Way back in the Dark Ages, when I was being taught US history and government (by an

[Atticus]

excellent teacher who happened to be a Democrat), I first heard about something called the "Social Contract". In its very simplest form, this foundational assumption of our government is that we, the people, surrender some of our personal rights and powers to our government in exchange for that government protecting us and insuring that we be treated fairly.

So, for example, we do not have to live in fortified houses and have a loaded gun under our pillow to feel safe when we go to sleep. We have empowered a police force to keep watch and confront the night prowlers.

Similarly, if someone steals our car, we don't grab a pistol and set out to recover it. We call the cops.

But, my teacher also explained that a contract has obligations that go both ways. We surrender our inherent right as human beings to protect ourselves and our property and to seek our own justice---and the government, with the combined power of all of us together, is obligated to do those things for us and in our name.

I understand this is an oversimplification, but it is this "Social Contract" that our government has never truly honored when seeking to govern black Americans or other people of color. We expect them to follow all of our society's rules and obey all our laws but we have failed to provide them with the equal benefit of those rules and laws. It's as though we printed "All men are created equal" in our textbooks and then added, parenthetically, "unless your skin is black or brown or red or yellow".

And, now, after the umpteenth senseless killing by police of an innocent black person, some people---people of all colors---are disobeying the laws and the police and the White House squatter calls them "thugs"? If anyone else had said that I would say he should be ashamed, but Trump is truly shameless.

Most in the streets tonight are simply insisting that the cardinal rule of any playground be enforced: the rules should be the same for all the players---black or white, cop or citizen. That's what the contract promises.

[sandensea]

1. Today's Republicans are definitely of a pre-Enlightenment mindset.

You mention the term Social Contract to any of them these days, and (you may have noticed) they start to convulse.

Never mind that, as mostly middle/working class folks themselves, they'd get the short shrift just like the rest of us - if corporate elites (with some exceptions) ever manage to undo it.

[smirkymonkey]

2. K&R