Although we love to view the world in absolutes, things are seldom black and white. Heroes have skeletons in their closets and assholes secretly donate money to the ASPCA commercials with Sarah Mclachlan. Okay, maybe not.
But the point is that the world is a complex place, full of moral ambiguity, double standards and mixed feelings.
So we have taken the task upon ourselves to bring back the epic binary of “good” versus “bad,” “right” versus “wrong,” and “virtuous versus “evil.”
We humbly present to you: Asshole and Hero of the week.
Asshole(s): Sean Williams and Ronald Ritchie
Via: cmgdigital.com
On August 5, 2014, John Crawford III, a black man, was shot in a Wal-Mart in Ohio for allegedly brandishing an assault rifle by Officer Sean Williams.
As it turns out, the gun in question was fake, so Crawford was shot and killed for what turned out to be no reason. To make matters worse, the grand jury that was supposed to bring charges to Williams, didn’t, so he got away with it without so much as a spot on his record.
Surveillance footage of the event shows that Crawford had no idea that the police officers were around him and he was on the phone with his girlfriend at the time of the incident. It seems that they didn’t even give him a chance to relinquish the fake weapon before discharging their guns.
The witness who called 9-1-1, Ronald Ritchie, said he saw Crawford waving around the gun and threatening children with it, a complete hyperbole. After the surveillance footage didn’t match up with his story, he recanted and began telling a new version.
So, we have in Sean Williams and Ronald Ritchie yet another instance of racism toward innocent African American people who seem to be consistently accused of committing harmful acts. It is because of the actions of both Sean Williams and Ronald Ritchie that John Crawford III was killed, and for that, both of these men deserve the title of Asshole of the Week.
Hero: Diane Wilkinson
Via: capitalnews9.com
Draven Rodriguez is a student at Schenectady High School in New York. He took it upon himself to take his own unique high school yearbook photos and then preemptively petitioned the school to allow him to use them as his official yearbook photo. The photos feature him and his cat named Mr. Bugglesworth surrounded by lasers.
Sidenote: I kind of adore this kid’s moxy.
Despite the petition getting over 7,000 signatures and the story being blasted on all local news channels, the school declined Rodriguez’s use of the photos for his official yearbook photo.
Enter Diane Wilkinson.
Principal of Schenectady High School, Wilkinson decided to overturn the school’s decision and to take matters one step further. She appeared in the photo with Rodriguez and Mr. Bugglesworth along with her dog named Vivienne. The picture was then to be displayed on the principal’s page. Because both Mr. Bugglesworth and Vivienne are rescue animals, Wilkinson is used the photo as a way to raise awareness for rescue animals and the ASPCA.
A principal that will go to the mat for you about your laser-cat yearbook photo and turn it into a way to bring attention to an animal rights organization is a hero, always and forever.
Featured photo courtesy of: blogspot
