Other than interfering with the decision of Missouri Governor Jay Nixon to declare a state of emergency in Ferguson, on the eve of the grand jury’s decision in the matter of Michael Brown, as well as instructing local law enforcement authorities in “proper” policing, not to mention inserting himself qua long-suffering black man into the narrative of oppression—the attorney general of black America, Eric Holder, delivered these not-so veiled introductions, Friday:
* To Police: “It is vital to engage in planning and preparation, from evaluating protocols and training to choosing the appropriate equipment and uniforms.” (How about adding garlands around the neck, Hawaii-style?)
* Guess whose side the AG is on: The “demonstrations and protests … have sought to bring attention to real and significant underlying issues involving police practices, implicit bias, and pervasive community distrust.”
* Listen-up, you “nation of cowards,” hurry up and change your errant ways: “… demonstrations like these have the potential to spark a sustained and positive national dialogue, to provide momentum to a necessary conversation, and to bring about critical reform.”
* “… progress will not come easily, and long-simmering tensions will not be cooled overnight. These struggles go to the heart of who we are, and who we aspire to be [an Obama oft-repeated cliché], both as a nation and as a people—and it is clear that we have a great deal of important work to do.”
True to type, Holder has taken sides.