Shortly after the shooting happened I questioned the validity of the media reports about it. That’s nothing new, unfortunately I’ve come to believe that former President Trump was 100% correct about the media.
I’d begun to have my suspicions about the media during the Obama-Biden administration. There was something about the way the media painted everything Obama did or said as, every phrase falling from his lips being a pearl from on high. When the media went into overdrive to prop up Hillary Clinton in the run-up to the 2016 election I thought that something was seriously off.
This of course was at a time when I still had cable and could watch any of the media outlets. I think what caught my attention back then was that every media report used the same choice of words almost verbatim. When I couldn’t tell the difference between media outlets based on reporting I felt like we were living in some kind of pseudo USSR with state controlled news outlets.
Reading about the Kenosha shootings I thought from the initial descriptions that Rittenhouse had probably believed his life was in danger. The question for me was how would his lawyers prove it.
Then Candidate Biden described Rittenhouse as a white supremacist. The media picked up that clarion call, (or as they put it “Dog Whistle,) and started describing a 17 year old kid as some kind of wannabe Grand Dragon of the KKK.
A couple of things occurred to me at the time.
How will this kid ever get a fair trial?
Isn’t a statement like that from someone in Biden’s position, (a national figure at the time, but not The President, ) irresponsible, and does it open Biden to a potential. slander suit?
Look at what happened with Nick Sandman. CNN and other major media outlets paid a hefty price for their misreporting.
Now we’re well into Rittenhouse’s trial and thus far the prosecution has done more to prove the young man’s innocence than they’ve done to convict him. Many of their witnesses have testified that Rittenhouse was doing everything in his power to de-escalate the situation and also tried to run away before turning to shoot.
I do question Rittenhouse’s choice to be in the situation in the first place. But I too was idealistic and naive once, (Centuries ago.) So I can chalk it up to civic minded idealism. There are photos of Rittenhouse cleaning graffiti off walls earlier in the day. He was offering first aid for minor injuries to anyone that had been hurt.
Given the volatile situation in Kenosha at the time, I can even see carrying a weapon. That’s just prudent planning. But a better plan was to have bailed on the place at sunset.
The police in Kenosha had already demonstrated that they weren’t going to protect property so it’s likely that they weren’t going to do any other part of their duty, such as protecting the lives of people living in the community. It’s irrelevant that their local politicians may or may not, have given orders for the officers to keep their hands in their pockets. The fact is the police knew the difference between right and wrong and they chose to follow orders instead of doing their sworn duty.
Several media pundits have said that Rittenhouse shouldn’t have been there in the first place. These old eyes tend to agree. There’s a point when a situation, (be it a party, peaceful protest, or riot,) is so out of control that it’s time to leave.
That being said, knowing when to leave is something that is learned.
At 17 there were situations I found myself in where it was only obvious that I’d stayed too long, well after the fact. In my case it was usually with an ice pack on my face and various bandages scattered across my body.
I can say that I don’t react well to having weapons pulled on me.
Rittenhouse may be a better man than I was at that age. He shot 3 people and those that he shot were all threatening him. He shot the first person and apparently tried to turn himself into the police. But they didn’t take him in, they ignored him.
The first guy followed Rittenhouse into an area that was at least partially enclosed. Then he tried to take Rittenhouse’s gun. The completely obvious outcome of that action, was the first guy got shot.
The second guy went at Rittenhouse with a skateboard swinging it at Rittenhouse’s head like a club. He died too.
While Rittenhouse was laying on the ground after being knocked down. The third guy, pointed a loaded pistol at Rittenhouse, and told Rittenhouse, “I’m going to kill you.” He admitted that fact in court last week. He lost his biceps. This guy is lucky to be alive. A few inches more toward his body and he’d have died from a point blank chest wound.
Much has been made of Rittenhouse breaking down on the stand. It’s very unusual for a defendant in a murder trial to take the stand in the first place. Many pundits, sports stars, and Hollywood assholes have been harsh, saying that Rittenhouse was faking it.
I don’t think that.
I tend to believe that he was reliving the events in his minds eye and was re-experiencing all of it as he recounted the events. From his perspective, think what it would have been like to have gone to this familiar place and seen the destruction. To have gone there to do good, to clean up, to be with friends, to only want to do the right thing, and then to find yourself alone and people around you showing their most ugly horrific faces.
Imagine the confusion for an idealistic young man that putting out a fire in a dumpster would make people angry. But not only did it make these people angry, it made them violently angry at him.
That couldn’t have computed for him. The illogic, the irrationality in their behavior must have been very confusing. Then to look around and not be able to spot your friends, your support group, and realize that suddenly you were totally alone facing down a crazed violent mob.
What does that do to a young person? Then add to it killing people because you thought they were going to kill you. Then you get past that only to be held in jail, looking at prison, and you have a year of your life consumed with hateful criticism or lies, all leading up to sitting in front of a Judge and Jury who will decide your fate. Imagine knowing that even if you are acquitted you’ll never have a normal life again. Imagine the burden of three shootings on a young person.
But it gets worse, one of the people you shot survived and has reason to want to hurt you. That person knows where you and your family live, and knows your face. That person is free, they’ve had no charges filed against them. Even though they are a felon with a history of violence and they pointed a gun at you threatening to kill you…
What do you take away from that? Justice is unfair? Will I always be looking over my shoulder? The police are useless? The laws I’ve been raised to obey are toothless?
Now think of all of that crushing down on you while you’re testifying at a trial that could mean life in prison?
Kyle Rittenhouse had every reason in the world to cry. If he’d not broken down, the people who have said such shitty things about him crying, would have been painting him as some kind of sociopath.
There’s a whole lot wrong with a society that demonizes a child without facts and simultaneously paints him into a no-win situation.
I personally think the young man acted in self defense. Sadly, he’ll never be free of this. He’ll never be the same idealistic innocent he was when he walked into Kenosha to do good.
I hope that once acquitted, he can find a quiet peaceful place where he can make a happy life.
But first, I hope he has the strength to sue the absolute shit out of the media, The View, and President Biden for slander and makes a shit ton of money from the deal.
Kyle, if you happen to read this… What you did was not heroic, it was not patriotic, it wasn’t awesome, or anything people might try to tell you.
What you did was necessary and right to protect your life. But sir, it will leave scars. Those scars you’ll live with the rest of your days. Don’t run from them, accept them as terrible lessons you learned far too early in life.