Eugene Robinson's Blog, page 102

Freddie Gray never had a chance

Here is the key finding in the Freddie Gray case: Police had no legitimate reason to arrest him in the first place.The ostensible charge against Gray — that he had an illegal switchblade — was false, according to Baltimore City State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby. The folding knife found in his pocket was of a design that is perfectly legal under Maryland law, Mosby said. Gray never should have been put into the police van where he suffered a fatal injury to his spine.Read full article >>

Tear down Baltimore’s abandoned buildings to help rebuild the city

BALTIMOREThis city needs to be built up again, but first a lot of it ought to be torn down.There has been much talk, following Monday’s night of rage, about the social maladies that afflict this city. One of the most visible should also be one of the most straightforward to address: Baltimore’s enormous stock of derelict, abandoned housing. Federal, state and local officials should work together — now — to eliminate this blight.Read full article >>

GOP candidates swim against the tide on gay marriage

No one can be certain which way the Supreme Court will rule on gay marriage, but the direction of history’s arrow is plain for all to see — except, apparently, the Republican candidates for president.Actually, the very fact that the court is hearing arguments on the issue this week seems to telegraph how the justices are leaning. Prior rulings have been read by lower courts as a mandate to throw open the courthouse doors, with the result that same-sex marriage is now legal in 36 states and the District of Columbia. The main arguments against gay marriage, always as thin as tissue paper, have become irrelevant. Read full article >>

Do we still think drones are a good idea?

Drone strikes, by their nature, are bound to kill innocent civilians. It is all too easy to ignore this ugly fact — and the dubious morality of the whole enterprise — until the unfortunate victims happen to be Westerners.Read full article >>

Congress, stop the insanity. Confirm Loretta Lynch now.

In a sane world, the Republican-led Senate would have confirmed Loretta Lynch as attorney general months ago. But sanity hasn’t been seen around here in some time.No one has raised the slightest question about Lynch’s qualifications. No one disputes that she has been a tough, effective U.S. attorney and a strong manager. No one doubts she is fully capable of serving as the nation’s top law enforcement official — or fails to appreciate the importance of the job.Read full article >>

Is history finally on Hillary Clinton’s side?

That was quick. Strike up “Happy Days Are Here Again,” and cue the balloon drop. Better yet, Democrats could skip the whole primaries-and-convention thing and let Hillary Clinton get to work on picking a running mate.Read full article >>

A misdemeanor becomes a capital offense — again

You thought, perhaps, that we were making this stuff up? That the whole “Black Lives Matter” thing was probably overblown? That the idea of African American men having to fear routine encounters with the police was being exaggerated by self-serving activists?Read full article >>

History in the making in the Iran framework

The framework agreement over Iran’s nuclear program dramatically changes the Middle East. Hard-liners and hawks may complain all they want, but things will never go back to the way they were.I believe the change is clearly — perhaps historically — for the better. In that part of the world, however, there is always the possibility that things will get worse. What is certain is that the post-1979 status quo of blind hostility between Iran and the West has ended. At President Obama’s initiative, a new phase of the relationship has begun.Read full article >>

A large pizza with a side of hate

The only purpose of the “religious freedom” laws in Indiana and other states is to assert that discrimination against gay people is acceptable. The only way to “fix” such measures is to repeal them.As events this week have shown, the nation is becoming intolerant of intolerance. Indiana Gov. Mike Pence (R) insisted that the absurdly titled “Religious Freedom Restoration Act” was not meant to enable discrimination. But no sooner had the ink dried on the new law than a local pizzeria announced it was just raring to discriminate. Read full article >>

U.S. policies on the Middle East are inconsistent but wise

As gung-ho “experts” press President Obama to do this, that or the other in the Middle East, keep a simple rule in mind: Whatever the avid interventionists suggest probably won’t work — and surely will have unintended consequences. Read full article >>