Angel was a self-described "anarchist" and an avid social justice advocate, and had a strict policy of never calling the police. In a GoFundMe organized to cover expenses, her family said that if police locate the suspects, they are "committed to pursuing all available alternatives to traditional prosecution, such as restorative justice."
According to CBS News, at around 12:30 pm Monday, the suspects broke into Angel's vehicle while she was inside and grabbed her purse. She got out and ran after them, but got stuck in the door of their getaway vehicle and was dragged down the street. She was immediately rushed to the hospital, but the medical team soon revealed she was unlikely to survive.
Angel's family announced Thursday evening that she had been "medically declared to have lost all brain function and will not regain consciousness." In a long statement, they outlined her life philosophy and how she wanted law enforcement to deal with her attack.
"As a long-time social movement activist and anarchist, Jen did not believe in state violence, carceral punishment, or incarceration as an effective or just solution to social violence and inequity," the family wrote, adding that, "Jen would not want to continue the cycle of harm by bringing state-sanctioned violence to those involved in her death or to other members of Oakland's rich community."
As The Post Millennial Editor-At-Large Andy Ngo reports, Angel had a long history of vocally opposing any method of policing. In one post, Angel wrote, "my policy has always been to never call the cops, and I have trained by staff to call the fire department directly if there is a medical emergency instead of calling 911."
The post later stated, "I really appreciate the downtown businesses who have said they won't share their security camera footage because it endangers the life of black folks."
After a number of local businesses had their windows broken during a protest, Angel said she "appreciated" those who let it slide because "they understand why it happened."
According to Ngo, "Jennifer Angel has a long history of far-left organizing in the Bay Area of California. She was trying to proselytize the belief that nation-states, the rule of law, police, etc. should be abolished in favor of an anarchist utopia. She supported the 2020 riots in her community."
Reader Comments
It's not a secret that I'm no genius, but even I know that for a society to function reasonably well, the people must be somehow governed. Ideally governed by agreed upon moral values, a code, etc.. unfortunately many have refused to govern themselves in that way (like the perpetrators that killed this poor stupid woman for instance) the only option left is law and enforcement of law.. consequences. It's not ideal, it has risks, but anarchy is surely not utopia. It seems someone would have to be very confused to believe such a thing unless there's some aspect I'm not understanding about the idea.
Anyway, I'm glad she got her dying wish for anarchy and unprosecuted criminals. RIP.
Most people want Big Mommy and Big Daddy to take responsibility for their lives. Don't be afraid.
So the idea behind the anarchist utopia is that order will manifest out of anarchy and be self regulating?
I can see that i suppose, but who knows for sure that order will manifest? Maybe it evolves into a more and more chaotic state? It seems to me that many people in our world today would be more inclined to contribute to chaos rather than order and that without some kind of governance, we would just revert to chaos. Or maybe that's just the idea of the validation of authority that's been drilled into me talking.
It means someone completely disconnected from who you are and who you neighbors are, will not be in complete control your life, your livelihood and your personal interest. It means no top-down governance.
By the way, I've been turning this problem in my head, on and off, for most of my life and I have yet to imagine a fair system where everything that needs doing gets done and where there is room for everyone. Well I have and that would be a brand of socialism. Something close to what some South American countries have, or had. Fair for everyone and where no one is allowed to profit from it. That last bit alone turns many people off. People want something different but a great many that do agree don't want to change the basis at the same time. For as long as there will be an incentive to the accumulation of riches, remove the money and the riches can be a hoard of food, society will not progress. The incentive being power to do as one wishes, for the good of all, of course... There is a hardwired flaw in humans.
Anarchy doesn't promise utopia. It just recognizes the right people have to make their own decisions.
All human interactions can be boiled down and assigned to one of two possible categories, “voluntary” or “coercive.” The “voluntary” interaction category includes things like charitable acts, all contractual relations, and most interactions among friends. A truly “voluntary” interaction is one that is knowingly entered into by competent and consenting adults. This means one should be free to live one's life as one sees fit — as long as our activities are peaceful, our interactions are consensual, and our associations are voluntary.
The “coercive” interaction category includes things like theft, assault, fraud, and other old fashioned concepts of criminal activity. The hallmark of this category is the concept of one person forcing his or her will upon another. And here's a guy who should know...
But don't get me wrong. I certainly don't think anything is going to change. Order followers are the people that keep this system of slavery in place. The school system is designed to teach obedience and conformity. And being unquestioningly obedient to authority is certainly the norm. Liberty is not possible in a society filled with ill-educated, state-indoctrinated people.
I predict the nukes will fly before people admit that the essential feature of government is the enforcement of its decrees by beating, killing, and imprisoning and that there was another option all along - a right to sovereignty over one's own body, one's own life, and one's own peaceful actions.
Thanks for the chat.