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Keller @ Large: Let's Respond Honorably

BOSTON (CBS) - There's been a lot of commentary since the horrific events of last week about how we should respond and what we should do next.

A lot of it's been the usual finger-pointing by the usual suspects. But at least one comment on the subject stood out for me.

"We've taken our corners," noted Dallas Deputy Chief of Police Malik Aziz. "[Things] like [this] shouldn't happen. But when they do, let's be human beings. Let's be honorable men and women and sit down at a table and say, 'How can we not let this happen again?'"

"Honorable."

That's an adjective we don't seem to hear that often. What does it mean?

"Having or showing honesty and good moral character," the dictionary says.

Honesty and good moral character seem like good ideas right now, even though they might not support the spin a lot of people want to peddle.

The honest truth is that while recorded incidents of trigger-happy cops gunning down black citizens may not outnumber victims of other forms of crime, they are symbolic of the hostile social atmosphere too many African-Americans experience way too often, a reality no one of good moral character would find tolerable.

The honest truth is that the police have a difficult, dangerous job, and no one of good moral character would scapegoat them, issue blanket condemnation, or target them for violence.

The honest truth is, there's plenty of blame to go around for what these incidents show is going wrong, and it will take a lot of moral character to assess it honestly and fix it.

And you wonder – are there enough honorable men and women left to provide it?

Listen to Jon's commentary:

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