CAN AMERICA BE A SERIOUS COUNTRY? Over the past few weeks, three stories raised interesting questions about how serious a country the United States is: the Ferguson, Missouri shooting; the legal predicaments of Texas Governor Rick Perry; and the Islamic State (IS). -In Ferguson, that Michael Brown, a black man, was shot six times by a white police officer and his body left in the street for several hours was, at face value, outrageous. In Texas, Governor Perry was twice indicted for abuse of power and threatening an elected official. And in Syria, the Islamic State (IS) beheaded an American journalist. A thorough investigation of Browns death is essential. Citizens are entitled to full explanations. Citizens are not however entitled to riot and to loot during the course of a week that brought the public and the police into often violent and dramatic confrontation. Cynically, one wonders what would have happened if Brown had been white. Nearly 150 years after the Civil War brought an end to slavery, is America serious about race? Or is it a condition that is simply too tough for politicians to address even though the country has a (half) African American president and a black Attorney General? And in this media frenzy, two other important issues were largely ignored. How will America react to these three stories? Regarding Ferguson, the major beneficiaries will be Jackson and Sharpton who will strengthen their credentials as defenders of the black community. No significant laws or social changes are likely to arise. Clearly, the results of the investigation will produce a backlash no matter if the officer in question is absolved or charged with murder. The Perry indictments will most likely be quashed. But the trend towards criminalizing politics will not blunted especially with Congressional elections pending this fall and a presidential vote two years hence. Most importantly, will any real action be taken against IS not because of its vile excesses and perverted aspirations but because of the threat it poses? That may be the true mark and measure of how serious a country America is
Posted on: Thu, 28 Aug 2014 17:20:39 +0000
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