Mayor de Blasio is an excellent portrait of political cowardice!

Why there's such fear of the police unions remains a mystery to me. I've belonged to a union for 52 years, and I believe unions are one of the keys to empowering workers and redistributing the wealth that labor creates. But police unions are qualitatively different from all other labor organizations. In addition to the usual efforts to increase salaries and benefits, police unions pursue, and nearly always acquire, virtual immunity from either criminal or civil sanctions for their members' atrocious behaviour. Especially with respect to black men, the police have acted with impunity, assured that even murder will never bring the punishment of the law upon them. Until it's clear that the officers of the law are subject to its penalties, American police will kill unarmed black men, brutalize anyone who antagonizes them, and laugh at attempts to restrain them or hold them to account.

Which brings us back to politicians, and white voters. Since 1993, New York city has had three mayors. Rudy, a crackpot fascist, defended every atrocity committed by the police, including cold blooded murder and sexual assault with a broom. His successor, a billionaire, bought three terms in city hall, and massively violated the constitutional protections guaranteed to all residents by pushing "stop and frisk". In other words the voters in America's largest city, put known violators of constitutional rights in power for 20 consecutive years!

And then came DeBlasio. He ran as a liberal and promised an end to the abuses of the police. But, when push came to shove, he displayed a yellow streak in the face of the police unions . Why, I don't know. Maybe, after the gruesome murder of George Floyd, real change may be possible. I've been waiting for racial justice, waiting for white politicians, and above all, waiting for white voters to do the right thing.

Cowardice, denial, indifference-whatever the reason- the result has been dismal.