The rulers are concerned about the class war becoming sharper in the current crisis and they are preparing to send in the military and police to quell dissent.

News stories about the National Guard assisting with the coronavirus have overshadowed stories about US military plans to join police in stopping expected “civil disturbances.” But eyewitness accounts of trains transporting armored vehicles and other equipment into their communities prompted posts to social media about the threat of martial law.

The Department of Defense responded with a media defensive to dismiss the concerns as conspiracy theories, sticking to the strict definition of martial law. They assure that the duties of the reserve National Guard personnel are only for things like disinfecting public spaces, delivering food to homes, and erecting provisional medical facilities. Semantic games and a neglect to connect the dots are meant to assuage public concerns.

Read the full article at Black Agenda Report.

Netfa Freeman is an analyst and events coordinator at the Institute for Policy Studies, and an organizer in Pan-African Community Action (PACA). He is also on the Coordinating Committee of the Black Alliance for Peace, and is co-host/producer of the WPFW radio show and podcast, Voices With Vision.

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