Illustration: Liu Rui/Global Times

Disputes on racial issues arose again in the US after a black man drove a SUV into a Christmas parade in Wisconsin on Monday, leaving five dead and 48 injured. Following the Kyle Rittenhouse case which has sparked protests in multiple cities, racial antagonism has erupted in the US society, aggravating social split.

When the incident happened on Sunday night, many US netizens matched the information of the suspect to an African American named Darrell Brooks and dug out his long criminal records. 

However, no reports from mainstream media could be found initially. Some conservatives tweeted, criticizing the collective silence of US mainstream media. They attributed the silence to the fact that Brooks is black and not white, saying the black identity "does not fit the left-wing medias' narrative."

Wide media coverage appeared late Monday and Tuesday, saying the suspect Darrell Brooks has a decade-long criminal record that includes sexual abuse, drug trafficking, battery and domestic abuse, citing Milwaukee prosecutors' statement. 

The incident happened two days after the clashes and violence erupted when Kyle Rittenhouse was acquitted of all charges after testifying he acted in self-defense in the deadly Kenosha shooting.

Chinese experts on US studies said issues of gun control and racial antagonism reflected in the two cases highlight the deeply rooted contradictions that exist in the US society, which have become increasingly complex and sharp, and there is no effective solution at the moment. 

Yuan Zheng, Deputy Director and Senior Fellow of the Institute of American Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Tuesday that "mainstream media in the US have become extremely sensitive and cautious when reporting such cases and dare not disclose details of cases before confirming specific information." 

As ethnic minorities keep struggling for their rights through frequent protests in recent years, along with profound changes in the structure of US population, white Americans started to worry about their own rights and interests. The declining population made white people anxious and intensified racial confrontation, Yuan explained.

Compared with the gap between the rich and the poor, the low social mobility, stratification and other problems in the US society, it is more difficult to find short-term solutions to the racial issue. The combination of old and new problems makes the social contradictions in the US more complex, Yuan said. 

When asked about whether Biden's re-election would be able to change the situation, as the White House has confirmed that Joe Biden intends to run for re-election in 2024, Yuan doubts about the success of his reelection given his old age, perceived physical challenges and the current low approval rating.

"Even if Biden does win a second term, he may not have enough nerves or leadership to make radical changes to the deeply rooted social problems," Yuan said.  

The two cases also happened while the US is actively planning a so-called "democracy summit", a key campaign promise by Biden designed to "help stop democratic backsliding and erosion of rights and freedoms worldwide."

Besides the attempt to shift domestic attention from social conflicts by fulfilling election promises, experts said the summit is an important opportunity for the US to raise its own profile and reassert its authority as the leader of the "free world". 

However, US democracy is losing the ability to solve such problems and similar cases will occur again in the future. With more social issues being politicized under partisan rivalry, the US will suffer worse and more intense social divergence, observers noted.