Mary Sanchez column on the Plaza shootings: Wha??

I was surprised, at least, by Mary Sanchez' column Sunday on the Saturday evening shootings on the Plaza, with Mayor James right there. You have to read it. She says she is "...glad it was a black officer who shoved Kansas City’s black mayor into the bushes, drawing his gun protectively as shots were fired from a group of black teenagers. The race of the mayor and his bodyguard, and their perspectives, will help others be less hesitant to make the strong statements necessary after Saturday night’s shooting of three teens on the Country Club Plaza. Excuse me? Could we stop separating black from white in this country? The previous mayor had no excuse whatever to do what he did about the shootings on the Plaza and that was--nothing. He did nothing about this situation and his color should have played no role in it. He had his responsibilities and he didn't do them, either. This mayor being black doesn't heighten his responsibilities to this city--and I'm not saying that that's what she's saying, don't get me wrong--but we need to stop dividing ourselves in this city and nation. We're all Kansas Citians. We're all Americans. We have problems. We need to work together, regardless of differences otherwise, to solve them. Sheesh. What a column. Link: http://www.kansascity.com/2011/08/14/3076633/kc-mayor-bodyguards-reject-excuses.html