San Francisco is an admittedly quirky city, but an emotional debate there over the tragic death of a cat is strangely emblematic about the way too many Americans react to current events. Something bad happens and then throngs of people mourn, get angry, and then demand that the government "do something"—even if the something they call for will only make the problem worse.
For those who missed the internationally publicized brouhaha, a tabby named Kit Kat had lived in the city's Mission, where he sauntered into bodegas and bars. Dubbed the Mayor of 16th Street, Kit Kat was by all accounts a charming character. Then on October 27, the unthinkable happened: a Waymo self-driving taxi ran him over. Kit Kat's fans have erected memorials and taken to social media to mourn.
