Over the weekend, the claims made by actor Jussie Smollett, who previously said he was viciously attacked by two supporters of President Trump, began to unravel.
The situation with Smollett has largely been fueled by those on the Left who are eager to see their assumptions about the political opposition realized. Unfortunately, this isn’t the first time the news cycle has been dominated by premature reactions related to assertions of racism, sexism, or abuse. In fact, we’ve seen two other examples recently.
In January, MAGA hat-wearing teens from Covington High School were condemned for taunting a Native American man after a video of the incident went viral. Upon further examination, the truth was evident: the teens had not ridiculed the man, Nathan Phillips. What was nothing more than an awkward interaction prompted a media frenzy, all because of politics. But the damage was done: the Covington kids were racists.
Last September, a similar course of events took place Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s Supreme Court confirmation hearings. Though there was no evidence other than the accuser’s words, and none discovered after an FBI investigation, the damage had been done. Kavanaugh was obviously a sexual predator.
The incident with Smollett is much the same. As with Kavanaugh and Covington, there was virtually no interest in waiting for legitimate proof from other individuals or law enforcement. Too many in the media and among the general population are interested in seeing that Trump and his brand are tarnished, no matter the fallout.
The Covington story should’ve been a gigantic wake-up call to *everyone* to wait for the details of a story to solidify before jumping headfirst into attacking groups of people.
A week later the Jussie Smollett story broke and it was clear that almost nobody learned a thing.
— Josh Jordan (@NumbersMuncher) February 17, 2019
The rampant discord at the heart of this current political climate has moved from divisive conversation to detrimental action. Unfortunately, the majority of the left-leaning media is ready to lend “help” by fanning the partisan flames. We can and should hold them accountable for contributing to these unverified assertions. Their careless behavior may feel good at the moment and bring in viewers, but the repercussions are far-reaching and affect those of all political persuasions.
Individuals can do their part in reducing tensions. While it’s impossible to control what cable channels, sites, and pundits suggest, we can all decide to step back from the fray as others rush toward it. We can resolve to wait for evidence, no matter where it may lead, instead of assuming that someone is being entirely truthful or thoroughly dishonest. This means we must set aside our own agendas. A measured response requires that we prepare to call out our own side, if and when necessary, just as we call out those standing opposite of us. That’s not a comfortable place to reside, but if we aim to reduce this destructive cycle, it’s the only course of action that we can follow.
Kavanaugh was not the perpetrator the media, and Democrats, made him out to be. However, if he had been guilty of sexual abuse, he should have been quickly dismissed by the Right. The Covington kids weren’t the racists they were said to be by the media. However, if it was clear they were responsible for ridiculing someone for being a minority, they and their adult handlers should have been excoriated. Now that Smollett’s story is collapsing, we are free to condemn his attempts at creating further racial division. But, as with the other two incidents, there is a time and place for these conclusions. That is always after solid evidence, or lack thereof, is presented; never before.
I don’t expect those who breathlessly shared Jussie Smollett’s initial story to retract it and apologize for their contributions. However, that is the ideal goal as we survey this incident and move forward.
The media, Democrats, and Republicans would do well to remember that we must be careful never to react to incidents without pausing, reflecting, and waiting. If Americans truly desire more unity in these fractured times, we must never automatically assume the worst.
Kimberly Ross (@SouthernKeeks) is a contributor to the Washington Examiner’s Beltway Confidential blog and a columnist at Arc Digital.
