Baltimore, like Ferguson, is a parable, a story that can teach us important lessons, andone in which we should see that we are, for the most part, still missing the most important lessons.

The Baltimore story began with yet another incident between a young black man and the police. A 25-year-old African-American named Freddie Gray was picked up by the Baltimore police and died of injuries he received in police custody after being put into a police van and not receiving the medical help he needed. Just today, Gray's death was called a homicide, and the six officers involved were charged for it.

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In a joint press conference with the prime minister of Japan, the president went off script, spoke from his heart, and turned the presidential rostrum into a presidential pulpit, telling the truth about lessons of the Baltimore parable that we all need to learn -- if we are at all serious about solving these problems.