Cincinnati beating puts anti-white racism on display

The idea of racial equity sounds nice, doesn’t it? The Left certainly thinks so. In fact, it’s taken the concept even further, pushing it to the point where racial equity has, in many cases, become racial favoritism. As the Left sees it, given America’s history of minority oppression, prioritizing those groups over whites isn’t just a good idea — it’s essential.

As diversity, equity, and inclusion fever swept the country during the Biden years, some quietly complied to safeguard their careers. Others, such as the current leadership of Cincinnati, Ohio, embraced DEI not just as policy, but as a personal worldview. And, following the brutal assault of a white couple by a group of predominantly young black individuals in downtown Cincinnati last weekend, it’s come back to haunt them.

Those who rely on liberal media outlets for their news may not have heard about this incident. Had the races been reversed, of course, footage of the attack would have dominated the airwaves in an endless loop within minutes. But we’ve grown accustomed to selective coverage from the legacy media.

More troubling was the way city officials handled it. It took Democratic Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval three days to address the incident. Worse, in his statement, Purevak referred to the savage beatings as a “fight.”

Cincinnati Police Chief Teresa Theetge waited until Monday to hold a press conference. After briefing reporters on the details of the case, she directed a sharp, accusatory glare toward the group gathered before her and said she wanted to cover another topic.

“Social media and journalism and the role it plays in this incident, and yes, guys, that’s you. That is you,” Theetge said.

She continued, “Social media, the posts that we have seen, do not depict the entire incident. That is one version of what occurred. At times, social media and mainstream media and their commentaries are a misrepresentation of the circumstances surrounding any given event.”

“That causes us some difficulties in thoroughly investigating the activity and enforcing the law. Social media posts and your coverage of them distort the context of what actually happened, and that makes our job more difficult,” Theetge said.

One reporter asked the obvious question: “What was distorted?”

Theetge replied, “Yeah, so I think the irresponsibility with social media is it just shows one side of the equation quite frequently without context, without factual context. And then people run with that, and then it grows legs. And it becomes something bigger that we then have to try to manage as part of the investigation.”

Although she never specified which facts were distorted, Theetge turned to another reporter for the next question.

Rumors circulating on social media suggest that, prior to the attack, the male victim may have slapped a black man in the face. Is that what provoked a mob to brutally assault a white man and his female companion? And if so, does Theetge view that alleged provocation as justification for the brutal response that followed?

Well, we don’t know. However, what is clear is that rather than showing concern for the victims, Theetge appears more focused on downplaying the terrible optics of a group of black youths beating a middle-aged white couple to a pulp.

Naturally, the public is interested in understanding what happened. We typically rely on local and national media, as well as local law enforcement, to provide us with accurate and timely information when incidents like this occur. But when those institutions fail to fulfill their responsibilities to keep us informed, particularly when the details of a case don’t align with their preferred narratives, it’s no surprise that people turn to social media to fill in the gaps.

Theetge should have saved her condemnation for the people responsible for this vile act.

As it turns out, this wasn’t the first time her left-leaning positions have drawn criticism.

Just two months ago, Theetge made headlines when four veteran Cincinnati police officers filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the city and Theetge, alleging systemic workplace discrimination. According to Newsweek, the officers said they were passed over for key assignments and promotions in favor of less qualified women and minority candidates. The lawsuit accuses the city and Theetge, personally and officially, of implementing intentionally discriminatory practices that unfairly target white males.

By far the most appalling comment came from Cincinnati City Council President Pro Tem Victoria Parks, who responded to a Facebook post, saying, “They begged for that beat down! I am grateful for the whole story.”

Given her prior advocacy for causes such as declaring racism a public health crisis, Parks’s sentiments aren’t surprising. However, what is startling is that a public official would be reckless enough to put them in writing.

This case lays bare just how deeply DEI ideology has embedded itself in progressive institutions — and the real-world consequences when its proponents hold influential positions in government and law enforcement.

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But now, as cultural and institutional backlash against this toxic ideology gains momentum, the costs of rigidly filtering every situation through a DEI lens are becoming impossible to ignore. The bloom is off the rose — and those who remain tethered to it may soon find themselves out of step with a public demanding transparency, fairness, and accountability over ideology-driven optics.

And yes, Theetge, that’s you. That is you.

Elizabeth Stauffer is a contributor to the Washington Examiner and the Western Journal. She is also a Heritage Foundation Academy fellow. Follow her on X or LinkedIn.