I check in on a few pages of right-wing “friends” on social media to see which narrative they’re pushing that day. Most of the time, I don’t comment or engage as it’s pointless. But it’s good to see what the Tucker fuckers are talking about. I have discovered that if you go from one cultist’s page to another, they’re all on the same talking point and often using the same code words. It only takes a few minutes each day and it beats having to watch Fox News.

One of the narratives making the rounds is that the liberal media is outraged at an Ohio police officer for shooting a 16-year-old black girl as she was swinging a knife at another young black woman. The narrative is not true.

I watch a lot of CNN and I haven’t heard anyone from the network express outrage over this shooting. Don Lemon, who is one of the right’s favorites to hate, has not gone after the police over this one and has said it may be justified. Ooh, there goes that narrative. I’ve heard people on CNN express it was a tragedy. It was a tragedy. For Fox News and their ilk, it’s another opportunity to drive up outrage and increase ratings from their racist audience. The young woman was shot by a black cop.

I’m not saying the officer shouldn’t have shot the girl. I’m also not saying he didn’t have a choice. The national Fraternal Order of Police, which called it “an act of heroism, but one with tragic results.” Maybe they should learn when it’s best to shut up. Shooting a 16-year-old girl four times in the chest is NOT heroic.

I’m not a cop. This was not something that took nine and a half minutes. This was an event that transpired in 11 seconds. I have not been trained in law enforcement so I don’t know how I would have reacted with 11 seconds and a gun on my hip when it seems there may be a life on the line.

But, I am pretty sure about one thing: If this was two white guys fighting in front of a cop and he only had 11 seconds, I bet the knife-wielding white guy would still be alive.

The cop shot Ma’Khia Bryant four times. It took four bullets to stop a 16-year-old girl. Why couldn’t he have stopped her with one bullet? Or better yet, why couldn’t he have stopped her with a taser? He’s a trained officer of the law. Why couldn’t he have physically stopped her? Again, she was a 16-year-old girl.

Here’s what white conservatives don’t understand: Breaking the law doesn’t mean you should die. It doesn’t mean a cop gets to be your judge, jury, and executioner. The “obey the rules” argument is horse shit. It’s like blaming a rape victim for the way she dressed. And as outdated as that argument is, they’re still using it.

George Floyd broke the law but he shouldn’t have been killed. I know the right wants to villainize the guy and put him on trial, but the kind of person he was is not relevant. He was murdered. People shouldn’t be murdered for passing a fake $20 bill. There was a warrant for Daunte Wright but that doesn’t mean he should have been killed. Resisting arrest is not a call for the death sentence. How many people are on death row for resisting arrest? How many people are on death row for not following a cop’s instructions?

And Ma’Khia Bryant should still be alive. Maybe she would be a little worse for wear than she started that day, but she shouldn’t be dead. We still don’t know what the circumstances are. She may have even been the one to call the police to come to her neighborhood.

How do police in nations where they don’t carry guns respond to incidents like this?

I know this will sound crazy to the right-wing fucknuts, and others will say it’s a dangerous and radical opinion, but cops shouldn’t be shooting multiple bullets into 16-year-old girls.

Creative note: I did a virtual happy hour with about 30 other cartoonists last Friday. It’s a big Zoom meeting where everyone brings drinks except for guys like me who forgot to bring a drink. Anyway, during the meeting I made a joke about the number of lady justice cartoons last week. So naturally, I drew a lady justice cartoon today.

Signed prints: The signed prints are just $40.00 each. Every cartoon on this site is available. You can pay through PayPal. If you don’t like PayPal, you can snail mail it to Clay Jones, P.O. Box 9103, Fredericksburg, VA 22403. I can mail the prints directly to you or if you’re purchasing as a gift, directly to the person you’re gifting.

Notes on my book, Tales From The Trumpster Fire: I have FIVE copies of my book in stock, which I’m selling for $45.00 each, signed. Also, I have copies of my first book from 1997, Knee-Deep in Mississippi available for $20.00.

Tip Jar: if you want to support the cartoonist, please send a donation through PayPal to clayjonz@gmail.com. You can also snail it to P.O. Box 9103, Fredericksburg, VA 22403.

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