The Kyle Rittenhouse case really is the story that keeps on giving. Even though I wrote about it back in November, I still occasionally get people popping up in the comments to dispute facts that, by now, should be common knowledge. But that’s the problem. Rittenhouse’s case got people especially mad because the reporting around it was especially bad. By the time the details were widely available, some people couldn’t reset. As the saying goes; “my mind is made up. Don’t confuse me with the facts.”
Dreadful event. No question. Kyle shouldn’t have been there but he was. A town he knew was being looted and burned to the ground by opportunists. What would you do to defend your town, your local businesses from wanton destruction?
I’m not capable of shooting another human. Kyle evidently was. The video of his fear-ridden behavior in light of adults chasing him isn’t pretty. It also has nothing to do with the cause of Black Lives Matter. There’s panic, there’s fear, there’s a mob.
The attempt to twist this into some weird white supremacist narrative is seriously warped.
I want good police, well trained, to patrol the streets and neighborhoods and protect the vulnerable from those who would do harm. Isn’t that the essence of the social compact? I don’t want to have to arm to ensure I’m safe. If police are demonized and we lose the rule of law, what’s left is the rule of the jungle. Is that really preferable to our current system, warts and all?
Let’s build a better system on the core of the rule of law, equally applied. Each of those phrases can use more scrutiny, but scrutiny and reform is better than tossing it in the trash bin and creating a free-for-all on the streets.
Very well said Steve. Thanks for your indefatigably well reasoned and researched analyis. I so appreciate your opposition to racism and hate and your determination to do so in a way that is fair and consistent with the facts, as best we can ascertain them. As an old guy who has worked on these issues for many years as an elected official, teacher, and activsit, your perspective is very inspirational for me and gives me a lot of hope.
I think that your assessment is thoughtful and fair. The court of public opinion was fed a bunch of bullshit for long enough for it to entrench opinions with disregard for actual facts as they became available. That is the norm in this day and age and good reason for a real court system even though I have a very low opinion of it. It is difficult to not form an opinion too soon with emotionally charged issues, but it seems even more difficult to change our minds when that opinion algins with our worldview.
There is so much dishonesty around the Rittenhouse case that it takes a helicopter with a powerful engine to stay above the rising pile of bullshit. Those who insist he was acting in self-defense are pretending that he was asleep in his own bed but awoke and found himself in the middle of a riot with an assault rifle, that there was no choice in his being there armed to kill.
Never mind the fact that he had told his friends that he wanted to shoot looters a few days before. The biased judge ruled the video of that statement inadmissible.
If you've seen any video of this kid you know that he is unintelligent and brainwashed by right wing nonsense.
His presence in Kenosha was planned and prepared. He bought his gun just before going there and anyone who thinks he wasn't hoping to shoot some people has stars in the eyes. There had been, and there was, no other killing going on in Kenosha, it was property damage that the local police were turning a blind eye to just as they did nothing in Uvalde. There had been no indication of any urgent need for self-defense. Yet this fish-eyed kid killed two people and disabled a third. And shedding a few tears in court got him released.
In the months since he has been some sort of right wing darling and is now trying to sue the news media for defamation. He will probably not be admitted to any college or have anything like a career but his tendency to drama will probably get him killed anyway.
Dreadful event. No question. Kyle shouldn’t have been there but he was. A town he knew was being looted and burned to the ground by opportunists. What would you do to defend your town, your local businesses from wanton destruction?
I’m not capable of shooting another human. Kyle evidently was. The video of his fear-ridden behavior in light of adults chasing him isn’t pretty. It also has nothing to do with the cause of Black Lives Matter. There’s panic, there’s fear, there’s a mob.
The attempt to twist this into some weird white supremacist narrative is seriously warped.
I want good police, well trained, to patrol the streets and neighborhoods and protect the vulnerable from those who would do harm. Isn’t that the essence of the social compact? I don’t want to have to arm to ensure I’m safe. If police are demonized and we lose the rule of law, what’s left is the rule of the jungle. Is that really preferable to our current system, warts and all?
Let’s build a better system on the core of the rule of law, equally applied. Each of those phrases can use more scrutiny, but scrutiny and reform is better than tossing it in the trash bin and creating a free-for-all on the streets.
Very well said Steve. Thanks for your indefatigably well reasoned and researched analyis. I so appreciate your opposition to racism and hate and your determination to do so in a way that is fair and consistent with the facts, as best we can ascertain them. As an old guy who has worked on these issues for many years as an elected official, teacher, and activsit, your perspective is very inspirational for me and gives me a lot of hope.
I think that your assessment is thoughtful and fair. The court of public opinion was fed a bunch of bullshit for long enough for it to entrench opinions with disregard for actual facts as they became available. That is the norm in this day and age and good reason for a real court system even though I have a very low opinion of it. It is difficult to not form an opinion too soon with emotionally charged issues, but it seems even more difficult to change our minds when that opinion algins with our worldview.
Another great take.
Love that phrasing: "allow ourselves to be confused by the facts." It'd make a great bumper sticker: "Allow yourself to be confused by the facts."
There is so much dishonesty around the Rittenhouse case that it takes a helicopter with a powerful engine to stay above the rising pile of bullshit. Those who insist he was acting in self-defense are pretending that he was asleep in his own bed but awoke and found himself in the middle of a riot with an assault rifle, that there was no choice in his being there armed to kill.
Never mind the fact that he had told his friends that he wanted to shoot looters a few days before. The biased judge ruled the video of that statement inadmissible.
If you've seen any video of this kid you know that he is unintelligent and brainwashed by right wing nonsense.
His presence in Kenosha was planned and prepared. He bought his gun just before going there and anyone who thinks he wasn't hoping to shoot some people has stars in the eyes. There had been, and there was, no other killing going on in Kenosha, it was property damage that the local police were turning a blind eye to just as they did nothing in Uvalde. There had been no indication of any urgent need for self-defense. Yet this fish-eyed kid killed two people and disabled a third. And shedding a few tears in court got him released.
In the months since he has been some sort of right wing darling and is now trying to sue the news media for defamation. He will probably not be admitted to any college or have anything like a career but his tendency to drama will probably get him killed anyway.