And WHO is Louis Gates, anyway?

[Againsheila]

In a few short minutes, an honorable professor ruined his reputation and clearly showed his racism, discrediting all the work he's done in the past. The man ruined himself simply because he couldn't control himself....

I don't know how Gates is a racist. He may have a victim complex or be hyper sensitve to racism and profiling but I fail to see where he demonstrated racism.

The first words out of his mouth were to cry racism, do you think he would have done that if it had been a black cop that showed up on his doorstep?

 

[Sweet Willy]

In a few short minutes, an honorable professor ruined his reputation and clearly showed his racism, discrediting all the work he's done in the past. The man ruined himself simply because he couldn't control himself....

I don't know how Gates is a racist. He may have a victim complex or be hyper sensitve to racism and profiling but I fail to see where he demonstrated racism.

The first words out of his mouth were to cry racism, do you think he would have done that if it had been a black cop that showed up on his doorstep?

Maybe. Black cops aren't immune from profiling activity. In any case, feeling that you are a vicitim of racism is not the same as being a racist. He may be one of those afrocentric types or maybe he is hyper sensitive but I don't see how you can infer that Gates is racist.

 

[toomuchtime_]

My point here would be that in that particular neighborhood, and New England being exactly what it is, I cannot even begin to imagine that the "neighbor" in question did not know exactly who this man is.I grew up in insular New England and I know how they are about this sort of thing, as well as the "attitudes."

How many Harvard profs do you think live in that neighborhood? My guess is they are neighbors and probably pretty diverse, sort of like Hyde Park in this locale. I guess you think it a better idea not to call the police when one observes something like shoulder being put to a door? In this case it definitely would have been fine NOT to have called it in, but let's give the woman the benefit of the doubt and she didn't recognize the professor and there were 2 men trying to get in. If it were your home, would you want your neighbors to play Kitty Genovese scenario for you?

You have to wonder though, how many burglars break into the front door with luggage at their feet?

Regardless, if the police received a 911 call your house was being broken into, wouldn't you want them to investigate? And wouldn't you want them to insist on confirming, regardless of appearances, that the person they found there did have a right to be there?

Gates was not calling the person who made the 911 call a racist; he was calling the cop, who was doing exactly what you or I would want him to do, a racist. Regardless of what Gates and Obama may believe about American history, nothing in the cop's behavior justified calling him a racist - if Gates is unable to evaluate the cop's behavior on its own merits because the cop is white, then Gates is the racist - and demanding special treatment because of his status at Harvard or because of his presumed influence with the mayor or police chief should have been unacceptable to anyone who believed in equal rights under the law. To the extent Obama's prattle about racial profiling in the US was intended to justify Gates' outrageous behavior, he has revealed himself to be a racist, too.

 

[Old Rocks]

The guy arrived home from a long trip to China. His door wouldn't open. He was tired, and at that age a bit cranky. Yes, he should have been more diplomatic with the policemen. As they should have been with him. Note that he hardly cuts a threatoning figure.

I have dealt with police, some act in a manner that is professional all the way. Some do not. It would seem to me that both people in this scenerio might do a bit of backpeddling.

 

[Sweet Willy]

In a few short minutes, an honorable professor ruined his reputation and clearly showed his racism, discrediting all the work he's done in the past. The man ruined himself simply because he couldn't control himself....

I don't know how Gates is a racist. He may have a victim complex or be hyper sensitve to racism and profiling but I fail to see where he demonstrated racism.

The first words out of his mouth were to cry racism, do you think he would have done that if it had been a black cop that showed up on his doorstep?

I would add that I haven't seen any evidence of racism by anyone. Gates has made that an issue. He obviously feels that his color had something to do with why the police were hasseling him. I think he has shitty police work confused with racism.

The bottom line for em is that the cop admits that he thought Gates was the home owner, not a criminal. He then checks his ID and it shows that he is exactly who he says he is. There wasn't any reason to escalate the incident to an arrest. We see this over and over, from traffic stops that end with tasering to incidents like this where there is no problem until a cop insist on making attitude adjustments, by force. That's not the job. No one was breaking in, that's the only reason you were here, now go fight crime somewhere else.

 

[Contessa_Sharra]

In a few short minutes, an honorable professor ruined his reputation and clearly showed his racism, discrediting all the work he's done in the past. The man ruined himself simply because he couldn't control himself....

I don't know how Gates is a racist. He may have a victim complex or be hyper sensitve to racism and profiling but I fail to see where he demonstrated racism.

Oh, you mean you didn't know that any minority that doesn't automatically bow, scrape and kiss white butt is a "racist?" Minorities are not allowed to mistrust whites, LOL. Or dislike them. Sadly enough, the history of this country from a black point of view is very different from the perception of things that dominant culture people hold. It really is a different world.

 

[Contessa_Sharra]

[The bottom line for em is that the cop admits that he thought Gates was the home owner, not a criminal. He then checks his ID and it shows that he is exactly who he says he is. There wasn't any reason to escalate the incident to an arrest. We see this over and over, from traffic stops that end with tasering to incidents like this where there is no problem until a cop insist on making attitude adjustments, by force. That's not the job. No one was breaking in, that's the only reason you were here, now go fight crime somewhere else.

Well said!

All too manyy get in the habit of being a "Judge Dred" with an entitlement mentality...

 

[Annie]

How many Harvard profs do you think live in that neighborhood? My guess is they are neighbors and probably pretty diverse, sort of like Hyde Park in this locale. I guess you think it a better idea not to call the police when one observes something like shoulder being put to a door? In this case it definitely would have been fine NOT to have called it in, but let's give the woman the benefit of the doubt and she didn't recognize the professor and there were 2 men trying to get in. If it were your home, would you want your neighbors to play Kitty Genovese scenario for you?

You have to wonder though, how many burglars break into the front door with luggage at their feet?

Regardless, if the police received a 911 call your house was being broken into, wouldn't you want them to investigate? And wouldn't you want them to insist on confirming, regardless of appearances, that the person they found there did have a right to be there?

Gates was not calling the person who made the 911 call a racist; he was calling the cop, who was doing exactly what you or I would want him to do, a racist. Regardless of what Gates and Obama may believe about American history, nothing in the cop's behavior justified calling him a racist - if Gates is unable to evaluate the cop's behavior on its own merits because the cop is white, then Gates is the racist - and demanding special treatment because of his status at Harvard or because of his presumed influence with the mayor or police chief should have been unacceptable to anyone who believed in equal rights under the law. To the extent Obama's prattle about racial profiling in the US was intended to justify Gates' outrageous behavior, he has revealed himself to be a racist, too.

Indeed. This really shouldn't be a liberal/conservative argument, as with the exception of Huggy, most of us would want police to check out a 'possible burglary' to our home. From all that the other officers, white and minority, from Crowley's support from management, seems Gates pulled the wrong cop to pull the race card on.

Considering Gates is older and has some limited disability and had returned from a long trip, this could easily have been a 'sorry I did this, I was tired' sort of thing. Instead we have many of our liberal friends twisting themselves in knots trying to find a cause. All because Obama inserted himself here.

 

[Anguille]

My point here would be that in that particular neighborhood, and New England being exactly what it is, I cannot even begin to imagine that the "neighbor" in question did not know exactly who this man is. I grew up in insular New England and I know how they are about this sort of thing, as well as the "attitudes."

In all fairness, she could have been new to the neighborhood. He also. I know who Gates is and what he looks like but I'm not sure I would recognize him at a distance.

Beside, celebs are know to sometimes do wacky stuff.

 

[Annie]

My point here would be that in that particular neighborhood, and New England being exactly what it is, I cannot even begin to imagine that the "neighbor" in question did not know exactly who this man is. I grew up in insular New England and I know how they are about this sort of thing, as well as the "attitudes."

In all fairness, she could have been new to the neighborhood. He also. I know who Gates is and what he looks like but I'm not sure I would recognize him at a distance.

Beside, celebs are know to sometimes do wacky stuff.

Let's just assume one is riding down the street, leaving a friend's home perhaps. One observes two males leaning shoulders into door. Pretty nice neighborhood is an assumption. So, should one ignore or call police about a possible problem?

 

[del]

My point here would be that in that particular neighborhood, and New England being exactly what it is, I cannot even begin to imagine that the "neighbor" in question did not know exactly who this man is. I grew up in insular New England and I know how they are about this sort of thing, as well as the "attitudes."

what is this "new england being what it is" bullshit?

whar exactly is it about new england that makes you think new englanders know all their neighbors by sight?

 

[Anguille]

seems Gates pulled the wrong cop to pull the race card on.

Is it against the law to pull race cards?

 

[Anguille]

My point here would be that in that particular neighborhood, and New England being exactly what it is, I cannot even begin to imagine that the "neighbor" in question did not know exactly who this man is. I grew up in insular New England and I know how they are about this sort of thing, as well as the "attitudes."

In all fairness, she could have been new to the neighborhood. He also. I know who Gates is and what he looks like but I'm not sure I would recognize him at a distance.

Beside, celebs are know to sometimes do wacky stuff.

Let's just assume one is riding down the street, leaving a friend's home perhaps. One observes two males leaning shoulders into door. Pretty nice neighborhood is an assumption. So, should one ignore or call police about a possible problem?

Even though when you look at the details of what the caller reported - two big black men wearing knapsacks when in fact it was one small black man and one large black man with luggage and there is reason to believe the caller was acting according to some stereotypes she may hold, I think it absolutely was the right thing to do for her to call it in. She wanted to be safe rather than sorry.

 

[Darkwind]

Mr. Gates is a racist who believes his color gives him entitlement to acting badly.

 

[Contessa_Sharra]

My point here would be that in that particular neighborhood, and New England being exactly what it is, I cannot even begin to imagine that the "neighbor" in question did not know exactly who this man is. I grew up in insular New England and I know how they are about this sort of thing, as well as the "attitudes."

what is this "new england being what it is" bullshit?

whar exactly is it about new england that makes you think new englanders know all their neighbors by sight?

It is who and what and how they are. And that Harvard/Cambridge area is very small town New England, LOL. If you are neither from there or have not lived there, you would not get this!

 

[del]

My point here would be that in that particular neighborhood, and New England being exactly what it is, I cannot even begin to imagine that the "neighbor" in question did not know exactly who this man is. I grew up in insular New England and I know how they are about this sort of thing, as well as the "attitudes."

what is this "new england being what it is" bullshit?

whar exactly is it about new england that makes you think new englanders know all their neighbors by sight?

It is who and what and how they are. And that harvard/Cambridge area is very small town New England, LOL. If you are neither from there or have not lived there, you would not get this!

i've lived in new england all my life, you fucking idiot. it is most certainly not who and what we are and cambridge is most definitely not a small town.

if you were from here, you wouldn't say anything remotely as stupid as this.

find something you know about to bloviate about, like county fairs or animal husbandry.

 

[hjmick]

...find something you know about to bloviate about, like county fairs or animal husbandry.

Animal husbandry... Isn't that when a woman marries an animal?

 

[Anguille]

...find something you know about to bloviate about, like county fairs or animal husbandry.

Animal husbandry... Isn't that when a woman marries an animal?

 

[Sweet Willy]

In a few short minutes, an honorable professor ruined his reputation and clearly showed his racism, discrediting all the work he's done in the past. The man ruined himself simply because he couldn't control himself....

I don't know how Gates is a racist. He may have a victim complex or be hyper sensitve to racism and profiling but I fail to see where he demonstrated racism.

Oh, you mean you didn't know that any minority that doesn't automatically bow, scrape and kiss white butt is a "racist?" Minorities are not allowed to mistrust whites, LOL. Or dislike them. Sadly enough, the history of this country from a black point of view is very different from the perception of things that dominant culture people hold. It really is a different world.

There is a history of white on black racism in this country? Well, ok, if you say so. But it's not like blacks were beaten or lynched or something.

 

[Barb]

How many Harvard profs do you think live in that neighborhood? My guess is they are neighbors and probably pretty diverse, sort of like Hyde Park in this locale. I guess you think it a better idea not to call the police when one observes something like shoulder being put to a door? In this case it definitely would have been fine NOT to have called it in, but let's give the woman the benefit of the doubt and she didn't recognize the professor and there were 2 men trying to get in. If it were your home, would you want your neighbors to play Kitty Genovese scenario for you?

You have to wonder though, how many burglars break into the front door with luggage at their feet?

Regardless, if the police received a 911 call your house was being broken into, wouldn't you want them to investigate? And wouldn't you want them to insist on confirming, regardless of appearances, that the person they found there did have a right to be there?

Gates was not calling the person who made the 911 call a racist; he was calling the cop, who was doing exactly what you or I would want him to do, a racist. Regardless of what Gates and Obama may believe about American history, nothing in the cop's behavior justified calling him a racist - if Gates is unable to evaluate the cop's behavior on its own merits because the cop is white, then Gates is the racist - and demanding special treatment because of his status at Harvard or because of his presumed influence with the mayor or police chief should have been unacceptable to anyone who believed in equal rights under the law. To the extent Obama's prattle about racial profiling in the US was intended to justify Gates' outrageous behavior, he has revealed himself to be a racist, too.

Not so fast. Gate's home was hooked up with a security alarm. Isn't it standard practice for the people from the alarm company to call the police once the alarm is turned off? Isn't it reasonable to assume that the owner of the house, rather than a burglar, would know the code?
"[...] Professor Gates then entered his rear door with his key, turned off his alarm, [...]
Professor Gates informed the officer that he lived there and was a faculty member at Harvard University. The officer then asked Professor Gates whether he could prove that he lived there and taught at Harvard. Professor Gates said that he could, and turned to walk into his kitchen, where he had left his wallet. The officer followed him. Professor Gates handed both his Harvard University identification and his valid Massachusetts driver’s license to the officer. Both include Professor Gates’ photograph, and the license includes his address.

Professor Gates then asked the police officer if he would give him his name and his badge number. He made this request several times. The officer did not produce any identification nor did he respond to Professor Gates’ request for this information. After an additional request by Professor Gates for the officer’s name and badge number, the officer then turned and left the kitchen of Professor Gates’ home without ever acknowledging who he was or if there were charges against Professor Gates. As Professor Gates followed the officer to his own front door, he was astonished to see several police officers gathered on his front porch.[...]"

Now, if Gates was all up in the officers face, why would the other officers have hung out on the front porch rather than enter the home? Are officers supposed to supply name and badge number upon request?
http://www.theroot.com/views/lawyers-statement-arrest-henry-louis-gates-jr?page=2