Jussie Smollett and the Rush to Believe

Smollett in his first interview after the alleged attack; Good Morning America 1/13/2019

So here we are again. Someone we think represents us and our beliefs reports being the victim of a horrible and vicious attack. From the moment we hear the report we are committed to seeking justice. Our focus is not the individual crime, but our certainty that it is a symbol of what we’ve always known: THEY are out to get US. Our reaction is swift and complete. Not only will we find the perpetrators of this heinous crime, we will go after the people and culture that have enabled it.

Here’s the thing, I’m describing ALL OF US! Whether it’s racially or economically, politically or religiously, a large majority of Americans rely on some version of an “us versus them” philosophy. We are sure that the failures and struggles we face personally are in some part due to the concerted effort THEY are making to discriminate against, steal from, and lie to US. Every American has a very real historical record upon which we build narratives to support our philosophy, no matter how much the narrative itself may stray from that historical record. We then wait for something to happen that seemingly confirms the narrative and we believe before we know. It is the perfect combination of groupthink and confirmation bias. And it is an inescapable part of American political culture.

A few days after Thanksgiving in 1987 a 15-year-old girl named Tawana Brawley was found…