Society & Culture / Social Issues / Crime & Justice

Why America Locks Up 25% of the World's Prisoners: The BLM Co-Founder's Shocking Truth

When They Call You a Terrorist

Patrisse Khan-Cullors

Patrisse Khan-Cullors, co-founder of Black Lives Matter, and author Asha Bandele reveal the hidden machinery behind America's mass incarceration crisis in their memoir 'When They Call You a Terrorist.' The U.S. holds 5% of the global population but 25% of its prisoners. How? This isn't a broken system—it's designed. From the 500% prison expansion replacing lost factory jobs, to the constitutional loophole turning inmates into modern slaves for brands like Victoria's Secret and Starbucks, to the school-to-prison pipeline that criminalizes Black children at 12. Khan-Cullors shares her brother Monte's nightmare: diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder, he was shot with rubber bullets, tasered, and charged with terrorism for a minor fender bender. Inside L.A. County jail, he endured solitary confinement and torture while guards profited. The system also legalizes theft via civil asset forfeiture—a $3 billion industry where cops take your cash without conviction. But the real kicker? When citizens peacefully protest, they're labeled terrorists, while white mass shooters get Burger King. This video breaks down the gears of oppression and the fight for a world where compassion replaces cages.