In a talk titled “Police Brutality and the Rise of US Fascism,” Steve Martinot, a scholar from San Francisco State University, will address the increasing police brutality in the U.S., linking it to the development of a militarized repressive force. Martinot, who has extensively written on racism, white supremacy, and corporate culture, argues that these issues are deeply rooted in U.S. history, stemming from the Jamestown colony and evolving through various societal changes.
He defines racism predominantly as white supremacy, suggesting that it is more than skin color—it is a subjective construct shaped by historical events. According to Martinot, U.S. society is built on racial hierarchies which shift over time in response to historical circumstances like emancipation and the Civil Rights Era.
Martinot emphasizes that key institutions, particularly policing, prisons, and the judicial system, uphold racial hierarchies. He critiques the perception of race as a fragmented understanding influenced by various political contexts, highlighting that current governance remains fundamentally tied to white supremacy.
The Howard Zinn Book Fair, where Martinot will speak, serves as a platform for discussing these critical issues.
