The Weight of Shame
As I write this it should be noted that the verdict in the Kyle Rittenhouse case has not been reported. By the time you read this, it likely has already come down. I’m notoriously not a gambling man, but if I were I’d lay down heavy odds that he’s walking home. I’m not a soothsayer here, after all, more than me is saying the same thing.
There have long been arguments about self-defense and it’s one of those discussions where I feel I must be taking crazy pills. At this point, I’m not arguing anymore. There really is no point in it. If someone can’t see the plain truth that is right in front of them then they likely never will. Many of these folks are people we used to count as friends. Some of them are family. It hurts to even think about what they are at this point.
Most of the commentators have been dancing around the shame. Where does it go? If you see the truth then you definitely feel it. When you see such a huge miscarriage of justice it’s hard to feel anything else. Our justice system seems capable of slowly making up for egregious errors in justice. Wrongfully convicted folks can appeal. They can challenge issues of law. They can introduce new evidence that wasn’t introduced before. There have been hundreds of folks that have had their guilty verdict set aside.
These aren’t perfect scenarios. There is no getting back the time lost. Yet, one of the miracles of our justice system is the fact that this avenue is available at all. What really isn’t available is the ability to overcome a rogue judge or an odious jury that is willing to put their thumbs on the scales of justice. Victims don’t get a second bite at that apple. They can’t wipe away an ineffective prosecution team or shoddy police investigation. To date, there is very little recourse for their families or those that care about them. They can’t cry foul when they see that the fix is in.
Shame leads to dark places. It can’t go anywhere and there is little we can do about it. It piles on itself and the weight becomes crippling. We can’t look each other in the eye because we know all too well what is going on. We can call it by name, but the unwoke mob will call it cancel culture and try to minimize the shame. They’ll trivialize it. They’ll poke fun at you for it. They’ll hang it like an albatross around your neck.
When someone like Rittenhouse walks away it eats just a little bit more out of our soul. It feeds that depression that so many of us feel. It stacks on top of the other shameful events that we can’t erase or explain away. It just stays there weighing us all down. Maybe those deniers can’t see it. Maybe they can’t hear it. Maybe they don’t know it’s there. They certainly will feel it at some point and by then it will be too late. By then the weight may crush us all.
I kind of expect a hung jury. I feel odds are good that there is at 2 stubborn mind-made up on panel that are on opposite sides of the decision.
But I have to admit that in general I do not agree that you can claim self-defense and be the provocateur at same time. I didn’t think that at the Florida shooting so long ago, nor at this one.
AND his crying on stand seemed totally fake to me…but I admit that I could be wrong.
For an assault weapon jerk, crying in public like that should be an easy shaming by other ammosexuals.
1Or, the jury could zoom in on any one or more of the lesser charges and still send him to jail. And frankly his aiding a betting mother should go with him!
As for the tears, he reminded me of Kavenaugh during the Senate hearings for his nomination to SCOTUS. Totally bogus!
2No way he’s walking home. Mom will pick him up.
I can remember when Ed Muskie’s presidential campaign was pronounced DOA because he appeared to cry in public. When did tears become the right’s secret weapon (Alex Jones, Kavanaugh, Rittenhouse, a number of Capitol insurrectionists, etc.)?
3Matt Gaetz has already offered him a job as a congressional page when he’s acquitted.
4The two tier justice system may render another blow to “equal justice for all,” but Lady Karma is not done with that punk. If he gets away with this murder spree, wait for it. He will have his “hold my beer” moment. Since he appears unrepentant, he will likely continue to pal around with the wrong people thinking they have his back. Maybe not soon enough for some, but under the rules of play stupid games and win silly prizes, that punk will receive his overdue Darwin Award.
5Another defense request for a mistrial is on the table, too.
6The judge in this case has made his disdain for the prosecution pretty clear. He’s bent over backwards for the defense including not only making the jury one of his peers but giving the little shit control over who’s on it. If he walks, the judge is partly responsible for making vigilantism legal and encouraging people to carry assault rifles in public in an intimidating way.
Then in Georgia, if the murderers get away with killing Ahmad Arbery, it will be because the almost all white jury believes in vigilantism and a ridiculous argument of self defense- when it comes to white guys vs an obviously unarmed and outnumbered black man.
One can always hope he gets tied up with civil suits until the end of time.
7As this jury is in its third day, that seems to indicate dissent on some charges. This trial and the Arberry trial are so indicative of where our society is today. If Rittenhouse takes up with Gaetz, it’s going to end badly for him. And who has talked about the two men that Rittenhouse killed? It’s like they were just nothing!
8Grandma Ada @8 can a Qcumber be offended? There is no predicting a jury evuh, but the one ray of hope for justice is that the jury was so offended by the antics of the judge, Kyle’s crocodile tears, and some of the are you kidding me defense arguments. Jury selection sure did seem a 11-1 selection of Qcumbers. But juries are kinda like school boards: some serve because they care, while others have an axe to grind. While it requires only one person to hang a jury, sometimes it also only takes one person to lead a jury into a just verdict.
Long way of saying there’s hope this murderer will be convicted without the expense of a second trial.
9Been feeling this way since George Zimmerman killed Trayvon and walked. Same sh*te different day, decade, whatever.
10Aggieland Liz, Trayvon Martin and so many, too many murdered by right wing nutjobs and worse, those sworn to protect and serve, the popo. I will continue to wear a hoodie, until Trayvon and those murdered receive justice.
Not that he deserves any recognition, but in all we hold righteous that is left after after Dubya/Cheney, the ***king moron**, Moscow Mitch, and the Qcumber Congress as well as Thief Justice John Roberts have done to decimate the rule of law and bolster this two tier system of law, maybe just maybe that Rittenhouse punk will be the proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back such that we the people demand a return to sanity.
Breaking point or point break, 2022 and 2024 are, if we get that far, to stop vigilante ‘justice.’ If there was an appropriate metaphor, we’d go with: let Kyle be the totem poll that prods Merrick Garland to return to the rule of law.
11There may not be a criminal remedy for individuals acquitted or after a hung jury that a judge declares a mistrial and then dismisses the prosecution “with prejudice.”
And if the violent are police officers, they may be let off based on legal doctrines designed to give “qualified immunity” to police.
But there sometimes is a recognition and assignment of responsibility. After a recent death by police and EMT actions, the family of the deceased young man filed suit for wrongful death. The city of Aurora, CO and the family came to a settlement: “Aurora to pay family of Elijah McClain record $15 million to settle lawsuit — city insurance costs rocket.” The settlement will apparently have $10 million from insurance, and $5 million from the city’s general fund. And the insurance bill for coverage will rise (again) next year, reaching about $2.3 million. One more settlement costing the Aurora taxpayers who allowed the development of a police department making such errors, who elected a mayor and council who do not intervene.
12The *trial* is/was staged to make him look good so he can walk free after he’s had his wrist slapped .
13Did anybody else think it was curious that the jury wasn’t sequestered for a case even though the Wi. governor felt the need to activate 500 National Guardsfolk for standby duty?
14In the rittenhouse trial, wouldn’t be surprised the judge submits to a fux news interview.
15Speaking of the Ahmaud Arbery trial, the shooter in the case admitted on the stand that at no time did he see Arbery threaten him or his codefendants. So he went at him with a gun? In their vigilante and racist culture, it’s not ok for the victim to try and defend himself against a guy with a gun and other white guys with guns watching, but it’s ok for them to claim self defense. There’s already a lot that stinks in Georgia, but if the get off, watch out.
I’m sorry to say, Nick, that you were absolutely right. Kyle Rittenhouse was found Not Guilty on all charges. I rather hope he has to spend the rest of his life looking over his shoulder.
16I hope vigilantism goes both ways. May Rittenhouse forever have civil lawsuits in the millions filed against him and have a life of hiding like George Zimmerman.
17I can go with most of what you said but not the characterization of an “odious” jury. There were plenty of screw-ups that can be blamed on the judge and the prosecutors, but not the jurors. We can be pretty sure that we’ll be hearing from them in the fullness of time. Give them credit for 3-1/2 days of deliberating. The verdicts didn’t come easy.
As to Rittenhouse, the victims (!) and their families aren’t done with him. Watch the coming civil suits, which won’t require proof beyond a reasonable doubt. A preponderance of the evidence is likely to blow the wheels off Kyle’s coaster wagon.
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