In the summer of 2020 in Kenosha, Wisconsin, a cell phone captured video of a white police officer shooting a black man. The viral clip sparked mass protests and violent riots, culminating in Kyle Rittenhouse, a white teenager, going to Kenosha to defend it against the protestors. The media portrayed these incidents as another example of racism in law enforcement and irresponsible gun ownership. But is there more to the story?

In this episode, Naomi and Ian are joined by Rob Montz, CEO of Good Kid Productions and creator of the documentary “The Broken Boys of Kenosha: Jacob Blake, Kyle Rittenhouse, and the Lies We Still Live By.” Rob dispels some of the common myths surrounding the shooting and reveals how partisan media coverage failed to report the underlying cause of these events. Each main character in this story lacked a present and loving father in their lives. Having a fatherless childhood has profound negative effects on boys, and Rob explains that policymakers and society need to start seeing fatherlessness as a morally urgent issue that matters for the future of the country.

Resources:

• The Broken Boys of Kenosha: Jacob Blake, Kyle Rittenhouse, and the Lies We Still Live By | Rob Montz | Good Kid Productions

• The Power of Personal Agency | Ian Rowe | Wall Street Journal

Show Notes:

• 02:00 | Kenosha is an excellent case study of systemic corruption in the media environment

• 05:30 | Recapping the shooting of Jacob Blake and the aftermath

• 08:30 | Fatherlessness tied everyone together

• 17:55 | People in Kenosha understood the impact of fatherlessness

• 22:00 | Fatherlessness is a phenomenon that affects all races and can only be fixed by culture and individual agency