As many of you no doubt know, there was yet another videotaped beating by law enforcement officers in Southern California.

In this particular instance, the officers visited their wrath upon Mexican immigrants.

The situation will undoubtedly result in a trial in which the defendants’ lawyers will ask America and 12 jurors to deny what anyone with eyes can see is clearly depicted in the video tape: two sheriff deputies willfully and without cause beating helpless suspects.

However, abuse of poor people of color isn’t even even half the story.

At Emory University in Atlanta, a black student has been effectively denied protection by the police and university officials.

The young woman, Brandy Lilly, was beaten by David Neider, a white male, in front of many witnesses (some of whom were residence life staff) who did nothing to stop the event, nor did they call the police to intervene.

Lilly eventually had to make her way to the police station, alone, and report the crime. Neider was charge with a simple misdemeanor.

Meanwhile, three black male Emory students who went to discuss the seriousness of the crime with Neider have been charged with making terrorist threats — a felony. As a result, Neider has been provided a bodyguard by the university.

Neither of these incidents come as much of a shock to most people of color who grew up knowing that the police are not necessarily there to serve and protect us.

But the abuse and neglect doesn’t stop with the police. In New York City, the ineptitude of the child welfare workers led to the death of 6-year-old Elisa Izquierdo.

After a state audit, the case was found to be far from unique. Rather, it was simply the most dramatic example of the reckless neglect of the city authorities.

Meanwhile, Newt, Bob and Bill have teamed up to fight the “scourge” of terrorism that is sweeping the nation in the form of an anti-terrorism bill to be passed into law this Friday, on the first anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombing.

They have worked together to increase police powers and limit the right of appeal for those on death row. All if this in response to the Oklahoma City bombing.

Well, that’s just great. Now, I want to know when the U.S. Congress and Clinton intend to pass a law to prevent and punish the acts of government neglect, oppression and abuse being visited upon poor people of color.

While we generally acknowledge that McVeigh and his ilk are suffering from paranoid delusions that the Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms and Tobacco and the Federal Bureau of Investigations are part of a government conspiracy to take away everyone’s guns, we fail to acknowledge the very real and pervasive abuse that African-Americans and Hispanic-Americans face in the form of local law enforcement authority.

Perhaps I’m too much the cynic, but I can’t help but notice that there was no dramatic and comprehensive bipartisan effort to eliminate police brutality in the aftermath of the equally tragic events following the trial of the four Rodney King officers.

I don’t say this to belittle or dismiss the grief of the victims of the Oklahoma City bombing, but I can’t help note that the “Patriot Movement,” of which McVeigh is a member, is a response to imaginary abuses by our government against disillusioned white males.

If a group that benefits from the privileges of being in the dominant ethnic group can become so disenchanted by the government as to resort to terrorist acts, what then can we eventually expect from groups with genuine grievances?

Is America setting the stage, through its neglect and abuse of the poor (especially poor people of color), for another future riot-like event?

An event such as that could only bring tragedy, and its foundation is being laid by the actions of racist, power-crazed law officers such as the ones who beat those two immigrants.

The members of the Patriot Movement fancy themselves militia men in the tradition of the American Revolution, but when I look out at America’s social landscape, I don’t see a danger of white males rising up against the government. Minus a few freaks such as McVeigh, why would they need to when they own and control everything?

Instead, I see in events such as those that took place at Emory University a country that is sewing the seeds for America’s own undoing.

How much would it take to convince Brandy Lilly, or someone who has been similarly ignored by her government, to join a movement to participate in an act of terrorism against that government?

Undoubtedly, many of you are now thinking, “That’s far-fetched” (as past acquaintances of Harvard-educated Theodore Kaczynski would no doubt have said 20 years ago). But any student of history can tell that societies can unravel with frightening speed.

What’s more, too many times I have heard from peers a feeling that America is moving inexorably toward a race or class war. And yes, I have heard some who have declared their readiness and willingness to participate.

In truth, the majority of those comments are probably no more than false bravado, but how many aren’t?

If we don’t make an effort to make government work for everyone and ensure that the police protect everyone, some day we may be surprised to see that a significant portion of our population has decided to disregard the government.

Peace.

David Mosby is a senior in political science from Chicago.