State violence can dehumanize us all. But you aren’t powerless

State violence can dehumanize us all. But you aren’t powerless

Millions of us saw what the killers did to Renee Good and Alex Pretti on the icy streets of Minneapolis. Millions of us are witnesses to the violence.

From Powerlessness to Power

In 1853, agents of the federal government arrested Anthony Burns in Boston. They grabbed him under false pretenses. Armed soldiers prevented locals from attending his trial. He was convicted under the authority of the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850. Masses of angry citizens organized to prevent it—but under military guard, Burns was transported south to slavery in Virginia. From the perspective of 1853, the slave power looked unbeatable.But Amos Ada…