What Will They Say Now?
An actor named Jussie Smollett, who is gay and Black, is also now a convicted felon. A jury in Chicago found him guilty of five counts yesterday for lying to police. He claimed he was the victim of a racial and homophobic attack when in reality, he staged the whole thing–rather poorly, it seems–to get publicity to help his acting career.
I cannot say I ever have seen him perform…except at the time when he spoke to police and did interviews about the attack, and this week doubling down on the witness stand to deny his guilt. And I really don’t care about the case except for curiosity about the reaction from the left today.
So many of them jumped in for political or personal gain to condemn the attack against him. Then-Sen. Kamala Harris tweeted that it was “an attempted modern day lynching” of “one of the kindest, most gentle human beings I know”. “We must confront this hate.” Obviously, she was taken in by him and I have no problem with her giving him the benefit of the doubt. But what about now? Where’s the public statement now?
And recall the extended sit-down Smollett did with Robin Roberts on television. Will ABC now re-air part of that and call him a convicted felon for lying?
There are three distinct reactions that could come from the left in the wake of the verdict. One, public apologies for believing his false story…but I haven’t seen any of those and don’t expect to. Two, condemnation of a systemically racist court system…haven’t seen that yet, but there’s time. And three, complete silence as if the other statements and actions of support never happened…so far, that’s the more popular response.
Of the three…silence is the most telling, and most potentially dangerous.
