I suppose the only thing missing from this interview was a "little lady" and a "sweetheart," but in all other ways, but Sheriff Richard Jones' segment with CNN's Brianna Keilar was borderline cartoonish in its sexism. The racism is guaranteed, as he was there to defend his statement warning completely peaceful protesters that if they'd better expect to get shot if police think they're in danger. Jones went from zero to mansplaining in under sixty seconds, though, when Keilar pointed out that none of the protests in his county had become violent.
First, she dared challenge him on his responsibility to bring down the temperature, claiming his statement fanned the flames. He said, "No. My job is to create calm. But my job is also to protect the police." Then he cited other cities where (as it turns out) a small number of violent incidents occurred during or after the protests. (Only seven percent, to be exact.) That's his excuse for threatening to execute protesters.
Keilar then asked the sheriff if he believed it was "out of line" for police to shoot Jacob Blake SEVEN TIMES in the back. He refused to denounce the shooting in even the mildest terms.
KEILAR: There's a video of it, sir. Do you think it was out of line. You're a sheriff. You've seen the video. Was it out of line?
JONES: I'm going to wait and see hot the investigation determines.
KEILAR: Wait and see for what? There's a video.
JONES: Well, if you'll let me finish, just because there's video, you guys have shown videos before that, ends up, there's other videos.
KEILAR: Seven times shot in the back. Seven times shot in the back.
JONES: And I'm going to wait and see what the evidence provides. Period. That's it.
When he shows himself either incapable or unwilling to distinguish between peaceful protesters and those causing bodily harm to others (you know, the white supremacists spraying bear mace and carrying long guns and driving their cars through the crowds...), Keilar asks him what he's so worried about if the protests in his own county have —even by his own account — been peaceful.
That's when the mansplaining goes into hyperdrive.
KEILAR: Sheriff, in fairness, that's not what you said. You said, "You shoot at the police, expect us to shoot back." No protesters are shooting at you.
[...]
Look, I'm not defending looters or rioters but I will defend protesters and you say you're talking about ruining lives. Look at Jacob Blake's life, look at his family's lives. Look at George Floyd's life and his family's lives.
JONES: I do, I look at all of those things. I look at the police officer who was killed in Cleveland that was shot to death. I look at that often. I see it all the time. Police officers are killed in America. Tensions are high and attitudes towards the police are off the mark, and should not be.
KEILAR: And I warn you against fanning tensions.
Gimme a f*cking break. "My job is to help you understand..." and "I *like" going on this channel and talking with you!" He wants a goddamned cookie for going on a network that tries to get him to tell the truth? Get the hell outta here.
And good job, Brianna.
