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Open Season Audiobook Summary

The president of the National Bar Association and one of the most distinguished civil rights attorneys working today reflects on the landmark cases he has battled–including representing Trayvon Martin’s family–and offers a disturbing look at how the justice system is used to promote injustice in this memoir and clarion call as shocking and important as the bestsellers Just Mercy and Slavery by Another Name and Ava DuVernay’s film 13th.

Benjamin Crump firmly believes in the Constitution and its legal protections–that civil rights legislation covers all Americans, not just those privileged by race, wealth, or pedigree. A fierce and passionate advocate, he has devoted his career to fighting for justice for America’s marginalized. Open Season is his inspiring journey working on some of the most egregious cases that have shocked the nation, including those of Trayvon Martin and Michael Brown.

Shaped by his first-hand experience handling civil litigation matters in state and federal courts throughout the country, Open Season reveals the often hidden and systemic injustices minorities face, and illuminates how discrimination in the courthouse devastates real families and communities. Chronicling some of his most memorable legal battles, this brilliant litigator shockingly makes clear how our system is devised for certain people to lose and others to win, and, using evidence and facts, exposes how it is legal to harm–with the intent to destroy–people of color.

Crump offers a cogent analysis of legal tenets, including the 13th Amendment, the 1951 Genocide Petition to the United Nations, and controversial Stand Your Ground laws. He compares how race detrimentally influences sentencing, and reveals how police unions protect officers who shoot unarmed civilians. He also makes clear how budget cuts for education, the proliferation of guns, and high unemployment rates all directly contribute to higher crime rates.

America must live up to its promise to protect the rights of its citizens equally, Crump maintains. Thoughtful, well-reasoned, and powerfully persuasive, Open Season details one man’s life mission preserving the hard-won justice for all.

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Open Season Audiobook Narrator

Korey Jackson is the narrator of Open Season audiobook that was written by Ben Crump

Through a steadfast dedication to justice and service, renowned civil rights and personal injury attorney Ben Crump has established himself as one of the nation’s foremost lawyers and advocates for social justice. He has worked on some of the most high-profile cases in the U.S., representing the families of Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, and Stephon Clark, among others. He has been nationally recognized as the 2014 NNPA Newsmaker of the Year, the National Trial Lawyers Top 100 Lawyers, and Ebony Magazine Power 100 Most Influential African Americans. In 2016, he was designated as an Honorary Fellow by the University of Pennsylvania College of Law. He is the founder and principal owner of Ben Crump Law.

About the Author(s) of Open Season

Ben Crump is the author of Open Season

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Open Season Full Details

Narrator Korey Jackson
Length 7 hours 57 minutes
Author Ben Crump
Category
Publisher HarperAudio
Release date October 15, 2019
ISBN 9780062697905

Subjects

The publisher of the Open Season is HarperAudio. includes the following subjects: The BISAC Subject Code is Biography & Autobiography, Lawyers & Judges

Additional info

The publisher of the Open Season is HarperAudio. The imprint is HarperAudio. It is supplied by HarperAudio. The ISBN-13 is 9780062697905.

Global Availability

This book is only available in the United States.

Goodreads Reviews

Natalie

October 19, 2019

I recommend Open Season for anyone who really wants to know what the cry "Black Lives Matter" is all about. This book is a detailed narration of, not just past racial injustices in the justice system, but of the current injustices in the headlines today. Open Season is an important chronicle of the state of POC and poor whites in the American Justice system. After listening to this book, I'm convinced more than ever that the word "genocide" is not an overstatement or exaggeration when it comes to the state of black people in America. The author, Benjamin Crump, is probably the most well-known civil rights attorney in America today and, in this book, he makes a riveting and persuasive argument that a silent genocide is being waged on "colored" people in America. Even though Mr. Crump uses the word "colored people" in his title, after listening to this book, I convinced more than ever that the word genocide is not an overstatement or exaggeration when it comes to the state of black people in America.What really makes "Open Season" stand out and apart from many other important books about the conditions of POC in the American justice system is Crump's storytelling ability and the fact that he's been involved, as legal counsel, in most of the high-profile cases that he writes about. From Trayvon Martin to Marissa Alexander to Philando Castille (and many others profiled in this book), Crump is able to humanize the most complex legal cases and make a convincing argument of the role that racial biases played in their outcomes, in such a way, that even a child could understand and see the racial injustices. This book was a fascinating and fast read. I listened to the entire book in one night. While this book should be mandatory reading for law students, lawyers, and judges, I also highly recommend to anyone who has ever questioned if we are living in a post-racial America or why, in 2013 and beyond, we still have to remind some people that BLACK LIVES MATTER!!

Rebecca

March 18, 2021

A confronting and important read. A good first step in educating yourself on these issues and #BlackLivesMatter written by someone in the forefront of the movement.

Kassie

August 28, 2020

Such an important read! Ben Crump is extremely thorough and goes through many cases that both he himself has represented as well as others that show the continued systematic oppression of Black and brown individuals. I highly recommend as both an educational resource and to get you fired up when it's put right in front of your face that this fight is far from over.My one star knock is due to some editing issues. There were a couple paragraphs repeated word for word as well as quite a few words dropped grammatically, etc.

Tiff

July 07, 2020

“The Constitution and Bill of Rights provide the backbone of American greatness, but we still have to recognize and root out fundamentally racist beliefs and discriminatory laws that have contaminated and corrupted American greatness from our nation’s birth.”Ben Crump’s Open Season is a perfect starting point for those who want a better understanding of systemic racism and the specific ways Black people are still experiencing racism in America on a daily basis. Attorney Ben Crump, the attorney who has represented high-profile cases, such as Trayvon Martin, Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd, and Breonna Taylor, works through explaining the justice system, voter suppression, environmental racism, and more — he breaks down each flaw in our country’s history and present day that we’ve yet to overcome. It’s not only about white people being racist. Our country doesn’t have a strong support system for people of color and there are many remedies to be made that everyone must understand.I would challenge everyone to read this book and see that it has the power to change your mind on some things or give you a better understanding of the people around you.Before reading this book I thought I had a decent knowledge of the judicial process and its effects on all people; but having Crump lay it all out for me with specific examples and personal stories, I feel as if he removed some blind spots I was unaware of.I’m extremely thankful for this book and the way it has changed my point of view.

Melinda

July 21, 2020

FABULOUS! informative, heart wrenching, yet hopeful. Things WE each can do: "1. admit the problem2. call out injustice3. hold the powerful accountable4. share information5. change focus from criminal justice reform to criminal justice transformed6. see that our communities are represented in the structures governing them7. rethink incarceration8. change the mission of policing9. amend 'stand your ground'10. end voter suppression11. end environmental racism12. make access to critical financial support a priority""True peace is not merely the absence of tension -- it is the presence of justice." ~ Martin Luther King, Jr

Jen

August 03, 2020

Ben Crump masterfully intertwines narratives with statistics. A must read for anyone interested in systemic racism.

Kristiana

September 06, 2020

Ben Crump is the attorney representing the Blake family, along with the families of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd. He has previously represented the families of Trayvon Martin and Michael Brown. Crump combines American history and current events to make his case that America has legalized the genocide of people of color. Heart-wrenching topics include: the preschool to prison pipeline, voter suppression, redlining, the Tulsa race massacre, environmental racism, to name a few. The book concludes with 20 pages of reference notes siting his source materials. The discussion about the abolition of slavery and its elimination of a free workforce for slave owners helped me understand how ingrained our nation's problems are. Slave owners did a lot to recoup the free labor they lost and they built systems toward that goal. Our current systems start from a broken place. It makes total sense, and my naivety and lack of education just wouldn't make those connections before. Crump's conclusions are based in action and hope for our country. Open Season calls its readers to do something, to "speak truth to power." It is a hard to read book, but an important book to read.

Christy

July 21, 2020

Packed full of evidence of severe systemic racism in America. This book is a glaring look at racism in every aspect of our society. Sometimes hard to stomach how bad things really are, but that's the point. He proved his case. Let's do something about it.

sheri_reads

July 19, 2020

In OpenSeason Ben Crump uses cases he’s worked to bring awareness to this legalized genocide that is happening to People of Color. And he does not shy away from going into full detail, which was often hard to read. What I love about this book though is that yes, he talks mainly about Black people but he also makes it very clear that for him, People of Color includes Black, brown, Indigenous, Immigrants, the LGBTQIA+ community, and all the communities that have been marginalized for far too long. He gives us ways in which we can continue to move forward this revolution of social justice.

Scott

June 02, 2020

A warning. I would not recommend reading this book before going to be, as it will anger you enough to disrupt your sleep patterns, which is perhaps the point. Written by a long time African American attorney, this work takes perhaps the darkest take I have ever read about the American legal and political system, especially when it comes to treatment of African Americans. From the police/legal system to environmental considerations, African Americans (and other non-white minorities within the country borders), the proverbial deck is significantly stacked against them, and there are seemingly few recourses for true justices. The combinations of physical, direct violence and indirect actions (poor education, increased incarceration, environmental and (while not emphasized, but medical issues) fit, at least in the author’s purview, fall under the definition of sanctioned genocide. The genocide thesis is a controversial thesis to say the least. Then again, the definition of genocide is always a controversial thing. What constitutes actual genocide is very difficult to define, and given the legal and moral requirements that declaring genocide entail, it is unlikely that the US government will take the actions needed to counter it (especially if the US government is the primary culprit of the genocide). Granted, Crump does not always tie his argument back to the genocide declarations, but does so enough to try to make the case. Perhaps it would help to compare responses and actions of other genocides and international responses to strengthen that particular part of the argument. Would make the thesis a bit more stronger. That being said, there is a lot to take from this work. It is mostly a dark recounting of American history and current events, and even seemingly justified victories trend towards Pyrrhic wins. There are some solutions at the end of the book, and the author still holds out hope for America and a way ahead (not surprisingly, several of the options presented as solutions to the problems are linked to initiatives and websites run by the author and his foundations). With recent events and the subsequent rioting, the issues discussed and described in this book are as relevant as ever. There are even signs that some of the suggestions in the conclusion are being done (even if it was not a direct result of reading this book). However, in the matter of true equality, of a land where African-Americans and other non-whites can live their lives like white people without the added fear of a system out to get them, the issues discussed in Crump’s work will continue to haunt the nation writ large. Even if it is not a work that you will read repeatedly, this is one of those that should be read at least once. Agree or disagree with the overall thesis, the facts and stories presented here should make any red-blooded American’s blood boil and soul hurt.

David

December 31, 2019

Infuriating. That's my reaction to the book, not the tone of the book.Crump's writing is trenchant and yet not polemical - he consistently takes a high moral tone: "America isn't a story of them, it's a story of us. It's who we are."Well I am certainly comfortable with that. Given the litany of injustice documented in the book, including some directly personal experiences, it's remarkable that Crump is.I am much more personally familiar with white complacency and the softer forms of racism, than I am with the lived experience of Blacks and people of color. (Presumably as a way of broadening his message, Crump defines "of color" as a category that includes not only brown people but also LGBTQ and even women generally. However, the issues discussed in the book are the injustices experienced by the black and brown.)When (armed mass-murderer) Dylan Roof was arrested, he complained he was hungry and they took him to Burger King. (my reaction - fu*king Burger King!) When the Chicago PD rolled up on Tamir Rice (apparently armed kid), they shot him on sight. It's not just the shooting. It's the whole justice system: who gets stopped by police, who gets charged, what they get charged with, how long they get sentenced for. None of the disparities described in the book are news, if one has been paying attention (and not discounting the MSM as somehow false), but it is daunting to read through it all in one place.Then there is political intimidation. I was astonished to read of the voter-fraud charges brought against nine Florida women - in 2012! What brought on their charges was their being effective at getting out the vote through the use of absentee ballots. Nothing illegal - everyone who voted, was entitled to vote, and voted for who they wanted to vote for - the state adduced no evidence to the contrary. The underlying problem the state had was that "a lot of people voted, who otherwise would not have voted." Ultimately, after a two-year struggle, during which they lost their jobs and had to face down a plea deal, facing felony conviction, the charges were dismissed. Again - this isn't the early 1960s. This was 2012!And the school-to-prison pipeline. The for-profit system of incarceration whereby America has 25% of the World's prisoners. The disproportionate rate of wrong convictions. Even environmental racism, although this is harder to disentangle from pure economic rapaciousness.This edition of the book contains some editing problems that I assume will be corrected in subsequent editions. "Yolk" used instead of "yoke", for instance. Not important.Crump has a significant public profile: The Benjamin Crump Social Justice Institute; www.BCSJI.com.

Jamie

September 07, 2020

This book.Ben Crump was the attorney for Trayvon Martin’s family, for Michael Brown’s family. He’s currently the attorney for George Floyd’s family & Jacob Blake’s family.He has seen some fucking shit.Have you heard of Howard Morgan, a 53-year old Black off-duty cop who was shot by white policemen for HAVING HIS HEADLIGHTS OFF? What about Victor White III, a Black man who allegedly committed suicide while in HANDCUFFS in the back of a police car? Or Barbara Dawson, a Black woman who died in a hospital parking lot after doctors discharged her and forcibly removed her from the ER, claiming she was faking her pain? I hadn’t either, and there are SO many more we don’t hear about.Crump walks through the injustices the Black community faces every single day, including the school-to-prison pipeline. A vicious cycle that starts with local tax revenues being the main source of public school budgets, leaving poor and BIPOC children trapped in impoverished towns with underfunded schools. Did you know that kids who don’t receive quality PRESCHOOL are 5x more likely to be chronic law breakers by age 27 and 7x more likely to have served jail time by age 40. What. The. Fuck.Crump gives us a step-by-step guide to stopping these injustices:1. Admit the problem. (Ahem, Trump voters. All lives can’t matter until Black lives matter.)2. Call out injustice.3. Hold the powerful accountable.4. Share information.5. Change the focus from criminal justice reform to criminal justice transformed. 6. See that Black communities are represented in the structures governing them.7. Rethink incarceration.8. Change the mission of policing.9. Amend Stand Your Ground laws.10. End voter suppression.11. End environmental racism.12. Make access to critical financial support a priority.“Find out just what any people will quietly submit to and you have the exact measure of the injustice and wrong which will be imposed upon them.” - Frederick Douglass“I am no longer accepting the things I cannot change. I am changing the things I cannot accept.” - Angela DavisWhite people, please read this.CW: racism, extreme police violence, gun violence

Norwegian_Writer

June 06, 2020

I'll start with the disclaimer that I don't really rate non-fiction books, because I feel weird about rating and reviewing facts. So this review will mainly be based on writing and how well it brings its message across. When it comes to the facts and statistics, I have no other qualifications than 1) some of them I've heard before and 2) the rest does (unfortunately) sound like they're right as well. I say unfortunately as it all surrounds rather depressing statistics and facts around racism and oppression. Now, going into this book I was worried I would end up having to sit with the dictionary open next to me while reading, since the book is written by an attorney and they often use rather complicated language. Turns out I had nothing to worry about. The entire book is written using easy to understand language, everything is supported by stories or examples to explain the situation and the tone itself is really engaging. It doesn't feel like I'm reading a non-fiction book, in many way it has the same flow as storytelling, because there are many stories and situations used to tell things, rather than dry facts. Because of this I feel like this will be easy to understand by pretty much everyone, you don't need to know much about the American Legal System going in, it gives you a good introduction to afrocan american history (introduction, I know it's barely touching the surface) and you never get bored. All the chapters are nicely put together, following one theme each, with some red threads moving among them, before everything is collected in the last chapter, followed by steps to how we can all be a part of bettering what has been going on for way too long. As well as the last few lines of the books leaving you rather inspired to go out and actually do something: "Truth is light. Truth is knowledge. We must speak truth to power. America, we rise, we rise, we rise."

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