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Wisconsin National Guard are on standby.
By Isaac Serna-Diez — Written on Nov 19, 2021
The Kyle Rittenhouse trial has reached a bitter end as the teen has been found not guilty on all counts.
On trial for the murder of two men and the injury of another with a military-style rifle in Kenosha County, Wisconsin, the entire country awaited the verdict for the Rittenhouse shooting — one of the most contentious cases of the year.
Rittenhouse was a symbol of our nations left/right divide that now appears to represent the continued power of far-right ideology.
Wisconsin's National Guard is reported to be on standby in preparation for protests over the verdict.
Kyle Rittenhouse's verdict will make him a far-right mascot.
Kyle Rittenhouse is proof that white people can still break the law, carry illegal weapons, shoot and kill people, and get away with it in America by shedding tears and claiming self-defense.
For the right, these "rights" are the grounds for many vicious debates that Rittenhouse has legitimized.
The political divide in our country has increased en masse over the last 5 or so years — thanks to a former president that set a new standard for what it means to be a Republican.
Black Lives Matter has been an organization since 2013 representing a group that supports a movement older than the group itself but was shot into the spotlight following the death of George Floyd in May 2020.
The entire summer saw marches and peaceful protests against police brutality and the innocent killings of Black Americans by police that have been occurring for years — seemingly heightened during the pandemic.
Just 3 months after Floyd was killed, Jacob Blake was murdered in his car in Kenosha, Wisconsin, prompting yet another protest that turned violent and led to Rittenhouse, an Illinois native, to shoot and kill two men.
Rittenhouse's actions have become political.
Gun-toting, NRA supporting, far-right Republicans and conservatives sided with Rittenhouse.
“They were rioting and looting and needed to be stopped!” or, “they were attacking him! He acted in self-defense and shouldn’t be penalized.”
For a long time, the right has been calling the Black Lives Matter movement a group of “thugs” and pointing fingers at them every time a black person died at the hands of police — spawning the All Lives Matter movement and popularizing the “thin blue line” that shows outward support of police.
Democrats and liberals — not to be confused with each other — said he should be put away for many reasons.
“Stand Your Ground” laws are widely controversial because they almost encourage violence in completely avoidable situations.
But also because the left is constantly fighting for more gun control laws and believe that Rittenhouse acted with the intent to cause harm.
Rittenhouse represents all that is dangerous about gun laws in America and defending his actions risks reproducing them.
The culmination of these tensions has poured out during the trial.
Rittenhouse's 'not guilty' verdict will emblazon the right.
By walking free, Rittenhouse will set a dangerous precedent for the future of this country’s right to protest and speech, encouraging people like him to continue doing what he did because they know they’ll get away with it.
All of this is happening on top of the January 6th insurrection trials where QAnon protesters and Trump supporters are being tried for storming the Capitol.
In these court rooms, the right versus left debate plays out with potentially concerning outcomes.
As Rittenhouse enjoys a newfound freedom, it's hard not to fear that men like him will follow in his footsteps.
Isaac Serna-Diez is a writer who focuses on entertainment and news, social justice, and politics. Follow him on Twitter here.