'Can We Get Along?'

THE RODNEY KING case seemed so simple. A man was viciously beaten by police officers. Somebody even taped the horror, which was shown thousands of times to television viewers around the country. The officers were put on trial--but somehow, a jury decided that they were not guilty of using excessive force.

We were outraged by both the beating and the verdict. But whether King was subjected to technically "illegal" police brutality (and it sure looks that way) does not matter now since the acquitted officers cannot be tried for the same crime twice. However, Attorney General William Barr should move forward with his investigation of the case as a federal civil rights violation.

And if the simi valley jury is correct in a legal sense that those police officers did not use excessive force, the laws need to be strengthened so that these beatings do not continue legally.

AMERICANS DO NOTHING but lose when they participate in riots, looting and random violence. The Rodney King verdict touched off violence around the country. It is horrifying to watch videotaped footage of this--of buildings burning out of control in Los Angeles, of Black businesses burned down, of a truck driver being pulled out of his truck and beaten into critical condition, of Korean shop owners with semi-automatic weapons defending their property from looters, of young children running scared through the streets.

Still, it is understandable given how horrible it is to watch the tape of Rodney King being billyclubbed dozens of times.

Indeed, most people are justifiably angry about the verdict. Some don't think the system works--and they have little reason to. These are very serious concerns, and it's frustrating to work within a system that many don't trust.

But while our judicial system is not perfect, it is worth saving. What do those claiming it doesn't work want to replace it with? It is easy to pull institutions down, but we should not do so in the absence of sensible alternatives.

This is an election year, and we have the power to effect change. We can start by electing conscientious leaders to local and federal offices who will work for people who need help.

We're not sure how exactly to solve the deeply rooted, seemingly unsolvable problems of America's inner cities. But one thing is clear. George Bush has not shown the leadership and the concern needed to tackle perhaps one of the greatest dilemmas facing our country.

While the president felt sickened last year when he viewed the Rodney King beating, this week Bush overwhelmingly condemned the violence in the streets, without much compassion for the problems of the inner cities or the blows taken by King.

We hope Bush's opponents take the president to task for his and his predecessor's slashing of aid to America's blighted urban areas. It's time for new leadership from the Oval Office for the cities of our country. The protests are in many ways the direct result of our country's unwillingness to address the problems of urban America. We hope the recent riots will awaken politicians to the need for change.

Historically, social progress has come through peaceful protests. That was the lesson of Martin Luther King Jr. 20 years ago, and it's one we should take to heart now.