More NOVEMBER 24, 2021- White privilege. A miscarriage of justice. Gun reform. These are just a few of the things that come to mind when thinking about the Kyle Rittenhouse case.

Kyle Rittenhouse is the man who shot three people, killing two of them and wounding the third during a protest against police brutality in Wisconsin last year. He faced five felony charges and wasn’t convicted of a single one. If convicted of the first-degree intentional homicide charge he would’ve been in prison for life. However, the shooter gets to be free. Rittenhouse crossed state lines to join vigilante efforts armed with a semi-automatic rifle claiming to be protecting property that was not his.

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Gun reform is always a topic of conversation in America. With school shootings and active shooter routines becoming more common, there shouldn’t be space for people to walk down the street with AR-15s. Rittenhouse was able to cross state lines with a weapon and terrorize a community he does not belong to. Many Americans, each year, lose loved ones to acts of gun violence, and each year there is a tragedy that brings the nation together to ask for gun reform. Additionally, there has been a spike in the rate of firearm-related homicides since the pandemic began.

This case is reminiscent of the same vigilante violence that took the life of Trayvon Martin, and once again, families are being denied justice. White supremacy wages a war on marginalized communities and there are no safe haven, no place where a person can be free of this terrorism. The trial of Ahmaud Arbery’s murderers is ongoing and that murder was done in the same vigilante manner, a Black man was chased down and shot. We are all waiting to see if justice will be denied to us once more.

A lot of people that commit these crimes claim to be supporters of law enforcement, but insist on taking matters of justice into their own hands seemingly without fear of repercussions. The frequency of these murders and the fact that there is little to no consequence for these murderer’s actions, these murderers know that on some level they will get off scot free. The message following the acquittal of Rittenhouse case was about justice being done for Kyle and that he gets to live his life as a “free young man”. America is a place where murderers get to walk freely and vigilante justice is praised. Ultimately, this is a failure to protect the American people and protestors. This case will instill fear in many who choose to be vocal.

Kyle Rittenhouse was acquitted on all charges. This is an injustice. White supremacy and vigilantism evades accountability once again. There needs to be gun reform and consequences for these egregious violations of the law. The system isn’t broken, it was designed to work in this exact way. To show preference and compassion to white men, and assisting in the furtherance of the white male power dynamic in America. Rittenhouse has been cheered on by politicians and journalists, and offered internships after being acquitted. Politicians are urging people to remain armed and dangerous. This messaging sounds like a pass for vigilantes to arm themselves and kill innocent people. We must hold our Representatives responsible. We must demand justice. The first step is getting out to the polls and making sure the supporters of vigilante justice are out of their seats come election time.

Click here to make sure you are registered to vote and your registration is up to date. In 2022, there will be elections in Georgia. It is important for your voice to be heard!

To support SisterLove as we continue working towards a future that protects all people and allows us to live lives free of gun violence, click here.

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