At times like this, with the raging protest in Ferguson, an implication hangs in the air that these events are leading somewhere, that things are about change.

The saddest thing, however, is that this is, indeed, a “time like this”—one of many, before and certainly to come. It is impossible not to conclude that what happened to Michael Brown in Ferguson is now status quo, not a teaching lesson to move us forward.

Last week’s events must seen in view not just of the entire history of black people in the United States, as many have suggested, but also in view of, well, last summer. The protests in the wake of the exoneration of George Zimmerman included the exact same kinds of expressions of dismay, fear, and rage, and more importantly, claims that this time was “it,” that black America was “fed up,” complete with furious empathy on the part of much of white America.

Remember the T-shirt, Al Sharpton, transnational vigils, the name of an obscure town suddenly becoming common coin (Sanford, Florida then; Ferguson, Missouri now), the symbolic gestures of defiance (hoodies and Skittles then, arms up now), the President making a quiet statement and getting roasted from some for timidity and others for rabblerousing?

It might as well have been ten minutes ago, especially as all of it is instantly viewable on line. And yet here we are.