Kyle Rittenhouse Roams Free Among Us

 The summer of 2020 was an ugly time. The nightmare began on May 25 when George Floyd was murdered, quite publicly, by a Minneapolis cop. The crime was committed by Officer Derek Chauvin who, on a video taken by a witness seemed  really proud of his work. 

Thanks to that video there was no denying the cold brutality of the killing. There was also no chance for the police to claim Floyd was violently resisting arrest, or doing anything else for the nine and one half minutes Chauvin's knee was pressing down on his neck, except dying.

Protests followed the murder, some turning violent. Other acts of violence were perpetrated by anarchists and white nationalists who had no interest in Floyd, but just  enjoyed the sights and sounds of glass breaking and buildings burning down. As the summer wore on the protests continued. Then President Donald Trump issued public threats of military intervention and in some cities sent in unidentified federal agents to break some heads and abscond with protesters in unmarked vans to destinations unknown.

To make matters worse, on August 23rd of that year, Jacob Blake, another African American was killed by the Kenosha, WI police who were answering a domestic disturbance call. Blake was shot multiple times in the back while leaning into the front seat of his parked SUV. Later his killing would be ruled justifiable.

More demonstrations and violence followed in Kenosha. It was into this chaos that 17 year old Kyle Rittenhouse inserted himself on August 25th. 

Young Mr. Rittenhouse wasn't a resident of Kenosha, in fact he didn't even live in Wisconsin, but rather across the border in Antioch, Il. Despite that and the lack of an invitation from anyone in Kenosha he and a pal packed up their AR-15s and hit the road to protect life, property, and The American Way.

Before the night was over he had killed two fellow human beings and wounded another. After the shootings he was thanked by Kenosha cops, given a bottle of water and sent on his way back to Antioch. Imagine his shock a few days later when he was arrested  on charges of murder. The right wing masses howled with anger and some of them shelled out enough cash that Rittenhouse was able to post a  $1 million bond. 

His plea was self defense, Never mind Kyle Rittenhouse chose to be there, armed with the preferred weapon of mass shooters everywhere, had no police training, and panicked when he was approached by the angry crowd. No matter that he had caused the very situation which put him in his precarious position,.

Today we found out it worked. Kyle Rittenhouse was found not guilty on five counts. He walks free among us, living proof the second amendment has been twisted and perverted beyond all its original intent.

Indeed, it would seem any sort of  vigilante action is now justified, or at least condoned in Wisconsin, if not all of America. 

My money says that isn't exactly what the founding fathers intended.

11-19-21

Armistice Day

 On November 11th, 1918 at a little after 5:30 in the morning the allied powers signed a cease fire with the German Empire. This armistice agreement, which was temporary, was scheduled to begin at 11 in the morning the same day. It wasn't completely successful because both sides continued to trade artillery fire until sundown that evening.

Despite the shaky start the armistice held, effectively ending the carnage of WWI. Or, at least providing the globe with a 21-year breather before everyone decided to have another go at each other.

Europe had seen plenty of other deadly wars, but between August of 1914 and that November day in 1918 there had been nothing comparable, at least in sheer numbers.

The British lost over 750,00 troops. The French  1,105,000, the Germans nearly 2,000,000, and the Austria-Hungarian Empire   over 1,000,000.  Accounts of  Russian casualties vary widely, but the lowest figure given is around 3 quarters of a million. The Americans, who got in late, lost 53,000 plus. That's nearly 5,000 fewer troops than the Brits lost on the first day alone during The Somme Offensive in 1916.

On November 11, 1919 the British held the first Armistice Day ceremony on the grounds of Buckingham Palace. The observation of the ending of the war spread across Europe and then to America and Canada and other locales. And, then as these things always do its name and meaning began to morph.

In the UK Armistice Day became Remembrance Day , a moment to honor their war dead, no matter which conflict , plus those who survived them. It is much the same in Canada. 

In the U.S it became Veterans Day, where we recognize everyone who has served, no matter while in battle, or some mess hall at Fort Sill, Okllahoma. If you wore a uniform it is your day. Here in the States we, in theory, honor our fallen on Memorial Day in May. The weather is more amenable to drinking beer and cooking out than it is in November.

The late Kurt Vonnegut, along with others, wanted the 11th, to be called Veterans for Peace Day. He once wrote something along the lines of, "Armistice Day is sacred, Veterans Day by itself isn't."  Of course Vonnegut also urged Presidential Candidate, George McGovern to use the campaign slogan, "Lonesome No More." McGovern refused, then lost to Richard Nixon. Veterans for Peace Day did about as well.

WWI has been done with over 100 years now. Its sequel was finished nearly 80 years ago.. One thing we can be sure of though, is there will be more wars and more veterans. And we'll trot out the flags and parades every year so we can honor them and feel better about ourselves.

Well, that and give the bankers and postal employees the day off.

11-11-21

 

Two Ghosts on Dia de los Muertos

It has been ten years since Carina Saunders and Alina Fitzpatrick were murdered in the Oklahoma City metro area. Saunders was 19 years old. Fitzpatrick was 17. There is no evidence the two knew each other, or that the killings were connected in any way. Well at least beyond  the fact they both were  dallying at the edge of an abyss most middle class Americans prefer not to think about, if not outright deny.

Saunders' dismembered body, or at least most of it, was found in a field behind what was s then a Homeland grocery store. She was so far out of control by then her family didn't even think to report her missing for two weeks. At the time it was reported she had no fixed address. Her family claimed she had a beautiful singing voice and that her high school ambition was to sing opera professionally. By the time of her death that bar had been lowered considerably. Friends told the media she was aspiring to be an actress in porn films.

Alina Fitzpatrick wanted to be a nurse and her dream might have still been alive in early November of 2001. She was in school, although it was the suburban Putnam City School District's virtual high school program She had stopped going to classes at PC North because of bullying. It is an allegation the district still denies.

Still young Ms. Fitzpatrick was flirting with darkness. She had changed cell phone numbers because she had started  getting, "suspicious," calls. On the evening she disappeared friends let her off near the intersection of NW 24th and Western, not a terrible neighborhood, but still not one a parent would want a 17 year old child roaming around alone at night. 

The Saunders' murder was handled by the Bethany Police. Their main talent turned out being leaking the name of every suspect, potential witness, and informant's name to any and all local media outlets. Even details of the gruesome killing were made public as well as its possible site, or sites.. An urban legend arose which said Saunders' torture and mutilation were filmed on a phone.. People who allegedly said they had seen all, or part of the horrid video immediately recanted then left for parts unknown. . Charges were filed and all of them eventually dropped. The case was finally handed over to the OSBI, but it was too late.  It is now highly doubtful anyone with connections to the case remains in the area.

Alina Fitzpatrick's remains were found in an empty lot in far eastern Oklahoma City. Her nude body was covered with bruises and abrasions and a gag was stuffed into her mouth.. The state medical examiner, Dr. Chai Choy declared none of her obvious wounds were enough to cause her death. He also found enough meth in her system that she might have overdosed., but he really couldn't say for sure. He ruled her death, not as a homicide,  but as suspicious.  The Oklahoma City Police seemingly lost all interest soon after the ME's report came out. 

Years ago an anonymous commenter on this blog claimed they knew who did it and that person was in jail on unrelated charges. Whether that assertion is true, or not remains un proven.

What we do know is Alina Fitzpatrick would be 27 years old now and perhaps a nurse if she hadn't been murdered. Carina Saunders would be 29, although she was so far off into that oil slick world of drugs and sex she might never have made it this far. It isn't a lifestyle known for its longevity.

Ten years in this nation is a long time. The media has moved on to new horrors and the old ones are forgotten by the teeming masses. Indeed, how can one dwell on the ghosts of Carina Saunders and Alina Fitzpatrick when more than a few of us  are debating the politics of disease, climate change, and gun control..

Memories, however,  are always with us, if we just dig deep enough. It is why many call this day, Novembe 1st, as Dia de los Muertos.

11-1-21.