Okay, this is something my friends and I always argue about—like, why are some people saying Derek Chauvin should get a pardon even when the whole world saw what happened? Some politicians, mostly pretty conservative ones like Marjorie Taylor Greene, claim the trial was unfair and that it was all about politics instead of justice. They say the jury and the system got pressured by the protests and all the media, so the sentences are too harsh. Then there are right-wing internet celebs like Ben Shapiro and Elon Musk who say the case turned into a political circus and that Chauvin’s punishment is more about making a statement than what he actually did.

I honestly think most people calling for his pardon just want to stir up their base, or they really think everything’s about defending police no matter what. I remember seeing TikTok debates where people acted like the autopsy says something totally different from what it actually did. So yeah, even with the videos and protests, there’s this whole group that wants to turn everything into a left vs. right fight, and in their eyes, Chauvin’s just another player on their team. It’s pretty wild to me, but that’s where their heads are at.