Police Brutality and White Supremacy: The Fight Against American Traditions

by Etan Thomas Narrated by Julian Thomas

Overview

Featuring original interviews with: Steph Curry, Chuck D, Yamiche Alcindor, Isiah Thomas, Jemele Hill, Craig Hodges, Stan Van Gundy, Mark Cuban, Jake Tapper, Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf, Sue Bird, Kyle Korver, Rick Strom, Cenk Uygur, Tim Wise, Chris Broussard, Breanna Stewart, Rex Chapman, Stephen Jackson, Kori McCoy, Lora Dene King, Chikesia Clemons, Raymond Santana, Alissa Findley, Amber and Ashley Carr, Michelle and Ashley Monterrosa, Chairman Fred Hampton Jr., Abioudun Oyewole, Marc Lamont Hill, Officer Carlton Berkley, Pastor John K. Jenkins Sr., Officer Joe Ested, Captain Sonia Pruitt, and Bishop Talbert Swan.

Etan Thomas, an eleven-year NBA veteran and lifelong advocate for social justice, shares his personal experiences with police violence and white supremacy, weaving them together with interviews of athletes, entertainers, media figures, and retired police officers, as well as family members of victims of police brutality.
Thomas explores the origins of white supremacy and how it was interwoven into Christianity, and discusses the continued cultivation of injustice in American society.

Through these unforgettable conversations and insights, Police Brutality and White Supremacy demands accountability for those responsible for, and justice for those impacted by, police violence and terror. It offers practical solutions to work against the promotion of white supremacy in law enforcement, Christianity,
early education, and across the public sphere.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

"Activist and former NBA player Thomas follows up his 2018 interview collection, We Matter, with Q&As informed by the turmoil of 2020 and 2021, with a similar assortment of interviewees: athletes (Isiah Thomas, Steph Curry, Breanna Stewart), media figures (Yamiche Alcindor, Jake Tapper) and family members of Black men killed or brutalized by police (Willie McCoy’s brother, Rodney King’s daughter) . . . A relevant, occasionally eye-opening collection of Q&As on race and privilege."— Kirkus Reviews

"Thomas speaks with athletes, activists, religious leaders, and family members of victims of police brutality about systemic racism, exploring such topics as Rodney King, the Central Park Five, and the January 6 attack on the US Capitol. The strength of this book lies in its range."— Booklist

"I admire Etan’s passion, tenacity, and commitment to fighting for our people."— Ben Crump

Kirkus Reviews

2021-11-06
Candid conversations about race and policing with key figures in media, sports, and social justice movements.

Activist and former NBA player Thomas follows up his 2018 interview collection, We Matter, with Q&As informed by the turmoil of 2020 and 2021, with a similar assortment of interviewees: athletes (Isiah Thomas, Steph Curry, Breanna Stewart), media figures (Yamiche Alcindor, Jake Tapper), and family members of Black men killed or brutalized by police (Willie McCoy’s brother, Rodney King’s daughter). The prompts for discussion include George Floyd, defunding the police, the January insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, and the intersection of White supremacy and evangelical Christianity. The overall tone of the interviews is skeptical and dissatisfied with the lack of systemic change despite growing media attention. When Thomas tells the son of Black Panther Fred Hampton that “after Trump, Biden was a breath of fresh air,” he snaps back, “I still ain’t breathing.” The sharpest rhetoric comes from activist and broadcaster Marc Lamont Hill, who pushes against softening the phrase “defund the police,” likening it to shifting from abolishing slavery to “reform the plantation.” Trumpism, most of Thomas’ interlocutors agree, is just a more visible manifestation of White supremacy that’s been part of American life from the start. Though the intensity and relevance of the conversations are clear, especially with members of victims’ families, Thomas rarely sees his role as more than teeing up his interviewees to share experiences or familiar talking points, which blunts the overall impact. That's why his Q&A with entrepreneur and NBA team owner Mark Cuban stands out: Thomas actively challenges Cuban to use his wealth and position to extract meaningful change from police and fellow team owners, and Cuban’s earnest but evasive replies reveal just how steep the challenge is. Other interviewees include Sue Bird, Rex Chapman, Chuck D, and Jemele Hill.

A relevant, occasionally eye-opening collection of Q&As on race and privilege.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940176013658
Publisher:	Recorded Books, LLC
Publication date:	01/11/2022
Edition description:	Unabridged

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