This did not wear well. On February 22, 2019, a story posted on Gentleman’s Quarterly website was headlined: “The Racist, Homophobic Attack on Jussie Smollett Is America’s Endgame. When one of the most famous black and gay men in America is not safe, the message is clearer than it has ever been.” One of the most famous black and gay men? Count me among the multitudes who said, “Who is Jussie Smollett?”
GQ.com, of course, referred to the alleged hate crime committed one winter night in Chicago against actor Smollett, coming back from Subway toting a tuna fish foot-long sandwich. He claimed his attackers were President Donald Trump-supporting thugs who yelled racial and homophobic slurs. The tale quickly fell apart, but not before the “America is systemically racist” media and political ambulance chasers weighed in.
The soon-to-be presidential candidate Joe Biden tweeted in January 2019: “What happened today to Jussie Smollett must never be tolerated in this country. We must stand up and demand that we no longer give this hate safe harbor; that homophobia and racism have no place on our streets or in our hearts. We are with you, Jussie.”
Biden’s future running mate, Kamala Harris, tweeted: “Jussie Smollett is one of the kindest, most gentle human beings I know. I’m praying for his quick recovery. This was an attempted modern day-lynching. No one should have to fear for their life because of their sexuality or color of their skin. We must confront this hate.”
Rep. Maxine Waters tweeted: “Jussie is my friend — a very talented and beautiful human being. It is so hurtful that homophobic haters would dare hurt someone so loving and giving. I’m dedicated to finding the culprits and bringing them to justice. Jussie did not deserve to be harmed by anyone.”
Even after a Chicago grand jury determined that Smollett staged it and criminally indicted him, he insisted that the crime took place. Now facing several criminal charges of staging the attack and lying to the police, Smollett pled not guilty and even took the stand and insisted he did not fabricate the assault. The only thing missing from his bizarre testimony was a laugh track. A few days ago, the jury found him guilty of five of six charges.
Why does he not face a charge of perjury? According to Illinois law: “A person commits perjury when, under oath or affirmation, in a proceeding or in any other matter where by law the oath or affirmation is required, he or she makes a false statement, material to the issue … knowing the statement is false.”
In 2019, Wilfred Reilly, author of “Hate Crime Hoax,” found over 400 serious cases of alleged hate crimes from 2014 to 2019 that were later debunked. Reilly just upped the number of media-reported, but later debunked hate crimes, to nearly 1,000.
This brings us to MSNBC host Joy Reid. After the alleged Smollett attack, Reid tweeted: “Nooses never really disappeared as messages of a very specific kind of terror, but every time they’re used, my god, it’s chilling. Praying for Jussie’s full recovery. And for us all.” But Reid also pulled a Smollett. In the mid to late 2000s, she published a blog in which she wrote a series of posts denouncing gays, including “most straight people cringe at the sight of two men kissing” and “adult gay men tend to be attracted to very young, post-pubescent types.” The posts surfaced after Reid became a MSNBC host. She denied writing them and claimed her blog had been hacked. Like Smollett, Reid claimed to be a victim of a hate crime against her. The forensic specialist NBC hired to investigate her claim found no evidence of hacking. Reid apologized.
When the demand for hate crimes exceeds the supply, what to do? Fake it! The Rev. Al Sharpton and Tawana Brawley were not available for comment.
Finally, a message for Smollett. Consider these two words the next time you crave a midnight snack: Uber Eats.
Larry Elder is a bestselling author and nationally syndicated radio talk show host. His latest book, “The New Trump Standard,” is available in paperback from Amazon.com and for Nook, Kindle, iBooks and Google Play. To find out more about Larry Elder, or become an “Elderado,” visit www.LarryElder.com. Follow Larry on Twitter @LarryElder. To read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.
“When one of the most famous black and gay men in America is not safe, the message is clearer than it has ever been”,,,,that when lying and abusing reality, they are an act of self-destruction, waiting for a happening to people who are not even safe inside their own skins when they venture into the unclean skin parts of others. Some might say he is just the kid that cried wolf once too often, but is more like the wolf that cried crocodile tears once too often and got caught.
““What happened today BY Jussie Smollett, must never be tolerated in this country. We must stand up and demand that we no longer give this hate safe harbor.” Close Joe but no cigar. For want of one word the argument was lost, for want of the truth the conspiracy was lost, in one more act of self-debasement and demeaning that made nobody very gay, or happy, but sure added to the cumulative collective liberally offered American hate.
ITS Not just him, who needs to be done for perjury, but EVERY LEFTIST MEDIA HACK OUt there..
inluminatatul comments , ” Why Hasn’t Smallott been Charged… ” In Benjamin Franklin’s ” Poor Richard’s Almanic, He tells about, ” For want Of A Nail.. ” and the story ends with the sad News, …. ” TheKingdom was lost, And all For the Want Of A Horseshoe Nail . ” Perhaps if arack H. Obams’ Administration Been Involoved, Sollott Would have been Charged and sentenced alrady… ” For Lack of A Nail. “
Correction to my Response to inluminatul,
” Perhaps If Barack H. Obama’s Administration Hadn’t Been Involved, …. ” Is the way my comment Should Have Read.
Sorry !
“What happened today FROM Jussie Smollett must never be tolerated in this country. We must stand up and demand that we no longer give HIS hate safe harbor; that LIES and REVERSE racism have no place on our streets or in our FACE. We are AGAINST you, Jussie.”
There ya go Joe, fixed your words up for ya (see all caps).
Another on the mark assessment of the situation, his action in this can easily minimize the response when real crimes are committed like the one he staged, and the real victims not taken seriously!
As long as one lives in an abomination to Gods word they are welcomed with open arms and held in high regards by the Democratic Party. Juicy is just another fine example.
I honestly believe one HAS TO Be an abomination to be ACCEPTED INTO the DNC these days.
Why Hasn’t Jussie Smollett Been Charged with Perjury?
He’s Black.
He’s Gay.
He’s Liberal.
Pick one.
Well, they DID convict him of faking it.. SO WE CAN HOPE that it also means that they WILL pursue perjury charges…
Well let’s hope juicy smelly gets its just rewards
BLDM, Black LIES Don’t Matter even in court. They have black PRIVILEGE to loot, vandalize, commit fraud/anti-white hate crimes, then perjure themselves because 150 years ago…slavery – as though they were the only group in the history of the world to suffer. Don’t notice a get out of jail free card for Holocaust or Soviet gulag survivors or families of dead victims.
Strange how blacks who have lived their entire lives like Smollett with affirmative action privilege get to play their threadbare victim card.
Minorities get “affirmative action” yet they’re still poor me babies & whiners & losers who need special treatment and handouts. Give me a break like that and watch me pull ahead of the pack.
AND THIS IS exactly why we need to END affirmative action!!
Why hasn’t he been charged? Because the criminals running our country see no criminal actions no matter have severe the crime for their supporters.