A Beer Bromance at the White House?

Can Obama's beer fest do anything to improve the relationship between black people and the cops who arrest them? Or does it waste valuable presidential time?

By: The Root Brass | Posted: July 27, 2009 at 11:03 AM

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I applaud President Obama’s willingness to step into this debate. Frankly, however, the conversation that needs to happen goes well beyond the one between President Obama, Prof. Gates and Sgt. Crowley. The president is in a position to use this encounter to engage the country—and not just the participants on the now infamous porch scenario—in a thorough vetting of the multiple ways that race still interacts with gender and class and power in our society as whole. Both the police officer and the professor, unfamiliar with each other, were nevertheless playing out longstanding clashes between town and gown. Fighting it out on that porch scene were the expectations of respect that come with privilege and property against the expectations of respect that come with a badge and a gun. Pitting these two powerful narratives against each other was a legacy of racism and social control from a time in our history when blacks did not own property; they were property. At the same time, we have a contemporary criminal justice system that exercises outsized control as the major urban policy instrument for controlling the poor.

The conversation might begin with the hope of figuring out what each man should or could have done differently to de-escalate this situation. But the ultimate goal of the conversation should be to explore the encounter as a potent learning moment for the entire country. The mini-drama that occurred on a porch in Cambridge is much bigger than the encounter between Prof. Gates and Sgt. Crowley, in other words. This is a story of America that we ignore at our collective peril.

—Lani Guinier

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Posted: Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Hoping that you will continue

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Posted: Sunday, October 11, 2009

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Posted: Saturday, October 10, 2009

when was the first or last time

EddieJones

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.

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Posted: Sunday, August 09, 2009

No Beer For African-American Man Shot By Colfax, LA Cop 7/24/200

berwinmcclinton1952

The subject of the 4:54 minute video is the July 24, 2009 fatal shooting of 54-year old Natchitoches, Louisiana resident Harold Phillips by Colfax, Louisiana Police Officer Stephen Merchant.

Phillips, who'd just been released from the Natchitoches Correctional Facility, died after Merchant reportedly shot the fleeing Phillips.

Eyewitnesses claim the officer misinterpreted "horseplay" between the dead man and his sister, believing he was witnessing a domestic assault.

Merchant is white. Phillips is black.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKAcYqR5Hqs

Posted: Saturday, August 01, 2009

No Beer For African-American Man Shot By Colfax, LA Cop 7/24/200

berwinmcclinton1952

President Obama demonstrated wisdom that belies his 48 years by adroitly and deftly handling the regrettable situation involving the Harvard professor and the Cambridge, Mass. police officer.

I, not unlike many folks, cringed at the Commander-In-Chief’s characterization of the officer’s actions. The President’s disparagement of Sgt. Crowley and his department demonstrated a rush to judgment that could have been injurious to the historical import of his administration and caused a diminution of the Office of the Presidency. By dialing down the incendiary rhetoric and offering mea culpas, Mr. Obama has returned the dialogue of racial insensitivity to a more appropriate and efficacious venue.

By his own forensic assessment of the “situation” the President highlighted the need to step back, take a breath, and recognize that this country needs to address the subconscious and overt causes of racism.

I am pleased no end that this president made the unprecedented move to diffuse this event by reaching out to Sgt. Crowley and Professor Gates in a conciliatory gesture, thereby sending the players back to their respective corners and come out talking.

Now, let’s deal with health care!

Shortly after the above commentary appeared in the Monroe NewsStar daily newspaper, Harold Phillips was gunned down by a Colfax, Louisiana police officer. The following link is a freelance accounting of that event.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKAcYqR5Hqs

Posted: Saturday, August 01, 2009

This meeting was a moment in history - an event.

Suzika

Two men meet, from across a great divide, and resolve to solve the problem of the ages.

They cannot do it alone, and they know that. It will take all of us. First, we must agree there is reason to haromonize: to find the comon threads, and laboriously weave the fabric of a strong, prosperous society. It was a great start. It was showcased at the White House as a National Priority. This keeping of the Peace.

All the President did was provide a meager bridge upon which to meet. A level playing field. A safe haven in which to begin the dialogue, the listening and the confessing, the collaboration of wisdoms into actions; the actual empathy - resonating.

What an amazing moment. I raise a glass to these good men!

Posted: Friday, July 31, 2009

Nevertheless, With Great Respect Dr. Gates — However . . .

POTUS World CEO

Dr. Gates, with great respect and appreciation, I understand and applaud your decision to be conciliatory. It is and was always your decision as to how you would reconcile this unfortunate incident. However, my greatest concern is for all those anonymous Americans of every ethnicity and socioeconomic status whose past, present and future experiences will never receive notice or the light of justice afforded us by the Bill of Rights.

Due to their lack of relative celebrity or publicity, they will continue to endure the pain and/or loss of having their rights and liberties violated by the random rogue public servant sworn to serve, protect and respect — that same rogue individual who is rarely held fully accountable by the universe of laws we all are mandated to obey and uphold.

Even today, what a radical concept that Dr. King had about being seen and treated simply as a citizen — regardless of color, ethnicity or socioeconomic circumstances — enjoying the same standard of rights and respect under the U.S. Constitution. What a concept!

In the meantime, back to the reality of the present — until the issue of violating a citizen’s Fourth Amendment rights under the U.S. Constitution is addressed (as Dr. King regularly experienced), truly resolving this incident won’t happen — even if the Black Dr. Gates was illegally arrested by a Black police officer carrying a NAACP membership card. Lesser known Americans of every ethnicity and socioeconomic status are violated daily by public servants sworn to serve, protect and respect the citizens (and citizen rights) that pay their salaries.

Mrs. Lucia Whalen, who clearly did the right thing by making the 9-1-1 cell phone call for a justifiably concerned elderly resident — yet, still had her words, efforts and color-blind intentions twisted in officer James Crowley's bogus "official" police report. She's the one that actually deserved the happy hour drink at the White House.

Racial profiling is only a subtext to the bigger issue of abuse of power by any rogue officer. The "teachable moment" will only come when a violating officer is held fully accountable legally and administratively by the laws that protect every American — especially since it is highly unlikely that police unions or most police chiefs will effectively reprimand or remove officers who make it more difficult or dangerous for others to police the communities they serve.

Again, if an applicable and fully enforced version of the Uniform Code of Military Justice — as it relates 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 effectively held liable and demoted or dismissed from duty. An officer's status in a union would and should have no bearing on its fair and legally justified application. Since it's effective and good enough for our soldiers, then police departments — a civilian paramilitary organization — should be fully enjoined in its uniform use to protect law abiding citizens, defendants, as well as law abiding police officers.

In the meantime, the honorable Henry Louis Gates Jr. can give a truly "teachable moment" by enforcing the Bill of Rights (as we should all know and always do) that too many Americans have struggled and even died to uphold — by filing a lawsuit for false arrest.

LASTLY: Shame on 'mainscream' news media for distracting, distorting, emotionalizing and hyping this unfortunate incident away from the real news and facts regarding official abuse of power and enforcement of citizen rights — a "teachable moment" our myopic-moronic sound bite media squandered once again for the sake of ratings. We're really missing the Walter Cronkites and Bernard Shaws of journalism — "...and that's the way it is."

Dennis Moore — Publisher — http://www.POTUSworld.com — ppceo@potusworld.com

The President, Race, Police & The United States Constitution
http://www.POTUSworld.com/Page_Two.html#RacePoliceAndTheConstitution

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

FULL SIX-MINUTE 9-1-1 POLICE AUDIOS:
http://s.wsj.net/public/resources/documents/WSJ_audioPlayer08.html?audio...

FULL 3-PAGE POLICE REPORT:
http://www.samefacts.com/archives/Police%20report%20on%20Gates%20arrest.PDF

LEGAL ETHICS & ANALYSIS OF GATES' ARREST:
http://ethicist.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/27/why-henry-louis-gates-shoul...

http://www.csmonitor.com/2009/0728/p02s04-usgn.html

POLICE MISCONDUCT REPORTING:
http://www.lawcollective.org/article.php?id=95

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 U.S. CONSTITUTION - BILL OF RIGHTS - FOURTH AMENDMENT:
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
http://www.jag.navy.mil/documents/UCMJ.pdf

WALTER CRONKITE:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Cronkite

BERNARD SHAW:
http://www.nndb.com/people/175/000024103/

Posted: Friday, July 31, 2009

What does G-A-T-E-S stand for now?

John John

GATES (Go After The Expected Suspect)

Posted: Thursday, July 30, 2009

A Beer Bromance at the White House?

Can Obama's beer fest do anything to improve the relationship between black people and the cops who arrest them? Or does it waste valuable presidential time?

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A Beer Bromance at the White House?

Can Obama's beer fest do anything to improve the relationship between black people and the cops who arrest them? Or does it waste valuable presidential time?

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