Obama has learned well:
Take this bit of race baiting for example. He spoke out about the arrest of Henry Louis Gates, after admitting he didn’t know all the facts, and said that if it had happened to us “any of us would be pretty angry.”
Those racist cops don’t know when to quit eh? Responding to a 911 call about a couple men breaking into a house, described as two black men, and then having the gall to question the men…who coincidentally had jimmied their way into the house AND fit the description given in the 911 call…for ID.
Patterico hits the nail on the head:
According to the police report, which I find more credible than Gates’s account, Gates started screaming about racism right from the get-go. (If he didn’t, then why did he get arrested?) And why? Because a police officer was reasonably following up on a reasonable concern?
No, it’s because Gates assumed he was being profiled. And so does Obama, who gives us a long lecture about the history of racial profiling in this country — as if that had anything to do with this incident.
It didn’t. As Jack Dunphy said at the Corner:
The claim that Gates had been “profiled” is ludicrous. Police responded to a 911 call from a witness who described two black men she believed to be breaking into a home. If contacting a black man then found inside that very home is deemed to be “profiling” then the term itself has been stripped of its meaning.
Welcome to post-racial America — where race hustlers hold sway, and all their paranoid fantasies receive official stamps of approval.
But who can blame Obama….he learned from the best in Wright, Meeks and Pfleger.
Problem is, he is no longer Candidate Obama…he is President…and if you don’t know all the facts, as he so readily admitted, you don’t proclaim to the world that one side acted stupidly.
But hey, in the same press conference he inferred our nations doctors are just after a quick buck ready to do unnecessary surgery in their quest for riches.
Cops and Doc’s…..those eeeeeviiiillllll bastards!
More here.
UPDATE
Dan Friedman has some great advice in an email:
If you think, as I do, that the sergeant deserves our encouragement and support, here’s the non-emergency phone number of the Cambridge Police Dept.: 617-349-3300.
I called this a.m. and they were very friendly, and in a neutral way (wink, wink) thanked me for my comment. Try it yourself. Couldn’t hurt.
And this article is pretty good about the officer:
The Cambridge cop prominent Harvard University professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. claims is a racist gave a dying Reggie Lewis mouth-to-mouth resuscitation in a desperate bid to save the Celtics [team stats] superstar’s life 16 years ago Monday.
“I wasn’t working on Reggie Lewis the basketball star. I wasn’t working on a black man. I was working on another human being,” Sgt. James Crowley, in an exclusive interview with the Herald, said of the forward’s fatal heart attack July 27, 1993, at age 27 during an off-season practice at Brandeis University, where Crowley was a campus police officer.
It’s a date Crowley still can recite by rote – and he still recalls the pain he suffered when people back then questioned whether he had done enough to save the black athlete.
“Some people were saying ‘There’s the guy who killed Reggie Lewis’ afterward. I was broken-hearted. I cried for many nights,” he said.
Crowley, 42, said he’s not a racist, despite how some have cast his actions in the Gates case. “Those who know me know I’m not,” he said.
Yesterday, Lewis’ widow, Donna Lewis, was floored to learn the embattled father of three on the thin blue line of a national debate on racism in America was the same man so determined to rescue her husband.
“That’s incredible,” Lewis, 44, exclaimed. “It’s an unfortunate situation. Hopefully, it can resolve itself. The most important thing is peace.”
Gates, 58, an acclaimed scholar on black history and a PBS documentarian, went on the attack against Crowley on Tuesday, demanding he apologize for arresting him for disorderly conduct last Thursday while investigating a reported break-in at his home. Gates, returning from a trip, was seen by a Malden woman trying to force his front door open. Police alleged he initially refused to identify himself.
Though he harbors no “ill feelings toward the professor,” a calm, resolute Crowley said no mea culpa will be forthcoming.
“I just have nothing to apologize for,” he said. “It will never happen.”
See author page
Obama got the word out however erroneous. That was his goal. Repeat every lie until it becomes truth. He yammers on and on about whites putting their heels on the blacks’ necks at every opportunity even though blacks are the priviliged race and get a pass every time by the media and the democrats. Witness that Nation of Islam tough whose case was dismissed even though there were witnesses and photos to back up his crime.
http://www.amnation.com/vfr/Police%20report%20on%20Gates%20arrest.PDF
If you read the police report it looks like the cops were right on their actions. At least that is my take on it.
If he had simply identified himself and thanked the officers for their concern, like most people I know would, then this would never have reached where it is now.
It appears instead that he wanted to play all the wrong cards and pushed the situation to where it never should have gone.
From my read the charges should have been pursued since it seems their is reasonable cause to do so.
It would be interesting to see if their was any pressure from outside interests to quash the charges..
Pressed on why he did not express outrage immediately upon learning of the bonuses, Mr. Obama said sharply, “Well, it took us a couple of days because I like to know what I’m talking about before I speak.”
That was then, this is now.
I don’t blame the officer for not apologizing. It took guts not to, considering that even the president apparently believes that all it takes to be right these days is to be black.
It’s hard to watch the magic smoke leave.
Au Contraire, bill-tb, it is FUN to watch the magic disappear.
Gates should have watched Dave Chappel’s “How not to get your ass kicked by cops” video.
(Edit/added)
Wups. It was Chris Rock’s, video, not Dave’s.
Racism is alive and well. It is generated right out of the White House and the Justice Department. Can you imagine what this Hate Crimes Bill is going to do to this country with this racist as president! It’s no wonder he has a 97% approval rate with the blacks.
Obama speaking without having all the facts? Why, that is so… like him. Sounds like Gates got what he deserved.
Andy McCarthy at The Corner:
The police report paints a pretty clear picture of what is going on here:
(Entire report)
Wait, St. Barry jumped to conclusions without the facts? I’m shocked, shocked, at this stunning development.
@Wordsmith:
Lynn Sweet is a Chicago reporter that has gone a long way back with Obama. I don’t doubt it was a pre-arranged question.
If anyone is owed an apology, it’s the police. Gates should apologize for acting like an obstructive jerk when the police were simply trying to protect his property. Then the Big Zero should apologize for opening his mouth and inserting his race-baiting foot before he knew all the facts.
If Gates follows through with his law suit what effect will Obama’s remarks have on potential members of the jury? How can there be a fair trial when the President of the USA condemns the police on national tv? Did Obama realize that his careless remarks (he admitted he did no know the fact) could prejudice the trial – after all, he brags about being a ‘contitutional scholar’.
If the police showed up at my house, said they had a report of a break-in, wanted to see my ID, I’d show it to them and thank them for responding. In the police report, Gates said his front door would secure properly because of a previous break-in. I would be pretty happy they showed up and thankful my neighbors were keeping an eye on my house. But that’s just me.
I wonder what mike steele –who has been trying to broaden the gop base– is gonna say now that the NRCC has decided to narrow it:
http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2009/07/23/2006514.aspx
Turns out that the officer in question conducts racial profiling education for the Cambridge PD.
Reading the well written report of their own account – the cops seem to do everything right except I would suggest at the end. Gates was being rude and uncooperative – it was a reasonable case of mistaken identity as the woman genuinely felt 2 men (irrespective of race) were breaking in. So when the cops established who Gates was and there was no break in – then I suggest it would of been better all round if they simply got in their cars and headed off. Arresting him seemed unnecessary. Do they really think he was got to continue to stand there and shout when they had gone? Sure any sane person wouldn’t have off at the deep end and start giving the rant Gates did. But I don’t see that as an offence worthy of an arrest from his own home. The only issue of race here is from Gates own perception.
Gaffa, he was disturbing the peace and insisted on keeping the officer from his duties. The officer tried to leave and the racist wouldn’t stop yelling.
They should not have dropped the charges as they were legitimate. However, we are talking about MA so of course they let the bigot go.
City of Cambridge adopts new ordinance so African- American residents will not be offended at, http://stopthepresses2.blogspot.com/2009/07/city-of-cambridge-adopts-new-ordinance.html
Ref Obama’s stupid police remark.
A community agitator never misses the chance at race baiting. It was the cops fault not the Napoleonic self important race hustler professor.
Unfortunately the cops keep their cool. I would have liked to have seen them taser the little ba—- and watch him flop on the porch like a carp out of water. But that’s just me.
@Hard Right
I think disturbing the peace is more a catchall for such situations. If the cops arrested people everytime they shot their mouth off then jails would be overflowing. As I say – do you really think Gates would of continued to shout his racist theories to the neighbourhood when the cops had gone? No doubt he would of gone back in and do some phoning of his lawyers/media/whoever – but would of looked like an even bigger idiot than he already has. Gates wasn’t physically stopping the cops getting back into their cars. I think the cops just had enough of his shouting/attitude.
This was not the first time that Obama had a problem with the Cambridge Police. Here is the rest of the story:
‘Scofflaw’ Obama Grudge Against Cambridge Police?
Thursday, July 23, 2009 8:34 PM
One reason Barack Obama may think the Cambridge Police Department is “stupid” is that he has a grudge against the law enforcement agency.
Obama, who attended Harvard Law School from 1988 to 1991, lived in Cambridge, and apparently didn’t like the fact he was frequently hit with parking tickets.
In all Obama received 17 tickets for parking violations — and never paid 15 of them until he was exposed by a local Massachusetts newspaper as a scofflaw.
According to a 2007 Associated Press story, Obama was a parking ticket deadbeat for more than a decade — and only felt the need to pay the 15 outstanding parking tickets as his presidential campaign began in earnest in 2007.
Here is the Associated Press story detailing Obama’s negligence:
Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama got more than an education when he attended Harvard Law School in the late 1980s. He also got a healthy stack of parking tickets, most of which he never paid.
The Illinois Senator shelled out $375 in January – two weeks before he officially launched his presidential campaign – to finally pay for 15 outstanding parking tickets and their associated late fees.
The story was first reported Wednesday by The Somerville News.
Obama received 17 parking tickets in Cambridge between 1988 and 1991, mostly for parking in a bus stop, parking without a resident permit and failing to pay the meter, records from the Cambridge Traffic, Parking and Transportation office show.
He incurred $140 in fines and $260 in late fees in Cambridge in all, but he paid $25 for two of the tickets in February 1990.
Disturber, do you have a citation for that Scofflaw quote? I want to steal it and cite the original source.
I read the police report. I do criticize Sgt. Crowley. He should have tuned up that loudmouthed racist bastard with his nightstick, but otherwise, he behaved properly. Presumably this will be confirmed by releasing the 911 and radio call tapes.
Apparently, as part of his No Nothing answer to the set up question, the Racist in Chief also accused his own Secret Service protective detail of being racists who would shoot him if he wandered into the White House unannounced, simply because He was black. Would you want to stop a bullet for that POS?
Disturber, I found the cite. Thanks for posting that.
@Dennis:
Here ya go Dennis.
Disturber, thanks for the dots.
They connect to create an interesting picture.
As I am probably the only black man on this website let me start with this. Skip Gates has a right to be upset and I can clearly understand his level of anger. I can also say that the President was right when he called the police actions stupid.
With that said, Skip Gates has been in the Ivry Towers too long and he has clearly lost focus on this rule. In the Black Man’s Survival Book on Page 27, Article II section 41; it clearly states when accosted by the police one should (1) make no sudden moves (2) keeps hands where they can be seen (3) shut the f*** up.
Skip felt slighted and with the Ivry Tower stuck squarely up his ass, he decided to put said ass on his shoulders and show it to the police. And with the police there is always the attitude of: you can beat the rap but you can’t beat the ride.
This is no defense of the police because I do believe that if this were some old white guy, the situation would not have gotten as far as it did. I also believe that a black officer would have recognized off the bat what was fueling Skips anger and put more effort in calming the situation.
I wouldn’t consider either of these guys bigots but disturbing the peace is a stupid charge in this case. Hell, I’ve had a police officer slap and hit me in the stomach with a flashlight while I was sitting on my front porch, then tried to charge me with disturbing the peace when I said something about it. I’ve been punched by an officer for passing out business cards in a white neighborhood. So I know how they use disturbing the peace as their catch-all for booking a brother. Both could use some remedial training on how not to let a simple situation like this get out of hand.
My last post didn’t appear so I have to write it again:
As probably the only black man on this board I think I have a unique perspective on this. While everyone is screaming racism and accusing each side of being bigots, the truth is somewhere in the middle. This is primarily a case of two men overreacting to a simple situation.
First, what many black people are saying is that it is highly unlikely that a 58 year old white man would have found himself in cuffs charged with disorderly conduct. I’m sure Prof. Gates was pissed when a cop comes to his door stating that someone is reporting a break-in. At this point, the cop has every right to make sure that he is the owner of the home. No matter how much sh*t is talking – and I’m sure he was – the primary objective is the ensure that the property is secure.
For Prof. Gates part, he’s been in those Ivry Towers too long and forgot the rules. Article II. Section 47 of the Black Man’s Guide to Survival clearly states that when accosted by the police one should: (1) make no sudden moves (2) remove the bass from your voice when speaking (3) shut the f**k up
He violated #3 and he found himself in a situation like many of us have before. However, he has the luxury of Harvard faculty status which raises the profile of the case. I personally believe that a black officer would have recognized the source if Prof. Gates anger and put it to rest. I also believe a black person more grounded in the reality of dealing with the police would have given the officer the benefit of the doubt and let him do his job without incident and then thank him for his quick response to the call.
There is no bigotry in this case… just two men: one with a badge up is arse and another with an Ivry Tower. That is a recipe for head butting but when it comes to the police: you can beat the rap but you can’t beat the ride. What both should do now is admit that there was some overreacting on both parts and put it to rest.
As for Obama calling the police’s actions stupid… I agree. I also agree when he said cooler heads should have prevailed. But as someone who’s been pulled over for a tree cent hanging on my rear view mirror, broken lightbulb over my plates, slapped for passing out business cards in a white neighborhood, finger gouged with car keys, punched in the stomach with a flashlight – I have my problem with the police.
True story: A friend’s sister ran away from home. We saw her in my neighborhood (a white girl 14 years old), and we took her home. Her father was a cop. He arrested my cousin and I and accused of kidnapping her. It took his wife, my friend whom I played football with, and several other people to convince him that we were just dropping her off. Two days later she ran away again. He just didn’t like the idea of his daughter being with black people.
I know why Prof. Gates was upset and I know that most black men understand. Most of you won’t get it, understand it or believe it… that’s cool too. I don’t expect you to. Just know that black people’s interaction with the police is always a crap shoot. Prof. Gates didn’t help himself any but it wasn’t a situation that warranted a disorderly conduct charge.
Disturber #25
Ah yes but did he drive a black car?
Thanks, Aye Chihuahua!
@ james manning:
I think your attitude is the one that most police take when dealing with black people and its why there is so much distrust of them in our community. Their first instinct is to use physical force even when the situation doesn’t warrant its use.
It may be an attitude that police take when dealing with people. People period. The commonly spouted meme that police are generally racist, is a racist attitude itself.
Gates was the one at fault, here. He started spouting off a racist and provocative diatribe against a cop who was there to help him. No force was used on him when he verbally assaulted the cop, and had the potential of inciting a riot. He was simply arrested. The cop treated him kindly and even sent someone to get his cane.
This would have been just another incident of a racist son of a bitch getting what he deserved, if the Racist In Chief, while admitting He knew nothing about the case, started race baiting. Then He added to His crime by suggesting that His own Secret Service protective detail would shoot Him because He is Black. Would you want to jump in front of a bullet for that POS?
@ James Manning
Maybe. Then again, maybe a reasonable person would have showed the officer their ID, said they just got home and if one of the neighbors witnessed a break-in, ask the officer to take a look around and make sure it was just me they saw.
I didn’t know there was a manual…with articles and sections. It’s not on Amazon. 😉
>>In the Black Man’s Survival Book on Page 27, Article II section 41; it clearly states when accosted by the police one should (1) make no sudden moves (2) keeps hands where they can be seen (3) shut the f*** up.>>
I think that’s in the White Man’s Survival Book as well.
@Aqua:
He did show his ID… albeit after some considerable mouthing off. In a situation like that, I would have just shown my ID and explained to the officer the situation that may have triggered the call. If the officer would have given me some crap… I would probably talk some sh*t then and just taken the ride figuring I got lawyers to fight the case.
But I’ve seen plenty of times when white people are SNAPPING OFF at the police and they let it go. My thought is that if you’re in my house how can you arrest me for giving you attitude. The situation is clear, you are free to go.
I’m being even-handed here. I think Prof Gate was in violation (of the Black Rules) and the officer who from reports trains other officers on how not to profile. So he really should understand how easy it is for a situation like that to get out of hand.
Oh, and you can’t get the book of Amazon… this knowledge is passed down over a game of spades or at the family reunion. Prof Gates could use some libations to get aligned with his black-spidey senses. Most of use get a tingly sensation when we come into contact with the police that allows us to avoid being Rodney King-ed.
@ James Manning
They need to build a book for Rednecks then. I have a few good friends that work for various police departments here in Georgia. They unanimously agree that the most difficult people to deal with is…rednecks. They will reach for their flashlight quicker with a redneck than any other group of people.
@james manning:
Yes, of course.
How dare the police officer actually show up at an address where a possible break-in in progress was occurring.
How dare the police officer actually have the nerve to ask the guy standing in the kitchen (who matched the 911 call description) to show some sort of identification.
How dare the police officer actually refuse to go away when said individual standing in the kitchen refused to provide ID when it was requested.
How dare the police officer actually have the nerve to stick around when Gates immediately went into his best racist diatribe.
How dare the police officer actually have the nerve to have the well being of Gates in mind when he asked him to step outside so that the report of two possible burglars could be investigated.
How dare the police officer actually open up his microphone so that a recording of this confrontation could be made.
How dare the police officer, accompanied by other officers, including at least one black officer, actually continue to try to do the thankless job that they are woefully underpaid to do.
How dare the police officers, after repeatedly warning Mr. Gates about his outbursts, actually op to uphold the disorderly conduct statute as they are sworn to do in the state of MA.
Those darn police officers. Actually fulfilling their oaths, doing the jobs that they are sworn to do.
How dare they!
Yes, Gates has every right to be upset that he didn’t receive different/special treatment because he is, after all, a high-n-mighty elitist college professor.
Or perhaps his different/special treatment should have come as a result of his skin color?
Of course Gates could have just shown his ID, explained to the officers that he lived in the home and had to force his way in because the door was jammed.
Gates could have been thankful to the officers for responding so quickly.
Gates could have been thankful to his neighbor for actually caring enough to call 911 when she saw something that she thought was amiss at the house because, after all, the house had been broken into before.
Gates could have made a myriad of different decisions. He was, after all, in complete control of the situation from the get go.
Ah yes, Barack Obama, the accomplished attorney and constitutional lecturer, didn’t know better than to use the bully pulpit of the Presidency of the United States to comment on a matter where a) he was admittedly was unfamiliar with all of the facts b) an investigation was still ongoing c) litigation was a distinct possibility, in which case, he has now tainted the entire jury pool within the US.
Yes, the President was right when he reached his arm into the hornet’s nest all the way to the armpit.
Of course, the President didn’t do that because he needs a distraction from the other things that he and his merry band of thieves in DC are up to.
Two parting words:
Duke. Lacrosse.
@james manning:
Both of your posts went into the SPAM filter and I dug them out for you.
Let me know which, if either, post you want me to delete as a duplicate.
@Aye Chihuahua
you bypased everything I said. You pulled two lines. First, I think the police had every right to investigate the situation and Prof. Gates gave them attitude for doing so. As I stated earlier, the prudent response would have been to show the ID, and explain what possibly could have triggered someone to call. We agree on that part. I even admit that Prof Gates had a ‘do you know who I am’ attitude which is a good way to get a free ride in a police car as well.
However, once it was evident that Prof Gates was the owner the home… that should be it. Regardless of Prof Gates ingdination, the situation was done. The officer, who trains other officers on racial profiling, is probably fully aware where the attitude is coming from and should know how to defuse that situation. But arresting someone for talking, that’s crazy.
I’m not accusing anyone of bigotry. I’m saying this is waaaaaaaay bigger than it should be and if fact, the only reason its news because it happened to a Harvard professor. If this were me… no one would care. And I equally blame Prof Gates because he should know better.
The police initial response is fine. The arrest… I think is stupid. The same way I think its stupid when a police officer taser an ederly woman or a ten year old.
@james manning:
Actually, I read all of what you said in each of your posts.
I pulled the selected lines because they capture the essence of all of your posts.
The police have a job to do. They have laws to uphold. MA has laws on their books which makes behavior that is “tumultuous” and “serving no purpose” illegal. What Gates did created a disruption in the neighborhood. What Gates did attracted a crowd outside because Gates chose to be loud and rowdy outside as well as in his own home.
This situation was escalated entirely based on Gates’ actions.
He held all of the cards and played them badly.
James, that is such a racist attitude you’ve taken and there is no excusing it.
My brother who looks white was taken to jail for criminal speeding-which he wasn’t guilty of. He was merely speeding tho. Even when he’s been polite to the officers he’s been given a harder time than I have and I look more like a Latino than he does.
The fact are these: Gates is a racist/race pimp. The cops did everything right-period. Your views are racist whether or not you realize it.
@ Aye Chihuahua
I got you. From Prof Gates perspective he had the burden of historical indignation without the benefit of current black perspective. If you every use Ivory soap, you know he leaves no soapy residue. Well, this same thing happens to black people when they attend an Ivy League school. It leaves very little residue of thier black sense… which I refer to as black-spidey senses. Now imagine having an Ivy League tower stuck up your arse for over two decades. There is very little residue of blackness remaining and there aren’t too many suppliments available that can restore it. Maybe watching reruns of Sanford & Son but that’s not backed with medical research.
So the combination of historical indignation, a black spidey-sense deficiency, an Ivy League clogged behind and a big mouth can have only one outcome when interacting with the police: jail. Prof Gates does need to get aligned with his black-spidey senses. And when he does, the next this happens, he’ll respond differently.
@james manning: So James, you believe that it was OK for Gates to begin shouting offensively at Crowley?
If I tried that with the Beaufort County Sheriff I would be face down in the dirt getting cuffed.
Gates is the one who MADE this about race. Not Crowley.
I find your view to be an enabler of the kind of culture which not only disrespects authority, but excuses violence and criminal activity.
I want to add one thing here. There is no question that there has been racial profiling in many circumstances. It is also true that a disproportionate number of criminals are minorities. The latter doesn’t make the former right, but it helps explain what is a very difficult situation. That having been said, it would have been far more constructive if our “post racial president” would have simply said that he doesn’t know all the facts and that he would wait until the facts were clear before he commented. He might also have said that it will take time for the tensions between law enforcement and the Black community are dissipated, but that we shouldn’t jump to the conclusion that every encounter between the two are tinged with racism. His failure to do either and more importantly, to avoid prematurely wading into the controversy is still another example of his inability to grasp the substance of the Office of the President. He wears it like a badge and he reminds us of who he is, but dignity just doesn’t seem to be in his vocabulary.
Disturber
Mike: I’m just saying getting arrested for yelling at the police is stupid. There should be something more there than just me verbally jousting with an officer. Police face that all of the time, do they arrest them. And where in my statement are you reading that I am enabling criminal activity.
And I don’t think what the President said was wrong. I don’t care how many criminals there are in the world, if a police officer stops me, he should have a reason beyond the fact that I am a black man. I don’t want to be a victim of crime either. But here’s the funny thing. I’ve lived in one of Chicago’s roughest neighborhood and I’ve never been robbed. I’ve never had my home broken into. I’ve never done drugs, was never in a gang, graduated from High School, College and Graduate school plus served in the military. And I’ve been beaten up by the police at least 4 times that I can remember. And I’m not counting the time when they just slap me around a little.
So yeah, I have no respect for the police – as far as I’m concern they have no respect for me. Respect is earned. I’ve never committed a crime (outside of speeding) but I’m suppose to accept being looked upon as a criminal because I’m a black man? I’m not cool with gangs, drug dealers because they destroy lives and the community. But I’m also not cool with being abused by the police.
But at the same time, this incident strike me as one where BOTH parties can take some of the blame.
I’m not the least bit surprised about an uninformed Obama automatically taking the side of Gates. I’ve long believed he thinks of himself as black first, American second. He has done nothing to change that opinion.
I disagree, James Manning. The POTUS should not be weighing in on local issues when he is not in possession of the facts.
Interesting you have no respect for “the police”. Have you met them all? I can understand if you have no respect for an individual police officer with whom you may have had a bad experience. But to condemn them all? How about if I condemn all blacks for having a bad experience? Is that okay? Sorry… you’re a nice man, but you resemble a bigot.
The racial profiling is obviously absurd. The 911 call said a robbery in progress by two black men. Gates refused to produce ID to prove he was who he was. Perhaps the cop should have hauled a couple of white men aside so it was okay to ask Gates? duh…. PC police work will be the death of us all if they have to start checking little old ladies when they are looking for a Latino youth to satisfy this idiotic ‘tude.
As for the arrest, if the charges are insufficient, they will be dropped. (UPDATE already dropped…) Gates will not be the first man to be arrested on flimsy charges, if they are deemed “flimsy” at all. Holding tanks are littered with those of all races who feel their rights were infringed. Get over it. This whining about crap 50 years ago is getting old. If you want to heal race relations, stop screaming “race” everytime something happens, and laying it off on “because of our history”. Horse manure.
This POTUS is racist, and dedicated to affirmative action. But that’s the least of our worries… because he’s going to tank everyone… regardless of race.
Mata, the charges were dropped. Here is the biggest difference in having bad experiences with regular folk and the police. I’ve had bad experiences with every type of person imaginable. I have far more black people on my “I’m not cool with you” list than white people. I’ve had bad experiences with Asians, Mexicans, black and white.
But with a cop there is a cerntain amount of helplessness there and a level of fear that you will never get from another person on the street. Now certainly this is just a product of me growing up in Chicago. This is a rough city and the cops are no joke. And I have cousins that I wouldn’t run into in a dark alley
Mata and who’s talking about something that happened 50 years ago. Just a few months ago a cop shot a teen in the back. We had another 300 pound cop get off for beating a 110 pound woman – and the entire incident was caught on camera. You have another cop that shot a kid in the back while he was faced down on the concrete in handcuffs. This is the last 12 months. Maybe you live in Utopia but the rest of us live in the real world. Oh.. and try these pics on for size:
james, you are not the only big city urbanite with a past. As a Harley rider in LA, I assure you I’ve had more than my fair share of run ins with cops with attitudes, pulled over and run thru the mill with questionable PC. Battled in court more than I care to remember as well. However I do not extend my disdain for those officers to all officers, and automatically assume they are making power plays.
You seem to be up on police activity for blacks, and not for other races. You think you have a monopoly on this as a race? What about the Baltimore copy and the skateboarder? Dont have much to say about the media lynching of the Duke lacrosse team, eh? My point is, media picks and chooses what they decide to cover because it makes for good propaganda fodder to promote the racial divide. I think Curt can attest that there are many of all races that feel their rights are infringed. They just don’t all make the news.
@james manning said: “So yeah, I have no respect for the police – “
Then he has the nerve to suggest that ” But at the same time, this incident strike me as one where BOTH parties can take some of the blame. “
Shame on you James.
I expect more from you just as I would if you were White.
You are simply propagating the sterotype that Blacks can never be held to account for their actions as we would with white folk.
That’s as deplorable as it is RACIST!
In what Obama declared was a “post racial” era I thought I could expect better of you.
Was I wrong?
Check this out. If a jerk is tased and no one is around does he still make a thud when he hits the ground?
http://www.whas11.com/video/whas11video-index.html?nvid=382974
I have taught my children from the time that they are small that they are to respect law enforcement officers and soldiers. Whether it be Police, Sheriff, State Patrol, Fish & Game, or whatever.
They deserve it. Period. End of story.
My children have seen me repeatedly pay for meals of people in uniform or police officers, usually anonymously, sometimes not.
Last Saturday we stood by the side of the road and watched the funeral procession of a local soldier who was killed in Afghanistan. Showing respect and gratitude to him and his family was the least we could do.
Our family has attended the funeral of two local police officers and one fireman. These were people we didn’t know personally but they deserved our respect.
Anytime we go to Savannah or Augusta, which are both big military towns, my children know that I will shake the hands of soldiers in uniform, look them in the eye, and say “Thank You”.
My 17 year old used to be so embarrassed by that until I showed all three of my children these pictures (and others like them):
I explained to the three of them that if these soldiers are willing to sleep on the ground or in the mud or take a bullet or knife blade to protect and preserve our freedom, and the freedom of others, the least we can do is show some gratitude.
I am proud to say that the 17 year old is now the leader of our group. He watches for members of our military and law enforcement community so that he can say “Thank You.”
All three of them want to do it now.
Both of the boys thanked the Secret Service officers the day we met the president. They took the initiative.
We owe that to the people who protect us, and our country, out of nothing more than common decency and gratitude. I was taught the same by my parents.
These people, quite literally, put their lives on the line each and every time they put on their uniforms or their badge.
Until a specific officer/soldier does something to make us lose respect for him/her specifically, they also deserve our respect.
Side bar, Your Honor:
I think that is one reason why I feel so comfortable and at home here at FA. There are a large number of active/former military people here as well as folks who have been or are still involved in law enforcement. In addition, the community here is staunchly pro-military, pro-America.
End side bar.
To say that all police officers or soldiers are “bad” and should be prejudged because of “X” event is foolish at best and prejudice/bigotry at worst.
How would it go over if I painted an entire race of people with that broad, smelly brush because of the actions of one or two individuals?
I, like others here, have had a couple of encounters with members of law enforcement in my lifetime. At 2am one morning I was pulled over on my way home because the officer had seen my car parked behind the jewelry store where I worked.
He was clearly trying to determine if I was a person who was supposed to be inside the premises at that hour, or someone else. Turns out I was there very late because it was the holiday season and I was doing all of the ring sizing, stone setting, and other repair jobs that needed to be done for the Christmas gift rush.
Were my rights infringed? Maybe. But instead of kicking up a fuss I answered the officer’s questions, showed him my ID, thanked him, and I went on my way.
Now, if I had chosen to be a first class horse’s ass like Mr. Gates then the officer would most likely have responded to me differently.
In my situation I held all of the cards and chose to play them wisely.
Mr. Gates played his hand differently and ended up with a nice pair of bracelets as his parting gift.
While thinking through this entire kerfuffle I keep coming back to the words of Dr. King. I have come to the conclusion that Mr. Gates’ character was more of an issue here than was the color of his skin.
James, I appreciate your service to our country. I think I’ve told you that here before, but I’m not sure now if I knew until today that you had served.
I do have to ask you though, when was the last time you walked up to a police officer or fireman or a member of an ambulance crew and simply said “Thank You”?
When was the last time you said “Thanks” to a member of the US military?
You just might be surprised to find out that the people inside those uniforms are good, decent, honest, hardworking human beings just like you and I.
I can tell you that they most likely aren’t doing that job for the money.
It’s unfortunate that in our country, in 2009, we continue to allow ourselves to immediately drag out the half buried “racist” hatchet and swing it about, even when it is unwarranted.
Not everything that happens between different races is racism.
.
.