Charles Blow brings his usual brilliant analysis to the talk about policing and race by FBI director James Comey, in his February 15, 2015 column in the New York Times. “What too few people mention when discussing crime is the degree to which concentrated poverty, hopelessness and despair are the chambermaids of violence and incivility.” To me, this example of Blow’s insight coupled with the beauty of his language is reminiscent of James Baldwin.
As Blow points out, “We need to stop calling for the conversation [about race] and realize that we are already having it.” Not In Our Town’s next Continuing Conversation will be held on Monday, March 2. The topic will be American black history, postponed from the cancelled February meeting.