Truth, justice, and the case of Jussie Smollett

On Thursday, Dec. 9, a jury in Chicago’s Cook County found actor Jussie Smollett guilty on five of six charges in faking a hate crime. Smollett, whose incident raised red flags immediately after he claimed to have been the subject of a vicious beating by two men wearing MAGA hats and shouting slurs, still maintains his innocence. But the jury saw compelling evidence, including video of Smollett’s staging of the hoax and a check made out to Smollett’s “assailants.” These two individuals, brothers, also provided damning testimony against Smollett.

Smollett’s story raises all kinds of questions. Perhaps, most importantly, this is a fresh example of the insanity of our nonstop news cycle and the temptations of the digital age. It seems like we keep saying this, after story after story—there is wisdom in holding our reactions until we know the truth. This is especially true for those with big platforms and media organizations, whose headlines can often create false narratives. Sometimes those explanations, as in the case of Smollett, turn out to be false. The deadly cocktail of personal vanity and a media ecosystem that looks to perpetuate politically correct narratives continues to erode trust in important institutions, and in the truth itself.

There is a reason why the ancient wisdom of James 1:19 fits the moment. Being quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger disciplines us to pause before advancing and spreading information that we have not verified to be true, especially when it comforts our ideological biases.

We should also be grateful for a jury that was able to see through the fog of misinformation and come to a consensus about the truth. Of course, our justice system is far from perfect, but we should be heartened by juries of late that rendered just judgments in controversial cases, even as the entire country was second-guessing their verdicts. Charlie Cooke of National Review credits the ordinary people “pulled at random, from the diners and schools and football fields of America,” who make up juries. Perhaps this institution is the last bastion of sanity in America. Due process, the gathering of facts, and the right to counsel are cherished American principles for which we should be grateful.

These citizens in the city of Chicago were able to find the truth about Jussie Smollett in an era when the truth is often sacrificed in favor of preferred narratives. For Christians, truth and facts should matter because we follow the One who is the source of all truth (John 14:6) and obey the Scriptures, which urge us to pursue truth (Philippians 4:8). Truth matters for human flourishing.

And yet, as much as we can rejoice in a just verdict, we should also be troubled by the perverse incentives in our society that seem to reward performative actions like a hate crime hoax. Smollett was already a successful and famous actor, but for some reason, he desired a kind of elevated status that comes with victimhood. He did so attempting to confirm stereotypes between political enemies, which serves only to divide Americans further. Few will go to the lengths this wealthy actor did to stage an act of violence, but too many are motivated by performative activism and by both political and economic incentives.

Fake crimes and fake victims are not only absurd, they are tragic distractions from actual victims. Every day, there are violent attacks against image-bearers in cities around the country. In the same week the Smollett trial was being conducted, an Asian restaurant owner was gunned down in broad daylight in Chinatown while walking to buy a newspaper. Sadly, there was little national outcry over the murder of Woom Sing Tse. This is why Smollett’s actions are so reprehensible. His seeking to earn sympathy deserved by genuine victims diverts public resources and public attention and makes it harder for real victims to come forward.

Let’s pray for the truth to prevail in highly visible cases like Jussie Smollet, where emotions run high, and we are all tempted to speak before we know the facts. Let’s pray for greater discipline on the part of celebrities, journalists, and politicians—and all of us. And let’s pray for Jussie Smollett himself, that this season will draw his heart away from deception and toward repentance and faith in the one who welcomes, with grace, those who once rejected the truth.