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Vigilante Kyle Rittenhouse was found not guilty of murdering Joseph Rosenbaum and Anthony Huber and wounding Gaige Grosskreutz with an AR-15-type semiautomatic rifle at a protest in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Protesters had gathered there to speak out against the police shooting of Jacob Blake, a Black man who was left paralyzed after being shot by a police officer.  

Shortly after the verdict, former president Donald Trump sent an email statement about the verdict. It read: "Congratulations to Kyle Rittenhouse for being found INNOCENT of all charges. It's called being found NOT GUILTY- and by the way, if that's not self-defense, nothing is!” I note that Trump did not offer “thoughts and prayers” to Rittenhouse’s victims or their families. 

Later, Rittenhouse and his mother met with Trump at Mar-a-Lago. The photo of the two together speaks volumes about the political polarization in this country. I am appalled at the verdict and Trump’s use of Rittenhouse for political purposes while Trump’s base is undoubtedly cheering.