That Covington Catholic Kid

Of course, the MAGA hat rubbed me the wrong way. Because it represents Trump, and Trump represents hatred and stupidity and bigotry.  And there was that kid's expression. He just seemed to be smirking at the Native American man. And he was right up in his face, for fuck's sake. And then there were the other kids in the background, chanting and jumping up and down and making weird gestures. It all seemed clear. 

Watching that video made me squirm. WHY wouldn't that kid get out of that man's face? What was he trying to prove? 

But he wasn't actually DOING anything. He didn't speak. It was just so weird. I should have thought about it. But I didn't.

I bought it. 

But there was more. There's a much longer video which shows a different story. It involves a small group of nasty, hateful Black men harassing the Covington Catholic kids. It shows the Native American man approaching that kid, not vice versa. If anything, it looks like the man is the aggressor, and the kid is just standing there while a stranger beats a drum in his face.

So now...I'm feeling disappointed in myself. I accepted the story I was given without examining it, without thinking it through. Without questioning the evidence.

Because it just seemed obvious. Because the kid's school itself immediately condemned his actions. Or "actions." Because...because I hate those fucking red hats.

That's the thing about hate, isn't it? It truncates your thought process. It makes it easy to believe what you want to believe. It makes it easy to ignore what you don't want to see.

Sorry, kid. 

ADDENDUM: I just saw a report on CNN in which a Native American woman who was there at the confrontation said that (1) there was no doubt that the kid and his peers were being disrespectful to the Native American man playing the drum, (2) that  the kids were chanting, "Built the Wall!" and ( 3) that she feared violence would break out.

Sigh.

I think I'm finished watching "the news" for awhile.