Ok, before I start, I’ll say that I’m not for anyone shooting anyone… I’m just putting out facts.
On December 1, 2016, former NFL player Joe McKnight was shot dead over “some sort of traffic incident” by a 54 year old white male named Ronald Gasser. According to TMZ and witnesses on scene, McKnight went over to Gasser to try to apologize about whatever happened. Gasser then pulled out a gun, shot McKnight twice, and then said “I told you not to f*ck with me!” It’s also worth noting that Jefferson Parish Sheriff Newell Normand said that Gasser shot from inside his vehicle.
Gasser was arrested the same day and the police determined that the former Jets player was unarmed. So, all the proof is here. You’re probably thinking, “ok cool, they have all the evidence. Ronald Gasser killed an unarmed man because of road rage. He’s going straight to prison. Guilty, guilty, guilty.” That is, unless you know better.
Let’s rewind.
We’re in a suburbs of a southern state, Louisiana, and a white male (with a prior record… OF DOING THE SAME THING) shoots an unarmed black male over what seemed to be a minor car accident. What do you think happened? Sure, Gasser was arrested… but he was also let go, with no charges. This happens so often, but yes, I’m still surprised. The police department says that they are trying to decide whether or not they should formally charge him.
Alright, so next case.
The murder of former Saints player Will Smith. Now, the details about this case are not all put together and the trial is still going but here are the facts. Another road rage incident. On April 9, Cardell Hayes shot and killed Smith and injured his wife Racquel over a car accident. This escalated because Hayes got out of his car with a gun in hand but he claims it was because Smith had a lot of people with him. In my personal opinion, that was the first issue. It hasn’t been said why he automatically got out of the car with the revolver in hand. Hayes said that he started shooting because Smith went to get his gun out of his car, an off duty officer on the scene said that he heard Racquel begging him not to get it.
Will Smith was shot seven times in the back and once in the right torso before he even reached for his gun. Hayes was arrested and, just like Gasser, police say he was very cooperative and calm toward them.
So what’s my problem? I have a problem with the fact that Ronald Gasser is out free and Cardell Hayes is being held on a $1.75 million bail. I don’t think Hayes should be walking around free because he did shoot both Racquel and Will Smith, but Gasser should be in jail on the same amount of bail if not more because he shot someone who was not going for a gun. McKnight didn’t even have a gun in the car.
We all know why, but in case you are one of those people who “don’t know why”. Let me explain it. Gasser is a white man who shot and killed an unarmed black man. Black bodies don’t mean much to the judicial system here in America so why would they punish Gasser, right?
On the other hand, Cardell Hayes is a black man who shot another unarmed (remember, he didn’t have the gun yet) black man. Yes, he is being held because black men are more susceptible to being put in prison or jail. And do I have to explain racism and the many different forms? Because that would just be extra, you know why this is happening.
