The publishing company owned by Colin Kaepernick is editing and soon to publish a collection of essays calling for the abolition of police and prisons.
“Today, I’m excited to share that we at @KaepernickPublishing will be releasing our first title, ABOLITION FOR THE PEOPLE: THE MOVEMENT FOR A FUTURE WITHOUT POLICING & PRISONS, on 10/12/21,” Kaepernick wrote on Instagram. “This anthology builds on decades of organizing and writing against policing & prisons & features the work of over 30 contributors plus a reader’s guide, infographics, & cover art by Emory Douglas.
The NFL’s original anthem protester added, “I’m proud to have edited this collection & hope it adds to the chorus of voices calling for a world without & beyond policing & prisons. #AbolitionForThePeople.”
Kaepernick became possibly the most important figure in the movement to abolish the police when he first sat, then knelt for the national anthem in the preseason of 2016. After he refused to stand to honor the country, he explained that he would not stand to show pride in a flag that represents a country that “oppresses black people.”
“I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color,” Kaepernick said. “To me, this is bigger than football, and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder.”
Kaepernick also famously wore socks featuring pictures of white pigs as police officers to 49ers practice as part of his ongoing protest against the police.
Kaepernick will likely find the current political climate inhospitable to his police abolishing ways. Even New York Mayor Bill de Blasio has reversed his efforts to defund the police following huge spikes in violent crime after he cut NYPD funding last year.