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EmailFrom Ta-Nehisi Coates at The Atlantic:
She is not--I repeat NOT--a neighbor:
A witness, 40-year-old Lucia Whalen of Malden, had alerted the cops that a man was "wedging his shoulder into the front door" at Gates' house "as to pry the door open," police reported.
Now, we can all agree that she was not at fault to call the cops. But it is erroneous to say it was "neighbor." It was someone who, apparently, works in the neighborhood.
Now, it would seem, more focus in the incident involving Dr. Gates must be placed on Sgt. James Crowley. A person who worked in the neighborhood saw Dr. Gates struggling with the door and called the police. Was this called spurred on by the fact that Dr. Gates was Black? That obviously possible, but the more important fact is that it can be reasonably asserted that the person who made the call was not familiar with Dr. Gates. Thus, the call into the police is, on some level, civic-minded.
Person sees someone they don't recognize attempting to force a door open and then go around back. They call the police. Reasonable. Now the question comes down to what transpired between he and Dr. Gates upon asking that Dr. Gates indentify himself. Did he honor Dr. Gates' request for name and badge? Much more importantly: Upon seeing Dr. Gates indentification, why did he not exit the premises?
Do you think new information places Sgt. Crowley under more scrutiny or is this reveal irrelevant?
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So now, the police report and 9-1-1 audio tapes don't match. Sadly, too many who blog here (including one lawyer) assume that the police version of events (or even Mr. Gate's statements and actions) is precisely what happened and was said by all parties (and now the 9-1-1- audio tapes of a hearsay witness stating "I don't know what's happening ..." — contradicting key parts of the police report). I can't simplify any further the Constitutional point given at the top, middle, bottom, and the root of my observations in previous blogs.
TOTALLY missing or purposely ignoring the real issue in this incident won't change the illegalities in this case. I'm not a Constitutional scholar, and don't pretend to be. However, after consulting with those who are, and closely reviewing what was learned in school, I clearly and objectively understand the U.S. Constitution (4th Amendment) regarding my own rights locally and beyond — simply as an informed and educated American.
Violation of anyone's Constitutional rights — regardless of race or socioeconomic status — is the paramount issue here, even if the Black Dr. Henry Louis Gates Jr. was handcuffed and arrested by a Black or Hispanic or Martian American police officer with a NAACP membership card. A beer and handshakes at a White House occupied by an African American President of the United States does not negate or obscure the requirements and purpose of the U.S. Constitution that applies to every American, including police officers and public officials.
Pressing the easy button to obtain an arrest, and hyping circumstances in a report to justify an arrest and establish a police record — which will be forever referenced if Mr. Gates has future police encounters — is not what's prescribed as the core duties of a public servant authorized to serve, protect and respect citizens. Police departments and unions that affirm these aberrant actions only make it difficult, and at times more dangerous, to be truly effective in the communities they serve. Many citizens soon see most police as probable suspects rather than public servants. In some communities, the "no snitch" rule didn't come from a natural inclination to not trust the very police most citizens prefer to rely on for their public safety. Police officer would be greatly empowered when genuine trust and mutual respect exists.
Even if the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) — as related to false arrest, false imprisonment, noncompliance with procedural rules, and false official statements — was applied to civil servant police officers, several policemen in the Gates case would already be held liable and demoted or dismissed from duty. However, how many police unions would support a similar concept that's proven to give integrity to our military.
Does anyone recall when was the first or last time a police union or police chief publicly and fully supported a citizen whose rights were violated by a member? Can anyone remember when the police or local government had to be sued to correct itself? Surely, a real "teachable moment" may be best effective after a civil lawsuit is filed based on the U.S. Constitution.
Apologies, race, egos and a happy hour of beer at the White House aside, this is really about a citizen's rights under the laws of the Constitution — despite the media hype and slant of this incident to pump-up emotions and generate ratings to prolong the news cycle on racism.
No point in playing the race card when a hefty civil lawsuit can best modify behavior and actions. As it was with the Montgomery bus boycott in the 1950s — to not patronizing businesses, organizations and institutions that discriminate in the 21st century — money talks.
The renown Dr. Henry Louis Gates Jr. has an opportunity to send a major message and have a genuine "teachable moment." Surely, it would be easy and absolutely wrong to broad-brush any local police precinct or an entire police department. What will be most effective for professor Gates to do is to file a civil lawsuit for damages against the individual police officer (not the department or city) initially engaged in this incident. Gates has the time, legal resources, credibility and overwhelming public integrity to do so.
Strategically and politically, the department and city will be motivated to quietly kick the individual wrongdoers to the curb so as not to be embroiled in the liabilities and bad public relations that will come their way. Unless the individual officers actions are official and condoned policy, the department or city should not be penalized for any rogue or independent actions by an individual officer.
Every step and action the arresting officers took after identifying the actual owner, if all that the news reports and Gates' attorney alleges is true, was a clear violation of Mr. Gates and his property under the Constitution, Bill of Rights and sections of U.S. civil rights law. Race and/or alleged racial profiling is just the subtext. Violation of anyone's Constitutional rights is the paramount issue, even if Dr. Gates was handcuffed and arrested by a Black police officer.
As it would be for the rest of us, make the officers understand the real dollar and career price for their personal decisions, and their lack of genuine professional discretion. Expose and sue these individuals as aberrations operating under the guise of a police department and city that does not condone or cover for officers that violate citizen rights. This will give more credibility to the majority of law enforcement officers that genuinely protect our public safety without deviation from either their professionalism or mandated respect for the public.
If all the actual facts are affirmed, clearly certain officers acted as individuals rather than public servants — sanctioned and paid by the public to serve, protect and respect. Too often we forget that public safety policing is NOT a private or personal enterprise invested with unlimited authority that comes from beyond. This concept is what plagues rights and freedom in other nations.
For those with far less clout than a popular Harvard professor — hopefully, but perhaps not likely, after a round of beers at the White House — Dr. Gates should still do the right thing for the Bill of Rights.
Dennis Moore — Publisher — http://www.POTUSworld.com — ppceo@potusworld.com
http://www.potusworld.com/Page_Two.html#RacePoliceAndTheConstitution
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
FULL 9-1-1 SIX-MINUTE POLICE AUDIOS:
http://s.wsj.net/public/resources/documents/WSJ_audioPlayer08.html?audio...
3-PAGE POLICE REPORT:
http://www.samefacts.com/archives/Police%20report%20on%20Gates%20arrest.PDF
ANALYSIS: http://www.csmonitor.com/2009/0728/p02s04-usgn.html
http://ethicist.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/27/why-henry-louis-gates-shoul...
LEGALITIES OF ARREST & THE FOURTH AMENDMENT:
http://criminal.findlaw.com/crimes/criminal_rights/your-rights-search-an...
http://criminal.findlaw.com/crimes/criminal_rights/your-rights-search-an...
http://law.jrank.org/pages/1451/Justification-Law-Enforcement-Arrest-att...
The United States Constitution — Bill of Rights — Amendment IV:
The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.
THE U.S. CONSTITUTION - FOURTH AMENDMENT:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fourth_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Const...
THE FOURTH AMENDMENT REGARDING ARRESTS:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fourth_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Const...
http://www.lectlaw.com/def/f081.htm
THE U.S. CONSTITUTION:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Constitution
UNIFORM CODE OF MILITARY JUSTICE:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UCMJ
President Obama Videos On Gates:
http://www.c-span.org/flvPop.aspx?src=60days/whpb072409.flv&s=0&e=0&live...
http://www.c-span.org/flvPop.aspx?src=60days/wh072209_obama.flv&s=0&e=0&...
Why sit down and talk to a mad dog? One sits with a civilized human being. If someone had stopped Hitler before his madness got out of hand, history would have turned out differently. It is the nature of mad dogs todestroy you; therefore if you have any sense, you destroy them before they destroy you. There's a history and pattern going on here & black people are the ones dying. Professor Gates is blessed that he wasn't killed in this interaction. Apparently it wasn't his time to go. People have the rights to not be harassed in their own homes no matter the good intention of the caller. People also have the rights to say anything they want in their own homes as long as the neighbors aren't disturbed by it. It's called "civil rights." The mad dog could have told the professor: I'm doing my job! If you don't like it, call my boss and leave his supervisor's phone # etc...and leave the dam premise. Instead being the mad dog that he's, he put slavery chains on the professor's wrists. I'd not sit down with him unless I was sure that it's the last beer he was going to drink!
First, a police report or statements from a defendant are not always a fully accurate or truthful accounting of actual events. There is a long history of both police and defendants embellishing or telling straight-up lies to bolster their version of an incident. More important, in this specific case, is whether police (Black, White, Brown or otherwise) have a right to be on private property once verifying no crime was committed and the rightful owner was present. Even if professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. was arrested by a Black officer in a dashiki.
The Constitution and Bill of Rights should be a mandatory course from high school to college — especially as many react to Dr. Gates' arrest based on emotion, lack of information, misinformation, biased information, or purposeful ignorance rooted in bigotry. The latter seems to dominate much of today's discourse — so much for our "post-racial" society, or as my grandmother always said: "Some people grow up, and others just grow older."
What is most amazing among the comments about the Gates arrest is how far we've come from not knowing, understanding, recognizing or even wanting to enforce our own civil rights anymore under the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights. The issue of race or racial profiling is only a subtext to the main matter of violating a citizen's Fourth Amendment rights — regardless of their ethnicity, or racial identity.
For the sake of argument, after no crime and the rightful property owner was confirmed, even if it's likely that Mr. Gates cursed at the officer in six languages, the police had a legal, professional, trained and disciplined obligation to say "Have a nice day," and then leave the premises — without allowing any potential authoritative ego to affect their professionalism. Even our soldiers dodging daily bullets or bombs follow the rules relatively better.
Until fully understanding citizen rights becomes clear to most Americans, you can expect more incidents where some taxpayer-funded public servant (police or politician) will knowingly or unknowingly shave-off or skew parts of the law to violate citizen rights. However, many of us won't realize this even after handcuffs have been slapped on and the jail door closed.
Violation of anyone's Constitutional rights — Black, Brown, White, or otherwise — is the paramount issue here, even if the Black Dr. Henry Louis Gates Jr. was handcuffed and arrested by a Black police officer. A beer and handshakes at the White House occupied by an African American President of the United States does not negate or obscure the requirements and purpose of the U.S. Constitution that applies to every American, including police.
Pressing the easy button to obtain an arrest, and hyping circumstances in a report to establish a police record — which will be forever referenced if Mr. Gates has future police encounters — is not what's prescribed as the core duties of a public servant authorized to serve, protect and respect citizens. Police departments and unions that affirm these actions only make it difficult, and at times more dangerous, to be truly effective in the communities they serve. Many citizens soon see police as probable suspects rather than public servants. In some communities, the "no snitch" rule didn't come from a natural inclination to not trust the very police most citizens prefer to trust for their public safety.
If the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) — as related to false arrest, false imprisonment, noncompliance with procedural rules, and false official statements — was applied to civil servant police officers, several policemen would already be held liable and demoted or dismissed from duty.
Does anyone recall when was the first or last time a police union or police chief publicly and fully supported a citizen whose rights were violated by a member? Can anyone recall when the police or a city had to be sued to correct itself? Surely, a "teachable moment" may be best effective after a lawsuit is filed based on the U.S. Constitution.
Apologies, race, egos and three glasses of beer at a White House happy hour aside, this is really about a citizen's rights under the laws of the Constitution — despite the media hype and skew of this incident to generate ratings and emotions to prolong the news cycle.
Dennis Moore — Publisher — http://www.POTUSworld.com — ppceo@potusworld.com
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
Cambridge Police Department Police Report:
http://www.samefacts.com/archives/Police%20report%20on%20Gates%20arrest.PDF
The United States Constitution — Bill of Rights — Amendment IV
The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.
BILL OF RIGHTS — FOURTH AMENDMENT OF THE U.S. CONSTITUTION:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fourth_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Const...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fourth_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Const...
http://www.lectlaw.com/def/f081.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Constitution
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UCMJ
Wow, girl or boy, where have you been? You never saw a picture of Barak Obama's mother? I have. And I know he was mostly raised by his white grandparents who, despite their obvious love for him, occasionally let him see their embedded prejudice.
The reason Obama's mother is not in the White House helping care for the girls is she died some years ago. Of cancer. With no health insurance. (Perhaps you see the pattern.)
I still believe that racism is taught from parents to children and until parents get it out of their mind it will still be there. I wonder does the president preach that to his daughters? I never did it wasnt until they got out into the real world that they found out how it was. For me I lived in a small town the high school had maybe 4 black kids in it and there was never any problem with race. It wasnt until went to work in a large machine shop and found out racism was and how it was used to promote diffrent people into managment positions. However this was in mid 70's so it was very prevalent.
Sonny
There is a comment here that, "White cops will never be satisfied until the Black man addresses him with the "yes sir" cow tow".
We have to stop with this white cop racial profiling/stereotyping. I assure you many do not feel this way. I know of several white cop/black cop partners who would lay down there life for each other because they are the closest of friends.
Race doesn't always play a part in people's actions. Sometimes it does. Not every time.
SC
I feel the person calling in the possible break-in just shows you that people are looking after each other and what is wrong with that. I hope when someone is breaking into my house they call the police. What this shows me is the police is doing something else other than giving tickets to generate money for the local govt. I do respect the police not because of their position but because of what they do for the community. Mr Gates might not look at it that way, but that is his choice. If he calls the police does he expect them to show up sooner because of his position at the school and connection to the president. I believe most police officers are color blind because of the possible ramforcations of their actions.
Sonny
Being the grandfather of a mixed granddaughter (black /white) she has never experinced racism even though she and mother lives in a mixed community. When I say mixed the white population is the lowest in the town. There is more asian and other cultures than white. When I was raising my children (4) I taught them respect for everyone no matter what, which is the way I raised. However I also told them if they didnt respect you there was no need to even be with them plain and simple. When I was coaching Little Leaque I would run into problems with the kids because of their color or other items. I solved that by trying to teach them to work as a team. If you dont know how team is defined here it is:
T=Together
E=Everyone
A=Accomplish
M=More
What I would do is if had 2 kids that had problems I would put them in a drill so they would have to work together and learn they are the same even though they were of diffrent color and 99% it worked. Yes every kid brought their lifestyle to the games but it was left at the gate and not brought with them. When kids realized there was no diffrence they got a long. The point I'm trying to make is racism is taught by parents until they are told there is a diffrence they dont know and really dont care. Another thing I looked forward to was our annual team picnic with the diffrent dishes of food. A couple of parents owned resturants and I was a regular customer. I feel racism is brought on to them selves rather than a embeded in soceity.In my workplaces I have worked diffrent cultures and I can say its been a pleasure at times. Other times it has been ugly because they brought"baggage" with them. This is where the president he has brought his baggage with him and it shows. Personally I dont care for some cultures music and lifestyle however they dont care for mine, so its a draw. To sum it up with the police officer and Gates I just say someone was doing their job and the other was flaunting his position and his heritage(which he might be proud of).
Sonny
There was NO NEED for Professor Gates to be placed in hand-cuffs! Period!! This white cop was going to show this Black Professor, who really had the power here. So, the cop teaches against racial profiling! Big deal!! He is still a white man. In America, a Black man will never be a MAN to the white cop, not even in his own home. White cops will never be satisfied until the Black man addresses him with the "yes sir" cow tow. My heart breaks for Professor Gates...to think that, at his age, he was led from his home in hand-cuffs. This cop had a gun; all that this Senior Citizen had was his voice. This is still America folks. Racism lives.
Rhetorically, what kind of instructor on racial profiling is Police Officer Crowley if he has not heard of and used at least one of Professor Gates' numerous publications on the subject in his classroom? Instead of ID, maybe he should have requested an autograph!
The police here in NYC are over the top too.
Just recently I was driving home from my job in Brooklyn, taking a route to avoid the ever present traffic and I was flaged down and stopped at what was a speed trap set up.
I truely did not understand why I was stopped and as the officer approached I simply asked the question "Why did you stop me?" I asked in a polite way for some basic information.
The traffic officer went into a lomg, loud and angry speech about what kind of question was that and you know those kind of questions make us mad.
I just sat in the car wondering if this man had ever heard of the Bill of Rights.
He commanded my paper work as he called it and disapeared to write my a speeding ticket. The limit it seems was 30 and I was doing 41. I still do not understand what the problem was with him simpy compling with my request for information?
Out of control .. I did not call his mother anything or address the fact the he was rude and nasty .. I just asked for information on why I was being detained.
In the beer Mr. Gates and the officer are having with the Pres I hope someone discusses the fact that the badge and gun the police carry are for our protection not a license to abuse us all.
Racism in Argentina is well known. Brazilians - dark skinned ones like myself - are treated with contempt. After a few trips to Argentina I never visit there. Why should I spend my hard earned money to go to a country where Brazilian tourists are treated badly. In fact the derogatory term the Argentines use for their Brazilian neighbors is - macacos. Meaning - monkeys. Enough said. John John, I am sorry for the experience of your friend in Argentina, but it doesnt surprise me in the least. Come to Brazil. You will find a different world! There is a saying "The Brazilian is the only person in the world who can look at a black man and only see a man!" We are color blind.
Let's get the facts straight. Mr. Gates did not refuse to provide I. D. He refused to step outside his home. He closed the door, went to his kitchen to retrieve his Harvard I. D. and his driver's license. The police officer became angry because Mr. Gates "demanded" the officer's badge number and name. How dare he? There were no laws broken and police are not God nor was he Mr. Gates' father. Police have a bad habit of telling grown men to shut up! Once it was determined that there was no break-in the officer should have turned and left. Period! There were no laws broken. Bad attitudes, if one was displayed, are not against the law.
Regarding President Obama, he has been President for six months but he has been viewed as a black man for more than 40 years. He understands the relationship between the police and black people in general and black men specifically. He was right to comment and I'm glad he did. There is a white elephant in the room and everyone is pretending it does not exist. America has a police brutality problem.
Regarding the police report, it would not be the first time a police officer has lied on a report and sadly it will not be the last. Google Kathryn Johnston, the 92 year old lady shot and killed by the Atlanta police Department using a "no-knock" warrant. After discovering they entered the wrong house and killed an innocent person, the police planted drugs and made up a story to validate their crime.
Lastly, Chicago has a torture record equal to Abu Ghraib and much worse than Guantanamo Bay detention camp. If Chicago was a country the United Nations would bring war crime charges against the city and the mayor. Mayor Daley should spend his time cleaning up his own mess. Between 2002 and 2004 more than 10,000 complaints were filed against Chicago Police officers. There was also a case involving a young white female bartender who refused to continue pouring alcohol to an already drunk off-duty Chicago Police Officer Anthony G. Abbate. This 250+ pound coward punched, kicked, slammed the 115 pound woman against the bar and then to the floor. After the beating, Abbate was accused of trying to bribe the woman and the bar owner not to press charges. A couple days later a friend of Abbate allegedly called and warned the woman and the bar owner that police might find drugs in their cars if they took legal action.
Look folks, I know being a police officer is a hard job but no one made them take the job and if they do not have the education, professionalism and patience to do the job RESPECTFULLY they should find another profession. Aren't we fighting a war partly because of how a ruthless dictator treated his people?
Let's demand support of police officers when they deserve support and prosecute them when they break the law or behave unprofessionally. We should not fear the police, but respect the police and respect is earned!
I really wish that Black people, yes I said "Black People", would stop with this racial profiling thing. If I see a white kid doing something wrong, and I'm speaking to the police, I would discribe him as being white. I call Black People Black because that's what they wanted to be called at one time. First, they wanted to be called Negros so we complied. Then they wanted to be called, colored people, as the NAACP indicates,so we complied. Then, they wanted to be called Black, so we complied. Now, its African- Americans and I can't keep up with them so I'll call them Black whether they like it or not. We are all Americans no matter what the color so why aren't we just called Americans?
Why is there NEVER any credit given to the 500,000 White Yankees that died in the Civil War to free them?
What do they think? That European-Americans sit around at luncheons trying to devise ways to get them? We're all just trying to keep our heads above water and raise our families!
If Blacks stop teaching their children that European- Americans are racists and out to get them, their chances of succeeding in America would be greater. THEY are purpetuating racism by doing this! They use this as an excuse not to excell.
And I'm sorry but, Obama's mother was as white as snow, but all we hear is that he is Black. I have never even seen a picture of her!!! No talk about how he was raised and instilled with American values by this White woman who is his mother. Does he think his own mother is racist when she has married two black men in her life? His real father abandoned him. No talk about that. I wonder where Obama would be if he was raised by a Black crack mama? Not in the White House! I see that we are also supporting Michelle Obamas mother as she has moved into the White House also. Where is granny on the other side? I guess she's not welcomed at the White House because she is WHITE. Now I ask you, who is really the racists here?
Why is no one talking about the BLACK police officer who was on scene and clearly standing on the porch steps with his fellow officers? Is he racist also? No talk about that either. All I can say is that Black America must get over this and move on. Everytime they don't get what they want they scream racism. Enough is enough!
If someone broke into the professor's house that night and none of the neighbors called the police, then he'd be screaming that the neighbors knew he was Black and let him get robbed and that they are racists for letting this happen to him!
Finally, if I were screaming and yelling at the cops and calling their mothers names, I would be arrested in the county where I live for disturbing the peace in a heartbeat!
The professor should be thanking the police for protecting his property.
VIOLATION OF OUR RIGHTS...
Regarding the hot news concerning the arrest of Prof. Henry Gates
at Harvard....we offer the following observations:
IF THE COPS thought or suspected that there was a "robbery"
-- why did they not look around the area, around in the back yard...etc.?
There is no report that they were concerned about the fact
that maybe there was a robber in the backyard.
NO REPORT SHOWS that the police even looked around the premises
to make sure there was no one else on the property.
YET....oddly -- They only focused on Prf. Gates....who should
have been angry the longer the COP stayed in his house once
it was clear that Prof. Gates did not break in...or committ a crime.
"Disorderly conduct" is defined in the law...and normally it must be
an incident that creates a threat or serious alarm in public.
And it is NOT grounds to arrest someone -- even if they are cussing
in their own living room. The cop should have been GONE at that point.
THE POLICE HAVE BEEN OUT OF LINE like this in far too many cases...
including SEAN BELL, AMADOU DIALLO, and others.
Most Black people have been confronted with the police abusing their
powers and harassing them -- either in a phoney traffic stop or at stores
where Blacks get followed around for no reason -- other than they
are Black.
Latinos and other people of color express the same concerns about
police abusing their powers.
Whether Office Crowley was acting out of racism or not...HE WAS
OUT OF LINE and did violate his "police powers."
THE POLICE HAVE A LOT OF NERVE to say anything about
Pres. Obama "apologizing."
NO ONE HAS APOLOGIZED TO PRES. OBAMA for the abundance
of racist attacks....foul cartoons, and threats against him...which
have openly been passed around by political pundents, governmental
employees....and TV & radio talkers...
(e.g. -- Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, & Sean Hannity, etc.)
OBAMA's COMMENT WAS ON POINT AND CORRECT....
President Obama made some comments about the actions
of the Police and since that day...some have tried to dis-place
blame on the President for truthfully stating:
"The policeman acted stupidly."
And they did. "STUPID" is putting it mildly.
The police were not concerned about a "robbery" and
did not seek to search around Prof. Gates' house to see
if there had been a break-in, or if there were any signs
of other people being on the property. The policeman
instead chose to harass Prof. Gates. And then he
arrested him in his own home without cause.
Officer Crowley admits that he arrested Prof. Gates because
this cop... "did not like what Gates was saying..."
WHAT HAPPENED TO FREEDOM OF SPEECH?
THERE IS NO LAW AGAINST EXPRESSING ONE'S
OPINION IN YOUR OWN HOME.
Dr. Gates wants an apology? Has he offered Sgt. Crowly an apology for talking trash about his mama, calling him a racist, not being civil, or acting rather uneducated..To POTUS World CEO; someone can be arrested for disorderly on their front porch since it is considered a public place (LAW). As far as a six figure lawsuit, the proffesor is the one on the hook for defamation of the Sgt's character...
Please stop stirring the pot! It is not racial profiling when the police answer a call identifying a suspect as black.
Things like the current case with Dr. Gates, in nothing "new" in America and I don't understand why everyone is getting so flustered, since we as a society sit back everyday and let people live like 3rd world countries (here in America, yes) and for "black" men to be continuously be falsely accused of crimes and and sent to prision for minor violations that "white" people get out of all the the time!
The only way racism with cease to exist, is if we stop ignoring it, thinking it will somehow go away on it's own. In particular "white" america needs to stop reaping benefits from slavery and pretending that they don't. As long, as people of color, are on the bottom, everythings all-gravy with them (white america). America is supposed to be the land of the free, for EVERYONE; not just some of us.
In June 2005, I received the following email from my former African-American Yale College roommate who had just purchased an apartment in Buenos Aires:
"...Well I finally had my first run in with Argentina as a White police culture. I was testing copies of keys that I had made for the front door of the apt while I waited for an architect to show up and take a look at the place. He was running late so I tested various keys opening and shutting the door, testing the different locks and going in and out of the apt, locking and unlocking it from the inside and outside.
I eventually put the keys away (including the initial wad of about 15 skeleton keys that the owner left for us) and stood in front of the apt, looked at the plants in the florist next door, shuffled around etc.. All of a sudden a cop car with siren pulls up and four cops pile out. One of them pulls me over to the side of the building and starts barking orders. I could tell that he suspected he had made a mistake as soon as I opened my mouth and he realized I wasn´t Brazilian. But he did't try for an instant to approach the situation professionally.
Fortunately I had my passport and a copy of the deed on me as well as the digital camera with pictures of the interior. But he was an a****** and things started to get nasty. I explained that I had bought the place and was testing keys and waiting for an architect as I showed him my passport and the pictures and the deed. I told him that I had been in the place several times over several days. (All of this said in loud, broken and increasingly unfriendly Spanish. In the middle of this brouhaha, the architects show up and explain things as I scream "you f****** useless cops" and other obscenities in English. I had no intention of being anything other than an ugly American.
They explained that a neighbor had called. I suspect it was either the b**** in the next building who I saw on her balcony, or the a****** across the street. What p***** me off is that I had been going in and out of the building and unlocking and locking the door with various keys and alternately just hanging out in front of the building for nearly 30 minutes. Whoever was watching me if they had thought for an instant would have been able to figure it out. If I were robbing the place why would I stand in front of the building for minutes on end with my sweater folded over my arm and a bag on my shoulder? The experience has left me with a really nasty taste in my mouth..."
Whether this woman was a neighbor or someone who worked in the neighborhood (perhaps a domestic)--or even a random passerby--matters not. You've got to be kidding!!!! I really think theRoot should recuse itself from covering this story. Clearly, there is not even a semblance of objectivity or balance in the coverage of Skip's racial awakening. If the Washington Post is not careful, it is going to be faced with a defamation lawsuit, right along with Skip...
If Officer J.C. taught "Racial Profiling" in Cambridge, MA, then why didn't HE know exactly who Dr. Gates was? Does Officer J.C. have a personal problem with Dr. Gates? Is there a male competition element - i.e., Officer J.C. can deal with a prone, suffering, black man - the Officer is IN CONTROL. But he couldn't deal with an assertive, talking black man, older by 16 years, internationally known, with perhaps more prestige than Officer J.C.
No milk, kdog, this is BIG. And my favorite word of the week is "stupidly."
Every time I hear about an incident such as this, immediately after you will hear people say, thats good that we are talking about it and keeping it out in the forefront. But for what?
The Media has destroyed and will continue to destroy this country and any hope of racial equality. They report the news as it happens and then blow it up, sensationalize it and create more anger and frustration than it needs to be.
From celebrities to politicians, they conquer and destroy any credibility. Michael Jackson is a perfect example of how the Media conquered and destroyed him. Yes his behavior at times did not help matters, but at every turn there they were to pounce on his every word and move.
Pres Obama and the Reverend Wright fiasco, totally blown out of proportion, thanks again to the Media.
I could go on and on with examples of media hype and sensationalism, but I hope you get my point.
All media is not bad! I thank GOD for black radio. I wish we had more of it. We need more Black media period. We need more black news TV, We need more black, intelligent movies made, documentaries about our life and history, less mainstream black tv, and more authentic black TV. Our kids need to know more about struggles, triumphs, accomplishments, etc, but they need to hear it from us.
I am really tired of hearing about the racial profiling, and racial discrimination in America. It is what it is, and its not going to change in our lifetime, period. How we deal with it as a community will determine its outcome. The only thing black america needs to focus on right now is community and education, thats it. The better we are as a community, the more we start treating each other like family, educating our kids, making education mandatory with our kids, the better we will become as a race. We have to be the change we want to see, and stop looking to others to fix "our" problems.
Supporters say the white policeman who arrested renowned black scholar Henry Louis Gates Jr. in his home is a principled police officer and family man who is being unfairly described as racist.
Friends and fellow officers — black and white — say Sgt. James Crowley, who was hand-picked by a black police commissioner to teach recruits about avoiding racial profiling, is calm and reliable.
"If people are looking for a guy who's abusive or arrogant, they got the wrong guy," said Andy Meyer of Natick, Mass., who has vacationed with Crowley, coached youth sports with him and is his teammate on a men's softball team. "This is not a racist, rogue cop."
may get himself busted for talkin smack on this one
this cop trained cops on how NOT to profile, had a perfect record... neighbor heard gates screamiing and acting up with cops under control... cop said that as far as he knew the person who may have broke in was in the house qithout his awareness, either way his request for gates to leave the house was necessary safety wise... gates freaked out and it spiraled...
more info to come
Ownership was clearly established. 6 out of 10 marriages fail. Are we to assume that all these people immediately go fix they're drivers license to reflect the correct address? Its not so cut and dry as everyone is trying to sell it.
And I think civil cases are great if people would use the money to better society instead of just pocketing the cash and say they didn't for the little people.
isn't that exactly the behavior that was show by Professor Gates? When this "perceived threat comes in contact with you in the form of a WHTE POLICE OFFICER, you become a "paranoid schizophrenic." You start to imagine, hear, and see things that are part of your disturbed system and you begin to react systematically.
And I thought, ‘This is strange.’ So I went over to the front porch still holding the phone, and I said ‘Officer, can I help you?’ And he said, ‘Would you step outside onto the porch.’ And the way he said it, I knew he wasn’t canvassing for the police benevolent association. All the hairs stood up on the back of my neck, and I realized that I was in danger. And I said to him no, out of instinct. I said, ‘No, I will not.’ -- Gates
has no one read the statement that Gates made himself and be able to put the information together? He said he went around back as his driver opened the stuck door with his shoulder.
Still an incident that could have been avoided if BOTH parties would have showed respect. However if this is the incident that is need to show actual serious problems then so be it.
Dr. Gates has destroyed whatever credibility he once had. He attracted the attention of law enforcement because he was breaking into a house, period. Any decent person would have admitted how foolish they'd acted, thanked the police for safeguarding their property, and resolved to call a locksmith next time. Instead, Gates responded aggressively to the police, and now is stirring up racial unrest. Maybe he used to be a respected academic, but now he's just another race hustler.
thanks for raising the level of discourse ... your thesis and underpinnings are dead on target.
Hopefully, as this issue fades into the news headlines, more will read into the facts before blogging from emotions. Simply, once you have identified yourself as the owner of any property, the case is closed. In this case, after the property owner is clearly established, it wouldn't even be illegal to curse at an officer in YOUR own house. In Dr. Gates case, he asked officer Crowley several times for his name and badge number without any response. The police report alleges that Gates exhibited "loud and tumultuous behavior in a public place." The Gates home is not a "public place" — it is private property, including his porch and the yard around it.
In this case, considering the arrogance of incompetence being displayed by this individual officer, an apology has no value, won't happen and is not necessary. That's just the way it is.
REPEAT AFTER ME: Lawsuit, plus six zeros — and officer Crowley can keep his incompetent arrogance — while Dr. Gates uses the money to produce a groundbreaking prime-time documentary on racial profiling in the so-called post-racial Obama era.
No point in playing the race card when a hefty civil lawsuit can best change behavior. As it was with the Montgomery bus boycott in the 1950s — to not patronizing businesses that discriminate in the 21st century — money talks. The possibility of going broke in a capitalist society has always focused the bigoted mind.
The renown Dr. Henry Louis Gates Jr. has an opportunity to send a major message, coincidently in the Obama era — a time when the country has changed and progressed, but the nature of certain individuals haven't. No political event or public policies will change the mentality of most individuals in one generation.
It would be easy and wrong to broad-brush any local police precinct or the entire Cambridge police department. What will be most effective for professor Gates to do is to file a civil lawsuit for major monetary damages against the individual police officers (not the department or city) initially engaged in this incident. Gates has the time, legal resources, credibility and overwhelming public integrity to do so.
Strategically and politically, the department and city will be motivated to quietly kick the individual wrongdoers to the curb so as not to be embroiled in the liabilities and bad public relations that will come their way. Unless the individual officers actions are official and condoned policy, the department or city should not be penalized for any rogue or independent actions by an individual officer.
Every step and action the arresting officers took, if all that the news reports and Gates' attorney alleges is true, was a clear violation of Mr. Gates and his property under the Constitution, Bill of Rights and sections of U.S. civil rights law.
As it would be for the rest of us, make the officers understand the real dollar and career price for their personal decisions, and their lack of genuine professional discretion. Expose and sue these individuals as aberrations operating under the guise of a police department and city that does not condone or cover for officers that violate citizen rights.
If the facts are affirmed, clearly the officers acted as individuals rather than public servants.
Six or more zeros behind a major monetary damages civil lawsuit against an individual will send a real message to others so inclined to violate the law and citizen rights.
For those with far less clout than Dr. Gates, please don't let this one go, 'Skip' — do the right thing.
Dennis Moore — Publisher — http://www.POTUSworld.com — ppceo@potusworld.com
Cambridge Police Department Police Report:
http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2009/0723092gates1.html
The United States Constitution - Bill of Rights
Amendment IV
The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.
http://www.lectlaw.com/def/f081.htm
http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/583503
VIDEO LINKS: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKObGK4tIFg&feature=player_embedded
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLkZ8a1V5MQ
http://www.booktv.org/Watch/10221/Lincoln+on+Race+and+Slavery.aspx
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Louis_Gates,_Jr.
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/lookingforlincoln/
Your third grade analysis is nothing new. Kinda silly and boring, like saying black people love watermelon. Grow up, take responsibility, and get a clue.
Has anyone demanded Midnight Basketball yet?
To all the white people who believe that this is a non-issue and this story does not deserve the reaction, I'm going to do my best to break things down for you.
Racism is a system. Although it is a system, it is a very disturbed system which was never constructed on reality. The only reality was in the minds of the people who set it up. For example, the human body is a system that works well when all the parts of the body function well. Although some parts may become dis-ease, the entire system continues to work; although it might not work efficiently. You might have to remove a leg because of diabetes; but you remain alive; therefore the body as a system continues to work. The only difference is now you don't have two legs to walk on; but you'll hop on one or wears a prosthesis; so now walking on one leg is abnormal; but you'll make do.
Racism as a system was designed to keep the black man down. He was never supposed to become your equal. By keeping the black man down, you reap all sorts of benefits whether you like the system or not. It works for you in the past, present, and will continue to work for you in the future-President Obama or not. (Your homework at this point is to read about the history of America, which is a history based on slavery). (It would take too long for me to go into all the historical details).
Policemen are hired by you to protect you and yours. The black male is perceived as a threat no matter his age, and status in life. Black boys are cute until about the 4th grade and then they are perceived as a threat to you. Your media spends a considerable amt of time portraying the black male as a threat. He's to be kept down and restrained by any means necessary. You're known to use ("any necessary means" that you could think of; and for the most part it has worked. To this day, a black male would rather kill his own before he'd kill you. He sits rather contently in the prisons you built to keep him contained.
When this "perceived threat comes in contact with you in the form of a black male, you become a "paranoid schizophrenic." You start to imagine, hear, and see things that are part of your disturbed system and you begin to react systematically. You want to destroy this perceived threat because you're scared to death. In comes a perceived threat; although he's older and walks with a cane, he's still a threat in your sick mind; therefore you're ready to destroy him. The handcuffs symbolize the chains you used to keep the Africans together while marching him to your boats. The mug shot symbolizes the black male DNA that you have decided a long time ago to destroy because his DNA is your biggest fear. It is through his DNA that he will annihilate you. This is your deepest fear and everytime you come into contact with your perceived threat, this fear comes into play.
No one has ever explained your fears to you and you can claim all sorts of ignorance; but racism is your problem and not necessarily the black man's. Your biggest fear will eventually destroy you. It is the nature of fear to conquer its subject.
I'd read the transcript earlier and it referred to a "passerby" ... I think the "neighbor" reference was created in the media ... as it often happens ... stories are altered when they are recounted ... however let's not let this cloud the important issues ... racial profiling was at work here and cops are dangerous to people of color... Would that female passerby called the cops if the 58 year old grayed hair man wedging his shoulder against the door was white? I doubt it. Would that cop have behaved more appropriately if he'd encountered a white 58 year old grayed hair man in house who presented bona fide ID. I think so. I've always referred to cops as legally authorized thugs with guns. I've done just about everything in my nearly 60 years in this country to not ever. ever come into contact with police and stay as far away from the American "justice" system. When I think of people I'd call for help, I never think of police. Firemen and Emergency Techs yes ... I've had a stroke and a heart attack and a couple of injuries that required a 911 calls and ambulance rides to the hospital ... but my wife and I would not want American cops responding to our house. If we were robbed, I'd ask a white neighbor to be in the house with me when I reported the call and ask him to stay with us until the cops leave. I was scared of the cops when I was a kid growing up in Washington DC and New Orleans and I'm still scared of them. I've been abused by cops, disrespected and manhandled by them in the south and when I was much younger and mostly DWB. When I see a cop in my rear view mirror, I cringe and tighten up until that cruiser is out of my sight, though I drive the speed limit and I'm careful about my driving. I've even pulled into a parking spot out of fear of the police to get away from them. Oh .. by the way ... I am a gray, beige man in my late 50's and I walk with a limp and a cane ... I also happen to have a PhD earned at Harvard (KSG). We don't get justice ... like Richard Pryor said ... "its just us."
Hehe, foreign troll. Sorry, Nola, I blame my family for immigrating from the States.
I agree, the prof may have been tired, but a man of his standing should have more grace that what he showed. And, even in Canada, you don't sass an officer of the law, be it police, immigration, or even 911.
What would have been the response if the professor was white and the policeman black?
That's all this is...We are all the same at the end of the day: white, black, irate, polite. It's a lot of coulda shoulda woulda and you probably just had some road rage this morning. Everyone should be accountable for their actions and at some point in this reactionary world of ours, there will be one who turns the other cheek and see the bigger picture regardless of how irate or disrespectful a person is being.
Sign of the Times...
I think Prof Gates was probably exhausted after a long trip (even though he arrived in NJ the previous day), and just over reacted to being questioned in his own home. I believe things were said taht were regrettable, and the story just took a life of its own.
As President Obama said -- we have two wars, the economy, and health cre to woory about, and I'm being asked about a the situation in Cambridge.
Please, Sgt Crowley and Prof Gates, meet with each other one on one, and as the good people you both are, I'm certain you'll emerge from the meeting with mutual respect.
Now we've got foreign trolls...LOL
you're right. And you point is? Is anyone really LEARNING anything from this?
I am sorry, but this whole arrest story makes my blood boil.
1. What, you have to be a "neighbor" to make a 911 call about what you think is a break-in?
2. The police responded to the call and did their duty. From what I read of the report, the Sargeant cuffed the prof after the latter turned belligerent -- that's what police are supposed to do.
3. Using a holier-than-thou "do you know who I am" statement and calling the officer racist for doing his job is unacceptable behavior, especially for a professor.
4. For President Obama to issue a statement on this local matter and say that the officers acted in a "stupid" manner is totally assinine. Oh, right, the prof is his "friend".
The professor should apologize to the Cambridge police for his puerile, incendiary remarks. This is a horrid, racist attack on a police force that was doing its duty to protect a citizen's property.
Shame on you, DOCTOR Gates.
Jettie,
Vancouver, BC, Canada
The woman was being civic minded and called the cops. What followed with Crowley and the later arrest of gates was/is the problem. Btw, to the person who wrote that Gates is an arrogant racist, you are talking stupidly. Now go away. Also, the Root is not milking this anymore than the MSM and the republican party who are now trying to make the cop the victim.
This is so obvious. Gates is an arrogant racist who immediately acted combative and uncooperative because the cop was white. The cops would have liked nothing more than to confirm his identity and leave, but gates was too busy ranting and making a scene to allow them to do that. What a pathetic little man. Now, while black kids kill each other, fail out of school.... everyone is focused on this obnoxious little idiot.