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Matt Reed
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Joined: 16 April 2004
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Posted: 21 February 2019 at 2:09am | IP Logged | 1 post reply

‘Empire’ actor Jussie Smollett charged with disorderly conduct after filing allegedly false police report

This has been an evolving story from Day 1.  Many questioned its veracity, others jumped on people for even daring to question it, and it's been a mess for nearly a month.  

But now the truth is coming out in large part because of the effort of the Chicago PD as well as news agencies doggedly pursuing a story that just didn't feel "right" from the outset.

I'm willing to hold final judgement on this story until everything is out in the open, but it's felt fishy from the outset.  Smollett claimed bleach was used in the attack on him, but he has no burns nor explanation as to why he wasn't burned. Nothing consistent with a bleach attack.  Yes, I know it's not acid, but if you've ever spilled bleach on your skin you know it affects you with welts and red skin fairly quickly.  Smollett didn't release his phone or his records and when he eventually did, they were heavily redacted.  His explanation was that he didn't want private numbers given to police.  Weird.  

Then news came of collusion with brothers who had been a part of Smollett's series EMPIRE in some way, shape or form and had also worked out with him.  Brothers who have said that they were paid by Smollett to work with him to stage the entire "attack".

Finally, there was the letter.  Apparently a racist, homophobic letter had been sent to Smolett prior to the purported attack that threatened his life. Various magazines had been used to cut out letters to form the sentences and a white powder, later identified as aspirin, was included.  It's since been reported to be one he sent to himself or paid the brothers to send to him.  When that didn't get enough pop or buzz, the idea of an actual attack was formulated. 

What does all this mean? Why is every news agency covering it?  Why should we care?  

We should care because, if true, it's a person who used the cover of a hate crime to get buzz around his name.  We should care because, if true, his false claim of a hate crime is going to negatively affect every single hate crime report in the near term.  People will naturally be more skeptical of actual reported hate crimes because one person tried to game the system to his advantage.  In the long term, it's going to be harder for people of his stature (let alone those not so fortunate) to claim a hate crime has been committed against them simply because people will be more apt to believe they're doing it to gain something rather than accept that anyone, rich or poor, is susceptible. 

In short, if what Smollett is charged with turns out to be true then, I'm sorry, his career should be in ruins and his financial future uncertain.  He wasted valuable time and resources from a police department that obviously has a lot on its plate.  He also negatively affected the lives of so many actual future hate-crime victims who may not be taken as seriously as they would have had he never concocted his plan to game the system for his own reward.  Smollett can tout his credibility with numerous charity groups all he wants, but at the end of the day it seems his decision to promote himself ahead of all of that is really what's in his heart...again IF the charges filed today prove to be true.  
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Brian Floyd
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Posted: 21 February 2019 at 2:25am | IP Logged | 2 post reply

I don't watch EMPIRE, and had never even heard of Smollett before this story came out.

TMZ (I watch the tv show occasionally) said if he's behind it, he could get up to 3 years in prison. He probably won't. But if he indeed did have this set up, I hope it ends his career just because of how it will negatively impact legitimate victims of hate crimes in the future.






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Bill Collins
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Posted: 21 February 2019 at 4:43am | IP Logged | 3 post reply

Also, it could have triggered retaliation hate crimes.
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John Cole
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Posted: 21 February 2019 at 9:35am | IP Logged | 4 post reply

Haven't watched network TV since around 1983 so I have no idea who he is outside of the news headlines.
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Bob Simko
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Posted: 21 February 2019 at 9:50am | IP Logged | 5 post reply

Because we don't have enough actual crimes in Chicago that require police
resources...
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John Byrne
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Joined: 11 May 2005
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Posted: 21 February 2019 at 10:04am | IP Logged | 6 post reply

My spider-sense was tingling on this one from the start. I chose to remain silent (!) until we saw how it resolved.
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Brennan Voboril
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Posted: 21 February 2019 at 10:19am | IP Logged | 7 post reply

I wonder about the motive.  He did it because he felt he wasn't being paid enough?  What sort of money was he paid as an Empire actor?  I can't imagine it was peanuts.
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Trevor Krysak
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Posted: 21 February 2019 at 10:40am | IP Logged | 8 post reply

He really oversold his situation. The attack seemed so outlandish. And while I wouldn't put it past a Trump supporter or several thinking an attack like that was something they could do and get away with this one seemed so unlikely from the moment it was announced.

Everything from there seemed like attention seeking behavior. If it really was done to stay on Empire he really screwed up there. Now he's likely done on tv for years, even if he does no jail time.

Obviously he didn't read The Boy Who Cried Wolf as a kid. Or as an adult.
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Vinny Valenti
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Posted: 21 February 2019 at 11:45am | IP Logged | 9 post reply

"Now he's likely done on tv for years, even if he does no jail time."

Gotta think he's done forEVER in Hollywood. This guy's no Marlon Brando or Robert Downey Jr.
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Roberto Melendrez
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Posted: 21 February 2019 at 1:55pm | IP Logged | 10 post reply

Trump fanatics are benefiting most from the Smollet coverage.  Very few news outlets are reporting that one of MAGA country's own, a Coast Guard Lieutenant, has been arrested and charged with planning a terrorist attack/mass murder- with a hit list of Democratic politicians no less!  He had a frightening cache of weapons and the training to effectively use them.

Imagine the coverage if it had been a Muslim or an immigrant planning something like that?

This story gets a brief mention but nowhere near the attention the Smolett's fiasco is receiving.

https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2019/2/21/18234662/c hristopher-paul-hasson-coast-guard-domestic-terrorist





Edited by Roberto Melendrez on 21 February 2019 at 1:58pm
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John Byrne
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Posted: 21 February 2019 at 1:59pm | IP Logged | 11 post reply

Trump fanatics are benefiting most from the Smollet coverage. Very few news outlets are reporting that one of MAGA country's own, a Coast Guard Lieutenant, has been arrested and charged with planning a terrorist attack/mass murder- with a hit list of Democratic politicians no less! He had a frightening cache of weapons and the training to effectively use them.

•••

What’s your definition of “very few”? It’s all over Google News.

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Roberto Melendrez
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Posted: 21 February 2019 at 2:40pm | IP Logged | 12 post reply

I based 'very few' on what came up on my watching the news this morning before work. Couldnt get away from the Smolett story and no where near as much on the Coast Guard Lieutenant at the hour I was watching. Glad to hear that I'm wrong about it not being widely reported and getting lost in the shuffle.

Edited by Roberto Melendrez on 21 February 2019 at 2:43pm
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