“It's worth asking ourselves what each of us may have done to contribute to this vicious atmosphere in our politics. I suspect that all of us can recall some intemperate words that we regret. Certainly I can. While some may be more to blame than others for the current climate, all of us are responsible for reversing it.”[ President Obama just issued a dire warning about the dangers of Donald Trump, By Chris Cillizza, Washington Post March 15, 2016]These are uncontroversial sentiments, as the President calls for sobriety and civility. Let’s take it as given that the President shares little of the blame for the current political atmosphere, and accept his challenge to all do something to make public discourse a little better.
Of course, leadership starts at the top. Let me offer the President an idea about what he could do to restore trust between him and those who may disagree with his side politically. He should call a press conference with Darren Wilson and say the following.
“While I alone did not create the current toxic political atmosphere, I believe, as I’ve said before, that as President I have an obligation to make things better. My Justice Department did a full investigation into the shooting death of Michael Brown, and found that this brave officer acted in self-defense in the course of doing his job. Yet, he lost his job and now lives in hiding. I take issues of police misconduct and racial discrimination very seriously. But the answer to our frustrations cannot be to harass and persecute an innocent man. So, in order to take the first step towards national reconciliation, I stand here today and call for Darren Wilson to be reintegrated back into society.”For a president concerned with incivility, political tension, and the potential for violence, nothing should be easier than calling for an innocent man to be able to live his life in peace.
Darren Wilson was cleared by Obama’s own Justice Department. If liberals will not call for mobs to leave him alone, how seriously can we take their calls for civility? And how can those who disagree with them accept their proclamations of good faith?
Last year, VDARE.com suggested that Donald Trump could send a signal to Black Lives Matter by hiring Wilson as part of his personal security team. It's probably too much to ask Obama to send a different, more healing signal, by hiring Wilson as part of his Secret Service team.
But at least he could condemn the mobs who continue to threaten Wilson's life.
