Nobody: Casualties of America's War on the Vulnerable, from Ferguson to Flint and Beyond by Marc Lamont Hill
4.5/5
272 pages
In this “thought-provoking and important” (Library Journal) analysis of state-sanctioned violence, Marc Lamont Hill carefully considers a string of high-profile deaths in America—Sandra Bland, Freddie Gray, Michael Brown, Eric Garner, Trayvon Martin, and others—and incidents of gross negligence by government, such as the water crisis in Flint, Michigan. He digs underneath these events to uncover patterns and policies of authority that allow some citizens become disempowered, disenfranchised, poor, uneducated, exploited, vulnerable, and disposable. To help us understand the plight of vulnerable communities, he examines the effects of unfettered capitalism, mass incarceration, and political power while urging us to consider a new world in which everyone has a chance to become somebody. Heralded as an essential text for our times, Marc Lamont Hill’s galvanizing work embodies the best traditions of scholarship, journalism, and storytelling to lift unheard voices and to address the necessary question, “how did we get here?"
This was an extremely interesting read. Hill gives a deeper analysis of certain high-coverage cases (Michael Brown, Trayvon Martin, Flint Water Crisis, etc.) by placing those events into the context of political, economic, and legal history. While not all-encompassing, a lot of ground is covered and the footnotes are extensive, which I appreciate. I was forced to think, and I did learn some new things - so, overall, this is absolutely worth your time.
Unfortunately, little is suggested about how to make these situations and issues better, but I don't think that is the point of this short examination. I will be looking up more of Hill's writings, for sure.
272 pages
In this “thought-provoking and important” (Library Journal) analysis of state-sanctioned violence, Marc Lamont Hill carefully considers a string of high-profile deaths in America—Sandra Bland, Freddie Gray, Michael Brown, Eric Garner, Trayvon Martin, and others—and incidents of gross negligence by government, such as the water crisis in Flint, Michigan. He digs underneath these events to uncover patterns and policies of authority that allow some citizens become disempowered, disenfranchised, poor, uneducated, exploited, vulnerable, and disposable. To help us understand the plight of vulnerable communities, he examines the effects of unfettered capitalism, mass incarceration, and political power while urging us to consider a new world in which everyone has a chance to become somebody. Heralded as an essential text for our times, Marc Lamont Hill’s galvanizing work embodies the best traditions of scholarship, journalism, and storytelling to lift unheard voices and to address the necessary question, “how did we get here?"
This was an extremely interesting read. Hill gives a deeper analysis of certain high-coverage cases (Michael Brown, Trayvon Martin, Flint Water Crisis, etc.) by placing those events into the context of political, economic, and legal history. While not all-encompassing, a lot of ground is covered and the footnotes are extensive, which I appreciate. I was forced to think, and I did learn some new things - so, overall, this is absolutely worth your time.
Unfortunately, little is suggested about how to make these situations and issues better, but I don't think that is the point of this short examination. I will be looking up more of Hill's writings, for sure.
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