The phrase "defund the police" is causing a stir amid nationwide protests against police brutality following the killing of George Floyd. Black Lives Matter co-founder Alicia Garza appeared on Sunday's edition of NBC's Meet the Press, where she explained to host Chuck Todd what the demand really means.
While there are people who are calling for completely defunding and abolishing police departments, Garza believes it's about investing more heavily in other community resources that are crucial but often overlooked, such as housing and education. While "defund the police" may sound radical, Garza said, so did the Black Lives Matter movement when it originated a few years ago. Now, it's a "household name."
Don't expect lawmakers, including Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) to adopt the phrase, even if they agree with Garza's description of its contents. But while Booker will choose his words differently, he told Todd he hopes people look more deeply at what the argument represents, noting that when he was the mayor of Newark, New Jersey, he had police officers question why they were the ones dealing with "the fragility or vulnerability of society." Tim O'Donnell
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Blue Origin launches Mars probes in NASA debutSpeed Read The New Glenn rocket is carrying small twin spacecraft toward Mars as part of NASA’s Escapade mission
-
Trump DOJ sues to block California redistrictingSpeed Read California’s new congressional map was drawn by Democrats to flip Republican-held House seats
-
GOP retreats from shutdown deal payout provisionSpeed Read Senators are distancing themselves from a controversial provision in the new government funding package
-
Hungary’s Krasznahorkai wins Nobel for literatureSpeed Read László Krasznahorkai is the author of acclaimed novels like ‘The Melancholy of Resistance’ and ‘Satantango’
-
Primatologist Jane Goodall dies at 91Speed Read She rose to fame following her groundbreaking field research with chimpanzees
-
Florida erases rainbow crosswalk at Pulse nightclubSpeed Read The colorful crosswalk was outside the former LGBTQ nightclub where 49 people were killed in a 2016 shooting
-
Trump says Smithsonian too focused on slavery's illsSpeed Read The president would prefer the museum to highlight 'success,' 'brightness' and 'the future'
-
Trump to host Kennedy Honors for Kiss, StalloneSpeed Read Actor Sylvester Stallone and the glam-rock band Kiss were among those named as this year's inductees
-
White House seeks to bend Smithsonian to Trump's viewSpeed Read The Smithsonian Institution's 21 museums are under review to ensure their content aligns with the president's interpretation of American history
-
Charlamagne Tha God irks Trump with Epstein talkSpeed Read The radio host said the Jeffrey Epstein scandal could help 'traditional conservatives' take back the Republican Party
-
CBS cancels Colbert's 'Late Show'Speed Read 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert' is ending next year
