Sunday Roundup (POLITICS)
With the nation mourning the victims of the Charleston church massacre and observing the 150th anniversary of Juneteenth, the June 16th commemoration of slave emancipation, there's no better time to confront the toxic influences of racism and easy access to guns that came together this week. "We can't accept events like this as routine," said President Obama. Actually, that was what he said after Newtown, several mass shootings ago. This time the president was, rightfully, angrier and wearier. "I've had to make statements like this too many times," he said, noting that "at some point, we as a country will have to reckon with the fact that this type of mass violence does not happen in other advanced countries." That reckoning should happen now -- right now -- even as the Confederate flag continues to shamefully fly at full mast above the South Carolina state house.