The case, Jussie Smollett, and the consequences

The case of the actor Jussie Smollett, who is said to have staged a racist attack, in the United States for excitement also, because democratic politicians looked too quickly with him solid.

Of Torsten Teichmann, ARD-Studio, Washington

inspector Eddie Johnson tried to put his bewilderment into words. The Chicago police gives the impression that he felt personally attacked: "Why any man, especially a black American, the well-known Symbol of a noose should use it to make false accusations?" Johnson himself was African-American. The sling is in the United States for Lynchings and racist Terror by White since the end of the 19th century. Century.

The actor Jussie Smollett, had claimed that he had been ambushed in the city of Chicago on the street by two men who had placed a noose around the neck. They had him beaten with homophobic and racist remarks offended, and the battle cry of President Trump bellowed: "Make America great again".

it was like a bad dream. Especially as the end of the week, the police said, you assume that Smollett had orchestrated the Robbery. "The Stunt Smollett had planned, because he was with his payment dissatisfied," says Johnson. Smollett plays Jamal in the television series "Empire", which runs in Germany, with ProSieben. From the last two episodes of the current season, the figure was deleted.

"victim Chic" in the American society

The case goes beyond the failure of the 36-year-old actor. Americans are convinced that the United States will be plagued especially under President Trump homophobia and racism, had hidden contradictions in Smolletts history, writes Noah Rothman in the New York Times. Possible presidential candidates from the Democrats, such as Kamala Harris and Cory Booker let every caution to - the description fit too well in your image. They spoke of the "modern Lynching".

Any attempt against racism, get into disrepute, warned the commentator Areva Martin of the TV channel CNN. "Racism is a big issue in this country," she said. "Many people seek to draw attention to and fight against hatred. And these false accusations to throw back these efforts by decades."

John McWorter of Columbia University, goes a step further. He writes in the magazine "The Atlantic" of a "victim Chic" in Parts of American society. How else can an actor Smollett comes to the thought that his market value in the Entertainment industry after a homophobic and racist attack?

More scepticism compared with that of similar actions?

This is what makes the inspector Johnson stunned. And he speaks to journalists and camera people at a press conference in Chicago directly: "When I look around me, then I would hope that the families of the victims of gun violence in this city get so much attention. Because it would earn the attention this one case." He fears that acts of hatred will be met in accordance with the case of Smollett, with more skepticism than in the past. The number of attacks on Muslims and Jews has risen in the United States.

It was just awful, tweeted the author Ben Philippe. The story offers no teaching on racism, victims or the media. Any attempt at an explanation of behaviour, acting carelessly. And he summarizes what many black Americans feel.

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Atlas |USA |Chicago

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