(WTTW News)

Former Chicago officer Jason Van Dyke is scheduled to be released from prison Thursday after serving three years behind bars. Community activists and relatives of Laquan McDonald are now calling on the federal government to take action. 

A protester carrying a rifle leaves the Kenosha County Courthouse after speaking with Kenosha County Sheriffs Department officers, Wednesday, Nov. 17, 2021 in Kenosha, Wis., during the Kyle Rittenhouse murder trial. (AP Photo / Paul Sancya)

Across much of the nation, it has become increasingly acceptable for Americans to walk the streets with firearms, either carried openly or legally concealed. 

The murder trial of Kyle Rittenhouse is forcing the nation to revisit conversations about race and privilege in the criminal justice system, with many wondering if Rittenhouse would have received the same treatment if he were Black. (WTTW News)

The murder trial of Kyle Rittenhouse is forcing the nation to revisit conversations about race and privilege in the criminal justice system, with many wondering if Rittenhouse would have received the same treatment if he were Black.