Deface, Dismantle, Decolonize, Destroy
Deface, Dismantle, Decolonize, Destroy
The ABOLITION movement for COLLECTIVE LIBERATION makes big strides
If you visit our campus you will see a deep ditch and piles of rubble behind the campus center, but once upon a time the old Science building stood there. Its foundations were shaky, its history strewn with corruption, and for years there were talks about tearing it down and allocating new space but not much was done, until...
One morning, as the dwellers of the Science building came to work, they found the doors sealed and a demolition truck parked there. The driver just sat in the truck, drinking coffee. Next to the building stood an excited mob made of all the 150 Vice Provosts, administrators and Union Comrades, carrying torches, hammers, pitchforks and batons, yelling “Deface, dismantle, decolonize, destroy!!!”.
One confused professor asked what all of it was about, and was told off by abolition expert Liz Amado: ”We cannot reform something as monstrous as science; we have to abolish it!”
But… but… said the confused professor: “we agree that we need a new building but what about our offices and research labs? Where are we going to work? You don’t just destroy a building before you build a new one!”
“Oh you and your narrow, eurocentric view!”, said the Assistant Vice Provost for Total Abolition with contempt,
“As we eliminate these systems, we want to build conditions that create institutions that are just, loving, equitable! There will be a beautiful utopia after we deface, dismantle, decolonize and destroy. We had no choice, after all: we need to make structural changes that dismantle centuries-old, racist institutions (e.g. science) from the ground up in order to rebuild with a commitment to EQUITY. We have no idea what will be rebuilt because we can’t even imagine it in our narrow white, male, colonial worldview but it will be ideal! It will be collective liberation! Besides, I never made it past page 100...”.
“Can anyone call the campus police?!” yelled a few professors.
“No. We abolished them too, didn’t you hear?” answered Union Comrade Gordon Miller. His eyes were shining in excitement and soon he drifted away and led the mob in chanting, as they took the hammers and batons and ran towards the old building, reducing it to rubble as it collapsed over their heads, burying them inside.
The stunned scientists just stood there, coughing at the dust, looking at the pile of debris and realizing they had nowhere to work. The demolition worker jumped out of the nearby truck, carrying his cup of coffee. “Going on a break now, have a good one!” he said cheerfully at the confused people around him.
“Wait!” Said the professor, “do you know if they’re going to give us new space?”
“Dunno, I’m demolition, not construction”, said the worker as he walked away. “Besides, when was the last time they built a new building around here?”