Three Trials, One Lesson: Race, Injustice, and Fear Still Rule – The New Republic

Heather Heyer is dead. Ahmaud Arbery is dead. Joseph Rosenbaum andAnthony Huber are dead. For the past week, I have spent challenging hourstrying to keep track of the historic civil trial against hate groups and theirleaders and of the two criminal trials, all ongoing right now, and all of whichseek to bring some measure of justice for these needless killings.

And now that the jury is deliberating on the guilt of KyleRittenhouse, who killed Rosenbaum and Huber in Kenosha, Wisconsin, last year, media attentionis turning to the possibility of demonstrations and unrest if he is acquitted.A friend of mine, a pastor of a Black church discussing the trial of Arberyskillers, said, Thats the placewhere there will be demonstrations if there is an acquittal. Black folks wontbe in Kenosha. My response? White folks might, though.

Of course, any demonstrations will likely be multiracial, and weshould understand these trials, the violence that created them, and how we areprocessing them as patches on a tattered national fabric that has seen far toomany tears. The phrase no justice, no peace, a common chant atdemonstrations, is true. Race, injustice, and fear are at the heart of everysingle one of these trials because they are at the heart of the country. Onlyjustice and the shared work of making it a reality promise a path topeace.

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Three Trials, One Lesson: Race, Injustice, and Fear Still Rule - The New Republic