Scott Kamps
You’re presumably well-aware of the confrontation and shooting of Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis on Jan. 7.
Some might say if you haven’t seen videos, you’re living under a rock – which frankly, is getting more and more appealing.
As with most political controversies in America in the 2020s, there are two very different narratives of what happened – and video evidence only seems to solidify each side in their viewpoint.
While I have a fairly strong opinion on who is to blame, a short column like this would be unlikely to persuade anyone toward my view. It could be a valuable discussion face-to-face with someone who believes/thinks differently, but it would be a waste of ink here and “vanity of vanities” on social media. Still, the incident is worth raising here – to hopefully provoke some worthwhile thoughts.
Consider the striking fact that with all the video evidence that’s gone viral from several angles – and for several minutes, both before the shooting and after – there are still two basic and very different narratives.
How can that be? It seems to me that the most reasonable explanation for this dichotomy is found largely in the importance of our presuppositions. In other words, our perspective shapes our perception of reality, even of evidence seen with our own eyes.
C.S. Lewis communicates this idea wonderfully in “The Magician’s Nephew,” with the narrator saying, “What you see and what you hear depends a great deal on where you are standing. It also depends on what sort of person you are.”
If you’re the sort of person who believes I.C.E. is a legitimate federal law enforcement agency working to make our streets safe by arresting and deporting illegal immigrants, then you will likely see the video one way. If you’re the sort of person who believes Trump is a modern Hitler and I.C.E. is a modern version of Gestapo terrorizing cities in America, then you’ll doubtlessly see it another way.
It seems to me that one viewpoint is primarily based on evidence and facts; while the other is largely based on group-think, and assertions made repeatedly by politicians and the media until it’s accepted as a substitute for evidence. While it may be tempting – indeed, it’s encouraged on social media – to simply mock and insult the intelligence of those who disagree with us, it’s far more honorable to try to understand the issues and seek to bear influence where we can; it might not be hyperbole to say our republic may depend on it.
Moreover, it’s important to acknowledge that many people may have good intentions – but are simply deceived!
In any case, while it’s heartbreaking to see the tragic loss of life and the unrest in many of our cities, it’s a reminder to pray for our nation. It’s also a reminder of how blessed we are to live in a small town where such troubles seem so far away – if it wasn’t for social media.
Scott Kamps writes a bi-weekly column for The Graham Star. He can be reached via email, thestableguy@frontier.com.