In the wake of the discovery of Native American actor Cole Brings Plenty’s lifeless body in a remote part of Kansas, the Lawrence Kansas police department have released a statement that, unfortunately, fed into into conspiracies regarding his death.
Even though police have yet to find evidence of any racial animus playing a role in the 27-year-old actor’s death, that hasn’t stopped internet activists and keyboard warriors from finding racism in this case.
Specifically, they are focused on a statement the Lawrence PD released via Facebook on Wednesday that followed up on an official statement from the Johnson County Sheriff’s office that noted, there “is no indication of foul play in the death of Cole Brings Plenty” — a fact that failed to satisfy most internet denizens.
Now, Brings Plenty, known for appearing in the “Yellowstone” spinoff, “1923,” with his uncle, Mo Brings Plenty, had been missing since March 31.
Prior to that, he had been named by the Kansas police as a “person of interest” in two offenses, aggravated domestic battery and aggravated burglary, according to the New York Post.
On Friday, the police found Brings Plenty’s missing SUV, with Brings Plenty’s lifeless body beside it.
So far, no cause of death has been released or identified.
But, attached to the Lawrence PD statement, was a quote from Lawrence Kansas Police Chief Rich Lockhart: “This is a tragic case for everyone involved. … None of us could have imagined this outcome.”
Is this death suspicious?
All true, all more or less typical statements thus far.
The next sentence, however, was what distinguished this statement, raising the ire of the racially-minded commentators.
Lockhart continued, “I learned through this series of events that our Police Department must work harder to increase trust with our Native American community members.” He then committed to “build and partnerships we form between our Native American community and our police department will create a relationship that will not only increase trust and understanding.”
The commentators on Facebook wasted no time taking the Lawrence PD to task for this seemingly face-saving statement.
One user speculated,”It honestly looks like a To Kill a Mockingbird situation where daughters cried wolf because daddy didn’t want them hanging out with Indians.” Another user contended, “I feel like things would be different if his name was John Smith.”
Indeed, many comments followed the tenor of the latter one, accusing the police of “dropping the ball” and claiming, “I guess [the police] just pick and choose who gets justice and who doesn’t.”
Now, were these comments entirely fair?
Was there a prejudicial element to the initial domestic abuse charges that possibly led Brings Plenty to his mysterious death that has influenced how the police have continued investigating this case?
Hard to say.
For one, until more details regarding Brings Plenty’s death have been released, it would be difficult to determine whether the Lawrence PD’s statement was merely performative “anti-racism,” or was somehow prompted by new developments in the case.
For another, regardless of the intention behind the statement, it only ended up exacerbating the racial tension, not only between the Lawrence PD and Native Americans, but also the one tearing at the fabric of our once cohesive society.
Remember, it was liberals who stoked the flames of racial division, encouraging the “anti-racist” ideas of Ibram X. Kendi and the 1619 Project, as well as actively supporting the violence of the Black Lives Matter riots.
Liberals and radical leftists have actively promoted this race vs. race, as well as race vs. authority, narrative that played out in the comments to the Lawrence PD’s statement.
What truly happened to Brings Plenty may not be known for some time, and his sudden death was unquestionably tragic.
But, blaming any perceived failure of the investigation on suspected inherent racism would not accomplish anything.
People should be uniting to solve this case, not creating more division in the name of “anti-racism.”
