Reflecting on the trial of Kyle Rittenhouse

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A verdict is not justice. Despite the relief that some may have felt with the convictions of the men charged with the murder of Ahmaud Arbery, the trial of Kyle Rittenhouse points to something more troubling.

As a civil rights attorney who has watched the evolution and slow progress of our country over the past forty years, the verdict managed to be both unfathomable and expected at the same time.

Let’s recollect: the case unfolded like a slow-motion nightmare. We watched the efforts of the presiding judge, seemingly intent on shielding the defendant from culpability, to evidence of law enforcement agents who appeared to welcome gun-bearing opponents of people protesting racial injustice, including the seventeen-year-old Rittenhouse who had crossed state lines with an illegally obtained weapon allegedly for the purpose of protecting property.

And, the story is not over. For some, Rittenhouse will be elevated to a
patriot who has proven himself worthy of serving as a congressional intern.

The contrast between Rittenhouse, who was acquitted after killing two people and wounding another in a confrontation that he was responsible for creating, is most stark for Black communities who are still grieving the loss of Tamir Rice who was killed for playing with a toy gun. Let us be reminded: Rittenhouse showed up with a weapon to a rally for people who had gathered in defense of Jacob Blake, a Black man who was shot and seriously wounded by the cops.
What do these developments portend for the future of racial justice in the United States?

My friend Maya Wiley reminds us that we need to continue to investigate the role of judges and the jury and journalists in how we narrate a story
and determine accountability. She tweets, “Oh be angry! Just focus that anger on the righteous demand to change laws and practices that do not protect and serve us all equally. Turn that anger into action! Peaceful more powerful! That is and always has been the work. It’s hard and it matters!” ([link removed])

After all, in the Georgia case, there were no charges filed until there was a video and public outrage and non-stop community organizing.

Last week, I found myself rereading the lines of Langston Hughes’ ([link removed]) poem “Mother to Son” ([link removed]) in which the mother describes her difficult life as no crystal stair. Still, her response is not to surrender. Here is to continuing the struggle.

GIVE TODAY TO THE RACIAL JUSTICE FUND ([link removed])
What gives me hope? I'm proud to learn from activists who are helping us re-imagine public safety, one of the many things that we'll be celebrating at the NCLEJ Catalyst Awards on Wednesday, December 8th. Join Maya Wiley, Sharon Epperson, Deborah Archer and so many others, as we toast to three incredible honorees. You can purchase individual tickets for $100 ([link removed]) .

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