Sen. Rand Paul's Hold on Anti-Lynching Bill Is Disingenuous

Iowa City IA

06 June, 2020

1:48 PM

Description

Racists are coming out of the woodwork since Minneapolis police officers murdered George Floyd. Among those racists are the president of the United States, U.S. senators, and members of the House. President Trump said that George Floyd was looking down from heaven and rejoicing over new unemployment numbers. "It's a great day for George Floyd," he said. How twisted is our Narcissist-in-Chief? Even a murdered black man rejoices in Trump's perceived good fortune. Also vying for our outrage are Senators Rand Paul (R-KY) and Tom Cotton (R-AR). Rand Paul put a hold on an anti-lynching bill because he supposedly wanted to make it "stronger." He worries that an anti-lynching law could be used to convict someone for an assault causing "minor bruising." Tom Cotton wants Trump to yield to his darkest impulses and invoke the Insurrection Act, which would set the military loose on protesters and allow them to kill protesters en masse. Specifically, Trump referred to "vicious dogs and ominous weapons," which reminded me of slave catchers in the pre-Civil War South. According to MSNBC, it's only been in the last few years that police officers have been charged with murder for killing unarmed black people. It took no time at all for the Minneapolis police chief to fire all four officers who killed or helped kill George Floyd. It took a few days before Derek Chauvin was charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. For days longer, his accomplices in that murder weren't charged at all. Once Minnesota attorney general Keith Ellison became special counsel in Floyd's case, Chauvin's murder charge was upgraded to second-degree murder and his accomplices were charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder. Two of the officers knelt on Chauvin's back and diaphragm, which contributed to his inability to breathe. The fourth officer appeared to act as a lookout. A very brave teenager filmed the murder. That's why we have the evidence. Republican senators are starting to worry that the president's major gaffes, like tear-gassing peaceful protesters to clear the way for a photo op in front of a church while brandishing a Bible, could possibly hurt their reelection chances. Murmured criticisms have begun, but hey. The Republican majority in the Senate had their chance to save our republic. They could have convicted him on articles of impeachment, but like their cowardly president who was rushed to the White House bunker when peaceful protesters marched outside, they wimped out.