A look at the Jussie Smollett case in black & white

What’s black and white, and red all over?

A blushing zebra. A newspaper. And race relations in America, as millions seethe in anger at actor Jussie Smollett for his alleged hoax. Smollett, who is black and gay, claims that he was attacked by Trump-supporting thugs because of his race and gender.

In the wake of Chicago police charging Smollett with a felony (filing a false police report), a national firestorm erupted, making the "Empire" star Public Enemy Number One.

If Smollett is convicted, he will have rightfully earned that scorn. However, there is a silver lining, as Smollett is single-handedly responsible for two monumental, if temporary, shifts in American thinking:

A) For the first time in forever, virtually everyone is united in the race-relations debate. Whites are indignant that they were first implicated as the attackers, when it was nothing of the sort. And blacks are fuming because a black man betrayed them, reversing racial progress and victimizing those truly affected by bigotry. That doesn’t mean blacks and whites see eye-to-eye on other racial issues – though they’re not as far apart as headlines make it appear – but they are united in knowing that lying is never the way to achieve success.

B) Third time’s a charm. People are beginning to understand that piling-on in a “breaking situation,” with shoot-from-the-hip accusations bereft of facts, is a recipe for disaster. Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh was accused of sexual assault with zero evidence, yet many politicized it and condemned him as guilty. More recently, Covington, Ky., high schooler Nick Sandmann was excoriated as an example of  “white privilege” because of his demeanor with a Native American –  yet video evidence, which many media outlets failed to view, showed that wasn’t the case.

Maybe the Smollett saga will be America’s wake-up call to stop posting baseless accusations after hearing a story confirming our biases. And maybe people will reserve judgments until the facts are in. After all, in the age of instant media, damnation in the Court of Public Opinion often carries stiffer repercussions than a court of law.

Here’s a look at the Smollett case with fresh perspective:

1) As is customary for this column, innocent until proven guilty, above all. Sure, the Chicago police department’s evidence doesn’t paint a flattering picture of Smollett, but that’s why God made trials. In high-profile cases, information is leaked that is often inaccurate. And in the media’s quest to out-scoop each other, some of that erroneous “news” is reported without verification, reputations be damned. No matter how nefarious Mr. Smollett may appear, he is entitled to his day in court.

That said, for this column’s purposes, since the Smollett saga is already out there, we will take the Chicago PD’s evidence at face value, remembering that all is still merely alleged – not proven.

2) Chicago police officials are making their rounds on national news shows, contending there is ample evidence that the public has not yet seen. Sorry, but that’s not fair. If you have evidence, release it. Otherwise, keep it close to the vest and stay quiet. Instead, they are slamming Smollett by teasing about all the “secret” evidence they have. But because they aren’t releasing it, he has no way to defend himself. And they are risking having a conviction thrown out by acting in a way that could affect the bias of a jury.

That said, God help Chicago PD if their evidence doesn’t stack up. They better have a lot more than some innocuous text messages and the $3,500 check Smollett wrote to his alleged partner/assailant – given that the check was written to his trainer for a diet and exercise regime. Maybe that was a bogus reason, but it’s not what you know; it’s what you can prove. And if Smollett can prove he used this individual in the past as a personal trainer, then that check isn’t worth the paper it’s printed on.

Let’s fast forward. If Smollett beats the charges due to inadequate evidence or police foul-ups, the anti-police movement will explode. The narrative will be simple: a gay black man was attacked, called a liar, charged, then exonerated due to corrupt police railroading an innocent man. It would be irrelevant if that last part were untrue. Perception is reality, and much of the public’s perception would be that police are bigoted and untrustworthy.

3) A quick tangent. The Chicago police superintendent fumed that Smollett’s actions “dragged Chicago’s reputation through the mud.” Sorry, Chief, but Chicago’s reputation was in the mud long before Jussie. Downtown is fantastic, and Wrigley is a must-see, but Chi-town consistently has the most murders, by far, of any American city. 

The chief also lamented that coverage of the city’s violence epidemic paled in comparison to the Smollett case. Understandable, but naïve. The Smollett allegations are juicy and unusual, whereas many murders unfortunately have become ho-hum events that have left people desensitized and complacent. And for good reason: No one wants to do the heavy lifting necessary to turn things around. White leaders who try are demonized, and told they are “offensive” and “can’t understand” (as Mayor Rahm Emmanuel found out when he was mercilessly criticized for telling the truth). And black leaders either sell out by focusing on non-issues that “sound good,” or are berated as “Uncle Toms.”

The result is that nothing changes, leaving millions without physical and economic security. And that sad state of affairs has nothing to do with Jussie Smollett.

4) Smollett claims that his assailants placed a noose around his neck, which was still there when he spoke with police. Hoax or not, there’s something seriously wrong with that picture. No one of sound mind, most especially a black man, even after being assaulted, would have kept a noose around his neck. No one. The symbolism would be so unimaginably awful that a person would have immediately removed it upon reaching safety. If this turns out to be a hoax, one can only imagine the pain and disappointment of Smollett’s grandfathers (and other blacks of that generation) for whom lynching was a very real threat. For them, a noose represented the most horrifying brand of racism. For Smollett, if faked, it was just another meaningless prop from a make-believe movie set. And that would be the most shameful act of all.

5) On May 13, 1981, Pope John Paul II was shot by an assassin. Upon recovery, he visited his attacker, and, in true magnanimity, forgave him. Assuming Smollett perpetrated this whole mess, and everything he said was a lie, the least we could do is find it in our hearts to forgive him.

But forgiving and forgetting are two different things.

Hollywood prides itself so much for its Leftist values that being liberal is the litmus test for acceptance into “the club.” If Smollett perpetrated a hoax, he would have made an absolute mockery of Hollywood’s biggest issues: promoting diversity and the LBGTQ agenda. He also would have unwittingly given Donald Trump and his supporters a huge shot in the arm, lending credence to their claims that Hollywood and the media are “fake,” and that “MAGA” believers are unfairly targeted.

To avoid massive hypocrisy, Hollywood has but one choice: ban Jussie Smollett from working in Tinseltown, for at least a decade. He can rehabilitate himself by working a “regular” job. But affording Smollett celebrity status, after he drove a stake through everything Hollywood holds dear, would expose the industry’s political advocacy as a complete sham where money talks, principles walk and backbone is nonexistent.

If guilty, Smollett’s punishment should be a fine and community service – not jail. But above all, Jussie should be denied any entertainment platform, for allowing him to remain a “star” would validate his actions, sending the message that no matter how absurd your behavior is, you’ll be rewarded as America’s newest sensation. Everyone on the planet will know your name, and you’ll earn lucrative deals to “tell your story” – American superficiality at its worst.

Here’s hoping that we proceed with an open mind, respect the rights of the accused and remember that not everything is as simple as … black and white.