For a lesson in how to deal with racial tensions, consider the difference between Boston and New York City. During the 1970s, when court-ordered busing for school integration enraged working-class whites, Boston had more than its share of neighborhoods that were off limits to blacks. Now, though a black visitor to Southie might still feel uneasy, there is little chance of violence.

The passage of time has helped cool tempers, but most of the credit belongs to Mayor Raymond Flynn. Born in Southie, where he still lives, Flynn fought busing as a state legislator. But as mayor, after being nudged by threatened court action, Flynn has since 1988 arranged for eleven black families to move into two previously all-white public housing projects in Southie. He has also reinvigorated an eleven-member police community-disorders unit. It keeps close tabs on potential outbreaks and alerts Flynn as soon as it smells trouble.

New York City's mayor has taken a less constructive approach. Last week, when marchers in Brooklyn protested the murder of Yusuf Hawkins, Edward Koch touched off a new round of anger by criticizing their action as counterproductive. As he has all too many times in his eleven-year reign as mayor, Koch seemed to be inflaming racial tensions rather than damping them.