There is a saying in movement work that “all our grievances are connected.” Housing, criminal justice, health, immigration, worker rights, and many other issues are often discussed in overlapping ways. One issue that seems like more of a stretch to connect to work to end mass incarceration is climate. Yet these issues are deeply linked. The social and democratic cohesion necessary to make major moves on climate – deeply restructuring our economy and infrastructure away from burning carbon – cannot exist while we’re still felonizing and incarcerating millions of people a year.
"Safety theater" is an apt phrase...