I am not one of those who want the president and other major politicians to comment on everything that takes place in America. On the whole, I think that there could be more reticence from the highest offices.
But how long has this “knockout” thing been going on? I’m talking about these racial attacks across the country, wherein thugs pick little old ladies to bludgeon. These are mainly “black on white” attacks, as I understand it. If they were “white on black,” wouldn’t we be having a national emergency? Wouldn’t politicians, journalists, and others be talking about it to the exclusion of nearly everything else?
This is one of those things that are impolite to mention but screamingly true. I’m not sure that President Obama or others can do any good when it comes to this evil “game.” I also don’t believe that Obama has a special obligation to address racial problems (although he was happy to comment on the Cambridge, Mass., police and the Trayvon Martin case, wasn’t he?). But if he or others can do any good — they should.
P.S. When people speak of “hate crimes,” isn’t this what they mean, or should mean? Although, in my book, a crime is a crime — no need for the special category of “hate.”