Fingon Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 Just like black people can't be racist, they also can't be disorderly. http://newsbusters.org/blogs/p-j-gladnick/...-report-website Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanker Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 "ya, I'll speak with your mama outside." I called the cops on a possible break-in at my neighbor's house once. I knew he and his wife were in Florida on vacation and he asked me to keep an eye on his place. This big fat (white) guy shows up and I observed him trying several keys in the front and side doors. After about three minutes of this, I called the cops and they arrived in force in about two minutes. Turns out the guy was his son - whom I'd never met. Cops hung around for about 10 minutes after getting the guy's ID. What's odd to me - besides the alleged inflammatory comments by the Professor (and not to mention - the POTUS) and the escalation of hostilities between the Officer and the gentleman - is that his neighbor did not recognize him as a resident. Who knows - maybe he just moved in and he hadn't had a proper opportunity to invite her over for high tea yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IDBillzFan Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 Just like black people can't be racist, they also can't be disorderly. http://newsbusters.org/blogs/p-j-gladnick/...-report-website Obama was asked about this during his press conference last night, and after admitting he didn't know all the facts, went on to say the Cambridge police force is stupid. Cuz that's how we reach across the aisle in Obamaland. We call cops stupid before we know what really happened, and if you read the police report, it's pretty clear at this point the only person who was stupid was the guy at the podium last night who, with a law degree, should have simply said he didn't have the facts and, if necessary, would respond later when he did. But no. Cambridge cops are stupid. Next question for the lawyer, please. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UConn James Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 I often post in the Taser threads following their ridiculous use e.g. on a 6-y.o. girl, an elderly person sitting, a guy in a non-motorized wheelchair, etc. These people are being disorderly and disruptive, but it doesn't merit the last-ditch effort of 50,000 volts as an alternative to being shot in center-of-mass (which is what supposedly would have been the case before Tasers. Much of the time in these spotlight videos, etc. it's Boys-With-Toys). When I argue against these Tasing incidents, I'm not arguing that these people shouldn't be arrested. As such, maybe Gates should count himself lucky the officer didn't Tase him before being arrested; his celebrity may have been the one thing that prevented this. If Gates had shown ID when asked, been polite to the officer who was responding to a call from a neighbor. The ID he did provide was a university ID card, which in my experience doesn't list your address, which is the thing the officer needed to determine in this case. If Gates had just done that and explained, "Yeah, man, I just got back from a conference and my front door lock is kaput" the officer would have said to have a nice day, gotten back in the car and gone on his way. Ninety-nine percent of the time, if you're cool and explain the situation, the officer will be cool. Gates created the problem and started yelling outside. He should have been arrested. As I hear it, Gates is getting a lot of blowback of this sort in the Boston media. These episodes of older civil-rights era guys confronting police are just getting more and more embarrassing for them. They're grasping for relevancy, which means that as much as they decry racism, they have this weird need for racism in order to maintain the identity they've built for themselves around it. As it's abated in this country, especially post-Obama-victory, they've had to make some fantastic reaches to maintain relevancy. You guys can really stop acting as if it's still Selma c. 1960. I think MLK's words are more and more coming to fruition. I just believe that if it were a white dude with a backpack jimmying a door the cops would be called just as soon. It was the activity that was suspicious. Gates wasn't being judged by the color of his skin but by the content of his character, which was angry, loud and stupid. Perhaps Gates' bigger problem here, and something which may speak to his character even more --- His own neighbors don't even know/recognize him? What's up with that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelly the Dog Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 Charging someone with "disorderly conduct" while they are in their house or on their own porch seems "stupid" to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fingon Posted July 23, 2009 Author Share Posted July 23, 2009 Here is the arrest report: http://www.myfoxboston.com/dpp/news/local/..._reports_062109 The Hispanic cop seems to echo exactly what the original officer said. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magox Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 I saw that professor talking this morning on CNN, and after hearing him talk for a couple minutes, it was clear that all he was trying to do was incite hatred against white cops, using racism as his tool. Hopefully one day, people, and I mean that in a general sense will ignore all this crap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magox Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 Here is the arrest report:http://www.myfoxboston.com/dpp/news/local/..._reports_062109 The Hispanic cop seems to echo exactly what the original officer said. What a douche bag! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KD in CA Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 Obama was asked about this during his press conference last night, and after admitting he didn't know all the facts, went on to say the Cambridge police force is stupid. I have to say, even though I don't agree with many of his policies, I've had a lot of respect for Obama up until today. But making such comments shows him to be nothing more than an ignorant, race-baiting POS. Charging someone with "disorderly conduct" while they are in their house or on their own porch seems "stupid" to me. I wasn't aware that the law didn't apply to people who were inside their own homes. Wife beaters everywhere will be psyched! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magox Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 I have to say, even though I don't agree with many of his policies, I've had a lot of respect for Obama up until today. But making such comments shows him to be nothing more than an ignorant, race-baiting POS. I wasn't aware that the law didn't apply to people who were inside their own homes. Wife beaters everywhere will be psyched! Thank you for posting, because I wanted to touch on this subject, but I didn't want to post three consecutive posts in a row , but I just can't believe how Obama defended this dude, specially without knowing all the facts as he admitted, now that is just plain "stupid". That is a very big moment for Obama. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelly the Dog Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 I have to say, even though I don't agree with many of his policies, I've had a lot of respect for Obama up until today. But making such comments shows him to be nothing more than an ignorant, race-baiting POS. I wasn't aware that the law didn't apply to people who were inside their own homes. Wife beaters everywhere will be psyched! Then you charge them with assault or spousal abuse. I would imagine that it should be legal to act a little disruptive in your home when no one else is in there. Who are you upsetting? For the record, I think Obama was stupid for using the word "stupid" even though from what I know about it after reading, it seemed stupid to arrest the guy. Being an !@#$ or yelling at a cop, who may have been just as belligerent, is not a crime. It's just stupid. But that said, I think it's almost inarguable that the vast majority of white people have a completely different reaction to and understanding of racial profiling than minorities do, even if those whites are extremely liberal, or extremely sympathetic to the issue. It affects the different cultures differently. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramius Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 I have to say, even though I don't agree with many of his policies, I've had a lot of respect for Obama up until today. But making such comments shows him to be nothing more than an ignorant, race-baiting POS. Agreed. That was a total dumb !@#$ thing to say by Obama. He really pissed me off with that B.S. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC Tom Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 Charging someone with "disorderly conduct" while they are in their house or on their own porch seems "stupid" to me. In their house, perhaps. On their porch...that's a litter grayer. Once you exit your front door, you can arguably go from being "raving loonie" to "disturbing the peace". And that becomes a lot less grayer when you purposely exit your house to berate a police officer who's trying to walk away from a conflict. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC Tom Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 But that said, I think it's almost inarguable that the vast majority of white people have a completely different reaction to and understanding of racial profiling than minorities do, even if those whites are extremely liberal, or extremely sympathetic to the issue. It affects the different cultures differently. That's very true. As much as I want to call the professor an idiot for picking a fight with a cop, it keeps boiling down to "because in my experience, if you're polite and cooperative, police return the consideration." But I've never been racially profiled or discriminated against by the law. So while it may have been a stupid thing to do, it may also be excusable. That is, while I don't condone the man's actions, I can certainly understand that they may have seemed reasonable to him. And I consider it kind-of sad that I've expressed myself on this subject better than Obama did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UConn James Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 Then you charge them with assault or spousal abuse. I would imagine that it should be legal to act a little disruptive in your home when no one else is in there. Who are you upsetting? For the record, I think Obama was stupid for using the word "stupid" even though from what I know about it after reading, it seemed stupid to arrest the guy. Being an !@#$ or yelling at a cop, who may have been just as belligerent, is not a crime. It's just stupid. But that said, I think it's almost inarguable that the vast majority of white people have a completely different reaction to and understanding of racial profiling than minorities do, even if those whites are extremely liberal, or extremely sympathetic to the issue. It affects the different cultures differently. Well, had Gates stayed inside, he wouldn't have been arrested. It was when he went outside, as the officers leaving the scene, and started yelling that was the problem. There's really no excuse for his reaction. If he had a problem with the officer(s) the proper thing would have been to file a complaint, not screaming and disturbing the whole neighborhood's peace. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dante Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 I have to say, even though I don't agree with many of his policies, I've had a lot of respect for Obama up until today. But making such comments shows him to be nothing more than an ignorant, race-baiting POS. I wasn't aware that the law didn't apply to people who were inside their own homes. Wife beaters everywhere will be psyched! Admitidly I'm a conservative so I am biased. But overall, this has to be the scariest administration that I can remember. In a lot of ways. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelly the Dog Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 In their house, perhaps. On their porch...that's a litter grayer. Once you exit your front door, you can arguably go from being "raving loonie" to "disturbing the peace". And that becomes a lot less grayer when you purposely exit your house to berate a police officer who's trying to walk away from a conflict. They asked him onto the porch so they could arrest him. There wasn't any "disturbing" on the porch from what I read, even from the cop's POV, although the actual police report said it happened in a public place. What makes it almost funny to me is that Gates was driven home by his driver, in a big black car, and wearing a black suit. Gates was in a business jacket and walks with a cane. They both went up to the front door and tried the key but the lock was jammed, so they went around the back. I don't know exactly what the person who filed the report saw but those were some crazy negroes driving up in a towncar and breaking into houses at 1 in the afternoon in business suits. The cop also knew right away that it was his house. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dean Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 That's very true. As much as I want to call the professor an idiot for picking a fight with a cop, it keeps boiling down to "because in my experience, if you're polite and cooperative, police return the consideration." But I've never been racially profiled or discriminated against by the law. So while it may have been a stupid thing to do, it may also be excusable. That is, while I don't condone the man's actions, I can certainly understand that they may have seemed reasonable to him. Exactly. And cops in the Boston have a pretty poor history with innocent Black suspects. As for the cops, they should have simply walked away. Period. I don't care if the guy was calling their momma names. I hold the police to a much higher standard than I do a citizen untrained in conflict resolution. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dean Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 Well, had Gates stayed inside, he wouldn't have been arrested. It was when he went outside, as the officers leaving the scene, and started yelling that was the problem. There's really no excuse for his reaction. If he had a problem with the officer(s) the proper thing would have been to file a complaint, not screaming and disturbing the whole neighborhood's peace. C'mon...just say it. You know you want to. !@#$s should just stay inside. Especially when they live in a white neighborhood. Brilliant! There really is no racism quite like that in New England. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
X. Benedict Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 Obama was asked about this during his press conference last night, and after admitting he didn't know all the facts, went on to say the Cambridge police force is stupid. Transcript.... " Q: Thank you, Mr. President. Recently Professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. was arrested at his home in Cambridge. What does that incident say to you and what does it say about race relations in America? THE PRESIDENT: Well, I should say at the outset that "Skip" Gates is a friend, so I may be a little biased here. I don't know all the facts. What's been reported, though, is that the guy forgot his keys, jimmied his way to get into the house, there was a report called into the police station that there might be a burglary taking place -- so far, so good, right? I mean, if I was trying to jigger into -- well, I guess this is my house now so -- (laughter) -- it probably wouldn't happen. But let's say my old house in Chicago -- (laughter) -- here I'd get shot. (Laughter.) But so far, so good. They're reporting -- the police are doing what they should. There's a call, they go investigate what happens. My understanding is at that point Professor Gates is already in his house. The police officer comes in, I'm sure there's some exchange of words, but my understanding is, is that Professor Gates then shows his ID to show that this is his house. And at that point, he gets arrested for disorderly conduct -- charges which are later dropped. Now, I don't know, not having been there and not seeing all the facts, what role race played in that, but I think it's fair to say, number one, any of us would be pretty angry; number two, that the Cambridge Police acted stupidly in arresting somebody when there was already proof that they were in their own home; and number three, what I think we know separate and apart from this incident is that there is a long history in this country of African Americans and Latinos being stopped by law enforcement disproportionately. That's just a fact. " Can't say I disagree.....I worked/lived in Cambridge/Boston quite some time ago.....there are more invisible lines in that city than an outsider can fathom. Obama lived there too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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