Making Momma Proud

We’re watching two trials currently that have the same defendant, racism. I realize that they are in different parts of the country, with people that have much different accents, with different sets of circumstances, but the same cold dark hearts are in evidence. I’ve recounted how I learned racism from my Mom. I suspect that the defendants in these trials must have had a similar experience.

There are so many logical inconsistencies in both trials that I started to entitle this piece “Cognitive Dissonance II”. Upon reflection, I decided that more than the disassociation of their thinking playing a part in the commission of their crimes, the inbred dictum of blaming the “other” for all slights, real or imagined, was the key to these crimes. Racism is taught, nurtured and at a certain point for some people becomes the reason for life. “I might be poor, stupid and an all round loser, but at least I ain’t a n—er.” It’s right there in full display in the Arbery trial.

For those unfamiliar, the Ahmaud Arbery trial is about three white men who chased a black man in their pickups who was unfortunate enough to be jogging through their neighborhood. Not to be deterred by the victim continuing to change course to avoid confrontation, the father and son team chased the victim down multiple avenues before finally cutting off the victim. The son jumped out of the pickup, shotgun in hand, and put the shotgun in Arbery’s chest. Arbery responded to the shotgun by grabbing it, a logical mind presumes to move it away from his body.

The illogical mind presumes the shotgun is going to be wrenched from his grip and used to kill him. The racist fires three blasts of the shotgun. In testimony the shooter marvels that the victim was still able to run a few steps away from the scene before dying in the street. He seems to give voice to the superstition of the all powerful negro who must be dealt with using the most extreme measures lest the negro prevail using his super human strength and guile. Nothing to see here but good old southern racism in full bloom.

Meanwhile, in the far reaches of the north, a seventeen year old took it upon himself to join in a vigilante effort to put down the riots in Kenosha, Wisconsin. All evidence presented points out that the interlopers from neighboring states where not hired or even invited to police the areas they staked out as their strongholds. The fact that the defendant was underage and not able to legally carry a military weapon on the streets of Kenosha was charged and dismissed. Giving military weapons loaded with full metal jacket ammunition was poo-pooed by the 2nd amendment people. After all, doesn’t one’s right to bear arms extend to the cradle?

His association with the proud boys and a video showing him describing how he’d like to shoot some people looting a drug store was deemed inadmissible by the judge. From my observation post, the judge doesn’t want the jury to have too many examples of the killer’s intent to ponder while deliberating his fate. The fate of this teenage shooter who was motivated to travel to another city to render aid and support to his fellow man. The logical mind must assume that all opportunities in his own community for public service had been exhausted. The teenager had to travel to Kenosha to do good.

I’m going to digress a bit here for a moment. The teenager portrayed himself as an EMT in the trial and to protesters who engaged him in videos of the scene. He is not medically trained. Imagine if a teenager showed up on your front lawn dressed in camo slinging an AR15? Would your first thoughts be, “I wonder if he has an Ace bandage in that little fanny pack he’s carrying?” I’m guessing no. Your first and correct assumption would be that the character on your lawn was there for nefarious purposes.

I imagine the tender scene between mother and son as the killer leaves home telling his mom, “Don’t worry about me Mom, I’m just going to render aid. I feel it in my heart, it’s something I have to do.”

The mom replies, “I really wish you wouldn’t go; I really don’t want you to put yourself in a dangerous situation. If you must go, don’t you want to wear a shirt with a red cross on it so people won’t confuse you with troublemakers? Ok then, stay away from people with guns.”

The results point out that my little scenario didn’t take place. Even Johnny Cash’s message was wasted on these moms. These mom’s were more concerned with their sons going and helping keep “them” in their place. They must be so proud.