Tucker Carlson excuses white vigilante accused of first-degree murder
Wisconsin authorities arrested a 17-year-old white boy named Kyle Rittenhouse for premeditated murder Wednesday. The Illinois resident had attended a protest in Kenosha Tuesday night, where there has been serious unrest for days following the police shooting of Jacob Blake, who was shot in the back seven times in front of his children.
A very disturbing video of part of the events (as well as an account from a Washington Post reporter) shows Rittenhouse running along a street in Kenosha along with a handful of protesters. He trips, rolls into a sitting position, fires once, gets into a scuffle with someone carrying a skateboard, and fires again. Seconds later, sitting back up and with people standing several feet away, he appears to take deliberate aim and fires a third time. Two of the protesters are dead and another was seriously wounded.
Fox News' Tucker Carlson defended Rittenhouse on his show Wednesday evening. He argued that armed vigilante terrorism is simply to be expected when there are protests or riots:
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
It doesn't bode well that the most popular cable news host in American history is making excuses for accused vigilante murderers. That, apparently, is what conservatives like Carlson mean by "law and order."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Ryan Cooper is a national correspondent at TheWeek.com. His work has appeared in the Washington Monthly, The New Republic, and the Washington Post.
-
7 beautiful towns to visit in Switzerland during the holidays
The Week Recommends Find bliss in these charming Swiss locales that blend the traditional with the modern
By Catherine Garcia, The Week US Published
-
The Week contest: Werewolf bill
Puzzles and Quizzes
By The Week US Published
-
'This needs to be a bigger deal'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
The political latitude of Musk's cost-cutting task force
Talking Points A $2 trillion goal. And big obstacles in the way.
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
The Pentagon faces an uncertain future with Trump
Talking Point The president-elect has nominated conservative commentator Pete Hegseth to lead the Defense Department
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Should Sonia Sotomayor retire from the Supreme Court?
Talking Points Democrats worry about repeating the history of Ruth Bader Ginsburg
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
US election: who the billionaires are backing
The Explainer More have endorsed Kamala Harris than Donald Trump, but among the 'ultra-rich' the split is more even
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
US election: where things stand with one week to go
The Explainer Harris' lead in the polls has been narrowing in Trump's favour, but her campaign remains 'cautiously optimistic'
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Donald Trump and the fascism debate
Talking Points Democrats sound the alarm, but Republicans say 'it's always the F-word'
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
Would Trump really use the military against Americans?
Talking Points The former president says troops could be used against 'enemy within'
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
Trump blames migrants for the housing crisis. Experts aren't so sure.
Talking Points Migrants need housing. They also build it.
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published