Victor Davis Hanson
American Greatness
Recently, a large group of black youths began pummeling several white adults in downtown Cincinnati.
The original altercation apparently broke out between a black and white male in he-said/he-said fashion.
But that dispute soon turned into a virtual free-for-all.
Numerous male and female black youths sucker-punched a middle-aged woman and a man. Others continued to kick or body slam the victims, who were sprawled on their backs and seemingly unconscious.
There were many disturbing aspects to the beat-downs.
One, the violence broke out along racial and age fault lines. After the initial one-on-one dispute, groups of black youths swarmed solitary older white bystanders to pound them.
Two, the surrounding assembled group of black youths not only failed to intervene to restrain the bullies. They also recorded the beatings for social media and were heard cheering on the one-sided violence.
Three, there was neither a police presence nor any timely Good Samaritan interventions.
Instead, what ended the attacks was simply the fact that at least two of the targets appeared nearly comatose. So their assailants apparently concluded that their agenda of beating whites into unconsciousness was mostly complete.
Four, oddly few of the usual black spokespeople who habitually comment on interracial violence were to be seen.
During the fake Jussie Smollett attack, self-appointed leaders from Al Sharpton to Kamala Harris immediately issued warnings about so-called systemic white racism that had reared its ugly head to victimize Smollett.
Yet when it was revealed Smollett had concocted the entire charade—and even hired his own assaulters—there were few if any retractions from those once so eager to shout “racist!”
Such demagoguery is a well-known pattern dating back to the days of the Tawana Brawley rape hoax, the Duke Lacrosse charade, the Covington kids ruse, the Michael Ford “Hands-up-Don’t Shoot” fabrication, the “pseudo-transformation of George Zimmerman into a ‘white Hispanic,’” or the NASCAR noose fable.
Racialists too often concoct white racist attackers and go silent when the evidence proves fabricated—only to be primed to manipulate the next hoax.
Five, the media and authorities did their best to either hide or play down the violence.
City leaders, the chief of police, and the media variously blamed the mass black-on-white violence on 1) social media, 2) the original one-on-one dispute, 3) alcohol, 4) the lack of civilian intervention to stop the violence, and 5) a festival atmosphere—anything except endemic racial hatred shown toward whites from the crowd of black youths.
Six, had a gang of white toughs beat middle-aged African-Americans senseless, recorded it, and cheered on the violence, there would have been immediate national outrage.
Nor did anyone wish to raise the taboo topic of inordinate black crime rates, disproportionate to respective demographic realities. In rare interracial violent crimes, the asymmetrical ratio of black-on-white versus white-on-black assaults ranges from three to five times greater.
Seven, the quiet of the left-wing media to the reprehensible violence stands in marked contrast with their usual rush-to-judgment racialism in two near-simultaneous incidents.
When a shooter of mixed African-American heritage recently entered a New York City corporate headquarters and executed four innocents, CNN falsely raised the speculation that a “white male” was perhaps responsible—despite the photograph of the suspect, who was as clearly male as he was not white.
Media and municipal officials jumped to explain the violence as due to the killer’s alleged past traumatic brain injury or because of his access to a semi-automatic weapon—or anything other than his hate-filled plan to murder an NFL executive.
Actress and model Sydney Sweeney just cut a jeans commercial in front of a poster that said, “Sydney Sweeney has great genes”—with “genes” crossed out and replaced with “jeans.” The left then exploded, alleging the ad was a supposed Hitlerian reference to white eugenics.
Yet the eugenics movement in America was mostly a product of left-wing progressives, from Planned Parenthood founder Margaret Sanger to Democrat president Woodrow Wilson.
And the ad’s sponsor, American Eagle, had previously used all sorts of models from all racial backgrounds. All might agree that the ad simply shows both tight, sexy jeans and a naturally attractive wearer—period.
The country is descending into a tribal morass of double standards and racial fixations.
The diversity/equity/inclusion industry, the Defund-the-Police madness, and the perpetual left-wing hunt for “white racism/white privilege/white rage”—from the prior Pentagon hierarchy to the lunatic fringe of Jasmine Crockett, Joy Reid, and Zohran Mamdani—have all legitimized double standards while lowering the bar of the once unacceptable.
When our careerist left-wing elites seek to divide us by race and make it essential, not incidental, to our identities, that tribalist message filters throughout communities.
The ensuing signal is that “payback” violence is okay—on the expectation that there are no consequences for interracial violence—as long as the victim is white and the assaulter is not.
“Identity Politics” is “Tribal Politics”. President Obama is the chief promoter of this ideology. With his divisive commentary, his schooling of black and brown people in racial victimhood and his utter silence in the face of racial animus, Barack Obama and his immediate coterie have marinated America in Tribal Politics going on multiple decades.
It is entirely correct to lay responsibility for divided America on Barack Obama. He is responsible for reversing decades of progress toward a race neutral society. Obama is a social saboteur.
Stay away from drunk mouthy people, no matter what they look like
The racism is black.
Mr. Philip Pelletier nails it perfectly.
Cincinnati city member of council Victoria Parks goes on social media stating the victims were begging for a beat down.
Enough said.
Not sure the Ohio River can rise far enough for a complete deep cleaning.
Vigilantism will eventually rear it’s head in situations like this. Eventually there will be a like scenario as what we saw in Cincinnati, and some older white guy who can’t stand or defend against a gang “beat-down”, will use deadly force for fear of their lives and leave gang members (Black or White) lay dying is a pool of their own blood and guts. Civility on the streets may well return in that instance at the cost of youthful and unbridled lives.
Mr. Hanson
Great observations as usual. I have a forward-looking question. Do you think there are any series of events or circumstances that will cause the media outlets you referenced to start reporting on news stories with accuracy and stop suppressing important stories that cast leftists and Democrats in a poor light? Or is this something that just comes with the territory of being a democracy with free speech?
The double standard when it comes to racism and black on white crime is deafening, not to mention the degradation of race relations is alarming. While I am reticent to be “hyper-partisan”, one can only look at Democrat platforms and policies and see that they have done nothing but encourage racism, segregation, governmental dependence, and violence.
As to the American Eagle ad, it is apparent that this advertising campaign was very successful. After all, who want to see unattractive, overweight, trans models vs. attractive models of any race. The left is melting down because they can’t tolerate anything “white”; especially an attractive white woman in good genes….errr, I mean jeans 😉
The two basic traits that reside at the core of the items that Victor so eloquently states, are jealousy and envy. The black thugs have heard over and over in their lifetime that America is racist and they have been cheated out of the “privileged life of white people”. Thus they took their opportunity to take out their rage against “whitey”.
As for the Sweeney ad, the same holds true…less-than-attractive females have jealousy and envy of attractive women. Those are emotions that are as old as humankind. Rather than call it what it is, the excuse of eugenics and Nazism are endeared terms of the leftists.
Leftist culture continues towards the goal of jealousy and envy…sad to say, it is working for far too many people.
Two words: concealed carry.
VDH,
What gets overlooked is these beat downs by “black youths” and all the black on white violence in this country foster high self-esteem in there communities.
Self-esteem is a very complex issue, and we have the mental health professional community to blame for the focus people place on it.
It’s quite apparent by all except the most casual of observers that the politicians on the left have one goal in mind with these tactics, they want to encourage a race war in this country. It would seem those tactics are bearing fruit.
Stoking the fires of racial hatred seems to be the incessant strategy of the sick left! So sad, I worked with a few black guys years ago and we were buddies! Now the answer to every black problem is violence. Instead of emulating black gangsters they should aspire to be like Thomas Sowell, Walter Williams, Bob Woodson, Leo Terrell or Reggie Lewis.
These “wildings” are not the stuff of a modern civilization, obviously.
The City Councilwoman’s comment afterward points to the cause. Surely, if it is not dealt with swiftly and severely, it will continue and grow. One fellow out on $400 bail suggests justice will again not be served. Reportedly, the woman was from Russia and she left for home the following day. Odds are she and friends she has in Russia will never again visit the US. Probably, others of other nations will decide the US is too dangerous to vacation here. Decades ago some Americans earned some dubious fame by their arrogance when visiting other nations and became known as “ugly Americans”. Now with these behaviors, we are becoming a backward, pre-civilizational, ugly nation.
Mike,
Why does American Eagle need to run a second ad when there was nothing wrong with the first ad? The genes/jeans play on words has nothing to do white supremacy or white racism.
Unfortunately, the lifeblood of the post civil rights industry is racial grievance, whether real or not, as it keeps the gravy train of unconstitutional preferences and quotas flowing.
As always-Mr. Hanson delivers his message with such elegance & common sense thinking-says the things that shouldn’t even have to be said because they just make sense in a civilized society.
With that said, I do not understand his third point-no police presence. Bit of background:I was born & raised here in Cincinnati-have lived here my whole life-except when I left to serve this country. I came home, started a family with the finest man on the planet-together we have raised 5 solid citizens, 2 of which wear that Cincinnati Police uniform. It burns my biscuits to no end when I read comments from this past weekend & people say things like “the CPD sucks” or “the cops don’t do anything”. Thats your take away?!
Not the fact that “grown ups” are in the streets at 0300 acting like they don’t have the good sense God gave a billygoat? Should we really have to have people telling us not to stomp on each other’s heads or please, gentlemen, do not punch women in the face? If that’s the case,we have a very long road ahead of us my fellow Americans.
Ps-Cincy PD is currently recruiting for its next class-feel free to sign up & walk a mile in those boots.
Mike, your suggestion to have multi-color, multi-racial hot chicks is simply elegant, thank you.
I too am sick of the incessant push to divide us by the left and its media.
Excellent summary of this push to divide, sir…..
Dear Mr Hanson,
Thank you for reiterating the litany of racial hoaxes perpetrated on the American public, less the noose hoaxes (Bubba Watson et.al.), that always flop, and identify a race baiter looking for attention. These instances should be mandated as the chyrons to run on the phony legacy media before every racially tinged event. As we know from experience it’s buried and forgotten as soon as it doesn’t match the liberal approved narrative.
With regard to the jeans ad, it’s great to see a normal, playful ad after the years of freaks and deranged fantasies from the woke ad departments. Watching the lib’s hyperventilate is most of the fun.
Sincerely,
Eric Koehler
I believe we have reached THAT place of lawlessness spoken about in the last days of this age that we are in. People ARE seeking God more than ever because there appears to be no fix for the lack of moral character. Goodness and justice must start with the individual. The Bible says in 2 Chronicles 7:13-14 “ if my people, who are called by my name,, will humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways;then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and heal their land.”
Anyone remember the outrage over teenage Brooke Shields proclaiming nothing came between her and her Calvin Klein jeans? Two really great ad’s. I am not impressed with either girl, but the ad creators deserve acclaim.
The right expressed its moral outrage of a teen discussing her lack of underwear. The woke, TDS mob affixed its Hitler sticker to Sweeney’s ad. Reminds me of someone with a hammer and sees everything as a nail. Today, everything is Hitler and Nazi’s.
If I had to choose, i would prefer to endure the moral outrage people. Those labeling everything as Hitler are significantly more evil.
Great essay, VDH! IMHO, she’s not all that attractive, either.
You want to see attractive(?), see Aisha Hasnie on Fox News(!). Stunning …
I do not think Sweeny is such an attractive young lady. Only seeing pictures of her in the American Eagle jeans I am not seeing the ‘sexy’ others see. Maybe it is the hazed look in her eyes but I have to wonder what drug she may be on.
Getting back to the racial component of the article; Professor Hanson is accurate but why do readers require a rehash of all the left racial abuses over the past decades, are we so forgetful that we need reminded in lengthy articles. Possibly I am too much a news/political junkie to ever forget the racists Al Sharptons of the world even though I no longer watch cable news.
Thank you for your erudite thinking. Beautifully written essay.
About the American Eagle jeans ad: To respond, the company should have another ad with multi-color, multi-racial hot chicks proclaiming the same lucky feature of their genes.
Yes. Mr Hanson. Spot on as always. This era of increased racial animosity comes from the leftists and can be attributed, as with most everything else dysfunctional, primarily to Mr Barry Obama and his “fundamental transformation of America” . Thank God for President Trump and his team
It is ironic that the left decries eugenics when they were the ones who invented it. It has become comedic how absurd these people are and why anyone listens to the is beyond me. The only think that makes any sense to me is that this is a biblical fight of good vs evil