There are probably few other countries in the world as self-righteous and complacent as the US when it comes to human rights issues, but the Ferguson tragedy is apparently a slap in its face.

Following a grand jury decision on Monday not to indict white police officer Darren Wilson, who shot dead African-American teenager Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, protests and demonstrations have flared up and expanded to scores of cities across the US.

After the ruling, Barack Obama, the country's first African-American president, called for respect for "the rule of law" in an hour-long speech Monday night.

The tragic incident and the subsequent ruling have been characterized as a miscarriage of justice and a violation of human rights. The very fact that an incident that happened in a small town more than three month ago has triggered long-standing, widespread public indignation against the country's law enforcement system is strongly demonstrative of some deeply rooted maladies in the US, a self-styled human rights defender and judge.

Racial prejudice remains a chronic disease after civil rights leader Martin Luther King delivered half a century ago the landmark speech "I have a dream" and voiced his aspiration for equal rights for African-Americans in the country.

In its worst violence in recent times, the acquittal of four white policemen in the beating of a black motorist in 1992 sparked a six-day riot involving thousands of people across the metropolitan area of Los Angeles, leaving as many as 51 people dead.

In history, racial tensions cut deep in the US, a country that always points its fingers at other countries on the issue.

Today, the scar is obviously far from being fully healed, as a recent survey showed that some 51 percent of Americans do not believe African-Americans are treated equally to whites by the law enforcement.

Some might argue that racial differences and conflicts are unavoidable in a "melting pot" like the US, where people come from virtually every corner of the world.

But it is undeniable that racial discrimination against African-Americans or other ethnic minorities, though not as obvious as in the past, still persists in every aspect of US social life, including employment, housing, education, and particularly, justice.

The death of Brown should serve as a stark reminder for the US that there are a lot of human rights violations on its own soil and that it should first fix its own problems before criticizing other countries.

It is highly advisable that all countries, including the US, enhance communication and cooperation on human rights issues and learn from each other's experiences and lessons to make improvement rather than simply point fingers at others.

The author is a writer with the Xinhua News Agency. opinion@globaltimes.com.cn