Instead of fear, live in hope, honesty

Considering the Rittenhouse case one has to wonder how so many people feel his actions qualify as justice. I’d offer that fear can provoke strong reactions in many people. Outsiders, observing this situation, may get their own fears triggered, and out of that fear they may easily side with Rittenhouse. Taking another person's life is a very big deal. It will stick with you for the remainder of yours. Some people are prone to rationalize and they may minimize the tragedy and twist the narrative to make them feel better or justified.

Those who side with the Rittenhouse’s of the world may in fact have guilt or shame of their own, which they can’t admit to, let alone allow the world to see, and so they may find any justifications to side with the killer.

Think for a moment about the man who bloodies and breaks his wife’s face or cracks her skull. He’s more likely to publicly make statements about domestic violence cases that make him feel better about his own actions.  Growth and maturity would lead people to take personal responsibility for their own actions. Rationalization could lead him to say “she drove me to it’ or “she had it coming.” I’m sick and tired of reading and hearing the comments in the media, online, and in-person that blame the person who is injured rather than demanding accountability from the person who violently strikes out.   

In the case of Rittenhouse he didn’t have to be there, period. He chose to go with a gun, no matter which narrative you’ve heard of where the gun came from. If he were a person of color my bet is that he would have been shot multiple times by law enforcement and died on the scene. Who he shot also doesn’t matter; the narrative that “they deserved it” is cold-hearted and repugnant. Again he could have stayed home, especially since his argument was that he feared for his life.

I get it. White men have been in power for a very long time and many don’t want to let go of that privilege and power. Some white women feel it’s better to be one step below their man, and so they lockstep with his beliefs, rather than stand up for justice and possibly be considered on the same level as anyone of color.

There is plenty of fear to go around in the world today. Personally, I don’t want to live in fear. There is much in life to be grateful for and also to work to improve. It seems like there are many millions of Americans who could work on improving themselves by taking an honest look at their own justifications why they believe violence is acceptable in our society today.    

CINDY AASE

Sagle