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Davis Journal

Gratitude for trials by juries

As we observe Thanksgiving this week, like you, our hearts and minds ponder all we are grateful for, and all that we hold dear. At the forefront of our minds is a renewed gratitude for our judicial system, namely, trial by jury.

Two notable, but separate, trials took place the past couple of weeks. Two young men, ages 18 and 21, respectively, were on trial for murder and attempted murder. One was on trial in Wisconsin, and the other in Florida. Both claimed self-defense.

The Wisconsin defendant was white. The Florida defendant was black.

Most likely you’ve heard of the Wisconsin trial and defendant, but not the Florida trial and defendant.

Both verdicts were rendered on the same day. One received national media coverage, the other did not.

Kyle Rittenhouse was found not guilty on all five charges brought against him. Not surprisingly, the mainstream media reaction was one of rage, and claims that he was found not guilty because of racism, and because our judicial system is designed to oppress people of color.

But what about Andrew Coffee, and the five charges brought against him? He, too, was found not guilty on all counts by reason of self defense. Yet his story has remained silent. Why?

For one obvious reason: it goes against the narrative that’s been pushed by the mainstream media the past several years. The media, along with the Left, have been pushing a narrative that America is a racist country. Critical Race Theory claims that western institutions have been structured to keep people of color down so that they cannot prosper or receive a fair judicial outcome. In order to make these claims believed, or widely accepted, by the majority of Americans, they only cover and highlight stories that uphold that narrative, and disregard any and all examples that prove the narrative wrong. Such is the case with their silence on the trial and verdict of Andrew Coffee.

This isn’t journalism. It isn’t truth. It is deception. Even worse, it is intentional.

We are people of faith. We believe God to be the author of truth. We believe knowledge and intelligence are truth. We believe that when examined, truth will be upheld and unchanging. Always remember that truth doesn’t mind being questioned, only a lie does. Take note of the reaction you receive when you question a lie or false narrative. People become enraged.

We are grateful, this week, for the presumption of innocence. We are grateful for courts where evidence is presented. We are grateful for juries who listen to evidence presented. We are extremely grateful that, despite their best efforts, the media and the court of public opinion are not the arbiters of justice in this country. We are grateful for those who place integrity before politics, and who ignore narratives as they seek the truth.