THE POLITBURO is reporting on the reparations rally on the mall, with a big wrapup promised for a bit later. Highlight so far: Brooklyn councilman Charles Barron’s expressed desire to slap a white person just for his mental health. There are audio excerpts from the speeches.

UPDATE: The Corner has discovered this too, and has some observations.

ANOTHER UPDATE: Susanna Cornett has a transcript of a radio interview in which Barron tries to explain the remark away as “black hyperbole,” and claims that if a white person said that sort of thing it would be different. Cornett’s verdict:

Barron was being flagrantly racist in his comments, and the fact that he was applauded by blacks and whites alike only says that his kind of racism is acceptable in some circles, not that it wasn’t racism. I hope the mainstream media pick up Barron’s explanation from Malzberg’s show, because it makes his racism very clear.

I’m with Oliver Willis on this stuff.