Modern-day tale of two cities

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times ..." So Dickens began his tale of Paris and London near the end of the 18th Century. His introduction continues to contrast wisdom, belief, light, hope, everything-before-us, and heaven as well as their respective opposites.

This year we had two historic cities with tragic tales of criminal acts followed with diametrically different reactions from their respective populations. "The real action is in the reaction," we're told by 20th Century radical organizers. These local reactions showed a real difference between Baltimore and Charleston.

Charleston suffered the murders of nine unarmed churchgoers by an immature white racist.

So, how did the surviving relatives, friends and neighbors react to this diabolic crime? Did they remind us of Charleston's evil slave-market days? Or the spot where our "Civil War" started shooting?

In reaction, the people of Charleston took to the streets together, in peaceful mourning, prayers to The Almighty and forgiveness. Private persons and property were respected. Local police quickly apprehended the culprit according to law.

Baltimore demonstrated a very different reaction. Was the single victim totally innocent? Have his activities prior to arrest been fully reported? The mayor's and local prosecutor's remarks were widely reported and lawless mobs materialized on the streets.

Later, one or both of these were shown to have lied. Anarchy ruled.

Was Charles Dickens a prophet? Did he realize that his writing about his past would become future reporting?

Paul Tait

Mount Prospect