Wiretap: Widespread open carry in Texas blurred lined between marchers and suspects

Blurred lines

Texas’s open-carry laws — and the number of people who routinely bring their guns to demonstrations — blurred the lines between marchers and suspects on the night of the Dallas attacks. Twenty to 30 of the marchers showed up with AR-15s and other types of military-style rifles and wore them openly, with the straps slung across their shoulders and backs. Via The New York Times.

Troubled mind

Who was Micah Johnson? A more complex picture of a troubled mind emerges as police study his journals. Via The Dallas Morning News.

Cop crackdown

As the protests grow in intensity around the country, the police reaction in Baton Rouge seems to be more confrontational than most. And people are starting to ask questions. Via The Washington Post.

Busted, again

When Philando Castile was pulled over for a broken taillight, it was not something unusual for him. That was the 52nd time Castile had been stopped by police in and around the Twin Cities. Was he an especially bad driver, a victim of racial profiling or both?  Via The Washington Post.

What now?

After Dallas, what is the future of Black Lives Matter? The New Yorker’s Jelani Cobb asks the question of BLM co-founder Alicia Garza.

Lost ground

Black Lives Matter was gaining ground. And then a sniper (who was not affiliated with the group) opened fire. Via The New York Times.

Hillary’s high bar

Maureen Dowd on Clinton: She may be on her way to becoming president simply by not being indicted. Thank you, Donald Trump. Via The New York Times.

Justified paranoia

Jill Abramson on Clinton: Just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean they’re not out to get you. Via The Guardian.

Never Trump

What does the #NeverTrump movement do as the GOP convention nears? The smart money says Trump is safe. But the smart money also said Trump could never be nominated. Via The National Review.

Ryan wavers

Why Paul Ryan won’t accept — or dismiss — Donald Trump. OK, it’s exactly why you thought. Via Politico.

Photo credit: katesheets, Creative Commons, Flickr

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