There have been many rumors surrounding Jussie Smollett being attacked on Jan. 29. One being that high-powered Democrats plotted with the actor to push the anti-lynching bill. Others, like Tariq Nasheed, claim it is only because of Jussie Smollett’s alleged attack is being used to push the LGBT language in the anti-lynching bill.
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Nasheed wrote on Twitter, “They used this Jussie hoax to pass this anti Lynching bill, and this is the first time in history the white LGBT community has an official document GIVING THEM FEDERAL PROTECTIONS AS AN OPPRESSED GROUP like Black Americans. This Lynching Bill was a victory for the LGBT crowd.” According to Nasheed, the “they” is Sen. Kamala Harris and Cory Booker.
A fake Judge Joe Brown also tweeted the conspiracy theory:
Another account claimed, “The #JussieSmollettHoax was used by unscrupulous individuals like @CoryBooker to pass a lynching law to benefit gays while ignoring police murdering Black people. This was NOT accidental. It was very deliberate.”
However, the anti-lynching legislation has been in place for months.
Civil rights attorney and SiriusXM radio host Lurie Favors wrote on her Twitter, “No. They worked on that law for months – as has been repeatedly reported. The bill was introduced in 2018. There are real reasons for concern w this case. It’s sad to see our own folks reaching this hard.”
She also tweeted, “Reading comprehension (including dates) matters. Kamala Harris, Corey Booker & Tim Scott were working on the anti-lynching legislation in 2018. They did not do it in response to the Jussie Smollett situation.”
White evangelicals complained about sexual orientation and gender identity being in the Justice for Victims of Lynching Act, claims it just covers race. However, from the start, the legislation include religion and disability, however, conservatives jumped on protecting the lives of sexual orientation and gender identity for a reason to not pass the bill.
Sadly, people like Tariq Nasheed, not realizing Black LGBT people experience violence at a higher rate than their white counterparts, pushes a conspiracy theory simply because Sen. Harris tweeted, “This was an attempted modern day lynching. No one should have to fear for their life because of their sexuality or color of their skin. We must confront this hate.”
How disturbing that people want to advocate against lives being protected simply because they are part of the LGBT community. Nasheed and other conspiracy theorist do not appear to have an issue with religion or disability being included.
The Jussie Smollett attack is still being investigated, but regardless of the outcome, the anti-lynching law stands alone from him. The bill was recently passed in the Senate and it will now go to the House.
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