Understanding the Aftermath: How a Controversial Acquittal Has Shaken Public Trust in the Justice System
In the media business today, because of downsizing and low profit margins, many platforms are using the “fair use” policy rather the writing their own stories. These stories are often written by the big so-called “mainstream” media” which in reality means, White corporate media. Though his saves them time and money, what it gives you is the perspectiveof the medium that that is known for being the purveyors of the stereotypes and negative images that helps fuel white supremacy. So, for this Daniel Penny story, I have to offer a different view.
One good thing about search engines today is that you can retrieve info on historical events in seconds. When I read about this Jordan Neely case, I thought of Bernard Goetz, dubbed the “Subway Vigilante” some 40 years ago. He shot four young Black men, paralyzing one of them for life. Though acquitted, it was a deed he came to regret. He was sued for forty-two-million dollars and lost. And he later admitted it was not the right thing to do.
Daniel Penny, a bartender who too is a New Yorker, has been heralded by the white media for being a Marine veteran with combat experience. I don’t emphasize that because according to the records, he did not shoot or choke an enemy combatant, he only murdered a sick fellow American, that he had to sneak up behind to kill. He had been living a very pedestrian life until this deed and now he is hanging out with President elect Trump.
I take issue with the media’s portrayal of Penny as some kind of hero. He is not. He is in the same category as Kyle Rittenhouse or George Zimmerman. White men used guns to kill their unarmed victims. These are not acts of courage nor the acts of heroes. It reminds me of an Ida B. Wells quote to paraphrase ” How can America be “the land of the free and the home of the brave” when 400 white men chase down one unarmed Black man innocent of any crime , castrate and lynch him in front of a cheering crowd In this current case, Neely was a 135 pound clearly ill Black man. Penny could not confront him to his face. Instead, he had to wait until his back was turned. Jordan Neely needed help not a death sentence.
White America is in need of heroes, but these are bad choices. When they let these types of people go unpunished, their communities suffer as well. God’s wrath is being visited upon America for the evil it has done to so many people especially it’s Black citizens.
#SubwayVerdict #JusticeSystem #PublicOutcry
