Dear Comrades,
By now you’ve surely heard the news: Kyle Rittenhouse, the vigilante teenage murderer who crossed state lines to seek violence in a parking lot in Kenosha, Wisconsin, has been found not guilty by an almost all-white jury and an obscenely racist judge. The jury’s decision to declare Kyle Rittenhouse not guilty on all counts is unacceptable, and is a clear case of the failures of the Wisconsin injustice system.
While a guilty verdict wouldn’t have brought back the two protestors murdered in cold blood by Rittenhouse, it would have set a precedent that the far-right is not allowed to murder whomever it chooses in the name of self-defense. Instead, this ruling opens the floodgates for further baseless “self defense” claims from fascists using violence to mandate fear in vulnerable and targeted communities.
It is no accident that the police are uniting with vigilante far-right violence. It is no coincidence that Rittenhouse wants to be a police officer when he grows up. The US injustice system was developed to enshrine white supremacy at the expense of those who work to undo it. As those in power continue to build upon the fascist foundations of our nation, it becomes ever-clearer that abolition of police and the carceral state at large is the only path forward.
The Milwaukee DSA is committed to an anti-fascist, anti-racist, abolitionist future.
We remember Joseph Rosenbaum and Anthony Huber. We keep their families, friends, and loved ones in our thoughts. We stand in solidarity with Gaige Grosskreutz as he heals from the scars of the traumatic events he endured. We also stand with Jacob Blake and his family, friends, and loved ones as they try to heal and move on from police violence and the decision to not charge Officer Rusten Sheskey following his shooting of Jacob Blake in August 2020.
We stand with victims of far-right and police violence everywhere, wishing safety and courage to all future protestors and demonstrators as the police and fascist vigilantes close ranks and become further indistinguishable. We deserve a future where people feel safe to exist without the threat of white supremacy, racism, and fascism.
We need to continue organizing ourselves to eradicate such social ills. Without making radical changes to our nation, tragedies like this will happen again and again.
In love and solidarity,
Milwaukee DSA
Connect With Your Community
In times like these, the value of connecting with each other and effecting change is made all the more clear. Visit the Get Involved page to learn about Milwaukee DSA working groups and reach out to get connected.