Can
Bush answer Rodney King's question?
April 29, 2002 wasn't exactly what is
referred to in media jargon as "a slow news day," on the local front, therefore
I found it rather odd that President George W. Bush's trip to Los Angeles to commemorate
the 10th anniversary of the 1992 riot made the front page, while an almost identical
situation in Baytown, Texas didn't even rate the front page of Houston's leading source of
information's Metropolitan section.
Surely, one of the worse race riots in the history of a racist nation, should never be
forgotten. But it's ironic that America's chief executive would consider recognizing an
injustice that occurred a decade ago in California, when he has yet to say a mumbling word
about what appears to be the same kind of police brutality (in the state he once
governed), that caused South Central L. A. to explode in violence after a jury acquitted
four LAPD officers who were caught on video-tape brutalizing Rodney King.
Then again, since the South Central Los Angeles riot occurred under his father's watch,
perhaps, he was there to remind local politicians that as the lawlessness continued, his
father called for calm and a stop to "anarchy" on the streets of Los Angles. At
the time, Daddy Bush said that he had immediately conferred with U. S. Attorney William
Barr, Mayor Tom Bradley, and Governor Pete Wilson in an effort to provide whatever
assistance might be needed to stop the senseless arson, violence and looting.
Daddy Bush also promised at the time, to have key staff members monitoring the situation
closely and available to provide federal assistance should it be needed. Come to think of
it, the South Central, L.A. riots is somewhat a family legacy, passed down from Bush the
father, to Bush the son.
If so, I wondering if Bush the son can answer Rodney King's question ("Can we get
along?") that still haunts a nation that talks the talk about a kinder-gentler
America, but fails to walk the walk.
For instance, Democratic (California) State Sen. Kevin Murray, who is Black, was quoted on
the web site Miami.com as saying, "I think, frankly, the riots caused everybody to
have more understanding." Neverthe- less, a poll released last month by the Center
for the Study of Los Angeles at Loyola Marymount University found that half of the 1,500
Angelinos surveyed believe another riot is "very or somewhat" likely in the next
five years.
Bush, however, is adamant that we can get along and 2002 America has made great progress
racially, in the decade following that six-day riot that injured 2,300, killed 55 and
destroyed more than 1,100 buildings. Perhaps Rodney would disagree with Bush, since the
$3.8 million settlement he won from the city is long gone.
Adding insult to injury, Rodney is continuously harassed by the police and pleaded guilty
last year to being under the influence of PCP. He is broke and living in a treatment
center. Meanwhile, Bush would be well advised to turn his attention to his home
state, where a Harris County grand jury nobilled Baytown police officers who allegedly
wrestled Luis Alfonso Torres to death. The outcome of that very controversial and
potentially explosive case could have impact in Bush determining if a diversity of races
can get along in America. |
