Today in ongoing genocide

[sabotabby]

Today, I was telling my class about a horrific miscarriage of justice, a murder where, despite overwhelming evidence and a ridiculous defence, the killer was not only acquitted (by an all-white jury, no less) but is also inexplicably allowed to profit from his crime through GoFundMe. A cruel case based in racism and bigotry, where a white farmer shot a young indigenous man in the back of his head, left his body outside, and had coffee with his family while waiting for the RCMP to arrive—the same RCMP who then bungled the evidence and harassed the victim's family.

It was at the end of a long day and for the life of me, I could only remember the name of the victim, Colten Boushie, and not his murderer, Gerald Stanley. Because during the whole case, they've been referring to it as the "Colten Boushie" trial, as if it's the murder victim who stands accused and not his killer.

This country. It's a hell of a thing to have to explain to kids. I've lived here all my life and yet the reminder that we differ from the American Deep South in the 1950s merely by degree, not kind, is nevertheless continuously shocking.

If you want to help out Colten's family, you can donate here.

Comments

[mistersmearcase]

I'm kind of choosing my words here because I'm not much interested in an argument but you probably knew I would raise an eyebrow at the idea that this is shocking. The racism isn't all over there somewhere.

[sabotabby]

It's not shocking, really, except in just how over-the-top it is.

[mistersmearcase]

Sorry, I’ve developed a hair trigger for suggestions that the American South is where racism lives and everyone else is probably ok. I don’t mean to be a dick about it.

[sabotabby]

I hear ya.

A wiser soul than I am pointed out that this is not so much Alabama in the 50s as Saskatchewan since 1867. (You could replace Saskatchewan with anywhere in Canada, which is kinda the point.)

[minoanmiss]

Thank. you or the link to how to help Colten's family. And oh, my weary, aching heart. Every detail o this case -- I've heard this a thousand times, a thousand and one too many. Too many kids of color murdered by people allowed to judge them vermin.

*hugs you*

[sabotabby]

*hugs back*

It's just so predictable as to be paint-by-numbers, and that's the only thing that's shocking about it.

[evilpettingz00]

OMG, that's awful. :(

[sabotabby]

Yeah.

[conuly]

I'd rather not believe any of this. I'd rather I couldn't, that the situation was such that this was literally incredible.

[sabotabby]

It's entirely believable. It's just...I don't know. Caricaturish, if that makes sense.

[rdi]

I was appalled when I heard the result. And equally appalled that there are so many people ready to help out an admitted killer. I mean, there is no dispute that Stanley was holding the gun.

As to the trial, it’s strange to see the victim’s name but it makes a change from always knowing the murder’s name and not knowing the those of the victims.

Thanks for the link to Colten’s fund. I also made a token contribution to the Stanley fund so I could call him a murderer in the comments.

[sabotabby]

Nice.

My kids felt the same way; like the murderer was scum, and who wanted to know his name? They wanted to remember Colten. But reading the media coverage, it just felt like it was Colten on trial, not Stanley.