Van Jones faced criticism for op-ed alleging cops ‘killing’ Tire Nichols may have been ‘racist driven’
CNN commentator Van Jones caused a backlash for suggesting that the police officers – all of whom were black – who beat and eventually killed Tire Nichols may have been “driven by racism.”
The video released Friday evening shows 29-year-old Nichols screaming for his mother multiple times during the brutal Jan. 7 attack, which took place just a few blocks from his home. He died shortly afterwards.
Jones, one of CNN’s most liberal commentators, wrote Friday that black people are “not immune” to the effects of anti-black racism and that the stories of police brutality should never be as simple as “white cop kills unarmed black man.”
“Society’s message that black people are inferior, unworthy, and dangerous is pervasive,” Jones wrote. “Over many decades, countless experiments have shown that these ideas can infiltrate black and white minds alike. Self-loathing is real.’
CNN commentator Van Jones sparked backlash for suggesting that the police officers – all of whom were black – who beat and eventually killed Tire Nichols may have been “racist driven”
He said this mindset could lead a black shop owner to “view customers of the same race with suspicion.”
“Black people can harbor anti-black sentiments and can act on those feelings in harmful ways,” Jones added.
He further suggested that the problem is that the black cops are “socialized” into police departments that treat neighborhoods as “war zones” and claims that police of all races are “internalizing” the idea that few cops are punished for atrocities.
He then quoted the lyrics of rap group NWA from “F**k tha Police,” who share similar sentiments about black cops.
“Ultimately, the race of the victim being assaulted — not the race of the violent officer — is most relevant in determining whether racial bias is a factor in police brutality,” he said, suggesting that it is “difficult to imagine” that a white man beaten to death by police.
Many voices of different political stripes were outraged by the attempt to divide people on this issue.
Patrick Bet-David, a podcast host and author, wrote, “Any chance CNN gets to divide America jumps on it. It is a pity. Why don’t you try uniting for once? This was a tragic event. What those 5 cops did to Tire Nichols was appalling to say the least. My heart goes out to his entire family.’
Jones, one of CNN’s most liberal commentators, wrote on Friday that black people are “not immune” to the effects of anti-black racism and that the stories of police brutality should never be as simple as “white cop kills unarmed black man.”
“Society’s message that black people are inferior, unworthy, and dangerous is pervasive,” Jones wrote. “Over many decades, countless experiments have shown that these ideas can infiltrate black and white minds alike. Self-hatred really exists’
Columnist Thomas Chatterton Williams added: “What if, stay with me, these five men were actually cops responsible for their own reprehensible actions and not just hapless puppets manipulated by the invisible hand of inescapable and all-powerful white supremacy ?’
Connor Boyack replied, “The most racist people in our society seem to be the ones who inject racism into every conceivable circumstance.”
“It’s racism, CNN is the racist,” said Olivier Janssens.
The Memphis Police Department has released harrowing bodycam footage of five police officers fatally beating Tire Nichols after a traffic stop for allegedly reckless driving.
The video released Friday evening shows 29-year-old Nichols screaming for his mother multiple times during the brutal Jan. 7 attack, which took place just a few blocks from his home.
‘Mom! Mom!’ yells Nichols as he is pinned to the ground by multiple officers, pepper sprayed in the face, kicked and punched in the head, and beaten with a metal baton.
The video shows that during the nearly four-minute altercation, police delivered at least nine blows to the FedEx employee as he shouted profanities.
Even after paramedics arrived, a handcuffed Nichols lay slumped on the sidewalk for nearly half an hour without any significant medical intervention.
All five officers involved in the murder were charged with manslaughter, with the prosecutor saying that while they all played different roles, “they are all responsible.”
Still, police across the country braced for potential violent unrest as protesters gathered to express their outrage in response to the graphic and deeply disturbing images.