Five years ago, almost to the day, 5 black cadets at the Air Force Academy Preparatory School found race-tainted graffiti written on their doors. One cadet found the “N” word written outside his room. “Go home n______”. He told his mother and his mother told the world via social media.
The Air Force Academy’s Superintendent quickly assembled both campuses and delivered a speech that was fiery and direct. He told the assembled cadets and staff, and the world via YouTube, that if this is what type of racism is in your heart, “then get out”. He ordered the cadets to get their phones out to video his message. The speech caused visceral reactions and was praised by Joe Biden, John McCain, and just about every politician in America.
But, it was all unnecessary. It was based on a lie.
One of the cadets who “found” the “racist slurs” was the one who wrote them. The cadet was black. He was dismissed. The speech accusing a mystery racist got over a million views while the cadet’s dismissal and the hoax quickly faded from memory. It was fake, but that wasn’t the Academy’s takeaway. The Academy claimed that it had a positive impact because it drew focus on racism.
The online message about the fake “racism” remains up five years later. If one read that message today one would assume that an actual racist event happened.
Claims of racism/bigotry that turn into hoaxes seem far more common than actual racism. In fact, when I hear or see a claim of racism, I am generally dubious and jaded. Show me the “receipts,” and then I’ll believe it. Maybe. From fake nooses in Oakland and a NASCAR garage to fake graffiti on cars to fake racism at universities to Jussie Smollett being “attacked” by MAGA white guys carrying bleach and a noose in a winter vortex at 2 AM. All of these events were reflexively believed by those who want to assume the worst in America. They were all hoaxes. Smollett’s fake racism was so obviously a hoax that his last name has become a verb. “Smolletting” is synonymous with race hoaxing.
Although Smollett was found criminally liable he still, to this day, claims victimhood. Smollett has a mountain of cultish followers who still believe his laughable lies. He’s proven one thing – there is some currency in holding onto a hoax. Most recently, ESPN’s Stephen A Smith screamed into the camera about racism in America generally, and at a BYU game specifically. He railed for, what seemed like an eternity, even when there was no evidence of racism except for one Duke player (Rachel Richardson) claiming it happened. That there was no evidence to support Richardson’s claim made no difference to Smith. The guy sitting next to him bobbled-headed in agreement. The facts didn’t matter. BYU conducted an immediate investigation and found no corroborating evidence to support the claim. Even though BYU found zero support for the claim of racism, it still took the time to offer the usual “no place for racism” talking points even though no racism was found.
Before Duke’s flight home, the claim of racism had been debunked – not just with eye-witness refutations but the total dearth of evidence. Since it happened not one shred of evidence of a racist slur has surfaced, and Richardson claimed it happened multiple times. In the age of everyone with a cellphone with a video camera, not one video or audio clip has found its way to social media. Not one. By the following day, it was apparent that no actual evidence that it happened – but that didn’t stop the usual cast of race-baiters.
Smith did his thing more than once and yelled at America. Jemele Hill did her thing and tweeted. Hill has never missed a chance to amplify a race hoax claiming racism notwithstanding a lack of evidence to support it. Why has the BYU race hoax stayed in the headlines? Because Richardson has remained steadfast in her unsupported claim that it happened. There might be a familial reason. Richardson’s “godmother” Lesa Pamplin has a vile history of attacking whites and accusing anyone with skin paler than hers of racism.
Some of her tweets include:
“White folks ain’t never had they(sic) ass kicked, but they better get used to it”
And
“White women and men always disappoint”
Pamplin is a lawyer. She’s also running for an open judgeship. Pamplin has amplified Richardson’s claim to the point that Richardson will never withdraw it notwithstanding a lack of evidence in support of it. So like Smollett, regardless of the lack of evidence, this will remain “their truth”. Pamplin is the type of bigot and race-baiting, vile human that should never become a judge.
What is Pamplin’s apparent “best selling campaign point” for judge?
A 14-second video of rolling photos of Pamplin, with rap lyrics playing: “You black girl, you black girl, you black girl…” for 14 seconds. You have to spend 14 seconds to believe it.
Solomon, she isn’t.
What seems to be constant hoaxing and a new pattern of Smolletting has left the country poorer and in a state of two worlds where many blacks simply default and believe baseless claims and hold on to lies regardless of a lack of evidence because the claim is made by a black person, and then there are those who reflexively disbelieve the initial claim and demand evidence.
Yes – I’m jaded. Show me the receipts. Thanks, Jussie Smollett.