All the pathologies afflicting American cities were present in that fatal encounter and its aftermath: the grotesque parody of compassion that is conventional homeless policy; government’s elevation of the supposed interests of the anti-social and dysfunctional over those of the law-abiding and hard-working; anti-white race-baiting and racial bathos.

But the May 1 confrontation between the ex-Marine Daniel Penny and the mentally ill Neely stands for more than failed policy. Reaction to Penny’s intervention illuminates as well the war on manly virtues and their attempted replacement with a dependence on bureaucrats and social workers. …

The most striking aspect of the video is how impassive Penny is. Nothing suggests that he was motivated by animus or that he wanted to inflict damage, much less lethal damage, on Neely. Nevertheless, as soon as the video became public, a glad cry must have gone out at the headquarters of Race-Baiting, Inc.: Penny was white, and Neely was black! Therefore, white supremacy killed Neely, just as it has allegedly killed so many other black homicide victims. (Never mind that Penny’s assistant throughout the ordeal was black.)

[As a society, we can either assign the task of public order to the government or do it on our own. New York and other cities have abandoned basic public order for years, and the victims know that no help is coming. If government abdicates that responsibility, don’t be surprised when citizens step up to defend against or eliminate threats themselves. — Ed]