The Hate That Lives in Book Five: Working Through the Maze 2018

I’m already working on another entry, but the last 24 hours have brought something to the forefront that I believe I need to speak on. As a Criminal Prosecutor, as an Attorney, as an Iowan… I feel a need and a responsibility to talk about this.

Brooklyn, Iowa in Poweshiek County has been in the news quite a bit recently. Some of you know exactly what I’m talking about before I even mention names. 20 year old University of Iowa student Mollie Tibbetts went missing about a month ago while out for a jog while she was watching her boyfriend’s house. Authorities believe that they have found her body and have arrested the man they believe is responsible. That man, with his court appointed attorney, appeared in court today for the Initial Appearance afforded to all Criminal Defendants in the state of Iowa. That is the cut and dried, factual recitation.

But as we know, we don’t live in a cut and dried, factual recitation world. Because many would see what I wrote and instantly take exception to the fact that I left out one key detail about the defendant: the defendant is an Hispanic male alleged to have been in the country illegally.

That fact, and that fact alone, has been enough to make people who couldn’t find Iowa on a map angry enough to begin sending letters, facebook posts, tweets, etcetera espousing their venom and hatred against this man. And if it were simply “How dare you take this woman away from her family?!” maybe I wouldn’t take issue. Maybe I wouldn’t feel the need to write an entire piece about this issue. But that isn’t what is going on.

The President of the United States heard the news, instantly started the race baiting and blaming Illegals, who he has said are rapists and murderers.
The Iowa Governor was so enthusiastic to Trump-support on that national stage that her first statement about the murder was to decry the broken immigration system.

The Facebook feed from the Initial Appearance is full of (and these are direct quotes):
- BuildThatWall
- Defense attorney should kill himself and spare the family
- RE: Criminal Defendants have a right to an attorney
- Illegals shouldn’t have any rights.
- Fuck ‘em
- The hell should an illegal have rights after taking a life?!
- Criminals shouldn’t get rights if they kill people
-God damn illegals #MAGA
(and the like)

Do you know what that DOESN’T take into account?

The deceased or her family. I’m not even going to mount the soapbox of Human Rights or Compassion or ANY of that. I’m going to say that the damned focus should be on the deceased and her family. Because the deceased is the one who needs justice and the family are the ones who are suffering. “Dale from Texas” has as much right to comment on these actions as any American, but unless you’re making these remarks also about the Colorado White Man who killed his wife and kids? Unless you’re making these remarks also about Denise O’Brien who killed two in a house fire she started? Then excuse me for thinking that you don’t give a shit about justice… you don’t care about Iowa crime… you just want to say “Fuck immigrants”. And it sickens me. A family is mourning the loss of a daughter killed before she could leave her full impact on the world.

And if you DID give a shit? You’d know that the Tibbetts family has already EXPRESSLY stated that this case should not become an issue about race or immigration. They have already specifically addressed that.

So right now, look at yourself, look hard at yourself. And try and reconcile this:

The grieving family, the people that have the most right to be upset, have said that this shouldn’t be about race or immigration. How can you, someone that didn’t even know Mollie, claim otherwise? The grieving family should be upset, the grieving family has earned the right to be gnashing their teeth and demanding justice… you, the un-involved bystander, have no greater right than they. So be ashamed at your unchecked rage and venom. Be ashamed of yourself for behaving like a wild animal in stampede. You didn’t lose your daughter when Mollie Tibbetts was found. Give a thought to the Tibbetts family. Pray that they are given justice and peace and comfort. And then shut the hell up.