Yascha Mounk’s 2023 book “The Identity Trap” traces the development and spread of woke identity politics from about fifteen or twenty years ago until today. By “identity politics” he means the progressive left’s demand that “society…be profoundly defined by its division into distinct identity groups.” Among these groupings the more notable are by ethnicity, skin color, sexual orientation, and religious identity.

Unless I’m wrong (which I hope I am), there will be violence today or tonight in Oakland, despite (or because of) the Juneteenth holiday. Of course, when and if there is violence, the usual city apologists will scramble before the TV cameras to say, “This is not what Oakland is about.”

So I was coming home from shopping at KP Asian Market yesterday when I decided to have a cappuccino and read a book at Equator Coffee, just down the block from my home. I’d been sitting there peacefully, enjoying the mild weather, for about 45 minutes, when a Black guy started screaming at me.

Sometimes I think the Left is its own worst enemy. Take Saturday’s massive “No Kings” protest at Frank Ogawa Plaza, for instance. It was inspirational. Seeing so many people—young, teenaged, middle-aged, old—gathered to defend American democracy filled me with hope. The message of “No Kings” is something that resonates with every American.

I’ve met quite a few Community Safety Ambassadors while making the rounds of Downtown/Uptown. Just yesterday I was chatting with one, on Broadway. He was charming as could be, a nice, polite young man, eager to help. It’s a good program for Oakland to have. But is it worth another $1 million, which the City Council just allocated when they passed their new budget on Wednesday?