The irony is that we can lay a big chunk of blame for the destruction of black communities square at the feet of the tough on crime crowd, and the 100% failed War on Drugs — which we now know was started by the Nixon administration partially as a racist policy to target blacks.

As a side effect, it has ruined the lives of millions of Americans of all races, and turned many urban neighborhoods into literal warzones or abandoned ghost towns.

There are other policies and state manifestations that have deprived black people (and other marginalized groups) of prosperity for decades.

At the same time, it has enriched cronies in the prison industry, the police industry, and as another side effect, it has spawned terrifying drug cartels that have basically taken over large swaths of territory in Mexico and central America — as if meddling in elections and overthrowing governments in those places wasn’t enough.

The state has a lot to answer for. But then I see the same old crooked pro-war, pro drug-war, pro-prison politicians get elected every couple years. These people should be tried for crimes against humanity, but no one seems to care. People keep voting for them!