Kyle Rittenhouse a hero? (update - not guilty on all charges)

[AUDub]

But wherein does the personal responsibility lie in regards to people who actually attacked a 17 year old kid?

The trial sorted that out. 2 of them have shuffled the mortal coil and the other is learning how to live without a bicep.

You’re expecting more maturity and responsibility from a younger child than adults in this instance

Absolutely not. I'm simply not completely absolving Rittenhouse of his culpability.

And to a degree I sympathize with Rittenhouse because he's a freaking kid and other people that should have known better put him in this position.

If you argue KR shouldn’t have been there, it’s only right to argue that neither should they. Let’s not pretend they were actually protesting. Totally agree that the jury got it right, but none of them should’ve put themselves in the position they were in.

There are no Rembrandts here.

 

[AlexanderFan]

I've shot their military counterpart (M4) quiet often as I had to be armed with it on a daily basis due to my job. The rifle is hardly a weapon that is what i would personally consider a game changing weapon. Honestly if it didnt have a 30 round magazine. I doubt there would be any leg to actually stand on. Compare a picture of an a SKS and an AR 15 and ask someone "which is the assault rifle" and see what they say.

Does the SKS have the thirty round mag on?

 

[chanson78]

My main concern is this. After this trial, anyone who shows up to a protest with a gun essentially wins the self defense argument.

There will be more morons who take weapons to protests. Law of averages indicate that there will be people with poor gun safety discipline. If someone were to point a gun at me, friend or not I have a fairly significant reaction. There will be someone at a protest who points a gun at someone else. At what point does that action become threatening enough for someone to feel as if they are in imminent danger and could justifiably shoot the person with poor gun discipline?

In the end I think those who are happy with this verdict are getting what they ultimately want. A measure to suppress protest events because now many are going to see what happened to KR and think that it is a good idea to “keep ‘murica free and protect the biznesses.” As a result, protesters just won’t show up because they fear for their lives. That or protesters are going to start carrying firearms themselves and things will escalate quickly.

 

[cbi1972]

My main concern is this. After this trial, anyone who shows up to a protest with a gun essentially wins the self defense argument.

Before and after this trial, anyone who waits until they are violently attacked, and ends that attack with deadly force, wins the self defense argument.

 

[crimsonaudio]

My main concern is this. After this trial, anyone who shows up to a protest with a gun essentially wins the self defense argument.

That's simply not how self defense laws work.

The overarching idea I keep seeing people confused by is the idea that the entirety of Rittenhouse's actions are under the microscope wrt self defense, but that's not how the law works. As someone who lives in the the most (or second most, depending on year or measure) violent metro area in the US, I've become quite familiar with how self defense laws are viewed in much of the US. I can walk around armed all day and rightfully claim self defense. I can even make poor choices regarding when and where I venture into known bad places and still rightfully claim self defense. If I instigate an act of violence, then claim I fear for my life, then I've got a tough hill to climb.

That's what so many people are missing here.

I don't think anyone thinks KR being in Kenosha that night last year was smart - no one is suggesting he's a Mensa candidate - but even if he broke the law by open carrying a rifle (which I believe he did, despite the law's terrible wording) that doesn't preclude him from rightfully claiming self defense. The prosecution was unable to prove (or even hint at, seemingly) that KR instigated or started trouble with those who attacked him, and that's why his defense won across the board. The instant the men starting chasing and attacking KR, unprovoked, self defense became an option.

That's it - it doesn't matter if he 'shouldn't have been there', doesn't matter if he 'shouldn't have had the rifle', etc.

This doesn't make it open season for people to carry and shoot others at protests. I suspect some less-informed folks with hatred in their hearts will mis-read this and follow suit, but that doesn't mean KR was guilty of anything.

I'll add one more thing: I said earlier in this thread "it takes two to tango" - if the convicted child-molester hadn't started chasing KR, it's likely none of this happens - there's no evidence that KR was acting violently to that point.

 

[Chukker Veteran]

2. I hope Rittenhouse does not get sucked into the seductive alt-right community that is making a hard sell for him right now.

Sold.
Kyle was so upset over having been in a situation where he had no choice but to kill two people that he’s now going to have an interview with Hannity. i expect before he’s out of the limelight he will make Zimmerman look like a nice guy.

 

[Moro Creek]

So a stupid kid (who shouldn't have been there) shoots three stupid looters (who shouldn't have been there) and is found not guilty by a jury that had outside sources (including the POTUS) trying to intimidate them. Oh well, time to play golf.

 

[crimsonaudio]

Kyle was so upset over having been in a situation where he had no choice but to kill two people that he’s now going to have an interview with Hannity. i expect before he’s out of the limelight he will make Zimmerman look like a nice guy.

Seeing as Sandmann forced several large media companies into settlements in order to avoid defamation lawsuits, I doubt we've seen the end of Rittenhouse.

 

[Chukker Veteran]

Seeing as Sandmann forced several large media companies into settlements in order to avoid defamation lawsuits, I doubt we've seen the end of Rittenhouse.

It turns out Hannity has been involved with him the entire time, getting footage ready for his aquittal celebration. It sounded like they have a mini documentary almost ready to go.

 

[crimsonaudio]

It turns out Hannity has been involved with him the entire time, getting footage ready for his aquittal celebration. It sounded like they have a mini documentary almost ready to go.

Well, from what I know of his audience, they'll lap it up. SMH

 

[seebell]

Carlson had a film crew embedded with the defense., Raising money for the defense was one reason.

Rittenhouse Attorney Threw Tucker Carlson's Film Crew Out Of Room Several Times

“I did not approve of that,” Mark Richards told CNN's Chris Cuomo about the presence of the Fox News personality's "documentary" makers.

www.huffpost.com

 

[crimsonaudio]

Carlson had a film crew embedded with the defense., Raising money for the defense was one reason.

Great, they're setting him to be some kind of hero.

 

[Chukker Veteran]

Carlson had a film crew embedded with the defense., Raising money for the defense was one reason.

Rittenhouse Attorney Threw Tucker Carlson's Film Crew Out Of Room Several Times

“I did not approve of that,” Mark Richards told CNN's Chris Cuomo about the presence of the Fox News personality's "documentary" makers.

www.huffpost.com

in a perfect world, Hannity and Carlson would have a shootout to decide which of them gets to exploit Rittenhouse’s situation.

 

[Crimson1967]

I saw a video of him getting kicked in the face, claiming that proved self defense.

He had a gun. The kicker was also acting in self defense. If someone (like a BLM member) had shot and killed him, think Hannity would be defending the shooter?

 

[crimsonaudio]

I saw a video of him getting kicked in the face, claiming that proved self defense.

He had a gun. The kicker was also acting in self defense. If someone (like a BLM member) had shot and killed him, think Hannity would be defending the shooter?

That's not how self defense works.

How one is armed doesn't matter - it's about who is the aggressor. The prosecution failed because they couldn't show KR initiating an attack. And no, just walking around armed doesn't make you an aggressor.

 

[81usaf92]

That's not how self defense works.

How one is armed doesn't matter - it's about who is the aggressor. The prosecution failed because they couldn't show KR initiating an attack. And no, just walking around armed doesn't make you an aggressor.

Pretty much. I was kinda hoping he got something for his stupidity but was expecting he got off on all counts because there was just nothing there. I’m not going to lose sleep over it. A stupid kid got off because other stupid people wanted to chase a stupid kid who was holding a rifle.

Now if the Arbery case ends with a Not Guilty verdict…..

 

[AlexanderFan]

That's not how self defense works.

How one is armed doesn't matter - it's about who is the aggressor. The prosecution failed because they couldn't show KR initiating an attack. And no, just walking around armed doesn't make you an aggressor.

But but but, young white conservative with a gun.

 

[AlexanderFan]

Pretty much. I was kinda hoping he got something for his stupidity but was expecting he got off on all counts because there was just nothing there. I’m not going to lose sleep over it. A stupid kid got off because other stupid people wanted to chase a stupid kid who was holding a rifle.

Now if the Aubrey case ends with a Not Guilty verdict…..

Wait a minute now, Arbery was somewhere he shouldn’t have been, doing something he shouldn’t have been doing, but by the logic displayed by some on here that makes Arbery responsible for the actions of the other three, and their reactions justified. See how silly that line of logic is?

The difference in the broad sense of the two cases is that KR lived through his attack. Oh, and he’s been wrongfully vilified throughout the United States. I hope he sues the media into responsible journalism.

 

[AUDub]

Now if the Arbery case ends with a Not Guilty verdict…..

I don't see how it does. I think the best the defense can hope for in that one is a hung jury because a moron looking to nullify snuck through jury selection.

The prosecutor is doing a far better job in that one, and unlike the case Binger had to work with the prosecutor in Georgia has a banger of a hand.

 

[81usaf92]

Wait a minute now, Arbery was somewhere he shouldn’t have been, doing something he shouldn’t have been doing, but by the logic displayed by some on here that makes Arbery responsible for the actions of the other three, and their reactions justified. See how silly that line of logic is?

I don’t think comparing the two is even remotely similar at all.

The difference in the broad sense of the two cases is that KR lived through his attack

Nope try again.

. Oh, and he’s been wrongfully vilified throughout the United States. I hope he sues the media into responsible journalism.

When his own lawyer basically called him an idiot then I don’t think he was wrongfully vilified. Rittenhouse did himself no favors between the time of the shooting and the trial in the public eye.

And no he probably won’t see a dime from this other than signing books and being a useful idiot on Fox.