American variety show: The Godfather, the Peace Ambassador, what the heck?

Chapter 160 Public Opinion Outbreak
Over the next few days, a series of edited videos, cut off from the beginning and end, were sent in bulk as videotape copies to major mainstream media outlets such as ABC, NBC, CBS, and CNN, and to their departments in major cities like New York, Washington, and Los Angeles.

The video lacks context and background information, consisting only of edited footage showing police brutality and even execution, focusing solely on one officer's unilateral violence. It also includes the location of the video—Detroit, Michigan.

Michigan abolished the death penalty over a century ago.

This means that no matter what these black people are, no matter what heinous things they have done, they have already knelt down and surrendered, and have lost the ability to resist. Under these circumstances, the police cannot just shoot them dead.

Even in other states where the death penalty still exists, it is usually a drug-based execution, and the scene of rows of executions in the video is indeed too bloody and cruel.

This undoubtedly touched a nerve with certain Black journalists and leaders within major radio stations.

Where have Black people's human rights gone? Why can white police officers massacre Black people?!
It's almost the new century, and these inhumane things are still happening!
People couldn't help but recall the fear of being dominated by white people before the emancipation of slaves.

Fuck! Black people are no longer slaves!!

These videos instantly ignited the anger of major media outlets, with Black leaders and journalists spearheading protests demanding exposure of the incident and severe punishment for the murderer!
Expose it! It absolutely has to be exposed!

A free and modern America will not tolerate such heinous acts!
This matter has also received support from certain organizations, such as the "Death Row Protectors," a non-governmental organization that opposes the death penalty and calls for its abolition in all states of the United States. Their efforts to protect death row inmates have garnered considerable support, but they also face even greater opposition.

Opponents: They're all death row inmates, they must be incredibly wicked, why keep them alive if not to kill them? Doesn't federal law even have the right to take a criminal's life? How can we deter other criminals if we don't kill them? Only the threat and consequences of death can make many people consider whether it's worth it before committing a crime.

This is not a joke about "making a fortune in three years and not losing out even if you die in the death penalty".

But this time it's different. The black man in the video is of unknown identity, and he doesn't look like a death row inmate. What kind of death row inmate is executed like this? This is clearly lynching! It's outrageous racial discrimination.

Moreover, the executioner was a policeman, a white man with a menacing expression!
The federal government, the state of Michigan, and Detroit all need to stand up and give the Black community an explanation!
The above is the perspective of the Black community and anti-death penalty advocates. However, some white people believe that this matter is quite sensitive and that the Black community should not be allowed to use it to cause trouble. They need to discuss with some people how to report on this matter in a targeted manner.

Ratings are important, but there are things that are even more damn important than ratings.

new York.

Inside a newspaper office, Helen was on the phone with Nightmare, showing off their love, when she suddenly received an urgent notification from her superiors. Then, a group of reporters and photographers saw the brutal execution video in the conference room.

Helen turned pale with fright; the way the policeman killed people was terrifying.

My boyfriend is so much naive and gentle.
"Where are the editors? Where are the video editors? Where is the associate editor?"

The editor-in-chief roared in the meeting room, "Get this video edited right now! No, not tomorrow morning, I need the full news report tonight! This is a huge hot topic that will bring us countless ratings and attention. Hurry! Get moving! Everyone, work overtime tonight, double pay!! I'll treat everyone to a late-night snack!"

Helen was not spared either, and stayed at the newspaper office to assist with the work.

His date that evening was ruined, and he had no choice but to call John, explain the situation with a sigh, and complain about how cruel and heartless the police in the video were.

Night Demon's brows twitched as he listened. He knew he was right not to tell his girlfriend his true identity. With his own methods, he could kill even more cruelly and ruthlessly.

Within just a few days, reports appeared on the front pages of major media outlets across the country.

[“I can’t breathe” echoes again! White police officers torture and extract confessions from Black people, violently beating and shooting them to death.]

[Is emptying magazines becoming the norm? Apartment incident leaves 4 Black people dead; police claim "justifiable self-defense"]

[The bullseye was a Black man's head? The police officer involved is suspected of racism]

[Survivor recounts: We knelt and begged for mercy, but the police still pulled the trigger]

[American human rights have collapsed! The United Nations condemns the apartment massacre as a crime against humanity]

The number of deaths caused by police violence in the United States is being systematically concealed.

Numerous reports have appeared in major cities across the United States, with major media outlets covering the incident from multiple perspectives, including police brutality, racism, human rights and justice, and victims.

Moreover, media outlets in other states are faster than local Detroit media.

Local media have their own rules. Before reporting such disastrous news, they need to communicate the situation to avoid any misunderstandings.

But by then, out-of-town media, always eager for a spectacle, will rush to report on it, regardless of how the Michigan and Detroit media view it.

Some media outlets thoughtfully blurred the images, while others, for the sake of ratings, simply edited them and published them directly. Those shocking scenes sent chills down the spines of countless people. Moreover, many Black editors clearly mixed their own emotions into their news reports, intentionally manipulating public opinion and steer it towards racial discrimination.

In fact, the video is so clear that there's no need for deliberate manipulation; anyone with eyes can see that the police used excessive force. As for whether it was racial discrimination, that's unclear at this point.

Because the video only has visuals and no sound, it's unclear what the police officers were saying.

But just the phrase "white police officers beat and shot a black man" is enough to ignite anger in the African American community across the United States, without any further explanation.

This is genocide!

In an instant, public opinion across the United States began to boil over, and it even attracted the attention of other countries around the world.

Detroit.

While other parts of the United States are still engaging in empty rhetoric and spreading public opinion, this city, which is the most damn discriminatory, has already begun to reek of bloodshed.

Although the riots had not yet begun, the level of chaos in the city had clearly risen several levels, with many indignant Black people taking to the streets to protest against the violence perpetrated by white police officers against Black people.

Many Black people crossed 8 Mile Drive and stormed into the white neighborhood in the northern suburbs to march and demonstrate.

Many people also gathered outside the police station, holding banners and signs, questioning the police and demanding justice.
At the entrance of the truck drivers' union, a large number of Black people had gathered—because just two days earlier, Jimmy Hoffa had attended a police commendation ceremony, even sponsoring the police and shaking hands and taking photos with that hitman, Philip, in support of his law enforcement actions. That damned Hoffa! He actually supported a racist!
Other media outlets may not know, but don't the local Black people know what kind of bastard Philip is? Hoffa's support for Philip means he's in cahoots with Philip, and Hoffa might even be a shameless white racist in private!
This label was almost a devastating blow to Hoffa.

By the time Hoffa learned of this, it was too late. He couldn't clear his name at all—he had promised to fight the gangs at the union meeting, attended an awards ceremony, and cooperated with the police on the surface to protect the interests of the union and workers, but his support for the police brutality was like mud falling into his pants; even if it wasn't shit, he would still "die."

Black people stormed into the union and drew a huge red X on Hoffa's portrait!

Die, you "criminals" who cooperate with racist police brutality!
Philip felt like the sky had fallen.

One second they're anti-drug heroes, the next they're universally reviled, falling from heaven to hell with just a video and a few media reports.

He didn't dare go to work at the police station, and his superiors also found it troublesome, so they told him to hide somewhere else until the police station released a statement to clarify the facts.

On the phone, the boss's voice was very serious: "The media doesn't have concrete evidence of your racial discrimination, but it's hard to clear Philip's name of using excessive force. Didn't you even know there were surveillance cameras in the house? Are you an idiot? Executing a prisoner in front of the cameras, do you know how serious this is?"

"How the hell was I supposed to know there would be surveillance?" Philip argued. "Sir, those were heinous drug dealers! They had guns, drugs, and they resisted arrest and threatened the police. Under those circumstances, killing them was justified."

"You can talk all you want without the video, but now that you've been exposed! Watch the video before you speak. Those black people were kneeling on the ground surrendering. Shooting them under these circumstances is excessive force! It's racial persecution!"

The boss was furious. He had just praised this guy a couple of days ago, and now he'd caused such a huge mess. Wasn't this a slap in the face? The whole police station was "disgraced" because Philip was the star of the awards ceremony.

Damn Philip, damn sponsorship. If it weren't for that union sponsorship event, the police department might not have gotten into such big trouble.

How can we make up for it now?
He himself was unaware that Philippe had killed people in this way; he still believed that the black victims had truly died in violent resistance.
"Philip, find more evidence right now!" his boss urged. "Smear those blacks, the more the better. Only when they're thoroughly evil enough, enough to incite public outrage, will you gain some sympathy, understand? At the very least, we need to get the whites on our side!"

Philip nodded in agreement. After hanging up the phone, he thought for a long time before contacting Zerelli.

West End.

Zerelli reassured Philip for a long time on the phone and promised to find him the best lawyer to win the case.

After finishing the call, he put down the phone, looked up at Luca sitting across from him, and couldn't help but recall the whole incident, from the gasoline being stolen to the commendation ceremony. The whole process went smoothly, and all parties involved gained enough benefits, either money or reputation. Even Hoffa was able to win votes and gain support.

It seems the only one who didn't benefit was Luca, because his tanker truck still hasn't been found.

From Zellelli's perspective, this whole situation is detrimental to Luca.
“Pigeon, we’re in big trouble now. The local union and police department are both facing negative publicity, and our gasoline business will be severely affected.”

When Zerelli talked about the recent media frenzy, he was really worried. Fortunately, the incident didn't involve the Mafia too much; the blame was shifted entirely to the unions and the police, especially the violent cop Philip.

Philip is about to face federal murder charges; he can't escape them.

Zerelli: "The list you gave us seems to be wrong. The police haven't been able to find out where the tanker truck is yet. All the people arrested are drug dealers, not robbers."

Luca rubbed his temples. "How could they be wrong? My driver clearly saw those guys. Sorry, it was too dark at the time. Did they mistake one for another?"

"You misread it?" Zellelli was speechless. He didn't suspect that Luca was deliberately causing trouble, because it wouldn't benefit Luca at all, only bring him trouble.

Luca picked up his coffee, took a sip, and sighed, "Honestly, the situation in Detroit is really too complicated. This kind of thing wouldn't even cause a fuss in New York, but it's made such a big fuss in Detroit. Doing business here is really difficult."

"Is this kid planning to quit?" Zellelli's heart skipped a beat. He reassured him, "It's just an accident. It'll be over soon."

"I hope so, and I also hope this farce will end soon."

Detroit, 12th Street.

This is the source of the riots in the original storyline, but there aren't many Black people on the streets now. Large numbers of Black protesters have gone to the police station and the union area.

After leaving Zellelli, Luca eventually arrived at this place.

Ah-Qiang and Brian followed Luca into the bar where the riots originated and randomly found seats. The lobby was mostly filled with Black people, only a handful of white people, and Ah-Qiang was the only Asian among them.

The television in the bar was playing news reports from various media outlets, which aroused the indignation of many Black people. Fortunately, they were still somewhat rational and focused their anger on Philip rather than other targets, adhering to the principle of assigning blame to those responsible.

When the judiciary grants "leniency" to police officers like Philip, these Black people will not think that way. They will be utterly disappointed with the country and will unleash indiscriminate anger at the lack of protection for their identity and human rights, as well as at the social system.

The city will "explode" at that time.

"Old Pigeon, are you really not afraid of getting beaten up if we drink here?" Brian was a little scared, coming to black territory at this critical moment.

Luca made no move, merely glancing back at the young man. Many of the poisonous insects shrank back in fear, and a few black men who had been looking for trouble sat down, feeling strangely at peace. They didn't want to cause trouble for the young man, and even though he was white, they found him rather endearing.

Luca, already radiating an aura of prestige—peace ambassador, anti-drug ambassador, peacemaker, and someone who commands trust in criminals—could potentially achieve even greater success if he were to speak up and set some rules.

Brian watched the news report on TV and asked Luca curiously, "Old Pigeon, do you know what really happened? Why did that Philip kill those black people?"

"It doesn't matter anymore."

Luca shook his head. "There is no truth in this world, only perspectives. What you see are all opinions, not facts."

The television report featured photos of Jimmy Hoffa and his comments supporting police efforts to combat crime. The host and guests debated on the show, with some supporting Hoffa for advocating for union rights and assisting police in fighting crime, while others argued that Hoffa was too close to racists and that his methods of dealing with Black people were too extreme.

Luca indifferently withdrew his gaze.

There is no right or wrong in people's choices, only their stance.

(End of this chapter)