Watching this sentencing, and struck yet again by the defiance in Derek Chauvin’s demeanor; the utterly cold look on his face — the same way he looked as he knelt on George Floyd’s neck for 9 and a half minutes. It’s chilling to the bones.
— Joy-Ann (Pro-Democracy) Reid 😷 (@JoyAnnReid) June 25, 2021
"Defiance" can be defined as "bold resistance against an opposing force or authority" or, as is more applicable to this case, "contemptuous disrespect for the authority of another." That is utterly contrary to the "cold look" Reid also observed on Chauvin as today's sentencing hearing took place.
"Utterly cold look" is a realistic judgement. However, Chauvin displayed no defiance as he took on a stoic demeanor.
Perhaps Reid understood that she was contradicting herself and merely Reid wanted to condemn the defendant as much as possible by slamming him for both being defiant and utterly cold. The intellectually dishonest remark would be self-satisfying.
This, though, suggests either either extreme naivete about the justice system or an interest in justice which is highly selective:
If Chauvin gets less or even equal to that, it will prove that we just don’t ever have equal justice under law in this country.
— Joy-Ann (Pro-Democracy) Reid 😷 (@JoyAnnReid) June 25, 2021
Fortunately, Chauvin received a sentence greater than
12-and-a-half years. He is expected to serve 15 years because he was sentenced
to 22 and-a-half years. Though a
relatively light sentence, it is greater than the other by 30 months.
If Chauvin gets less or even equal to that, it will prove that we just don't ever have equal justice under law in this country. Derek Chauvin received a longer sentence than Mohamed Noor, and we nevertheless live in a nation without equal justice under law. Reid must be living in another world, or at least another country, than we are.
Some of us recognized injustice before the brutal murder of George Floyd. During the protests which followed, most other people learned of racial disparities in policing; of the unwillingess to prosecute, or inability of convicting, police accused of illegal behavior; and of harsh punsihment of blacks for minor violations of law.
It all added up to unequal justice of law in this country. However, her own words indicate that Joy Ann-Reid was blithely unaware that we lack equal justice and, with the sentence handed down to George Chauvin, now should be expected to argue that equal justice is the norm.
Instead Reid, despite believing equal justice is the norm, may instead complain that Chauvin's sentence was insufficient and indicative of a lack of justice. If so, she should be called upon to explain her journey from faith in the system to outrage at the permissive sentence handed down upon George Chauvin.
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