Derek Chauvin Was Really Convicted of Racism, Not Murder

This is why the left hailed Chauvin’s conviction as a victory in the fight for racial justice: Convicting him meant convicting America of systemic racism. By Aaron Kliegman On Tuesday, a jury found Derek Chauvin, a former Minneapolis police officer, guilty of murder and manslaughter in the death of George Floyd. That’s the big headline of the week, and that’s what court records will show years from now. But that’s not the real story. The most important charge against Chauvin is one the jury never considered. In fact, the prosecution never even alleged it. And there’s no evidence whatsoever that it ever took place. This is the charge of racism — specifically, that Chauvin is a racist who killed Floyd because he was Black. At no point during Chauvin’s trial did the prosecution prove that he was motivated by racism. If the prosecutors could prove it, they presumably would have charged Chauvin with a hate crime. And yet, countless athletes, activists, journalists, and politicians have claimed without hesitation that racism is precisely what motivated Chauvin. Indeed, they have framed the death of Floyd and the prosecution of Chauvin entirely as a matter of racial division. More importantly, though, these same voices turned Chauvin’s trial into a case against racism in America, not just an individual accused of murder. Which brings us to the broader point: To the left, Chauvin was representative of America’s racist system, an emblem of deeply entrenched oppression in the United States. Just look at what prominent Democrats and like-minded activists said following the conviction. President Joe Biden said the conviction puts the country in a position to take a “giant step forward in the march toward justice in America.” Biden’s former boss, President Barack Obama, echoed that point. “While verdict may have been a necessary step on the road to progress, it was far from a sufficient one,” he said. “We cannot rest. We will need to follow through with the concrete reforms that will reduce and ultimately eliminate racial bias in our criminal justice system.” Rep. Ayanna Pressley reacted to the jury’s decision by tweeting, “Black men, I love you, and you deserve to grow old.” Rep. Pramila Jayapal added, “We must put an end to police brutality, racism, and white supremacy. We can't just say Black lives matter — we must fight for Black lives.” Sen. Bernie Sanders opined that “real justice” for Floyd and others “can only happen when we build a nation that fundamentally respects the human dignity of every person.” Floyd’s brother, Philonise, even compared this case to the death of Emmitt Till, a 14-year-old Black boy who was brutally murdered by white racists in Mississippi in 1955. And Margaret Huang, president and CEO of the Southern Poverty Law Center, described Chauvin’s case as one that “galvanized a movement for justice that has expanded across the country, rooted in longstanding demands for a reimagining of a criminal legal system built on anti-Black racism and white supremacy.” This is why the left hailed Chauvin’s conviction as a victory in the fight for racial justice: Convicting him meant convicting America of systemic racism. To be clear, Chauvin was clearly a bad cop who demonstrated deplorable behavior on that fateful day last May. He deserves to go to jail — at least for manslaughter, because his recklessness clearly caused Floyd’s death. But here it’s worth asking a difficult question: Would the jury have convicted Chauvin of second- and third-degree murder if the person under his knee was white? We can’t say for sure, but we do know there’s a campaign to demonize America as an oppressive, racist country. The goal of that campaign is to overhaul the American system, and its effects are divisive and destructive. Derek Chauvin should be in jail. But to the left, he isn’t going alone. America will be joining him right there as his cellmate. Newt hosts monthly virtual events in which he discusses news of the day and why it matters to you and your community. These Newt Live events are your opportunity to communicate directly with Newt. We hope you will join us next time and let Newt answer your questions and provide his insight on the issues that concern you most. JOIN TODAY to be a part of this special event and receive a BONUS GIFT. Click here to join Newt’s Inner Circle. More from Aaron Kliegman: