Black, Gay War Veteran Has Powerful Response to Jussie Smollett's New Criminal Charges From 'Hate Crime' Hoax

Gettyimages | Nuccio DiNuzzo

Just this past week, Special Prosecutor, Dan Webb, did not feel as though precedent had been correctly followed in the ostracized actor, Jussie Smollett's trial that ultimately resulted in his acquittal.

As a result, six additional felony charges of disorderly conduct were levied against the former Empire star for his role in staging a hate crime hoax that Smollett claimed happened late at night as he was walking home from a Subway restaurant.

In response to the new charges that have been put on Smollett, a veteran, who happens to be both African-American and gay, has something to say about Smollett's actions and being the 'victim'.

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Gettyimages | Nuccio DiNuzzo

Rob Smith, who is a political analyst and Iraq war veteran had some comments for those who were defending Smollett amid the latest indictments from a grand jury, relating to his false reports of racial and homophobic attacks in Chicago.

Smith was obviously perplexed and questioned why someone would want to be the victim, in the first place, and why Smollett thought that it would help his career. "When did it become such a great thing to be a victim? That's what I'm trying to figure out," he said.

Gettyimages | Nuccio DiNuzzo

For Smith, who is gay and black, he claims that he could easily pull the 'victim card' because of some of the isolated incidents of racial and homophobic bigotry present in the country. However, that's not something that he feels is necessary to do.

"I've never seen myself as a victim. I've never portrayed that," Smith said. "But there's so many people out there who seem to find their identity in victimhood. And the reason why I come out as a black, gay Republican is to tell people that all those labels don't exist."

Gettyimages | Slaven Vlasic

Smith continued by saying that at this point in the world, there is nothing that is stopping anyone from doing anything, insinuating that it comes down to intelligence and the will to succeed.

"You can believe what you want to believe. And as a black person or gay person or anything else in America in 2020, nothing is stopping you. But this up here," Smith explained. Smith's response was prompted from daytime talk show host, Amanda Seales' comments defending Smollett's actions, even if they were false.

Gettyimages | E. JASON WAMBSGANS

On Seales' show, she defended Smollett falsifying a police report and propagating the already high racial tensions within the country. "Even if it was a hoax, this is really happening all the time. And even if it was a hoax for the sake of bringing attention to this, then I’m like, that’s low-key noble," she said.

"I’m just at my wits end about us centering situations like this and wanting to make people have to pay."

To Smith, though, hate crimes are never anything to fake, as it hurts the people who are actually suffering from them. "What I would say to that is that hate crimes are very real," said Smith. "People really are attacked for being gay, for being black, for being whatever, but a hoax like this hurts the real victims of hate crimes."