Charles Blow to Allies: It's the Wealth INequality...

Not the Police.

The Civil Rights Act of 2020

Feel-good gestures from politicians and the police shift no power. Real change lies within a system overhaul.

By Charles M. Blow

Opinion Columnist  June 10, 2020, 8:49 p.m. ET

... At this point, politicians are still playing safe, being risk-averse while calling it radical.  They want the appearance of substantial action while leaving the substance of society untouched. They want to appear responsive without taking full responsibility.

Poverty is the problem. Wealth inequality is the problem. All the things that lead to and attend poverty and wealth inequality are the problem.

But no one wants to talk about that, let alone deal with it, because to truly tackle these issues would deal in some way with wealth redistribution, and the mere mention of that concept throws the comfortable and the rich into a tizzy.

So, we’ll ban some chokeholds. We’ll collect some new records and disclose others. We’ll put constraints on officers, requiring more training and exposing them to litigation.

But just remember: These are not necessarily rogue officers. They are instruments of the system and manifestations of society. They are violent to black people because America is violent to black people. They oppress because America oppresses. 

The police didn’t give birth to American violence and inhumanity.

America’s violence and inhumanity gave birth to them.