A perhaps unpopular series of thoughts regarding the effectiveness of criminal prosecution. I cannot sit here and tell you that I believe 17 year olds haven’t developed the ability to make sound choices or understand consequences and not apply that to Kyle Rittenhouse. (1/x)

I cannot tell you that I believe our criminal punishment system solves nothing about our social problems and tell you that belief does not apply to Kyle Rittenhouse.

And I cannot tell you that no one, certainly not a 17 year old, should face life in prison and not apply that belief to Kyle Rittenhouse. It would be dishonest and inconsistent.

If you find yourself making these distinctions, I just ask you consider why and if that why is enough to not apply your closely held beliefs of criminal punishment system that doesn’t promote public safety but, rather, spite and retribution in the name of an elusive justice.

This is no defense of the hate that young man carries in his heart and certainly not of the Republican media spectacle that has turned a serious criminal case into a circus.

I am disturbed that someone at 17 years old can have those kinds of feelings about other people and I hope that if you also care, you won’t let this criminal matter be the end of your work.

If there’s one thing I know for sure, it’s that any set of criminal prosecutions do not deter hateful conduct or change people’s deeply held beliefs.