Dear MoveOn member,

Breaking news: A jury has just failed to convict Kyle Rittenhouse of all
charges in his murder trial.^1 Disgraceful.

On August 25, 2020, Rittenhouse traveled across state lines from Illinois
to Kenosha, Wisconsin, and gunned down two Black Lives Matter protesters
with an AR-15-style rifle.^2

Thousands had gathered on the streets of Kenosha to protest the police
shooting of an unarmed Black man, Jacob Blake. The shooting was caught on
video and left Blake paralyzed from the waist down.^3

Rittenhouse killed two people who were there protesting racial injustice
and police brutality—and he killed them in cold blood. Just days later,
GOP leaders in Wisconsin and nationwide flocked to his defense and began
raising money for Rittenhouse and his family—and shortly after he was
released from jail, he was caught partying with members of the Proud Boys
and gleefully flashing "white power" signs for photos.^4 Instead of
accountability, he's gotten stardom—and now he has gotten away with
killing two people and injuring a third person. This is excruciating.

[ [link removed] ]We're counting on you to channel this righteous rage into action. Will
you rush a $3 donation to Black Leaders Organizing
Communities (BLOC), a Black-led Wisconsin-based organization that's doing
critical racial justice work around housing, policing, health care, and
transportation advocacy across the state? 100% of your donation will go
directly to BLOC.

Rittenhouse's trial has made a complete mockery of our justice system. The
judge presiding over the case hasn't even pretended to be impartial over
the last couple of weeks.

He lashed out and screamed at the prosecution during the middle of
questioning. He's made racist, anti-Asian comments. He barred the
prosecution from referring to the two people killed as "victims," on the
grounds that it's too loaded of a word but allowed the defense to refer to
them as "rioters."^5 He even asked the jury to give a round of applause
for a Rittenhouse defense witness.^6

It's no surprise that Rittenhouse is able to walk free, despite having
ruthlessly taken the lives of two people.

[ [link removed] ]Can you rush $3 to BLOC, a vital Wisconsin-based
organization building power at the local level and fighting for justice
for working families and communities of color? 100% of your donation will
go straight to BLOC.

In the days and weeks ahead, we'll continue to fight for racial
justice—and that means, among many other things, holding violent white
supremacists accountable.

White supremacists will continue to resort to hate, division, and
violence, but we have the people on our side.

We know that the best way to counter white supremacy is to empower those
people, institutions, and ideas that build solidarity and power among
marginalized communities and working families.

[ [link removed] ]Groups like BLOC are doing the critical work of building power every
single day—and because of the work they do, communities across Wisconsin
are more resilient against the threats of far-right, white supremacist
violence. Rush a $3 donation now, and every penny of your
donation will go straight to BLOC.

Thanks for all you do.

–Arvin, Bekir, Chrissy, Liia, and the rest of the team

Sources:

1. "Kyle Rittenhouse was found not guilty of intentional homicide and four
other charges." The New York Times, November 19, 2021
[link removed]

2. Ibid.

3. Ibid.

4. "Kyle Rittenhouse, out on bail, flashed white power signs at a bar,
prosecutors say," NBC News, January 14, 2021
[link removed]

5. "As trial approaches, judge may allow the men Kyle Rittenhouse shot to
be called 'rioters' or 'looters' -- but 'victim' isn't allowed," CNN,
October 27, 2021
[link removed]

6. "As nationwide audience turns to Rittenhouse trial, Judge Schroeder's
peculiar behavior stands out," Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, November 15,
2021
[link removed]



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