vox--2020-08-24--You can get reinfected with Covid-19 but still have immunity. Let’s explain.

Researchers in Hong Kong have reported that a 33-year-old man has been reinfected with SARS-CoV-2 , the virus the causes the Covid-19 disease .
There have been anecdotal reports of reinfections in the US , but this time researchers have clearer evidence : They determined the genetic signature of the second infection did not match that of the first .
There ’ s still a lot not known about the case .
The researchers , who are medical scientists from the University of Hong Kong , announced their finding in a press release .
( They say a paper in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ; a few pages of the report are circulating on Twitter . )
When the report is finally published , there ’ s sure to be more scrutiny from the scientific community .
On this topic of reinfection , we can be reassured : The report , if corroborated , is in line with what immunity experts have been telling us is possible with this virus .
The most important detail : The man was not symptomatic during his second infection , which shows that his immune system did respond to the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ alarm , ” Yale immunologist Akiko Iwasaki tweeted about the new results from Hong Kong .
“ This is a textbook example of how immunity should work.
” According to the Hong Kong researchers , the first time the patient got sick , he felt ill : He had a cough , a sore throat , fever , and headache , and had to be hospitalized .
The second time the patient tested positive for the virus — four and a half months later — after being screened at the airport , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virologist and physician Muge Cevik explains on Twitter , this is “ in a way reassuring.
” It ’ s what you ’ d hope to see the second time someone is infected with a virus : a less severe reaction .
Which is all to say : You can be reinfected with the virus but still have some protective immunity to it .
Why ?
There are many , many components of our immune system that are working together to fight the virus .
And immunity doesn ’ t mean one single @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about immunity and Covid-19 The immune system is profoundly complicated , and “ immunity ” can mean many different things .
A lot of this nuance gets lost in headlines about immunity .
For instance : Previous research has shown that neutralizing antibodies — immune system proteins that latch onto pathogens and prevent them from infecting cells — can wane in the months after a Covid-19 infection , particularly when the initial infection was mild .
Headlines wondered if that meant the end of herd immunity hopes .
But what ’ s often @ @ @ @ @ @ @ component of the immune system , and losing them does not leave a person completely vulnerable to the virus .
In fact , there are several parts of the immune system that may contribute to lasting protection against SARS-CoV-2 .
One is killer T-cells .
“ Their names give you a good hint what they do , ” Alessandro Sette , an immunologist at the La Jolla Institute for Immunology , told me in July .
“ They see and destroy and kill infected cells.
” Antibodies , he explained , can clear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if the virus gets inside the cell , then it becomes invisible to the antibody.
” That ’ s where killer T-cells come in : They find and destroy these hidden viruses .
While antibodies can prevent an infection , killer T-cells deal with an infection that ’ s already underway .
So they play a huge role in long-term immunity , stopping infections before they have time to get a person very sick .
And it ’ s not just killer T-cells and antibodies .
There are also helper T-cells , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ They are required for the antibody response to mature , ” Sette says .
Some proportion of the population ( perhaps 25 to 50 percent of people ) seem to have some preexisting T-cells ( of both varieties , but the helper kind have been more commonly observed ) that respond to SARS-CoV-2 , despite these people never having been exposed to SARS-CoV-2 .
( The theory is that these people may have acquired these T-cells from being infected with other strains in the coronavirus family of viruses . )
Researchers still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these preexisting T-cells play in preventing or attenuating infection ( if any ) .
But wait , there ’ s more !
There ’ s another group of cells called memory B-cells .
B-cells are the immune system cells that create antibodies .
Certain types of B-cells become memory B-cells .
These save the instructions for producing a particular antibody , but they aren ’ t active .
Instead , they hide out — in your spleen , in your lymph nodes , perhaps at the original site of your infection — waiting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ again .
All the things “ immunity ” can mean All these different components of the immune system mean “ immunity ” isn ’ t just one thing .
Immunity could mean a strong antibody response , which prevents the virus from establishing itself in cells .
But it could also mean a good killer T-cell response , which could potentially stop an infection very quickly : before you feel sick and before you start spreading the virus to others .
“ In many infections , the virus does reproduce a little bit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this infection in its tracks , ” Sette explains .
Also possible : “ You do get infected , you do get sick , but your immune system does enough of a job curbing the infection , so you don ’ t get as sick.
” Immunity might also result from an awakening of memory B-cells .
If an individual has memory B-cells and is exposed to the virus again , “ that infection will stimulate a much faster antibody response to the virus , which would , theoretically lead to faster clearance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infection , ” Elitza Theel , the director of the infectious diseases serology laboratory at the Mayo Clinic , said in a July interview .
In general , scientists believe , the stronger the infection ( and immune response ) that occurs during an initial infection , the longer immunity will last .
So reinfection may still be possible , but it may not mean severe illness .
When a virus invades a body , generally , the body remembers .
It ’ s still not known what the latest study from Hong @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will last .
If reinfections happen regularly ( and we have no idea how common they might be ) , then it might take longer to achieve herd immunity without a vaccination ( which is an un-ideal , and cynical , goal to begin with ) .
How long immunity lasts , on average , and how common reinfection is are key unknown variables in figuring out how long the pandemic may last in the absence of an effective vaccine or treatment .
“ Since reinfection can occur , herd immunity by natural @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Iwasaki tweeted .
“ The only safe and effective way to achieve herd immunity is through vaccination.
” It may also depend on how often reinfections lead to more clusters of cases .
A few days ago , I asked Shane Crotty , an immunologist at the La Jolla Institute for Immunology , about this very scenario .
“ Could there be an ‘ immunity ’ scenario , ” I asked , “ where , after having recovered from Covid , a person could get infected again but not feel sick @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to spread it ?
” “ It is a good question , and the answer is that no one knows , ” Crotty replied .
“ There are cases with other diseases where asymptomatic immune people can be infectious .
There is definitely a lot to learn still about immunity to SARS-CoV-2.
” In the spring , we launched a program asking readers for financial contributions to help keep Vox free for everyone , and last week , we set a goal of reaching 20,000 contributors .
Well , you helped us blow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ extending that goal to 25,000 .
Millions turn to Vox each month to understand an increasingly chaotic world — from what is happening with the USPS to the coronavirus crisis to what is , quite possibly , the most consequential presidential election of our lifetimes .
Even when the economy and the news advertising market recovers , your support will be a critical part of sustaining our resource-intensive work — and helping everyone make sense of an increasingly chaotic world .
Contribute today from as little as $ 3 .

Researchers at the University of Nevada have reported that a 25-year-old man was reinfected in June with SARS-CoV-2, the virus the causes Covid-19. He joins a handful of other confirmed cases of reinfection in people without immune disorders — in Belgium, the Netherlands, Hong Kong, and Ecuador — where researchers have demonstrated that the genetic signature of the second infection did not match that of the first.
According to a new study on the Nevada case, published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases journal, the patient first tested positive in April, and then tested negative for the virus twice. In June, 48 days later, “the patient was hospitalized and tested positive for a second time,” according to the authors, and he experienced severe symptoms. There were major genetic differences between the two infections, suggesting that the patient got the virus twice. (Since then, the patient has recovered.)
The report is in line with what immunity experts have been telling us is possible with this virus: that reinfection is possible and, to some extent, expected, with a coronavirus. But it also shows us how much we still have to learn: about how much protection a single infection can confer, about what exactly a robust long-duration immune response looks like, and about what determines the severity of disease in a second infection.
“Does immunity protect an individual from disease on reinfection?” writes Yale immunobiology researcher Akiko Iwasaki in an accompanying editorial in The Lancet Infectious Diseases. “The answer is not necessarily, because patients from Nevada and Ecuador had worse disease outcomes at reinfection than at first infection.”
The Nevada case is an important finding, since in the two other confirmed cases of reinfection, the patients had mild disease or were asymptomatic. Scientists still don’t know how common reinfection is (it may well be very rare), nor can they determine an individual’s chances of getting infected again.
They do know there are many, many components of our immune system that work together to fight the coronavirus, and immunity doesn’t mean one single thing. And while we’re waiting for scientists to figure it all out, everyone, including those who’ve already had the virus, should still try to avoid getting infected at all.
The new study “strongly suggests that individuals who have tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 should continue to take serious precautions when it comes to the virus, including social distancing, wearing face masks, and handwashing,” said Mark Pandori, of the Nevada State Public Health Laboratory at the University of Nevada Reno School of Medicine and lead author of the study, in a statement.
Let’s walk through the basics of immunity, and what we’re learning about reinfection.
There are no simple stories about immunity and Covid-19
The immune system is profoundly complicated, and “immunity” can mean many different things. A lot of this nuance gets lost in headlines about immunity.
For instance: Previous research has shown that neutralizing antibodies — immune system proteins that latch onto pathogens and prevent them from infecting cells — can wane in the months after a Covid-19 infection, particularly when the initial infection was mild. Some wondered if that meant the end of herd immunity hopes.
In the Nevada case, we know that “the patient had positive antibodies after the reinfection, but whether he had pre-existing antibody after the first infection is unknown,” writes Iwasaki.
But what’s often misunderstood is that antibodies are only one component of the immune system, and losing them does not leave a person completely vulnerable to the virus.
In fact, there are several parts of the immune system that may contribute to lasting protection against SARS-CoV-2.
One is killer T-cells. “Their names give you a good hint what they do,” Alessandro Sette, an immunologist at the La Jolla Institute for Immunology, told me in July. “They see and destroy and kill infected cells.”
Antibodies, he explained, can clear virus from bodily fluids. “But if the virus gets inside the cell, then it becomes invisible to the antibody.” That’s where killer T-cells come in: They find and destroy these hidden viruses.
While antibodies can prevent an infection, killer T-cells deal with an infection that’s already underway. So they play a huge role in long-term immunity, stopping infections before they have time to get a person very sick.
And it’s not just killer T-cells and antibodies. There are also helper T-cells, which facilitate a robust antibody cell response. “They are required for the antibody response to mature,” Sette says.
Some proportion of the population (perhaps 25 to 50 percent of people) seems to have some preexisting T-cells (of both varieties, but the helper kind have been more commonly observed) that respond to SARS-CoV-2, despite these people never having been exposed to SARS-CoV-2. The hypothesis is that these people may have acquired these T-cells from being infected with other strains in the coronavirus family of viruses. Researchers still don’t really understand what role these preexisting T-cells play in preventing or attenuating infection (if any).
But wait, there’s more! There’s another group of cells called memory B-cells. B-cells are the immune system cells that create antibodies. Certain types of B-cells become memory B-cells. These save the instructions for producing a particular antibody, but they aren’t active. Instead, they hide out — in your spleen, in your lymph nodes, perhaps at the original site of your infection — waiting for a signal to start producing antibodies again.
All the things “immunity” can mean
All these different components of the immune system mean “immunity” isn’t just one thing.
Immunity could mean a strong antibody response, which prevents the virus from establishing itself in cells. But it could also mean a good killer T-cell response, which could potentially stop an infection very quickly: before you feel sick and before you start spreading the virus to others.
“In many infections, the virus does reproduce a little bit, but then the immune response stops this infection in its tracks,” Sette explains. Also possible: “You do get infected, you do get sick, but your immune system does enough of a job curbing the infection, so you don’t get as sick.”
Immunity might also result from an awakening of memory B-cells. If an individual has memory B-cells and is exposed to the virus again, “that infection will stimulate a much faster antibody response to the virus, which would, theoretically lead to faster clearance of the virus and potentially less severe infection,” Elitza Theel, the director of the infectious diseases serology laboratory at the Mayo Clinic, said in a July interview.
In general, scientists believe, the stronger the infection (and immune response) that occurs during an initial infection, the longer immunity will last.
So reinfection may still be possible, but it may not mean severe illness. When a virus invades a body, generally, the body remembers.
Could asymptomatic infections spread the virus? Unclear.
It’s still not known what the latest reinfection study means for how long the pandemic will last. If reinfections happen regularly (and we have no idea how common they might be), then it might take longer to achieve herd immunity without a vaccination (which is an un-ideal, and cynical, goal to begin with). How long immunity lasts, on average, and how common reinfection is are key unknown variables in figuring out how long the pandemic may last in the absence of an effective vaccine or treatment.
“Reinfection cases tell us that we cannot rely on immunity acquired by natural infection to confer herd immunity; not only is this strategy lethal for many but also it is not effective,” Iwasaki wrote in the editorial. “Herd immunity requires safe and effective vaccines and robust vaccination implementation.”
We also have much more to learn about how often reinfections lead to more clusters of cases. Recently, I asked Shane Crotty, an immunologist at the La Jolla Institute for Immunology, about this very scenario.
“Could there be an ‘immunity’ scenario,” I asked, “where, after having recovered from Covid, a person could get infected again but not feel sick at all, and also be able to spread it?”
“It is a good question, and the answer is that no one knows,” Crotty replied. “There are cases with other diseases where asymptomatic immune people can be infectious. There is definitely a lot to learn still about immunity to SARS-CoV-2.”


vox--2020-08-24--Mike Pompeo’s RNC speech will place him as the most partisan secretary of state in decades

When Mike Pompeo addresses the Republican National Convention on Tuesday , he ’ ll be solidifying his place as the most partisan secretary of state in decades — and tarnishing the proudly independent reputation of the agency he leads .
The nation ’ s chief diplomat is on official travel to the Middle East to handle important foreign policy issues , namely how to strengthen a US-brokered deal to normalize relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates .
Instead of spending all his time focused on those matters , though , Pompeo will also address voters back home , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Jerusalem ( very literally , as he ’ s expected to deliver a recorded message from a rooftop somewhere in the city ) to boost the president ’ s reelection campaign .
“ Looking forward to sharing with you how my family is more SAFE and more SECURE because of President Trump , ” Pompeo tweeted on Sunday .
“ See you all on Tuesday night !
” That will shatter years of precedent in which sitting Cabinet members , and especially high-profile ones like secretaries of state , don ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It was a norm Pompeo ’ s predecessors — in both Republican and Democratic administrations — believed was important to uphold .
As Stephanie Epner , a former adviser to Secretary of State John Kerry , told me , her former boss purposely “ did not wade into domestic politics ” while he was at the State Department .
“ He was America ’ s chief diplomat , not Democrats ’ chief diplomat , and he took that very seriously.
” This norm is why longtime State Department employees I spoke to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to feature in the Republican Party ’ s showpiece .
“ It ’ s inappropriate on so many levels , ” a State official told me , speaking on the condition of anonymity to share candid views .
“ We should not be using American diplomacy for partisan political purposes.
” Pompeo seemingly agreed with that sentiment at one point : In February , he approved a State Department memo that says , in bold type : “ Senate-confirmed Presidential appointees may not even attend a political party convention or convention-related event.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Vox and signed by Pompeo , it clearly states the department ’ s “ longstanding policy ” is that employees “ may not engage in partisan political activity while posted or on TDY abroad , even on personal time.
” But ask State ’ s press officers if they see anything wrong with Pompeo ’ s participation , and you get a strong pushback .
The secretary “ will address the convention in his personal capacity , ” a State Department spokesperson told me without explaining how it violates the agency ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pompeo ’ s staff is involved in drafting his remarks or arranging the appearance .
And though his address will take place while Pompeo is on official travel , the spokesperson said taxpayers won ’ t incur any costs related to his speech .
That last part may be true in a technical sense , but it certainly comes close to , if not outright crosses , an ethical line .
Pompeo will be using the Israeli capital — the city President Donald Trump moved the US embassy to two years ago , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the backdrop for his address .
But taxpayers are footing the bill for his trip so he can conduct American foreign policy , not to provide him with a politically useful scene for a Republican Party convention speech .
Were he not traveling there as secretary of state on a taxpayer-funded trip , he wouldn ’ t be in the Israeli capital .
The spokesperson didn ’ t answer further questions on this point .
Still , four teams of lawyers , including State ’ s legal counsel , reportedly looked at Pompeo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ don ’ t cross any ethical lines , and apparently they signed off on them .
One reason may be because Pompeo isn ’ t officially attending the event , but rather sending in a short pre-recorded speech from a rooftop in Jerusalem .
That Pompeo would even consider coming near such a clear red line , though , is typical behavior .
“ This is consistent with Pompeo ’ s entire tenure : unprecedented and completely predictable , ” said Daniel Drezner , a US foreign policy expert at Tufts University ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the secretary ’ s time in charge .
After all , Pompeo has used his station to hold secret meetings with Republican donors , fire inspectors general for looking into his possible misconduct , travel repeatedly to Kansas while contemplating a Senate run , stonewall Democrat-led congressional inquiries while aiding Republican-helmed probes , and even troll the Democrats on Twitter during their national convention last week .
Simply put , these are not the actions of a secretary of state with the interests of the entire nation in mind .
They are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who puts his , the president ’ s , and the Republican Party ’ s desires first .
Which leads into another troubling aspect of Pompeo ’ s RNC appearance : The speech is almost sure to be seen as a blatant appeal to conservative evangelical voters , an important constituency when it comes to Trump ’ s reelection .
Pompeo ’ s decision , then , may actually hurt the US-Israel relationship he aims to bolster .
Poll after poll shows that white evangelical Christians , who form a strong contingent of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s handling of the US-Israel relationship more than any other group .
There ’ s a good reason for that .
Along with the embassy move and the Israel-UAE pact , Trump withdrew the US from the Iran nuclear deal to place heavy sanctions on the country , recognized Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights , and unveiled an Israel-Palestine “ peace ” plan that essentially gave far-right Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu nearly everything he wanted .
At that proposal ’ s unveiling in January , Netanyahu showered Trump with praise : “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Israel has ever had in the White House.
” Many evangelicals share that feeling .
“ Evangelicals in the United States trust President Trump on the issue of Israel because he ’ s been so supportive , ” Joel Rosenberg , a dual US-Israel citizen and an evangelical , told the National Catholic Reporter that month .
“ They ’ re not dealing with a hostile president , like President Obama .
They ’ re dealing with a friend who has been enormously helpful to Israel.
” Trump is aware of his popularity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about making policy decisions on the US-Israel relationship with evangelicals in mind .
“ We moved the capital of Israel to Jerusalem .
That ’ s for the evangelicals , ” he said during a campaign stop in Wisconsin last week .
It helps explain why Pompeo would take the opportunity to address that constituency during his Middle East trip .
But there also seems to be a deeper reason : Pompeo , an evangelical himself , seems to believe Trump ’ s leadership has the divine seal of approval .
Asked by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up Trump like the biblical figure Queen Esther , who helped save Jews from death by order of a Persian official , Pompeo said , “ As a Christian , I certainly believe that ’ s possible ...
I am confident that the Lord is at work here.
” But using Israel as a political prop in this way could actually harm America ’ s relationship with that country .
“ It ’ s really bad for the long-term bilateral relationship for Israel to become a partisan issue , ” said the State @ @ @ @ @ @ @ RNC appearance .
Partisan divisions over Israel have only grown wider in the Trump era because of how unabashedly the president pursues pro-Israel policies and because of Netanyahu ’ s violation of Palestinian rights , which has weakened support for Israel among liberal Democrats .
Pompeo ’ s address could also backfire on Trump politically .
“ It may score some points with evangelical voters , but it will hurt Trump with Jewish voters , who value maintaining Israel as a bipartisan issue in US politics and object to it being [ used @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Daniel Shapiro , the former US ambassador to Israel .
But Trump and Pompeo both seem to think the speech will help fire up the base .
And so , as Shapiro put it , describing their view : “ Screw the norms.
” In the spring , we launched a program asking readers for financial contributions to help keep Vox free for everyone , and last week , we set a goal of reaching 20,000 contributors .
Well , you helped us blow past that .
Today , we are extending @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Vox each month to understand an increasingly chaotic world — from what is happening with the USPS to the coronavirus crisis to what is , quite possibly , the most consequential presidential election of our lifetimes .
Even when the economy and the news advertising market recovers , your support will be a critical part of sustaining our resource-intensive work — and helping everyone make sense of an increasingly chaotic world .
Contribute today from as little as $ 3 .

When Mike Pompeo addresses the Republican National Convention on Tuesday, he’ll be solidifying his place as the most partisan secretary of state in decades — and tarnishing the proudly independent reputation of the agency he leads.
The nation’s chief diplomat is on official travel to the Middle East to handle important foreign policy issues, namely how to strengthen a US-brokered deal to normalize relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates. Instead of spending all his time focused on those matters, though, Pompeo will also address voters back home, using the backdrop of the holy city of Jerusalem (very literally, as he’s expected to deliver a recorded message from a rooftop somewhere in the city) to boost the president’s reelection campaign.
“Looking forward to sharing with you how my family is more SAFE and more SECURE because of President Trump,” Pompeo tweeted on Sunday. “See you all on Tuesday night!”
That will shatter years of precedent in which sitting Cabinet members, and especially high-profile ones like secretaries of state, don’t engage in openly political and partisan activities. It was a norm Pompeo’s predecessors — in both Republican and Democratic administrations — believed was important to uphold.
From Jerusalem, the City of David — see you soon! pic.twitter.com/KNPTIXfK0K — Mike Pompeo (@mikepompeo) August 26, 2020
As Stephanie Epner, a former adviser to Secretary of State John Kerry, told me, her former boss purposely “did not wade into domestic politics” while he was at the State Department. “He was America’s chief diplomat, not Democrats’ chief diplomat, and he took that very seriously.”
This norm is why longtime State Department employees I spoke to are furious with Pompeo’s decision to feature in the Republican Party’s showpiece. “It’s inappropriate on so many levels,” a State official told me, speaking on the condition of anonymity to share candid views. “We should not be using American diplomacy for partisan political purposes.”
Pompeo seemingly agreed with that sentiment at one point: In February, he approved a State Department memo that says, in bold type: “Senate-confirmed Presidential appointees may not even attend a political party convention or convention-related event.” And in a July 24 memo obtained by Vox and signed by Pompeo, it clearly states the department’s “longstanding policy” is that employees “may not engage in partisan political activity while posted or on TDY abroad, even on personal time.”
But ask State’s press officers if they see anything wrong with Pompeo’s participation, and you get a strong pushback. The secretary “will address the convention in his personal capacity,” a State Department spokesperson told me without explaining how it violates the agency’s policy, adding that none of Pompeo’s staff is involved in drafting his remarks or arranging the appearance. And though his address will take place while Pompeo is on official travel, the spokesperson said taxpayers won’t incur any costs related to his speech.
That last part may be true in a technical sense, but it certainly comes close to, if not outright crosses, an ethical line. Pompeo will be using the Israeli capital — the city President Donald Trump moved the US embassy to two years ago, fulfilling a key campaign promise — as the backdrop for his address. But taxpayers are footing the bill for his trip so he can conduct American foreign policy, not to provide him with a politically useful scene for a Republican Party convention speech.
Were he not traveling there as secretary of state on a taxpayer-funded trip, he wouldn’t be in the Israeli capital. The spokesperson didn’t answer further questions on this point.
Still, four teams of lawyers, including State’s legal counsel, reportedly looked at Pompeo’s planned comments to ensure they don’t cross any ethical lines, and apparently they signed off on them. One reason may be because Pompeo isn’t officially attending the event, but rather sending in a short pre-recorded speech from a rooftop in Jerusalem.
Looking forward to sharing with you how my family is more SAFE and more SECURE because of President Trump. See you all on Tuesday night! pic.twitter.com/eq6RwspddP — Mike Pompeo (@mikepompeo) August 23, 2020
That Pompeo would even consider coming near such a clear red line, though, is typical behavior. “This is consistent with Pompeo’s entire tenure: unprecedented and completely predictable,” said Daniel Drezner, a US foreign policy expert at Tufts University’s Fletcher School who has written extensively on the secretary’s time in charge.
After all, Pompeo has used his station to hold secret meetings with Republican donors, fire inspectors general for looking into his possible misconduct, travel repeatedly to Kansas while contemplating a Senate run, stonewall Democrat-led congressional inquiries while aiding Republican-helmed probes, and even troll the Democrats on Twitter during their national convention last week.
Simply put, these are not the actions of a secretary of state with the interests of the entire nation in mind. They are the actions of a hyperpartisan Cabinet member who puts his, the president’s, and the Republican Party’s desires first.
Which leads into another troubling aspect of Pompeo’s RNC appearance: The speech is almost sure to be seen as a blatant appeal to conservative evangelical voters, an important constituency when it comes to Trump’s reelection. Pompeo’s decision, then, may actually hurt the US-Israel relationship he aims to bolster.
Pompeo’s speech underlines Trump’s courting of the evangelical voter
Poll after poll shows that white evangelical Christians, who form a strong contingent of the Republican Party, support Trump’s handling of the US-Israel relationship more than any other group.
There’s a good reason for that. Along with the embassy move and the Israel-UAE pact, Trump withdrew the US from the Iran nuclear deal to place heavy sanctions on the country, recognized Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, and unveiled an Israel-Palestine “peace” plan that essentially gave far-right Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu nearly everything he wanted. At that proposal’s unveiling in January, Netanyahu showered Trump with praise: “You have been the greatest friend that Israel has ever had in the White House.”
Many evangelicals share that feeling. “Evangelicals in the United States trust President Trump on the issue of Israel because he’s been so supportive,” Joel Rosenberg, a dual US-Israel citizen and an evangelical, told the National Catholic Reporter that month. “They’re not dealing with a hostile president, like President Obama. They’re dealing with a friend who has been enormously helpful to Israel.”
Trump is aware of his popularity in that community and is quite open about making policy decisions on the US-Israel relationship with evangelicals in mind. “We moved the capital of Israel to Jerusalem. That’s for the evangelicals,” he said during a campaign stop in Wisconsin last week.
It helps explain why Pompeo would take the opportunity to address that constituency during his Middle East trip. But there also seems to be a deeper reason: Pompeo, an evangelical himself, seems to believe Trump’s leadership has the divine seal of approval.
Asked by CBN News last year if God raised up Trump like the biblical figure Queen Esther, who helped save Jews from death by order of a Persian official, Pompeo said, “As a Christian, I certainly believe that’s possible ... I am confident that the Lord is at work here.”
But using Israel as a political prop in this way could actually harm America’s relationship with that country. “It’s really bad for the long-term bilateral relationship for Israel to become a partisan issue,” said the State official critical of Pompeo’s planned RNC appearance. Partisan divisions over Israel have only grown wider in the Trump era because of how unabashedly the president pursues pro-Israel policies and because of Netanyahu’s violation of Palestinian rights, which has weakened support for Israel among liberal Democrats.
Pompeo’s address could also backfire on Trump politically. “It may score some points with evangelical voters, but it will hurt Trump with Jewish voters, who value maintaining Israel as a bipartisan issue in US politics and object to it being [used] for partisan political purposes,” said Daniel Shapiro, the former US ambassador to Israel.
But Trump and Pompeo both seem to think the speech will help fire up the base. And so, as Shapiro put it, describing their view: “Screw the norms.”
New goal: 25,000
In the spring, we launched a program asking readers for financial contributions to help keep Vox free for everyone, and last week, we set a goal of reaching 20,000 contributors. Well, you helped us blow past that. Today, we are extending that goal to 25,000. Millions turn to Vox each month to understand an increasingly chaotic world — from what is happening with the USPS to the coronavirus crisis to what is, quite possibly, the most consequential presidential election of our lifetimes. Even when the economy and the news advertising market recovers, your support will be a critical part of sustaining our resource-intensive work — and helping everyone make sense of an increasingly chaotic world. Contribute today from as little as $3.


vox--2020-08-24--“12 more years!” Trump’s opening speech got the 2020 RNC off to a dark start

President Donald Trump opened the 2020 Republican National Convention on a very dark note , delivering a rally-style speech in Charlotte , North Carolina , that began with him teasing the idea of serving more than two terms and ended with him warning that Democrats intend to steal the election .
“ If you really want to drive them crazy , you say ‘ 12 more years , ’ ” Trump began , as the audience chanted “ 12 more years !
” back at him .
“ Because we caught them doing some really bad things in 2016 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump returned to the theme of a stolen election at the end .
“ Be very , very careful , ” he concluded .
“ Don ’ t let them take it away from you.
” Trump vowed Sunday night on Fox News that the RNC would be “ very uplifting and positive , ” yet the speech he delivered on Monday suggested it will be anything but .
Trump is trying to turn his greatest failure into a success story The coronavirus continues to kill around 1,000 people per day in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the pandemic than almost all comparable countries .
With more than 177,000 total deaths , the US has 22 percent of the world ’ s total despite having just 4 percent of the world ’ s population , and the country hasn ’ t had a day below 30,000 new confirmed cases in more than two months .
Trump has done little in response but try to shift blame and bluster .
Lately , he ’ s resorted to twisting statistics out of context to make a misleading case that the US @ @ @ @ @ @ @ happened ( despite unemployment being over 10 percent ) , and that other countries like Japan and New Zealand are currently enduring similar outbreaks ( never mind that new case numbers in those countries are extremely low in comparison to the US ) .
On Monday , Trump tried to spin the US coronavirus response into a success story , while offloading all blame for everything that has gone wrong onto governors .
“ Many of the governors were totally ill-prepared .
Nobody wants to say that , but it ’ s supposed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Trump said , ignoring that governors lack the resources and jurisdictional authority to handle a pandemic that has spread like wildfire across state boundaries .
“ We did a great job.
” Because Trump has seemingly convinced himself the worse of the coronavirus pandemic is already in the rearview mirror , he views public health measures like those championed by Gov .
Roy Cooper ( D ) of North Carolina to limit the size of indoor gatherings as a conspiracy to hurt him — something he made clear during his speech .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ North Carolina ] who is in a total shutdown mood , ” Trump lamented on Wednesday , when in reality , Cooper is simply following the advice of experts the president has ignored .
In truth , the coronavirus pandemic is so bad in many parts of the country that it became impossible for Trump to hold a traditional in-person RNC even in states like Florida where the governor loves him .
That forced Republican officials to scramble to put together a mostly hastily organized virtual event that serves as a microcosm of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It was that event Trump kicked off Monday , speaking before a far smaller crowd than convention organizers had originally planned for .
Trump isn ’ t even trying to hide that he would not accept defeat in November Trump may be in denial about many things , but one thing he seems acutely aware of is polls that show Democratic nominee Joe Biden ahead of him .
But instead of responding to them by trying to appeal to more voters , Trump is preemptively proclaiming that Democrats are using a combination @ @ @ @ @ @ @ demand for increased access to mail voting to rig the election .
“ What they ’ re doing is using Covid to steal an election , ” Trump proclaimed .
“ They ’ re using Covid to defraud the American people — all of our people — of a fair and free election.
” In reality , mail voting is exceptionally safe .
A number of states , including deep-red Utah , already have universal vote-by-mail systems that have worked smoothly and with few instances of attempted fraud .
Instead of marshaling resources @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that don ’ t already have systems in place , Trump is laying the groundwork to challenge the election results in case he loses .
He ’ s not even particularly trying to hide it .
“ This is going to be one of the greatest scams , ” Trump said in North Carolina , referring to mail voting in the 2020 election .
“ This is the greatest scam in the history of politics , I think .
And I ’ m talking about beyond our nation.
” If this sounds like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is .
But authoritarian nightmares are apparently the stuff of the 2020 RNC .
Trump ’ s impromptu trip to North Carolina came following an RNC roll call where state delegates tried to outdo themselves in their praise for him while offering off-the-top attacks on Biden .
That came hours after the RNC announced it would not be putting together a 2020 platform beyond announcing the party ’ s ongoing support for Trump .
As off-the-wall as it was , Trump ’ s speech on Monday was well-received by his audience in Charlotte @ @ @ @ @ @ @ insults aimed at various prominent Democrats .
That ’ s not a surprise — nearly four years into the Trump presidency , the party more than ever stands for little beyond the president ’ s self-interest .
But what is notable is that Trump is barely trying to conceal he ’ ll do whatever it takes to hold on to power .
No accusation is too outlandish , no lie too big .
He ’ ll challenge the results if necessary , and shred the Constitution by serving more than two terms if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ don ’ t believe me , just take his word for it .
In the spring , we launched a program asking readers for financial contributions to help keep Vox free for everyone , and last week , we set a goal of reaching 20,000 contributors .
Well , you helped us blow past that .
Today , we are extending that goal to 25,000 .
Millions turn to Vox each month to understand an increasingly chaotic world — from what is happening with the USPS to the coronavirus crisis to what is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ presidential election of our lifetimes .
Even when the economy and the news advertising market recovers , your support will be a critical part of sustaining our resource-intensive work — and helping everyone make sense of an increasingly chaotic world .
Contribute today from as little as $ 3 .

President Donald Trump opened the 2020 Republican National Convention on a very dark note, delivering a rally-style speech in Charlotte, North Carolina, that began with him teasing the idea of serving more than two terms and ended with him warning that Democrats intend to steal the election.
“If you really want to drive them crazy, you say ‘12 more years,’” Trump began, as the audience chanted “12 more years!” back at him. “Because we caught them doing some really bad things in 2016. Let’s see what happens.”
Trump begins his first speech at the 2020 RNC by suggesting he deserves to serve more than two terms in office pic.twitter.com/NgCuN8kCYu — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 24, 2020
Trump returned to the theme of a stolen election at the end.
“Be very, very careful,” he concluded. “Don’t let them take it away from you.”
"Be very, very careful ... don't let them take it away from you" -- Trump ends his 2020 RNC rally speech in North Carolina on an ominous note pic.twitter.com/xYoCdtD9Xi — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 24, 2020
Trump vowed Sunday night on Fox News that the RNC would be “very uplifting and positive,” yet the speech he delivered on Monday suggested it will be anything but.
Trump is trying to turn his greatest failure into a success story
The coronavirus continues to kill around 1,000 people per day in the US, which has been more ravaged by the pandemic than almost all comparable countries. With more than 177,000 total deaths, the US has 22 percent of the world’s total despite having just 4 percent of the world’s population, and the country hasn’t had a day below 30,000 new confirmed cases in more than two months.
Trump has done little in response but try to shift blame and bluster. Lately, he’s resorted to twisting statistics out of context to make a misleading case that the US’s economic recovery has largely already happened (despite unemployment being over 10 percent), and that other countries like Japan and New Zealand are currently enduring similar outbreaks (never mind that new case numbers in those countries are extremely low in comparison to the US).
On Monday, Trump tried to spin the US coronavirus response into a success story, while offloading all blame for everything that has gone wrong onto governors.
“Many of the governors were totally ill-prepared. Nobody wants to say that, but it’s supposed to work that way: federalist,” Trump said, ignoring that governors lack the resources and jurisdictional authority to handle a pandemic that has spread like wildfire across state boundaries. “We did a great job.”
Trump 2020: It's The Governors' Fault pic.twitter.com/0cTSCwCdw7 — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 24, 2020
Because Trump has seemingly convinced himself the worse of the coronavirus pandemic is already in the rearview mirror, he views public health measures like those championed by Gov. Roy Cooper (D) of North Carolina to limit the size of indoor gatherings as a conspiracy to hurt him — something he made clear during his speech.
“You have a governor [in North Carolina] who is in a total shutdown mood,” Trump lamented on Wednesday, when in reality, Cooper is simply following the advice of experts the president has ignored.
"You have a governor [in North Carolina] who is in a total shutdown mood" -- Trump still thinks that public health measures to slow the spread of coronavirus are a political conspiracy against him pic.twitter.com/QgMCNJSJE8 — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 24, 2020
In truth, the coronavirus pandemic is so bad in many parts of the country that it became impossible for Trump to hold a traditional in-person RNC even in states like Florida where the governor loves him. That forced Republican officials to scramble to put together a mostly hastily organized virtual event that serves as a microcosm of everything Trump did wrong with the pandemic.
It was that event Trump kicked off Monday, speaking before a far smaller crowd than convention organizers had originally planned for.
Trump isn’t even trying to hide that he would not accept defeat in November
Trump may be in denial about many things, but one thing he seems acutely aware of is polls that show Democratic nominee Joe Biden ahead of him. But instead of responding to them by trying to appeal to more voters, Trump is preemptively proclaiming that Democrats are using a combination of the coronavirus pandemic and the related demand for increased access to mail voting to rig the election.
“What they’re doing is using Covid to steal an election,” Trump proclaimed. “They’re using Covid to defraud the American people — all of our people — of a fair and free election.”
Trump accuses Democrats of "using Covid to steal an election" pic.twitter.com/VDZVRh8kyY — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 24, 2020
In reality, mail voting is exceptionally safe. A number of states, including deep-red Utah, already have universal vote-by-mail systems that have worked smoothly and with few instances of attempted fraud.
Instead of marshaling resources to facilitate fraud-free mail voting in states that don’t already have systems in place, Trump is laying the groundwork to challenge the election results in case he loses. He’s not even particularly trying to hide it.
“This is going to be one of the greatest scams,” Trump said in North Carolina, referring to mail voting in the 2020 election. “This is the greatest scam in the history of politics, I think. And I’m talking about beyond our nation.”
"This is going to be one of the greatest scams ... this is the greatest scam in the history of politics, I think. And I'm talking about beyond our nation." -- Trump on the 2020 election pic.twitter.com/hdo9QbbPVt — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 24, 2020
If this sounds like the stuff of authoritarian nightmares, it is. But authoritarian nightmares are apparently the stuff of the 2020 RNC.
“12 more years!”
Trump’s impromptu trip to North Carolina came following an RNC roll call where state delegates tried to outdo themselves in their praise for him while offering off-the-top attacks on Biden. That came hours after the RNC announced it would not be putting together a 2020 platform beyond announcing the party’s ongoing support for Trump.
As off-the-wall as it was, Trump’s speech on Monday was well-received by his audience in Charlotte, which responded with applause and shouted insults aimed at various prominent Democrats. That’s not a surprise — nearly four years into the Trump presidency, the party more than ever stands for little beyond the president’s self-interest.
But what is notable is that Trump is barely trying to conceal he’ll do whatever it takes to hold on to power. No accusation is too outlandish, no lie too big. He’ll challenge the results if necessary, and shred the Constitution by serving more than two terms if given the opportunity. And if you don’t believe me, just take his word for it.
New goal: 25,000
In the spring, we launched a program asking readers for financial contributions to help keep Vox free for everyone, and last week, we set a goal of reaching 20,000 contributors. Well, you helped us blow past that. Today, we are extending that goal to 25,000. Millions turn to Vox each month to understand an increasingly chaotic world — from what is happening with the USPS to the coronavirus crisis to what is, quite possibly, the most consequential presidential election of our lifetimes. Even when the economy and the news advertising market recovers, your support will be a critical part of sustaining our resource-intensive work — and helping everyone make sense of an increasingly chaotic world. Contribute today from as little as $3.


vox--2020-08-24--The police shooting of Jacob Blake, a Black Wisconsin father, explained

A police officer shot Jacob Blake , a 29-year-old Black man , in the back seven times in Kenosha , Wisconsin — a city 40 miles south of Milwaukee — on Sunday evening .
A video circulating on social media , which has now been viewed more than 5 million times , captured the incident , showing Blake being shot at close range as he attempted to enter a vehicle .
On Monday , the Wisconsin Department of Justice released a statement saying the shooting occurred as Kenosha officers were responding to a reported domestic incident .
It is unclear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and how Blake is connected to it , and available video offers little evidence about what took place in the minutes before the shooting .
Blake was taken to a Milwaukee hospital , where he remained in serious condition Monday .
The officers involved in the shooting have been placed on administrative leave .
The state Justice Department is leading an investigation into the incident alongside Wisconsin State Patrol and the Kenosha County Sheriff ’ s Office .
The state DOJ says it will submit its findings to a prosecutor within 30 days @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any charges .
Wisconsin Gov .
Tony Evers addressed the shooting in a statement Sunday , writing , “ While we do not have all of the details yet , what we know for certain is that he is not the first Black man or person to have been shot or injured or mercilessly killed at the hands of individuals in law enforcement in our state or our country.
” National figures have offered their thoughts as well .
Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden responded to the shooting on Monday afternoon .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grief and outrage that yet another Black American is a victim of excessive force .
This calls for an immediate , full and transparent investigation and the officers must be held accountable , ” Biden said .
“ These shots pierce the soul of our nation.
” The shooting comes amid ongoing demonstrations against police brutality and protests advocating for Black Americans , like George Floyd and Breonna Taylor , who have been killed at the hands of police officers .
International protests erupted in late May after Floyd was killed by a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s shooting set off demonstrations in Kenosha late Sunday night as large crowds of protesters gathered outside of a local police precinct and courthouse , demanding that the police officers be held accountable for the shooting .
Videos on social media showed protests that included garbage trucks being set on fire , windows of buildings at and near the courthouse being smashed , and crowds clashing with police dressed in riot gear .
Other accounts show that an entire car lot and building were burned down during the night .
This activity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ until 7 am Monday .
As protests carry on , about 125 members of the Wisconsin National Guard are also expected to be deployed in Kenosha on Monday evening , the governor said at an afternoon press conference .
The county has set a curfew from 8 pm Monday until 7 am Tuesday and plans to use the military officials to protect city infrastructure from vandalism and looting after Evers declared a state of emergency .
Blake ’ s shooting only sharpens the calls of protesters who say Americans must continue to take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cycle of police brutality .
The protests have put pressure on lawmakers across the country to defund the police .
However , in Wisconsin , where there have been several high-profile police shootings of Black men in recent years , lawmakers are already pushing back on a package of police reforms .
Police shot a Black man in broad daylight .
He ’ s now fighting for his life at a hospital .
Police were called to the scene of a domestic incident at 5:11 pm on Sunday in the Wilson Heights neighborhood @ @ @ @ @ @ @ report .
It is unclear who made the call to police .
Before the shooting occurred , Blake was trying to break up a “ verbal altercation ” between two women just after 5 pm , several witnesses told Kenosha News .
Witnesses also told the publication that Blake was unarmed .
Officials have not yet confirmed these details .
In the video of the incident , Blake can be seen wearing a white tank top and black shorts .
The video starts with Blake walking around the front a gray van , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and heading toward the driver ’ s side .
Four officers are visible at the beginning of the video ; two of them follow closely behind Blake .
The two officers have their firearms pointed at Blake ’ s back .
Many people can be heard yelling .
As Blake opens the driver-side door , one officer snatches the tail end of Blake ’ s tank top .
It stretches out as Blake attempts to enter the vehicle ; seven shots are fired at Blake ’ s back .
It is unclear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The van ’ s horn blares , the officer continues to hold on to Blake ’ s shirt , and a woman screams at the side of the vehicle where Blake was shot .
One of the officers pushes the woman away , and the 19-second video comes to an end .
Police officers said in a statement that Blake received immediate aid and was airlifted to the hospital in Milwaukee .
On Monday , Jacob Blake ’ s family retained civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump , who also represents the family @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statement from Crump , Blake was shot by police in front of his three young sons , who were inside the vehicle .
“ We all watched the horrific video of Jacob Blake being shot in the back several times by Kenosha police , ” Crump said in the statement .
“ Even worse , his three sons witnessed their father collapse after being riddled with bullets .
Their irresponsible , reckless , and inhumane actions nearly cost the life of a man who was simply trying to do the right thing by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s a miracle he ’ s still alive.
” According to Kenosha News , city officers and sheriff ’ s deputies do not wear body cameras .
The police department has not responded to Vox ’ s request for comment on the incident .
A night of unrest in a region where police shootings aren ’ t uncommon On Sunday evening , crowds of people arrived at the scene of the incident to protest Blake ’ s shooting .
Later in the night , protesters confronted police officers who carried batons and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ continued those that began after Floyd ’ s death and underscored the fact that police shootings of unarmed Black civilians are not new occurrences in Wisconsin , a state in which Black people make up just 6.7 percent of the population .
According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel , the Milwaukee region has been home to a number of high-profile police shootings — particularly of Black and Latinx men — in the past two decades in which officers were not charged .
One of the victims , 22-year-old Adam Trammell , died in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Police Department broke down the door of his apartment and repeatedly tased him as he showered .
The 2019 police shooting of Ty ’ Rese West in Racine County , just north of Kenosha County , also resulted in no charges against the police .
A police sergeant stopped West one evening for not having the proper lights on his bicycle .
A struggle ensued after the sergeant thought West had a gun .
The incident ended when the sergeant fatally shot West .
The death sparked protests across Racine County , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issuing calls for justice .
Years of grassroots organizing after the police shooting of 21-year-old Kenosha County resident Michael Bell in 2004 led to the passing of a Milwaukee law in 2014 that prevents police officers from conducting their own investigations of officer-involved shootings .
As in Blake ’ s case , an outside law enforcement body must step in to lead the investigation .
But in the wake of George Floyd ’ s death , criminal justice reform advocates have argued that law doesn ’ t go far enough , and protesters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the criminal justice system .
Some local officials across the state responded to these demands by terminating school district contracts with police officers .
In June , Evers announced a legislative package that included banning chokeholds and no-knock warrants , adding the requirement that officers take deescalation training , and putting $ 1 million in grants toward community-based anti-violence programs , according to Wisconsin Public Radio .
However , lawmakers likely won ’ t take a vote on any of the proposals until next year .
And the package of bills from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ little support from the Republican lawmakers who control the state ’ s legislature .
On Monday , Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos called the governor ’ s package “ liberal policies that will only deepen the divisions in our state.
” Evers has used Blake ’ s shooting to call for a renewed focus on race and policing in his state , saying in a statement Sunday , “ We stand against excessive use of force and immediate escalation when engaging with Black Wisconsinites .
...
In the coming days , we will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our state who have failed to recognize the racism in our state and our country for far too long.
” But the governor ’ s statement — and currently proposed initiatives — have garnered pushback .
Pete Deates , president of the union representing Kenosha police officers , denounced the governor ’ s statement , calling it “ wholly irresponsible and not reflective of the hardworking members of the law enforcement community.
” Deates asked that people “ withhold judgment ” about the shooting and let the investigation “ play out fairly and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country are still demanding systemic change .
Michael Bell Sr. , the father of shooting victim Michael Bell , told the New York Times following the shooting of Blake , “ The system is broken .
The system here is broken.
” In the spring , we launched a program asking readers for financial contributions to help keep Vox free for everyone , and last week , we set a goal of reaching 20,000 contributors .
Well , you helped us blow past that .
Today , we are extending that goal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ each month to understand an increasingly chaotic world — from what is happening with the USPS to the coronavirus crisis to what is , quite possibly , the most consequential presidential election of our lifetimes .
Even when the economy and the news advertising market recovers , your support will be a critical part of sustaining our resource-intensive work — and helping everyone make sense of an increasingly chaotic world .
Contribute today from as little as $ 3 .

Amid America’s summer of protests against police brutality and racism, another police shooting of a Black man has gone viral: that of 29-year-old Kenosha, Wisconsin, resident Jacob Blake.
Blake survived the shooting, and said in a video taken at the hospital where he is receiving treatment that he has been in “nothing but pain.”
“Your life, and not only just your life, your legs … can be taken from you like this,” Blake said in the video, snapping his fingers.
Blake’s father told the Chicago Sun-Times his son is paralyzed from the waist down. Rusten Sheskey, a white officer who is a seven-year veteran of the Kenosha Police Department, reportedly shot Blake in the back at close range seven times on August 23.
The shooting sparked local protests (during which a 17-year-old vigilante killed two people), reignited national unrest, prompted professional athletes to strike, and has become a central talking point for Democrats and Republicans as each party attempts to use it as evidence of the other side’s inability to govern.
Now, the FBI has opened a civil rights investigation into the shooting, in conjunction with an investigation by the Wisconsin Department of Justice. And both Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and his running mate, Sen. Kamala Harris, have called for Blake’s shooter to face criminal charges.
Sheskey and the other two officers on the scene — Vincent Arenas and Brittany Meronek — have been placed on administrative leave. Arenas and Sheskey both shot Blake with Tasers before the latter fired on him with a handgun; Meronek was at the scene. But these developments and their impact on Blake and his family have been eclipsed by a national conversation about what Blake’s shooting means, and what the resultant protests say about the state of America.
Blake’s shooting, captured on video by a bystander, quickly went viral and further stoked the ongoing national protests against police brutality and for civil rights that began following the killings of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd.
In Kenosha, protesters were quick to respond to the video. Hours after the shooting took place, demonstrators gathered in downtown Kenosha; in the resulting uprising, buildings and car lots were set on fire and protesters who launched fireworks clashed with police officers in riot gear who fired tear gas.
Immediately following that uprising, Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers called in the state National Guard to bolster the ranks of local law enforcement and to enforce the city’s curfew.
More National Guard members were deployed during the third night of uprisings — a night that saw armed citizens standing guard outside local businesses. One of those citizens, 17-year-old Kyle Rittenhouse of Illinois, was arrested and charged with murder in the shooting of three people, two of whom died.
That shooting, in turn, has led to an even greater National Guard presence — and to Evers accepting a deployment of federal law enforcement officers amid pressure from President Donald Trump to do so. Trump has cast the uprisings in Kenosha and in other cities as symptoms of mismanagement and has attempted to use them to argue that he is the presidential candidate who will bring “LAW & ORDER!” to the United States. Democrats like presidential nominee Joe Biden have attempted to place the blame for violence adjacent to uprisings at the feet of the president.
Blake’s mother, Julia Jackson, has pleaded for politicians to “fix our country” while condemning the destruction that happened during the early uprisings in Kenosha. “As his mother, please don’t burn up property and cause havoc and tear your own homes down in my son’s name,” she said on CNN after the first two nights of protests.
In Kenosha, protesters heeded Jackson’s request but have continued their demonstrations. And across the US, Blake’s shooting has given new urgency to demonstrations in other cities and towns, sharpening the calls of protesters who say Americans must continue to take to the streets to fight the harmful cycle of police brutality and put pressure on lawmakers to defund the police.
Police shot and severely wounded a Black man in broad daylight
Police were called to the scene of a domestic incident at 5:11 pm on Sunday in the Wilson Heights neighborhood of Kenosha, according to a police report. The Wisconsin Department of Justice notes the police were called to the neighborhood by a woman who requested assistance because “her boyfriend was present and was not supposed to be on the premises.”
In dispatch audio of the incident, a dispatcher can be heard saying, “Jacob Blake isn’t supposed to be there and he took the complainant’s keys and is refusing to give them back.”
Following the shooting, several witnesses told Kenosha News that Blake was trying to break up a “verbal altercation” between two women just after 5 pm. By 5:15, there were three officers on the scene, with one requesting more officers be sent.
Two videos of the officers’ interaction with Blake have emerged. The first, which went viral, depicts Blake’s shooting; the second shows some of what happened in the seconds immediately prior.
In that second video, Blake, wearing a white tank top and black shorts, can be seen attempting to stand as two officers struggle to force him to the ground; various bystanders shout throughout. After about 15 seconds, Blake can be seen standing and walking around the front of a gray van. All three officers on the scene have weapons trained on him; two follow him around the van.
This is where the first video picks up. Blake can be seen walking around the front of a gray van, coming from the passenger’s side and heading toward the driver’s side. Two officers follow closely behind Blake.
Both officers have their weapons pointed at Blake’s back. Many people can be heard yelling. As Blake opens the driver-side door, one officer snatches the tail end of Blake’s tank top. It stretches out as Blake attempts to enter the vehicle; seven shots are fired at Blake’s back. No other officer opened fire. The van’s horn blares, the officer continues to hold on to Blake’s shirt, and a woman screams at the side of the vehicle where Blake was shot. One of the officers pushes the woman away, and the 19-second video comes to an end.
Blake remains hospitalized. The bullet damage reportedly forced doctors to remove most of Blake’s colon and small intestines; his kidneys, liver, and arm were also seriously damaged.
A statement from the state Department of Justice notes that officers tried to arrest Blake; following the shooting, Kenosha Police Chief Daniel Miskinis said Blake is currently under arrest “for an outstanding warrant for third-degree sexual assault.”
It is not clear whether the officers who were called to Wilson Heights were attempting to arrest Blake due to this warrant. It is clear that they first used Tasers to try to apprehend him; the Wisconsin DOJ statement says the nonlethal weapon “was not successful at stopping Blake.”
The police department said in a statement that Blake received immediate aid and was airlifted to the hospital in Milwaukee. The state attorney general, Josh Kaul, has said Blake noted he had a knife in his possession when the shooting occurred. Officials from the department recovered the knife from the driver-side floorboard of Blake’s vehicle.
The Kenosha Police Department does not have body cameras, so the officers were not wearing any at the time of the incident, according to the statement.
Jacob Blake’s family retained civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump, who also represents the family of George Floyd. According to a statement from Crump, Blake was shot by police in front of his three young sons, who were inside the vehicle.
“We all watched the horrific video of Jacob Blake being shot in the back several times by Kenosha police,” Crump said in the statement. “Even worse, his three sons witnessed their father collapse after being riddled with bullets. Their irresponsible, reckless, and inhumane actions nearly cost the life of a man who was simply trying to do the right thing by intervening in a domestic incident. It’s a miracle he’s still alive.”
Meanwhile, both Biden and Harris have called for the officer who shot Blake to face charges. “I think that there should be a thorough investigation and, based on what I’ve seen, it seems that the officer should be charged,” Harris said in an August 28 interview. And when asked on September 2 if he agreed with her, Biden said that “there’s a minimum need to be charged” and “we should let the judicial system work its way.”
Nights of unrest — and the shooting of three people — in Kenosha
Protests began the night after Blake was shot on August 23, leading to a number of uprisings and escalating tension with local police.
Following the shooting, videos on social media showed protests that included garbage trucks being set on fire, windows of buildings at and near the courthouse being smashed, and crowds clashing with police dressed in riot gear. In response, county officials instituted a curfew, and Wisconsin’s governor began to deploy members of the Wisconsin National Guard to Kenosha.
The city grew more tense in the following nights as organized marches outside the Kenosha County Courthouse gave way to uprisings after the 8 pm curfew. Fires burned in much of Kenosha’s Black business district, according to Reuters, and protesters used bats to break traffic signals and signs. When the crowd of people reached 1,000 at a park near the courthouse, police shot small beanbags and used “ear deafening audio” to disperse the people who refused to move, according to the Washington Post. The unrest has since spread to other cities including Madison, Portland, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, New York, and Seattle.
On August 25, violence erupted at the protests in Kenosha when a group of men with guns who said they were protecting the property clashed with protesters. Online video footage shows that people were chasing after one of the armed men, identified as 17-year-old Kyle Rittenhouse, in an attempt to capture him and seize his AR-15-style rifle. During the chase, Rittenhouse trips and falls to the ground, where he shoots at a few of the people who were following him. After the shooting, he gets up and walks toward law enforcement officials, who do not detain him, despite bystanders screaming that he had just shot people.
Two of three people were fatally hit, with the other taken to the hospital with “serious, but non-life threatening injuries,” according to the Kenosha Police Department.
Rittenhouse is a self-proclaimed militia member, has ties to law enforcement as a former member of various law enforcement youth training programs, and was front row at a Trump rally in January. Rittenhouse’s Facebook profile, which is no longer publicly accessible, revealed that he is a committed Blue Lives Matter supporter:
[...] a 2018 post on Rittenhouse’s page shows that he asked his followers to donate to the police advocacy nonprofit organization Humanizing the Badge on his birthday. “I’ve chosen this nonprofit because their mission means a lot to me, and I hope you’ll consider contributing as a way to celebrate with me,” Rittenhouse wrote.
In a press conference on the Rittenhouse incident, Kenosha Police Chief Daniel Miskinis tried to shift the blame of the shootings onto the protesters and the people who were shot, saying that if protesters had stayed inside, the shootings would perhaps not have taken place. “Everybody involved was out after the curfew. I’m not going to make a great deal of it, but the point is that the curfew is in place to protect. Had persons not been out in violation of that, perhaps the situation that unfolded would not have happened,” he said.
At the same press conference, Kenosha Sheriff David G. Beth responded to the concern that police officers did not apprehend Rittenhouse when he walked past them. “I’ve been in a shooting before. In situations that are high stress, you have such incredible tunnel vision. You have no idea what’s outside right here if you’re looking right here,” Beth said, holding his hands up to gesture.
Kenosha Mayor John Antaramian, meanwhile, said he does not want militia members at protests. “I don’t need more guns on the street, in the community, when we are trying to make sure we keep people safe,” he said. “Law enforcement is trained. They’re the ones who are responsible. They’re the ones we have faith will do their job and make sure it gets done. That is why the curfews are there.”
On the national level, Republicans are trying to paint the unrest in Kenosha as a preview of Joe Biden’s America, even though the shooter was a Trump supporter and the protests are happening during Trump’s presidency. “Joe Biden would double down on the very policies that are leading to violence in American cities. The hard truth is you will not be safe in Joe Biden’s America,” Vice President Mike Pence said during the Republican National Convention. Trump went on to tell Americans that the protests show “no one will be safe in Biden’s America.”
Biden has rebutted these attacks, saying in a speech in Pittsburgh, “These are not images of some imagined Joe Biden America of the future — these are images of Donald Trump’s America today. ... He keeps telling you, if he was president, you’d feel safe. Well, he is president — whether he knows it or not.”
Police violence is not uncommon in Wisconsin
The ongoing protests continued those that began after Floyd’s death and underscored the fact that police shootings of unarmed Black civilians are not new occurrences in Wisconsin, a state in which Black people make up just 6.7 percent of the population. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the Milwaukee region has been home to a number of high-profile police shootings — particularly of Black and Latinx men — in the past two decades, in which officers were not charged. One of the victims, 22-year-old Adam Trammell, died in 2017 after officers from the West Milwaukee Police Department broke down the door of his apartment and repeatedly Tased him as he showered.
The 2019 police shooting of Ty’Rese West in Racine County, just north of Kenosha County, also resulted in no charges against the police. A police sergeant stopped West one evening for not having the proper lights on his bicycle. A struggle ensued after the sergeant thought West had a gun. The incident ended when the sergeant fatally shot West. The death sparked protests across Racine County, and West’s family has not stopped issuing calls for justice.
Years of grassroots organizing after the police shooting of 21-year-old Kenosha County resident Michael Bell in 2004 led to the passing of a Milwaukee law in 2014 that prevents police officers from conducting their own investigations of officer-involved shootings. As in Blake’s case, an outside law enforcement body must step in to lead the investigation.
But in the wake of George Floyd’s death, criminal justice reform advocates have argued that law doesn’t go far enough, and protesters have demanded state legislators make changes to the criminal justice system. Some local officials across the state responded to these demands by terminating school district contracts with police officers. In June, Evers announced a legislative package that included banning chokeholds and no-knock warrants, adding the requirement that officers take deescalation training, and putting $1 million in grants toward community-based anti-violence programs, according to Wisconsin Public Radio.
However, lawmakers likely won’t vote on any of the proposals until next year. And the package of bills from the state’s Democratic governor has received little support from the Republican lawmakers who control the state’s legislature.
Evers has used Blake’s shooting to call for a renewed focus on race and policing in his state, saying, “We stand against excessive use of force and immediate escalation when engaging with Black Wisconsinites. ... In the coming days, we will demand just that of elected officials in our state who have failed to recognize the racism in our state and our country for far too long.”
But the governor’s statement — and proposed initiatives — have garnered pushback. Pete Deates, president of the union representing Kenosha police officers, denounced the governor’s statement, calling it “wholly irresponsible and not reflective of the hardworking members of the law enforcement community.” Deates asked that people “withhold judgment” about the shooting and let the investigation “play out fairly and impartially.”
Despite this response, protesters in Kenosha and across the country are still demanding systemic change. Michael Bell Sr., the father of shooting victim Michael Bell, told the New York Times following the shooting of Blake, “The system is broken. The system here is broken.”
Correction, August 26: Due to an editing error, an earlier version of this story incorrectly stated Jacob Blake was fatally shot.


vox--2020-08-24--Mark and Patricia McCloskey, the gun-toting St. Louis couple, explained

Vox answers your biggest questions about the 2020 US presidential election , which could be one of the most consequential of our lifetimes .
Mark and Patricia McCloskey get to speak at the Republican National Convention on Monday because they waved guns at Black Lives Matter protesters .
The St. Louis couple rose to national notoriety in late June when they were captured in viral videos and photos outside their mansion in a gated community pointing a rifle and handgun at peaceful protesters .
Since then , they have turned into a Rorschach test for where people stand on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in America .
The protesters were on their way to St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson ’ s house to demonstrate against police brutality and systemic racism .
When the protesters went into the McCloskeys ’ privately owned and operated neighborhood , Mark McCloskey came out of his house — shouting at demonstrators that they were on private property and should leave .
Shortly after , Patricia McCloskey came out , aiming a handgun at the protesters .
Then Mark McCloskey went to her side , holding a rifle .
The incident quickly became @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the McCloskeys were widely seen as villains standing against a crowd of peaceful protesters , defending and maintaining a status quo that uses the threat of violence to oppress racial minorities .
On the right , they were viewed as heroes who , empowered by their Second Amendment rights , stood against a dangerous movement that ’ s engaged in rioting and looting over the past few months .
A few weeks after the encounter , St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kimberly Gardner charged the McCloskeys with unlawful use of a gun , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to wave weapons in a threatening manner at those participating in nonviolent protest , and while we are fortunate this situation did not escalate into deadly force , this type of conduct is unacceptable in St. Louis , ” Gardner said .
Republican lawmakers , including Gov .
Mike Parson and US Sen. Josh Hawley , subsequently condemned the charges .
The McCloskeys received support from right-wing media outlets , such as Fox News and Breitbart .
President Donald Trump retweeted a video of the couple .
Now the McCloskeys , still facing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ National Convention .
The McCloskeys were charged for unlawful use of a gun On June 28 , protesters in St. Louis made their way to Mayor Krewson ’ s house through Portland Place , a privately owned and operated neighborhood .
The demonstrators were calling on the mayor to resign after , during a Facebook Live video , she read the names and addresses of people who wrote to her advocating for police reform — which critics said was doxxing and intimidation .
( Krewson later apologized , but her office also pointed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ already public records . )
As the demonstrators entered the neighborhood , the first house on their right was the McCloskeys ’ .
The couple , after seeing the commotion , came out with guns , telling the demonstrators to leave .
Many protesters seemed to ignore them and move along , though some remained in front of the McCloskeys ’ house , recording the couple and , in some cases , shouting back .
St. Louis police investigated the incident , leading the local prosecutor , Gardner , to file charges after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in an angry or threatening manner.
” Although the felony carries the potential of prison time , Gardner has said the couple could go through a diversion program that would put them in community service , counseling , or another remedial program instead .
But Gov .
Parson has said he would pardon them .
Republican supporters claim the couple did nothing wrong , with Missouri ’ s Castle Doctrine and stand-your-ground laws protecting their rights to defend themselves .
According to the McCloskeys , they genuinely felt their lives were in danger @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about as bad as it can get , ” Mark McCloskey told local news station KSDK .
“ I really thought it was storming the Bastille — that we would be dead , and the house would be burned , and there was nothing we could do about it .
It was a huge and frightening crowd.
” He added , “ The only thing that stopped the crowd from approaching the house was when I had that rifle .
… It ’ s the only thing that stemmed the tide.
” The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ neighborhood ’ s gate before charging up to their private property .
They and their supporters have cited photos of the gate broken into pieces as proof that the demonstrators violently came through .
But an investigation by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch indicated the gate was open before the protesters walked through .
The investigation also found that the McCloskeys , in a previous lawsuit against their neighborhood trustees , knew the gate was in bad shape , arguing that the trustees didn ’ t maintain or repair it .
So the gate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the protesters walked through , not due to an act of violence .
The protesters said they were peaceful and respectful .
They claimed they remained off the McCloskeys ’ property , sticking to the street or sidewalk — which is backed by videos of the incident .
The police investigation found at least one protester was armed .
The investigation also concluded that the protesters said some threatening things to the McCloskeys , including “ you own a business ; your business is gone , ” “ we coming back , baby @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the only [ expletive ] with a gun , ” and “ they coming back to your house.
” The left and right saw the St. Louis incident very differently Exactly how one interprets these events may come down to a person ’ s politics and views toward Black Lives Matter and gun rights in the US .
In the month before the St. Louis incident , Black Lives Matter protesters took to the streets nationwide , calling for an end to police brutality and systemic racism after the police killing of George @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protests were peaceful .
But some , particularly during the first week , turned violent , resulting in rioting and looting .
The protests also preceded a spike in murders in some large US cities .
While criminologists caution that it ’ s still not completely clear why there has been a murder spike , some pundits and experts have linked the rise in violence to the protests — arguing that the protests led police to back down in a way that let crime spike unabated , or that the protests fostered distrust @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to their own means , outside the law , to resolve disputes with others .
In this context , the McCloskeys ’ actions can be interpreted in one of two ways : They ’ re heroes who stood up against a mob that fostered violence nationwide .
Or they ’ re villains who have mischaracterized an almost entirely peaceful movement in a thinly veiled attempt to maintain a racist status quo that enables unchecked police brutality .
Democrats and others on the left have by and large come out against the McCloskeys ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Matter protesters have a real grievance — with the statistical and empirical evidence demonstrating racial disparities in policing and the criminal justice system — despite a very small minority taking part in rioting , looting , and other violence .
To the extent the protests may have contributed to a spike in crime and murders , supporters argue , that only shows the need for police to repair community trust and relations so they can do their jobs and keep people safe .
As former Vice President Joe Biden , the Democratic nominee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s killing , “ We know the nation we want to be .
Now we have to deliver on this moment to achieve fundamental changes that address racial inequalities and white supremacy in our country.
” Republicans and others on the right have come out in support of the McCloskeys .
They ’ ve claimed the Black Lives Matter movement is trying to defund and abolish the police and pull back “ tough on crime ” policies that they believe have kept America safe .
They ’ ve also characterized the protests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ focused on police violence against Black people but not “ Black-on-Black crime.
” That ’ s the context in which Trump , during Black Lives Matter protests , has repeatedly tweeted , “ LAW & ORDER !
” It ’ s the same context in which Mark McCloskey told KSDK , “ There is mayhem in the city every night , and you never hear about it.
” The protesters counter that they do care about non-police violence — and , in fact , there have been large Black-led protests over other kinds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
They argue that police violence against Black people and other kinds of violence are dual problems : Police not only harass and kill Black people but also fail to protect Black people from real crimes .
To that end , many supporters of Black Lives Matter — Biden included — don ’ t want to defund or abolish the police but rather reform police to better protect and serve minority communities .
Beyond Black Lives Matter , the couple ’ s actions exposed divides over gun rights in the US .
For @ @ @ @ @ @ @ actions exemplified the kind of reckless , loose use of firearms that ’ s fueled extraordinary levels of gun violence in the US for decades .
For the right , the moment showed why the Second Amendment and gun rights are necessary — offering a last line of defense when the government can ’ t or won ’ t protects its citizens .
Together , all of these partisan divides have created a political environment in which the McCloskeys are invited to speak at the Republican convention .
In the spring , we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contributions to help keep Vox free for everyone , and last week , we set a goal of reaching 20,000 contributors .
Well , you helped us blow past that .
Today , we are extending that goal to 25,000 .
Millions turn to Vox each month to understand an increasingly chaotic world — from what is happening with the USPS to the coronavirus crisis to what is , quite possibly , the most consequential presidential election of our lifetimes .
Even when the economy and the news advertising market recovers , your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sustaining our resource-intensive work — and helping everyone make sense of an increasingly chaotic world .
Contribute today from as little as $ 3 .

Mark and Patricia McCloskey get to speak at the Republican National Convention on Monday because they waved guns at Black Lives Matter protesters.
The St. Louis couple rose to national notoriety in late June when they were captured in viral videos and photos outside their mansion in a gated community pointing a rifle and handgun at peaceful protesters. Since then, they have turned into a Rorschach test for where people stand on the Black Lives Matter movement and gun rights in America.
The protesters were on their way to St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson’s house to demonstrate against police brutality and systemic racism. When the protesters went into the McCloskeys’ privately owned and operated neighborhood, Mark McCloskey came out of his house — shouting at demonstrators that they were on private property and should leave. Shortly after, Patricia McCloskey came out, aiming a handgun at the protesters. Then Mark McCloskey went to her side, holding a rifle.
The incident quickly became politically polarized. On the left, the McCloskeys were widely seen as villains standing against a crowd of peaceful protesters, defending and maintaining a status quo that uses the threat of violence to oppress racial minorities. On the right, they were viewed as heroes who, empowered by their Second Amendment rights, stood against a dangerous movement that’s engaged in rioting and looting over the past few months.
A few weeks after the encounter, St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kimberly Gardner charged the McCloskeys with unlawful use of a gun, a low-level felony. “It is illegal to wave weapons in a threatening manner at those participating in nonviolent protest, and while we are fortunate this situation did not escalate into deadly force, this type of conduct is unacceptable in St. Louis,” Gardner said.
Republican lawmakers, including Gov. Mike Parson and US Sen. Josh Hawley, subsequently condemned the charges. The McCloskeys received support from right-wing media outlets, such as Fox News and Breitbart. President Donald Trump retweeted a video of the couple.
Now the McCloskeys, still facing charges, will speak at the Republican National Convention.
The McCloskeys were charged for unlawful use of a gun
On June 28, protesters in St. Louis made their way to Mayor Krewson’s house through Portland Place, a privately owned and operated neighborhood. The demonstrators were calling on the mayor to resign after, during a Facebook Live video, she read the names and addresses of people who wrote to her advocating for police reform — which critics said was doxxing and intimidation. (Krewson later apologized, but her office also pointed out that the names and addresses were already public records.)
As the demonstrators entered the neighborhood, the first house on their right was the McCloskeys’. The couple, after seeing the commotion, came out with guns, telling the demonstrators to leave. Many protesters seemed to ignore them and move along, though some remained in front of the McCloskeys’ house, recording the couple and, in some cases, shouting back.
St. Louis police investigated the incident, leading the local prosecutor, Gardner, to file charges after finding the McCloskeys exhibited a weapon “in an angry or threatening manner.” Although the felony carries the potential of prison time, Gardner has said the couple could go through a diversion program that would put them in community service, counseling, or another remedial program instead.
But Gov. Parson has said he would pardon them. Republican supporters claim the couple did nothing wrong, with Missouri’s Castle Doctrine and stand-your-ground laws protecting their rights to defend themselves.
According to the McCloskeys, they genuinely felt their lives were in danger as protesters approached.
“It was about as bad as it can get,” Mark McCloskey told local news station KSDK. “I really thought it was storming the Bastille — that we would be dead, and the house would be burned, and there was nothing we could do about it. It was a huge and frightening crowd.” He added, “The only thing that stopped the crowd from approaching the house was when I had that rifle. … It’s the only thing that stemmed the tide.”
The McCloskeys claimed the protesters broke through the neighborhood’s gate before charging up to their private property. They and their supporters have cited photos of the gate broken into pieces as proof that the demonstrators violently came through.
But an investigation by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch indicated the gate was open before the protesters walked through. The investigation also found that the McCloskeys, in a previous lawsuit against their neighborhood trustees, knew the gate was in bad shape, arguing that the trustees didn’t maintain or repair it. So the gate could have been broken on accident as the protesters walked through, not due to an act of violence.
The protesters said they were peaceful and respectful. They claimed they remained off the McCloskeys’ property, sticking to the street or sidewalk — which is backed by videos of the incident.
The police investigation found at least one protester was armed. The investigation also concluded that the protesters said some threatening things to the McCloskeys, including “you own a business; your business is gone,” “we coming back, baby,” “you ain’t the only [expletive] with a gun,” and “they coming back to your house.”
The left and right saw the St. Louis incident very differently
Exactly how one interprets these events may come down to a person’s politics and views toward Black Lives Matter and gun rights in the US.
In the month before the St. Louis incident, Black Lives Matter protesters took to the streets nationwide, calling for an end to police brutality and systemic racism after the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Most of the protests were peaceful. But some, particularly during the first week, turned violent, resulting in rioting and looting.
The protests also preceded a spike in murders in some large US cities. While criminologists caution that it’s still not completely clear why there has been a murder spike, some pundits and experts have linked the rise in violence to the protests — arguing that the protests led police to back down in a way that let crime spike unabated, or that the protests fostered distrust in police, leading people to resort to their own means, outside the law, to resolve disputes with others.
In this context, the McCloskeys’ actions can be interpreted in one of two ways: They’re heroes who stood up against a mob that fostered violence nationwide. Or they’re villains who have mischaracterized an almost entirely peaceful movement in a thinly veiled attempt to maintain a racist status quo that enables unchecked police brutality.
Democrats and others on the left have by and large come out against the McCloskeys’ actions. They argue that Black Lives Matter protesters have a real grievance — with the statistical and empirical evidence demonstrating racial disparities in policing and the criminal justice system — despite a very small minority taking part in rioting, looting, and other violence. To the extent the protests may have contributed to a spike in crime and murders, supporters argue, that only shows the need for police to repair community trust and relations so they can do their jobs and keep people safe.
As former Vice President Joe Biden, the Democratic nominee for president, put it following Floyd’s killing, “We know the nation we want to be. Now we have to deliver on this moment to achieve fundamental changes that address racial inequalities and white supremacy in our country.”
Republicans and others on the right have come out in support of the McCloskeys. They’ve claimed the Black Lives Matter movement is trying to defund and abolish the police and pull back “tough on crime” policies that they believe have kept America safe. They’ve also characterized the protests as hypocritical, because they’re focused on police violence against Black people but not “Black-on-Black crime.”
That’s the context in which Trump, during Black Lives Matter protests, has repeatedly tweeted, “LAW & ORDER!” It’s the same context in which Mark McCloskey told KSDK, “There is mayhem in the city every night, and you never hear about it.”
The protesters counter that they do care about non-police violence — and, in fact, there have been large Black-led protests over other kinds of violence over the past few years. They argue that police violence against Black people and other kinds of violence are dual problems: Police not only harass and kill Black people but also fail to protect Black people from real crimes. To that end, many supporters of Black Lives Matter — Biden included — don’t want to defund or abolish the police but rather reform police to better protect and serve minority communities.
Beyond Black Lives Matter, the couple’s actions exposed divides over gun rights in the US. For the left, the couple’s actions exemplified the kind of reckless, loose use of firearms that’s fueled extraordinary levels of gun violence in the US for decades. For the right, the moment showed why the Second Amendment and gun rights are necessary — offering a last line of defense when the government can’t or won’t protects its citizens.
Together, all of these partisan divides have created a political environment in which the McCloskeys are invited to speak at the Republican convention.
New goal: 25,000
In the spring, we launched a program asking readers for financial contributions to help keep Vox free for everyone, and last week, we set a goal of reaching 20,000 contributors. Well, you helped us blow past that. Today, we are extending that goal to 25,000. Millions turn to Vox each month to understand an increasingly chaotic world — from what is happening with the USPS to the coronavirus crisis to what is, quite possibly, the most consequential presidential election of our lifetimes. Even when the economy and the news advertising market recovers, your support will be a critical part of sustaining our resource-intensive work — and helping everyone make sense of an increasingly chaotic world. Contribute today from as little as $3.