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By Rickey Hampton, Editor and Founder of The African-American Athlete
I have a question for all of you who are outraged over the fact that O.J. Simpson has been granted parole after serving nine years, of a 33-year sentence.
Where have you been hiding your passion for justice?
I ask this not that I care so much about Simpson, who made a name as a brilliant NFL football player, and Hollywood actor. I ask this out of the affection I have for justice and this nation, for which my ancestors have fought and died.
Do you not understand we are a nation of laws?
Those laws state that a person is eligible for parole when he has a stellar
prison record, a stable and secure place to live upon leaving prison, acknowledges his regret, and in the eyes of the parole board, has met all requirements and poses very low risk to the community.
Simpson had zero incidents of trouble on his prison record, apologized for committing the crime, and the parole board unanimously voted to release him. Even the victim of the crime spoke on behalf of Simpson.
So, what is the problem?
Most who are going ballistic over this order are freaking out because they wish to see Simpson punished further in an effort to compensate for the murders for which he was tried and acquitted. You may remember that in 1995 O.J. Simpson was found not guilty in the deaths of Nicole Brown and Ron Goldman. Some people called it the ‘Trial of the Century’.
Yet despite the faux claims of patriotism _ with the propensity to drown in red, white and blue to prove it _ most white Americans would trash the principles of this nation to have their grumbling gut reactions assuaged.
Yes, I say white America, because it is mostly white America who are outraged by Simpson. Again, it is not like he is beloved in the black community. He is not Malcolm or Martin.
He is a guy that could run like hell with a football, and tried to act a little bit. Most black folk could care less about Simpson. They didn’t celebrate him in the not guilty verdict, they were glad to see the justice system actually work for a black man every once and a while.
Those upset by the order to release ‘love’ American as long as it goes their way and, as the election of Donald Trump demonstrates, his 36 percent base only actually ‘love’ America when they can pimp it for personal gain.
As their history of lynching and Jim Crow and racism prove, and as their modern day love of oligarchs and cries to dismantle this nations governmental norms and protocols illustrates, these people will vote to dumb down the nation, and destroy the fabric of liberty for all. And they do this just to serve their own far from Christian needs for vengeance against …. well, …pretty much anyone who is not them!
These people are outraged over the ‘injustice’ of Simpson going free, but don’t say a damn word when a cop in South Carolina guns down Walter Scott, shooting him in the back, like a dog.
They make excuses for Jeronimo Yanez, the suburban Minneapolis police officer, who shot Philando Castile, a license gun holder. They constantly make excuses when police kill black men and women, and are not held accountable by the justice system.
But the one time the justice system works in favor of a black man, who is accused of killing a white woman and white man, they don’t want to let it go.
That smacks of hypocrisy.
Simpson was found not guilty of the murder of Nicole Brown and Ron Goldman, whether you like it or not. And, he did apparently everything he was supposed to do in Nevada to earn his parole.
If you think that is injustice, well, welcome to the club. From the late Rodney King, who was beaten and pulverized by L.A. police, to Tulsa cop Betty Jo Shelby, who was found not guilty, after she panicked for no reason at all, and shot Terence Crutcher. America’s black community know injustice all too well. We live with it every day.
