We begin today’s roundup with Paul Waldman’s analysis in The Washington Post of the Kyle Rittenhouse acquittal and how it will embolden the extreme right: Kyle Rittenhouse’s acquittal on charges related to the incident in which he killed two men and wounded a third — and his elevation on the right into a hero — may make it more likely that people will assume they’ll be let off if they commit acts of violence or even murder. As The Post reports, defense lawyers say “that jurors are increasingly receptive toward the use of deadly force by ordinary citizens who claim they were protecting themselves.” But there’s another possible effect of this verdict: It could change the face of political protest in America. As they share their glee over Rittenhouse’s acquittal, conservatives may now decide that carrying guns — especially military-style rifles — is itself a powerful form of protest that can be used to intimidate both their political opponents and officeholders. Carrying guns openly is, perhaps more than anything else, a kind of speech. It’s meant to communicate a clear message: I may decide to kill you. Read more