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Chris Fox's avatar

Steve, I hope you have a column on Ralph Yarl and Arthur Lester in the works.

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Steve QJ's avatar

Yeah, IтАЩm kind of struggling to put my thoughts on it together. As with so many tragedies, it seems to be more of a commentary on AmericaтАЩs gun/Wild West problem than on its racism problem. In fact, there was a similar incident, fatal this time, of a white girl a couple of days later.

Honestly, the most interesting aspect of the case is the usual absolute certainty that the crime was racially motivated and then radio silence when a white person suffers a similar fate.

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Chris Fox's avatar

I figured you would say that. I don't blame you for being weary of the racial presumption when we're talking about cops. But this was a kid ringing a doorbell.

Do you think he pulls a gun on Mormon missionaries? Jehovah's Witnesses? Census takers? Fedex deliveries? His mailman?

Sorry, but in my mind this one is cut and dried. And after he made his statement the conclusion of racist motive was amplified.

Ralph Yawl plays bass clarinet. He's a rarity, not rotting his mind on hiphop. I feel especially supportive and I hope his assailant rots in prison.

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Steve QJ's avatar

тАЬBut this was a kid ringing a doorbell.тАЭ

Oh, make no mistake, IтАЩm not in any way defending him. But the cultural and psychological forces that make a tragedy like this possible are just as unthinking as those that power gender ideologues and Trump fanatics. ItтАЩs one of the few topics where I have no hope of reason and logic or even human decency breaking through. If it could, it would have after Sandy Hook.

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