The Face of Hate

The Internet exploded this weekend with a video showing a high school student seemingly mocking and intimidating a Native American. Condemnation is running pretty high on Nicholas Sandmann, whose life will probably never be the same (although he may end up with a job in the Trump administration).

I wasn't there, and some say the issue is more complicated. Was this taken out of context? Based on this photo, it would appear that Sandmann has a smirk on his face, looking directly into the eyes of Nathan Phillips, closer that would be comfortable. Sandmann says that Phillips got in his face. If so, why didn't he move? On the other hand, Phillips didn't move because he was chanting and beating a drum, and wanted to stand his ground.

Sandmann was part of a group of students from a Catholic high school in Covington, Kentucky in Washington, D.C. to attend a pro-life rally. If that doesn't clue you into their political leanings, the "Make America Great Again" hats should. The MAGA hat has become the modern-day Klan hood, or a Swastika armband--it indicates that the wearer is a bigot, an asshole, and not very bright.

It's clear that in this dark age of Trump the ugliness of America has been released, like the methane that's oozing up from the permafrost that's melting. We seem to see daily someone harassing a black person for doing things while black, or a Spanish-speaker in the supermarket. Many of these harassers have admitted they have been emboldened by Trump. Rates of bullying are higher in places Trump won that those he did not. Women are not to be believed when they claim sexual assault. Now we have an indigenous American being harassed by smug twerps, young Brett Kavanaughs, who chant "Build the Wall" as if it as anything to with Indians. As someone noted on Facebook, it shows that wanting to build the wall has only to do with white privilege. These are people who, like the odious Steve King of Iowa, think Western civilization is the shit and don't want diversity. They don't America to be great, they want America to be white.

Sandmann released a statement protesting he's innocent, but what else would he do? I've read enough eyewitness accounts that Phillips wanted to try to dispel some tension between the students and a group of black Hebrew Israelites (I've heard them preach in New York City--they are about as nutty as flat-Earthers). Sandmann's stance and expression do not indicate someone who is all peace and loving.

The Covington school is investigating the incident. I wouldn't kick him out or suspend him, I'd make his continued enrollment contingent on spending part of his summer doing community service on an Indian reservation.