Democrats and the media are ginning up their narratives of pandemic racism in America – especially in policing across the nation. Oh … they say that the vast majority of police are honest hard-working men and women, but then they go on to attack them as a group. They use the basic tool of prejudicial propaganda – negative stereotyping – to malign every person in a blue uniform. Democrats are using the People of Minnesota v. Derek Chauvin as proof of their contention – the case dealing with the killing of George Floyd. But is it proof?
There are three police officers who were involved in the initial arrest of Floyd – two Caucasians and an Asian. One of those officers was primarily responsible for the death of Floyd. That was the defendant in the current case, Derek Chauvin.
The first test to see if the Floyd case is taking place in a racist atmosphere, we need to first remind ourselves of what such cases looked like in the day of top-down Democrat racism in the old south.
What a racist environment really looks like
First off, it is unlikely that a white police officer would have even been arrested or indicted. The only “trial” would be in the court-of-public-opinion, in which the politicians and the news media would have prosecuted the case against the victim. “He got what he deserved,” was the mantra.
IF … and that is a big if — the officer was brought before a court of justice, his fate would be determined – actually pre-determined — by an all-White jury. Animosity toward the victim would be ginned up by an unholy alliance between Democrat politicians and a supplicant news media. (Hmmmm. Sounds familiar.) Any prosecution witness would be subjected to threats, beating and even death. The officer would be quickly acquitted and elevated to a town hero. Maybe even get him a public office.
If you think that last sentence is speculative hyperbole, then consider “Pitchfork Ben” Tillman. As a young member of the Red Shirts in South Carolina, Ben summarily murdered four Black Union militia men AFTER the Civil War was over for years. He not only confessed to his evil deed, but publicly bragged about it – using the “they got what they deserved” defense.
The murders gained Ben a lot of notoriety and public acclaim. So much so that the Democratic Party made him the Palmetto State’s governor and then United states senator. At my last check, his statue still adorns the grounds of the State capitol.
That is what a racist environment looks like. So, what is the comparison to today?
First of all, the three officers involved were arrested and charged expeditiously. And they were facing some of the most serious felony charges on the books.
There was a universal public outcry among all groups at what seemed like the wanton murder of a Black man – by Republicans, Democrats, liberals, conservatives, young, old, Black, White. The news media laid bare all the facts as they became known. Chauvin faces a diverse jury, including Black Americans. Every conceivable witness for the prosecution is being heard – including the predominantly Black witnesses at the scene.
Virtually all the information and analysis reported in the press are on the side of the prosecutors. They favor the Black victim over the White officer. Black anchors, reporters, panelists, and contributors are doing much of the reporting and analyzing. (I raise that not as a criticism, but as a comparison to what a real racist environment looks like.)
The greatest criticism is leveled against the defense lawyer – accusing him of racist tropes. Much of the media is accusing him of maligning the victim and trying to undermine the credibility of the prosecution witnesses. Well folks … that is his job. In America, every defendant has the right to legal counsel. If this trial were in the days of Democrat segregation, the defense lawyer would be a hero after winning the case for the White defendant. The defense team has an almost impossible task BECAUSE we are not a systemically racist nation.
So, what about the George Floyd case, itself.
This case will win or lose on the merits. This means the chance of an acquittal is between zero to none. In view of the evidence, Chauvin has no more chance of getting off than the guy who killed 10 people in that grocery store.
The George Floyd case should loom large to the Black community as evidence that – for the most part – the days of institutional racism are over in America. America’s original sin of slavery and based on an alleged inferiority of the Negro culture may have lingered on in the old “solid Democrat Dixie” for another 100 years after the Civil War — and is still in recession in many of our major cities ruled over by anachronistic Democrat political machines. But the evil of racism is not a characteristic or iconic trait of the vast, vast majority of the American people who live together in peace and harmony.
What we have in the Floyd trial is what so obviously appears to be a criminal act against a Black citizen by a White police officer. But the color of their skins is inconsequential to the pursuit of justice. Officer Chauvin does not personify the tens of thousands of police all across the nation any more than John Gotti personified all Italians.
Anyone believing in equal justice can see it – if they will –on display in the George Floyd case. I am betting justice will prevail.
So, there ‘tis.