It's an election year.

There is a media frenzy that turns a local (sometimes legitimately controversial, sometimes clear cut) issue into a massive wedge issue every major election year.

Tawana Brawley - 1987/1988
Duke LaCrosse - 2006 mid terms
Travyon Martin - 2012
Mike Brown/Ferguson MO - 2014 mid terms
Alton Sterling/Baton Rouge - 2016

Either the issue happened organically or was based on complete bullshite....either way, the media and coastal progressives will have a frenzy to stir up racial tension in the flyover country before the election. The goal of the intense coverage is to stoke fear and drive up voter turnout. Politicans get some camera time and are provided with an opportunity to soap box for a while. A little more gasoline is poured into the racial division that never seems to be allowed to heal.

The challenge this year for them is that this competes with Covid-19 coverage. The case in Georiga didn't really pick up as expected because it was too clear cut. I suspect the Minneapolis case (obvious police brutality) would have otherwise had organized protests not occurred.The Travyon Martin case (shot self-defense) and the Alton Sterling shooting (shot while fighting back/ resisting arrest) were more divisive and controversial. The 2020 racial wedge issues so far are too egregious to really take off like the Trayvon Martin shooting.

The Minneapolis incident is more like the Baltimore incident - it's real, and it's obvious police brutality. Since there's not much ambiguity and thus not as divisive, it's not as politically valuable. They'll try to make hay with it though through media coverage and organized (sometimes violent) protests.

This post was edited on 5/28/20 at 10:51 am