Plain talk about police and race is not enough

In the aftermath of President Trump’s deplorable assault on peaceful demonstrators in Lafayette Square and his threat to use the military against Americans, we heard — finally — some candid and unvarnished discussion of police abuse from a surprising array of people.

Perhaps most important to the public debate were the voices of religious leaders who denounced Trump’s use of violence and debasement of the Bible and St. John’s Episcopal Church on Monday. After Trump followed up that stunt with a visit to the St. John Paul II National Shrine on Tuesday, Washington Archbishop Wilton Gregory denounced the visit: “I find it baffling and reprehensible that any Catholic facility would allow itself to be so egregiously misused and manipulated in a fashion that violates our religious principles, which call us to defend the rights of all people, even those with whom we might disagree,” Gregory said. He blasted Trump’s attempt to associate with Pope John Paul II’s work. “He certainly would not condone the use of tear gas and other deterrents to silence, scatter or intimidate them for a photo opportunity in front of a place of worship and peace,” Gregory said.

Now that is religious, moral leadership. Gregory was joined by other religious leaders — from the president of the Southern Baptist Convention to the Episcopal Diocese to Jewish organizations — who also denounced the violent assault on peaceful protesters exercising their First Amendment rights.

Meanwhile, criticism of the police response to protests took a different tone. In Atlanta, six police officers were charged with aggravated assault. In New York, Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) excoriated the performance of New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and the New York Police Department. “I am disappointed and outraged at what happened in New York City last night,” Cuomo said of the failure to halt looting. He continued, “New York City has said they don’t want or need the national guard . . . . [The NYPD] is the largest police department in the United States of America. Use 38,000 people and protect property. Use the police, protect property and people. Look at the videos. It was a disgrace. I believe that.” Cuomo drilled down on de Blasio: “I believe the mayor underestimates the scope of the problem. I think he underestimates the duration of the problem and I don’t think they’ve used enough police to address the situation because it’s inarguable, but that it was not addressed last night.” (Cuomo has previously implored his state’s attorney general to review police abuse that was visible to anyone watching coverage.)