>>In nearby Trenton, which has a large minority population and a crime problem, the mayor and city council- all members of minority groups- are the most vocal advocates of a strong police presence in high crime areas but they come down hard on any indication of selective policing.

The irony is that selective policing is legal at the border and in fact within 100 miles of the US border, though few realize it, and that power is rarely utilized.

In fairness, if your experience is that white stripey snakes are more likely to lash out and gash you, of course you should be allowed to be more careful when dealing with white stripey snakes. Especially if the snake is hissing and carrying on. All very easy for people who've never seen a hissing snake let alone one killing somebody, to insist you mustn't treat white stripey snakes differently from squirrels. The consequence of that is that we squirrels should expect to be wrestled to the floor as if we were snakes, so they can do it to the snakes without being called bigoted.