This past week the jury assignment for the case of Kyle Rittenhouse vs the State of Wisconsin acquitted the young man of all charges in the incident involving the shooting of 3 different men. Rittenhouse shot and killed Anthony Huber, 26, and Joseph Rosenbaum, 36, on August 25th, 2020.
Rittenhouse’s case gripped the nation at a time when racial relations were at an all time high. Rittenhouse went to Kenosha Wisconsin to help provide care for the wounded during the civil unrest related to the incident involving Jacob Blake. Blake was justly shot down by police after a series of events that culminated in his hospitalization.
More on Jake Blake:
The uproar against Rittenhouse began when his incident became fodder for political theater. Prematurely at the time President Joe Biden made Rittenhouse out to be part of “white supremacists and militia groups.” Keep in mind Rittenhouse did not appear in the court of law until this year and his case was brought before jury for a verdict only over a year later.
Rittenhouse was acquitted of all charges this past Friday, November 19. He was found not guilty on all counts. However, the verdict has produced mixed emotions for many. Quickly, many in Hollywood expressed their disappointment (is anyone surprised?). Some accused Rittenhouse of being a murderer. Others quickly pointed out if Rittenhouse was a black teenager that he would have been found guilty, with little proof for such a claim.
A Few More Thoughts on Rittenhouse’s case
It was clear from the beginning Rittenhouse was made out to be a scapegoat. All we have to do is see the way in which the prosecution tried to incriminate the young man to see the agenda behind their intentions. Misguided, many declared our justice system broken. Broken? Aren’t people allowed due process? If examined carefully, which is what the jury did, Rittenhouse clearly acted in self-defense.
I believe all people have the right to self-defense. As a Christ follower, I believe we too have the right to protect our loved ones:
Yes, perhaps a 16 year old shouldn’t have gone to a riot with an AR-15 to help people who are wounded. But Rittenhouse, as evidenced by the recording of his case, simply just wanted to help others, but was attacked by 3 white men! (not black). It’s important to note this because many people thought Rittenhouse killed black people at will and the people he shot were victims of racism, or white supremacism.
Rittenhouse was accused of vigilantism, white supremacism, and even domestic terrorism. Meanwhile some politicians made Jake Blake out to be a hero and said they were “proud of him.” The problem? Rittenhouse, who is found innocent became the villain, and the villain (Jacob Blake) became the hero. Our justice system is not completely broken. It has flaws, but justice served Rittenhouse well.
Some Christian Reflections from the Rittenhouse Case
I believe we can learn a few things as we reflect on Rittenhouse’s case:
First, we would all be wise to withhold judgement. Atheists, agnostics, and non-Christians often accuse Christ followers of being judgmental. But to a certain extend people from all backgrounds judged Rittenhouse out to be a terrible person for defending himself simply because he acted in self-defense. Romans 2:1 states, “You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things.” Before you judge someone, get all the facts straight.
Second, we should be gracious and kind to each other. The internet is filled with vitriol. We need to seek to have healthy dialogue and less slander. An attitude of love must be most exemplified by Christ followers. The apostle Paul urged us, “Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.” The way to healing is through love and compassion, not anger.
Third, we need to respect authority. Part of the reason why people are still upset with Rittenhouse’s verdict is because they feel the justice system favors some rather than others. This is not mostly true. It is true in some cases, but not in the majority of cases. The problem? We don’t respect authority anymore. The idea that our justice system its racist is simply not supported by the facts.
If you do a simple Google search you’ll find more evidence for corruption and disdain for our justice system than confidence for its integrity. The problem? Public opinion, not facts. Culture wars have tilted people’s view of the American justice system toward negativity. Lawrence Sherman points out, “Compared with historical benchmarks, the criminal justice system is probably more fair and effective than ever. Compared with public expectations, however, the system falls far short in both areas.” I do not think our justice system is perfect, no system in any nation worldwide is perfect. It never will be because our world is broken with sin. The fact is that our pluralistic, hedonistic, relativistic society is adversely reactive to authority. But we need to respect authority regardless.
More on the topic of authority:
Finally, we need to apply wisdom to our personal decisions. Some argue Rittenhouse would have been wise not to have gone to the riots in Kenosha. I agree it was not wise. However, the merits of his decision are just conjecture. Perhaps, he felt morally obligated to go. Regardless, his decisions and his case demonstrate we all need wisdom. The good news…God offer us all wisdom when we need it. James 1:5 declares, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.”
Written by Daniel Messina