What Matters

I’m reading posts and comments about the boy who murdered protesters in Kenosha.

That he was only 17 years-old, so it was illegal for him to open carry a gun.

That he attended one of Mr. Trump’s campaign rallies.

That he was cited for speeding and driving without a license.

That his mother drove him to and from Kenosha (asserted without any evidence I can find, other than the boy was cited for driving without a license).

Stop it. None of it matters.

This is no different than when racists impugn the reputation of a Black man whom the police have murdered.

It’s irrelevant.

What matters in Kenosha is that the police shot an unarmed Black man seven times.

What matters is that two protesters were murdered, and another grievously wounded.

What matters is open carry.

What matters is armed White supremacist vigilantes.

What matters, most of all, is more evidence that police departments are colluding with vigilantes.

In Kenosha, they gave vigilantes water and said, “Thanks for being here.”

In Kenosha, the chief of police said, “People were killed because they violated curfew” instead of “A vigilante murdered two people.”

In Kenosha, the chief of police said, “a young person brought a gun to deal with problems” instead of “A vigilante murdered two people.”

The vigilantes openly recruited armed men to come to Kenosha.

The vigilantes publicly asked the chief of police not to arrest armed men.

The police complied.

The mayor has not restricted the behavior of the police. They attack with impunity.

The governor of Wisconsin, worried about property damage, sent in the National Guard.

***

In Portland, Oregon, the police stood by as Right-Wing vigilantes attacked protesters.

In Portland, the chief of police said, “We aren’t going to interfere if people want to fight” instead of “We’ll stop the violence.”

In Portland, the mayor has not restricted the behavior of the police as they attack protesters.

All the police need to do is to declare a riot before attacking with clubs and chemical weapons. They do this every night.

***

In Minnesota and Utah, armed men storm state capitols while legislatures were session.

The police do nothing.

Vice President Pence warned that a police officer had been killed at a BLM protest. He didn’t mention the officer was killed by Right-Wing vigilantes.

The police are colluding with Right-Wing radicals and vigilantes. Governments — local, state, and federal — are allowing and even encouraging them to do so.

***

Democrats are failing.

The mayors of Kenosha, Portland, and Minneapolis are Democrats.

The governors of Wisconsin, Oregon, and Minnesota are Democrats.

They are responding to justified rebellion with the full force of the police state, exacerbating the violence and chaos.

They are not removing police chiefs. They are not restricting police behavior.

They are not meeting with protesters. They are not listening to protesters. They are not offering mediation or reconciliation.

They are not offering change.

They are valuing property over lives.

They are using Republican “law and order” tactics, creating chaos.

Republicans will benefit at the polls.

Do not blame the protesters.

Tell the mayors, aldermen, city council members, local DAs, police chiefs, governors, lieutenant governors, state DAs, and Democratic Party legislators (from all levels) to be in the streets with the people.

Lay down your weapons, go into the streets, and listen to people.

And you go with them.