, they build the practice of unity.

In your essay, "We Must Fight for More," you write, "history lives to give us options for the future." What options do you think history has given for the Black Lives Matter movement? What does history have to teach movement leaders and participants today?

Malcolm [X] used to say, "Of all our studies, history best rewards our research." He learned this from Elijah Muhammad, his teacher. Malcolm repeated this lesson because he knew, in his own life experience, how history transformed him from a prisoner (known and despised as "Satan") to becoming one of the most respected ministers of the nation, and one of Black America's most beloved leaders. History offers an endless font of human experience that people, communities and movements can draw from to move forward into the future. History, because it is rich in examples of people's love of freedom, is a powerful source for the present and the future!

Why do you think the white supremacist governments in the West (like New Mexico, etc.) fought so hard to outlaw Chicano history? Why do you think today's public schools skimp so much on Black history? Theyknowthat Black history is explosive! And history ain't about what happened years ago, or yesterday. It explains why today is the way it is; and gives ideas about how to transform tomorrows.

Have Black Lives Ever Mattered?includes essays from the 1990s up until this year, and span many aspects of how Black people are victimized by state violence, including police brutality and incarceration. How do you see your book contributing to the continuing conversation and activism concerning racial justice, anti-police brutality and criminal legal system reform?

I'm gladHave Black Lives Ever Mattered?addresses today's issue of police terrorism, but it must be seen in a longer, deeper, broader continuum. America's police don't descend from Scotland Yard in England. They had their birth in the infamous "paddy rollers" of the South, where whites were militarized to oppose any Black slave revolt. Those habits live at the core of any true discussion about what bedevils the lives of Black people today. That should show you some sense of the importance of history just recently noted. Unless we truly grasp those truths, then generations unborn will be struggling with these same problems, and wondering how to change it. Dr.Huey P. Newton, in a late edition of the Black Panther newspaper,called for deep transformation of police,to bring forth Citizen Peace Forces, designed to solve problems, not bomb them.It's time for his ideas to be taken seriously, to begin to utilize history to create openings for better tomorrows.

As we continue in the uncertain future of a Donald Trump presidency, what guidance do you have for young people who are involved in the Black Lives Matter movement and other movements, as they continue to resist, build and organize?

Look, we can look at Trump as the Great Boogeyman, or we can soberly examine the roles of Clinton and Obama, where the former perfected the machinery of mass incarceration, and the latter tinkered with it, just as he all but ignored the greatest loss of Black wealth (i.e. criminal mortgage thefts of Black homes) since Reconstruction.We must develop a deeper, refined analysis that gives us all a clear vision of the inherent repression of the state against Black life, a historical continuum that shows no sign of abatement. Or we can play "Republicans bad/Democrats good" like children looking for shadow plays.

The system is bad; we need deep reconstruction to make new ways of living, growing and becoming possible.

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Exclusive Interview: Mumia Abu-Jamal Speaks About Black Lives Matter and Police Violence - Truth-Out

Tim celebrates more than 10 years of award-winning TV journalism, covering breaking news, politics, hurricanes, crime and social issues. He grew up in Person Countyjust north of Raleigh-Durham, N.C. After working in Washington D.C. as a writer for the Washington Informer and a media strategist for a nonprofit, Tim primarily files stories for ABC 11, an ABC Owned and Operated station in Raleigh-Durham, N.C. His television career began in Wilmington, N.C. and Columbia, S.C. where he was a reporter and anchor. While in Columbia, Tim was honored with a Salute to Excellence Award from the National Association of Black Journalists and a local Media Champion Award from the Richland One Community Coalition for his in-depth coverage of synthetic drugs and its impact on young people. Tims reporting adventures also took him to Florida where he broke several crime stories and covered high profile court cases, such as the George Zimmerman trial verdict. In 2015, his news reports on the Michael Dunn murder trial were featured in an award-winning HBO documentary titled 3 1/2 Minutes: Ten Bullets. The film examined the life and murder of Jacksonville teenager Jordan Davis. Pulliam is a graduate of Winston-Salem State University and holds a master's degree in communication at the Johns Hopkins University. Tim's hobbies include writing, physical fitness, exploring new restaurants, and traveling throughout the country and abroad.

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Tim Pulliam - HuffPost

The Black Lives Matter movement is pushing to raise $40,000 in four days to continue fighting state racism and anti-black racism, the group announced Thursday.

The push to raise the funds comes on the heels of the groups four year anniversary since its inception after the 2013 acquittal of George Zimmerman. The movement asked for donations as a way to support the efforts of Black Lives Matter.

Support the work we are moving both network-wide and locally by becoming a donor. If your donation is to a specific chapter, please note that on the donations page, the report read.

The movement is also accepting donations in the form of resources, like office space and food.

You can also contribute in-kind resources such as office space, food donations for meetings or actions, or a particular skill set (legal, communications, cultural work) to our chapters, the group noted.

Black Lives Matter Los Angeles also joined in on the fundraising effort, launching their own page to fund the movement.

As we continue to challenge the system, there are real costs involved. We need your support for materials and supplies, travel, and facilities costs related to actions, meetings, and our ongoing work. Please give what you can and encourage others to do the same, the group said on itsfundraising page.

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Black Lives Matter Scrambles To Raise $40K To Keep Fighting 'State Racism' - The Daily Caller

There are 320 million people in the U.S., but we don't all speak the same way.

There are at least 24 distinctive regions of American English spoken in this country, according to The Washington Post. Some dialects and their corresponding accents cover a wide region, like the Rocky Mountain or Upper Midwestern dialects, and others cover smaller areas but are very specific, like the Louisiana or the Boston Urban dialect.

Regional dialects and accents are often a recognizable marker of a place and the people who live there, so much so that the "authenticity" of Hollywood movies is often evaluated on the actors' ability to nail an accent.

A 2015 study by researchers in Germany and the United Kingdom found that people from outside a region tended to discriminate against people from that region with strong accents. However, people from the same region with strong regional accents cooperated more. The speech samples in the study were all German, and listeners could chose to compete or cooperate with the person to accomplish a task based on only their voice.

"We find that individuals are significantly more likely to compete with distant accent speakers in language-related tasks and interpret this as discrimination because the judgment is not based on the performance but on the perception of the speech sample," Stephan Heblich, a lead author of the study and professor at the University of Bristol's Department of Economic, told ATTN: via email.

"We believe that this is due to cultural stereotypes that affect individuals' behavior since the participants have no actual information about their matched partner's performance other than the speech sample," he explained. "In Germany, there is a strong regional variation in accents."

This type of distinctive variation also happens with U.S. dialects.

Heblich said perceptions about regional accents could be an obstacle for the speaker, but it could also be an asset if used strategically, and the person is able to change their accent.

"There are two ways of looking at this: one is to stress that distance accent speakers are more likely to be discriminated [against]," he said. "Another way to think about this is that individuals can strategically use accents. For example, a politician might find it helpful to use a local accent when giving a speech in his home region to create a sense of trust and familiarity but use standard language in the national parliament to appear equally agreeable to all regions."

In 2010, a paper by researchers from the University of California Riverside found that people unintentionally mimic each other's speech patterns.

"This unintentional imitation could serve as a social glue, helping us to affiliate and empathize with each other, but it also might reflect deep aspects of the language function," the researchers wrote. "Specifically, it adds to evidence that the speech brain is sensitive to - and primed by - speech articulation, whether heard or seen. It also adds to the evidence that a familiar talker's speaking style can help us recognize words."

In 2014, a linguist from Stanford University said prejudice against language differences played a role in the trial of George Zimmerman, the man who shot and killed unarmed teen Trayvon Martin in 2012, and was acquitted.

Stanford linguistics professor John Rickford told the university's news publication that black witnesses speaking "non-standard" English are often discredited by juries. A dialect of English spoken by many black Americans is African American Vernacular English (AAVE).

"People speaking non-standard English are even seen as being of poor character," Rickford told the Stanford News. He pointed to the treatment of witness Rachel Jeantel, who was a friend of Martin. She was on the phone with him minutes before he died.

"African Americans on the jury especially fluent AAVE speakers would have understood Jeantel, and the presence of even one such juror could have helped the others to understand what she was saying," Rickford told the Stanford News. "But the defense did a good job of making sure there were no African American jurors in this trial."

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The Real Reason People Judge You So Much Based on Your Accent - ATTN:

2016 Getty Images

2016: Prime Minister of the United Kingdom David Cameron resigns, and is succeeded by Theresa May. [+-]

2013: George Zimmerman is acquitted of second-degree murder and manslaughter in connection with the Feb. 26, 2012, shooting death of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin in Sanford, Florida. Zimmerman, a neighborhood watch coordinator, had visible injuries and claimed he was acting in self-defense when he shot Martin. Allegations of racist motivation for both the shooting and police conduct, the six-week wait to charge Zimmerman, and questions about Florida's "Stand Your Ground" law brought the case to national and international attention. [+-]

2013: Actor and singer Cory Monteith, best known for his role as Finn Hudson on the musical TV series "Glee," dies of an alcohol and heroin overdose at age 31 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. [+-]

2012: Film producer Richard D. Zanuck, who produced such movies as "Jaws," "Cocoon" and "Driving Miss Daisy," dies of a heart attack at age 77 in Beverly Hills, California. Zanuck won an Academy Award for Best Picture for "Driving Miss Daisy" and also was known for working with director Tim Burton, producing six of his movies, including "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory," "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street," "Alice in Wonderland" and "Dark Shadows." [+-]

2012: Filmmaker and actor Sage Stallone, the son of action star Sylvester Stallone, is found dead in his Los Angeles home at the age of 36. It was later ruled that he died of a heart attack three to seven days prior to being found. Sage Stallone (seen here with his uncle Frank Stallone in 2006) made his acting debut alongside his father in 1990s "Rocky V" and also appeared with his father in 1996's "Daylight." [+-]

2010: New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner dies from a heart attack at age 80 in Tampa, Florida. During Steinbrenner's 37-year ownership the Yankees earned seven World Series titles and 11 pennants. His outspokenness and role in driving up player salaries made him one of the sport's most controversial figures. [+-]

2006: Actor and comedian Red Buttons, best known for movie roles in "Sayonara," "Hatari!," "The Longest Day," "The Poseidon Adventure," "They Shoot Horses, Don't They?" and "Pete's Dragon," dies of complications from high blood pressure at the age of 87 in Los Angeles, California. Buttons won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for "Sayonara." [+-]

1985: Vice President George H. W. Bush becomes the acting president for eight hours when President Ronald Reagan undergoes surgery to remove polyps from his colon. [+-]

1985: The Live Aid benefit concert takes place in London and Philadelphia to raise funds for relief of the ongoing Ethiopian famine. The artists performing include Elton John, David Bowie, Queen, U2, Madonna, The Beach Boys, Eric Clapton, The Who, Phil Collins, a reunited Led Zeppelin and more. [+-]

1982: The MLB All-Star Game is played outside the United States for the first time, with the game taking place at Olympic Stadium in Montreal, Canada. [+-]

1973: Alexander Butterfield reveals the existence of the "Nixon tapes" to the special Senate committee investigating the Watergate break-in. [+-]

1972: Carroll Rosenbloom (owner of the Baltimore Colts) and Robert Irsay (owner of the Los Angeles Rams) trade teams. In 1984, Irsay would move the Colts to Indianapolis. [+-]

1969: Actor Ken Jeong, best known for the sitcom "Community" and "The Hangover" movies, is born in Detroit, Michigan. [+-]

1968: Steppenwolf's "Born To Be Wild" is released. The third single off their debut album, it would become their most successful single, reaching No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles charts. [+-]

1957: Director and former Rolling Stone magazine writer Cameron Crowe is born in Palm Springs, California. Crowe wrote the screenplay for "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" and has directed such movies as "Say Anything...," "Singles," "Jerry Maguire" and "Almost Famous." [+-]

1956: Boxer Michael Spinks, an Olympic gold medalist and world champion in the light-heavyweight and heavyweight divisions, is born in St. Louis, Missouri. He went undefeated in his first 31 professional fights, first becoming undisputed world light-heavyweight champion and then moving up to heavyweight to upset IBF heavyweight champion Larry Holmes in 1985. By doing so, he became the first reigning light-heavyweight champ to win the heavyweight title. Spinks was knocked out by Mike Tyson in 1988 in the final fight of his career for his only professional defeat. He has been inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame and the World Boxing Hall of Fame. [+-]

1954: Mexican painter Frida Kahlo (center), best known for her self-portraits and her surrealist paintings, dies from a pulmonary embolism at age 47 in Coyoacn, Mexico. [+-]

1946: Actor and comedian Cheech Marin, known for the Cheech & Chong stoner comedy movies with Tommy Chong, is born Richard Anthony Marin in Los Angeles. Marin also co-starred with Don Johnson in the TV show "Nash Bridges" and has appeared in movies like "Born in East L.A.," "From Dusk till Dawn," "Tin Cup" and "Spy Kids." He has also voiced characters in several Disney movies, including "Oliver and Company," "The Lion King," "Cars" and "Beverly Hills Chihuahua." [+-]

1944: Erno Rubik, the inventor of Rubik's Cube, is born in Budapest, Hungary. [+-]

1942: Actor Harrison Ford, best known for his performances as Han Solo in the original "Star Wars" trilogy and the title character of the "Indiana Jones" film series, is born in Chicago, Illinois. Ford has also appeared in movies such as "Blade Runner," "Witness," "Patriot Games," "The Fugitive" and "Air Force One." [+-]

1942: Singer-songwriter and guitarist Roger McGuinn, best known for being the lead singer and lead guitarist on many of The Byrds' records, is born James Joseph McGuinn III in Chicago, Illinois. He is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for his work with The Byrds. [+-]

1940: Actor Patrick Stewart, best known for the TV series "Star Trek: The Next Generation" and the "X-Men" movie franchise, is born in Mirfield, West Riding of Yorkshire, England. [+-]

1939: Frank Sinatra makes his recording debut with the Harry James band, singing "Melancholy Mood" and "From The Bottom of My Heart." [+-]

1934: Babe Ruth hits his 700th career home run. It would be almost another 40 years before another major-leaguer matched the Yankee great's feat. Hank Aaron reached 700 homers in 1973 and Barry Bonds followed in 2004. [+-]

1928: Actor Bob Crane, best known for his performance as Colonel Robert E. Hogan in the sitcom "Hogan's Heroes," is born in Waterbury, Connecticut. He was found bludgeoned to death in his Scottsdale, Arizona, apartment on June 29, 1978, a murder that remains officially unsolved. [+-]

1923: The Hollywood Sign is officially dedicated in the hills above Hollywood, Los Angeles. It originally read "Hollywoodland," but the four last letters were dropped after renovation in 1949. [+-]

1919: The British airship R34 lands in Norfolk, England, completing the first airship return journey across the Atlantic in 182 hours of flight. [+-]

1863: In New York City, opponents of conscription begin three days of rioting that will be later regarded as the worst in United States history. [+-]

1832: Henry Schoolcraft officially establishes the source of the Mississippi River as Lake Itasca in Minnesota. [+-]

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On this day: July 13 - KYMA