CBS News: “Brothers say Jussie Smollett paid them to participate in alleged attack, source says.”
You’ve probably heard the latest in the Jussie Smollett case, that the small man Mr. Smollett appears to be in conjuring up this apparent racial attack, only to go bad when investigated intensely by the Chicago Police Department.
“A source close to the investigation confirms to CBS News the brothers (two Nigerians identified as Ola and Abel Osundairo) told detectives Smollett paid them to participate in the alleged attack on January 29 and that they purchased the rope —which was found around Smollett’s neck — at a nearby hardware store. The source said detectives have evidence to corroborate the sale, something the men’s attorney alluded to Friday night.”
I don’t know of Mr. Smollett, nor the show he appears on as an actor, “Empire.” But I have noticed he has been interviewed repeatedly on TV in interviews about this incident, which he declared is true and racially motivated. He’s also stated that he is being targeted because he criticizes President Trump and he is homosexual. He made a statement about being attacked by individuals with MAGA hats and were white men.
If this were 20 years ago, I would side with Mr. Smollett at first glance, but with the MAGA hats and the assailants were said to be white, I was skeptical from the get go. It was too pat a scenario to take seriously.
Number 1: What incites Democrats and people of color more than Trump, Trump, Trump? No matter Trump was once a Democrat, that he gave millions of dollars to Democrat candidates over the years and to the NAACP. In fact, he was honored by the NAACP for hiring people of color and promoting them within his company.
Facts are stubborn things, and the fact is more people of color and minorities; black, brown, Hispanic, African-American, and women are working now than ever before. The Trump policies and corporate tax structure have loosened the finances to hire more workers and open opportunity more than ever before. Hourly and salaried workers are making more and keeping more than ever before.
He was never called a racist until he ran as a Republican. He became a Republican because, as years earlier Ronald Reagan said, “I didn’t leave the Democrat Party, the Democrat Party left me.” Trump finally saw how out of touch the Democrats had become and he could no longer participate in a party that did everything in its power to deride, ridicule and stand against America and the working people of this nation.
Number 2: Evidently Mr. Smollett is an actor of considerable ability to be on a top rated TV show. His hubris in the ability to act as a beaten and humiliated homosexual black man with racial overtones (bleach and rope around his neck) incited many in the victimhood mentality (mainly Democrats) to cry for justice for this young man. Who wouldn’t, if true?
For almost three weeks this charade and kabuki dance has gone on. More interviews, more anger, more animosity. Then the story changed. In the words of that famous intellectual Scooby Doo, “Rut Row”!
Will justice be served in this case if proven? Will Jussie Smollett be arrested, charged, indicted, judged, convicted and serve time for his lie? I doubt it. He should be, but Democrats never serve time for crimes, they just slime away. From what I’ve read, he could be subject up to three years in prison. I doubt he serves a day for something so heinous to allege.
The more pertinent question would be if it were reversed and a white actor alleged being beaten by two black men, and it was found out it was a ruse, would he be arrested, charged, indicted, judged, convicted and serve time? You know the answer. You may not admit it, don’t want to admit it, but you know the answer. Damn right he should, just like Mr. Smollett.
Otherwise equal justice under the law is meaningless and the racial divide will widen.
Facts are stubborn things.
The rotting of America from within continues…
People old enough to remember Tawana Brawley and remember a few of the particulars knew the actor’s story resembled a slice of swiss cheese.
Anyone familiar with Chicago mass transit knows there are a lot of CCTV cameras to view incidents like the one the Mr. Smollett described.
Anyone familiar with smartphones, their resale value, plus the value of information most people keep on their phones knows phones are valuable to the owner and any assailants. The phone has photo’s, bank access, and most important phone numbers of friends, acquaintances and business associates. If anyone had any doubts, when Mr. Smollett volunteered he had deleted items from his phone prior to turning it over to law enforcement should have sealed the deal.
From where I sit in Allegan County, this is fodder for TV Guide and what my late grandmother used to call “slander sheets” that have morphed into TMZ and others. No handwringing on how Mr. Smollett will be treated by Chicago law enforcement.
Why anyone wants to make this a political issue is a mystery. It’s not political. Its a about an actor who cooked up an idea to make himself more famous. Maybe a more accurate comparisons are Tawana Brawley and Aimee Semple McPhereson.
And so it goes
Jussie Smollett’s little stunt can’t even be chalked up to youthful indiscretion. He’s a 36 year old man who should know better. The Chicago police spokesman said it best when he said false claims like this that can cause racial divisions to become more deeply seated are very hurtful to all of society. Let’s hope Smollett’s celebrity doesn’t get in the way of appropriate justice.