The news is so disgusting these days I try not to follow it. But I have followed the Michael Brown case in Ferguson, MO, closely. Because we are all Michael Brown.
UPDATE: Look, before anyone else writes in, I did not mean to say that we are all literally Michael Brown. I, for instance, am Kyle Gann. But in 2004, some of my students peacefully protested the election and were physically harassed by the cops, one girl pushed to the ground and injured for having “stepped over the white line in the street.” Some local cops pulled a gay gentleman out of a public meeting, a business leader of the community, and beat up on him just because he was gay. I myself have been treated with unwarranted rudeness by local police, all of whom are Republican and at least some of whom hate Bard as a liberal bastion. You don’t have to be black to get mistreated by the police, though it certainly helps. My students were deeply affected by the verdict, and left class early today to attend a vigil on campus, with my blessing. So I am going to express my solidarity with the victim, and, because I don’t give a damn what anyone thinks of my doing so, close comments.