Harvard Professor Arrested--Gates Black in America

[hockeymom]

I saw Juan Williams( a black man) on TV last night,and he made a very good point.Even if the officer verified Mr. Gates ID,who's to say that there wasn't a real robber in the house ,holding Mr. Gates' family in another room? Did they know who the driver was? Maybe he had forced Mr. Gates to open the door.The cop, as a police officer is obligated to be extra cautious.
Mr. Williams also echoed what I have said to my children,"keep your mouth shut" when dealing with LE. Do nothing provocative. That is just common sense,nothing racial.

 

[Theonly1]

Here is a transcript of the police report
http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/images/07/23/0498.001.pdf

I'm sorry if it's already been posted.

I have to say, after reading it, if it's true, I am thoroughly, totally, disgusted with this man's behavior (Professor Gates). What a sad excuse for a man. (of course only 2 people know the truth at this point).

Even more alarming....he's the president's friend. We should all worry about that friendship.

The police report is illuminating. Thanks for posting it, Oh gal.

While I think that Gates was acting very surly, I also clearly see that the police realized he was the resident but insisted Gates (who was obviously angry) to come outside (where there was a crowd starting to gather). Once outside, then Gates was subject to being arrested for his "tumultuous" behavior.

There are cases where the police transfer or urge people to go to "public" areas where they are then subject to arrest. I don't like the fact that he wanted Gates outside allegedly because of some kitchen acoustics and then once Gates was outside he was fair game for an arrest if he was yelling. I don't like this at all.

Again, once the police knew Gates was the resident the police needed to leave. Gates did himself no favors by playing the race card early without cause. Once the two men were essentially having a pissing match then neither was going to back down. If the officer was really preparing to leave he would not have needed Gates outside. Once lured outside Gates was subject to the police's whimsical arrest (due to his tumult in a "public place").

 

[angeleleven]

Just another incident leaving me to disrespect the President even more. He should have never said what he did....not knowing anything about the situation...very poor taste.

 

[southcitymom]

I agree about the male thing, but I also think it's a lawyer thing now... any apology will be used as an admission of culpability if this hits the courts.

And a community suffers.

Yeah, I hear you - but legal schmegal...it doesn't matter WHY you are too afraid to own your part....only that you are too cowardly to cowboy up and do it. IMHO. And, as you point out, it only makes matters worse.

 

[oh_gal]

Obama should have stayed out of it, of course, though I can imagine that's difficult when a friend is involved. But I am empathetic to our leader's missteps because I think it would be awful in about 1000 different ways to be President.

It's a shame that neither man wants to apologize for his part in the situation....that, my friends, is not a race thing, but a (male) ego thing!! I am a gender profiler! Both men are afraid to back down and appear weak or wrong when, in actuality, owning your part in any given conflict is the apex of strength of character.

The police officer should apologize for....
a) responding to a possible break in?
b)asking to see some ID?
c)repeatedly answering Mr. Gates when Mr. Gates asked who he was (3 times)?
d)doing his job?
e)protecting himself? (Neither you nor I were there, so if this policeman felt threatenend, who are we to say otherwise? Is he not entitled to his feelings/perceptions, the same as Mr. Gates?)

I think Mr. Gates has seen/experienced a lot in his life regarding racism, and now is too sensitive the issue. His reaction was a knee-jerk one, and if anything, should serve as a model for how not to act, if one wishes to stop the spread of racism.

 

[lilacwine]

In my version of a perfect world...

Gates could say... Jeesh, sorry. I was jetlagged... frustrated because something was up with my door...I lost it. Thanks for doing your job.

Connolly could say.... Yeah, I understand. Sorry it got out of control and we had a misunderstanding.

Maybe I saw too many lifesaver commercials as a kid???

 

[angelmom]

Okay, I have been trying to reserve judgment, but that police report is almost funny. If it happened even close to that, then Mr. Gates is a big baby.
Is there any chance that he took this opportunity to get his name in the news? I just cannot imagine a grown man acting like this. It is beyond bizarre.

He refused to open the door, identify himself, or come out from the first moment of LE responding to a possible break in at his home; he started yelling about racist police officers, and walking away from the officer.
Who would guess that that might cause the police to be alarmed??

Honestly, unless something comes out to show that it happened dramatically different than the police report, I wouldn't apologize either. He's lucky they didn't break down the door, slam him to the ground, taze him, cuff him, and throw him in the back of the car...which they very well might have done if he were younger and tougher looking.


I also have to add that this "Don't you know who I am?" stuff is very tiresome and egotistical, no matter who it comes from. I had no idea who this man was; I also know a couple of celebrities who don't look like themselves when they are just in knocking around clothes. To expect that every single LE officer in the area knows them on sight is preposterous; to expect that they will give them preferential treatment means they should live in Hollywood.

 

[hockeymom]

Just heard on Fox that there are audio tapes of the incident and Mr. Gates does not come out looking too good.This should put an end to any speculation.

 

[Seamaid]

Wow, this story is growing legs. I don't believe the professor's version of what happened after reading the police report. Too many people were there and can collaborate with the police officer's version. I'm hoping the person who initially called the police will come forward with their version of what happened but with reports now coming out that that neighborhood has been having a problem with break ins lately...I would hate to be the neighbor who called the police but you certainly can't fault them for doing so.

As for the President interjecting himself into this mess.....lol, he should stick to reading the telepromter so this doesn't happen. Now he's got police officers around the country in a justifiable uproar and the White House is trying to spin it like crazy. He makes it hard to have respect for the office of the President when he abuses it like this.

 

[southcitymom]

The police officer should apologize for....
a) responding to a possible break in?
b)asking to see some ID?
c)repeatedly answering Mr. Gates when Mr. Gates asked who he was (3 times)?
d)doing his job?
e)protecting himself? (Neither you nor I were there, so if this policeman felt threatenend, who are we to say otherwise? Is he not entitled to his feelings/perceptions, the same as Mr. Gates?)

I think Mr. Gates has seen/experienced a lot in his life regarding racism, and now is too sensitive the issue. His reaction was a knee-jerk one, and if anything, should serve as a model for how not to act, if one wishes to stop the spread of racism.

Oh-gal,

The conflict escalated to the point that a "needless" arrest was made (charges immediately dropped). I don't care who started it or who was the worst behaved. It takes TWO or more opposing parties for a conflict to occur and escalate to this level. I have lots of experience with this in my constant mediation of my children's disputes.

This is what I care about - who is man enough to own their part? I'll keep holding my breath!

 

[Julespa]

I broke into my own house one time and a policeman showed up and asked me if it was my home. I said yes and got my ID for him. It took all of 5 minutes for him to review my license and call into the station to verify. He handed me my ID back and I thanked him for doing his job and offered him something to drink (it was on a really hot day and he looked hot....in more ways than one hubba hubba!)...anyway.... Too bad others don't do the same. They were only doing their jobs and no I wouldn't have recognized him as a scholar. I would question anyone, no matter what color they are and no matter what social status.

 

[southcitymom]

In my version of a perfect world...

Gates could say... Jeesh, sorry. I was jetlagged... frustrated because something was up with my door...I lost it. Thanks for doing your job.

Connolly could say.... Yeah, I understand. Sorry it got out of control and we had a misunderstanding.

Maybe I saw too many lifesaver commercials as a kid???

Not really - I think that's the way that most humans not being controlled by ego behave!

 

[angelmom]

I broke into my own house one time and a policeman showed up and asked me if it was my home. I said yes and got my ID for him. It took all of 5 minutes for him to review my license and call into the station to verify. He handed me my ID back and I thanked him for doing his job and offered him something to drink (it was on a really hot day and he looked hot....in more ways than one hubba hubba!)...anyway.... Too bad others don't do the same. They were only doing their jobs and no I wouldn't have recognized him as a scholar. I would question anyone, no matter what color they are and no matter what social status.

Of course no two incidents are the same, but I have to ask: did you refuse to open the door to the officer? Did you yell through the door to him that you'd talk to "yo mama" outside when he asked you to step out? Did you tell him it was "none of your business" when he asked if you lived there? Did you scream at him and call him names or were you polite and explain what happened?

 

[Dave AHFB]

All of todays reverse racism is making me racist.

 

[Brwnigirl]

Racism in this Country will never go away. Because some blacks won't let it. The U.S. voted in a black president,IMO, if this Country was still racist that would never have happened. I'm not saying that there are not racist in this Country because there are. But the Country as a whole is not racist. Some black people use their color to their advantage. People treat them wrong because of their color, people owe them something because of their color. Or they use it as an excuse for their behavior. I have a disability but I do not scream I am being discriminated against every time I am not treated like I think I should be. I don't think any one owes me anything nor do I think it gives me a license to behave any way I want to. Before someone starts saying I'm racist, let me tell you that I am not. I have a black Doctor, black dentist, and a black neice that I love dearly. Color means nothing to me, I look at character.

Racism doesn't go away because many people of more than one color won't let it, not just Blacks, McDraw. Other people use their color, their looks, their education whatever to their advantage. You cannot single out Blacks as the reason we still have racism.

 

[Openmind]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Cr[/FONT]owley was on "The Today Show" and, truthfully, he looked shell shocked -- like he couldn't [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]believe how out of control everything has become. He had no swagger or tough talk. He said when Gates answered the door he was agitated and immediately started saying "is this how black men are treated in America." Crowley was surprised by Gates re[/FONT]ference and couldn't understand what he was trying to say. Now looking [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]at this [/FONT]from the beginning[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif],[/FONT] and [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]at that moment not [/FONT]knowing Gate[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]'[/FONT]s particular background, I can understand why Crowley was confused and concerned. The situation didn't seem to merit that kind of response. Gates was confrontational from the start and continually implied racial discrimination. The police were just wanting to check the house not trying to provoke a fight. Since Gates did actually need to "break" into his house, you would think he could understand why the police were called and not assume they were there because they want[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]ed[/FONT] to bust a black man[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif].[/FONT]

Truthfully, day to day, the police are interacting with people that are up to no good. [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]E[/FONT]veryone knows who they they are and [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]they [/FONT]know their level of behaviors but the police do not. To assume they will automatically understand your comments, [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]actions, or rants is assuming too much. Personally, I think both should try and settle this with a conversation, but I do think the first figurative punch was thrown by Gates. He was railing for a fight and when he got one he [/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]didn't anticipate the outcome. He seems to be enjoying the attention just a bit too much. Unfortunately, [/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]this [/FONT]distorts the issue of [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]many [/FONT]minorities that are truly being abused.

As for the president, he should have said "no comment' since he didn't know all the details. His words carry more importance and have a deeper impact on any situation he discusses. I am surprised he doesn't realize that.


Lessons learned:

1) Get to know your neighbors so they recognize you if you need to break into your house.

2) You can stand up for yourself without becoming confrontational. I would have thought Gates knew that and had more skills to handle this situation[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] better[/FONT] just as the police should have better [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]managed his [/FONT]childish outburst.

3) Since you don't know the temperament of the policeman standing in front of you, think before you speak. If you insist on making [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]it[/FONT] all about you, don't be surprised if the police do[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] too[/FONT].

 

[Openmind]

In my version of a perfect world...

Gates could say... Jeesh, sorry. I was jetlagged... frustrated because something was up with my door...I lost it. Thanks for doing your job.

Connolly could say.... Yeah, I understand. Sorry it got out of control and we had a misunderstanding.

Maybe I saw too many lifesaver commercials as a kid???

I think that is exactly as it should have been handled.

Maybe we should pull out some of those Lifesaver commercials. Ever notice today's media is less about how to get along than how to smack down someone or that you are the only one that matters. No wonder so many lead with their ego.

I do think Gates was probably tired and frustrated with his door situation after his long trip. Crowley was caught off guard by Gates angry response to the police trying to make sure his home was secure. Bad situation that should have ended the day it happened.

 

[Morag]

...to deserve arrest? Did he threaten to harm the (much larger and younger)
police officer? Did he swing his cane at him?

From the police report; "With the Harvard University identification in hand, I radioed my findings...and prepared to leave. ...As I began walking through the foyer toward the front door, I could hear Gates again demanding my name."

So, the police officer knew that Gates was Gates, and he was walking out the door while Gates yelled. Why was Gates not permitted to be angry and yell- he wasn't threatening any harm to anyone? He was yelling in his own home, and eventually yelling on his own porch. I'll bet that if Gates was yellling at me or anyone else, the cops wouldn't have arrested him. Cops shouldn't be so dang sensitive.

About three or four years ago, I found myself locked out, no cell phone, no near neighbors at home. So I threw a flower pot through a window (soooo satisfying in a strange way- my son's friends thought it was a very cool thing to do). Later my husband said what if the cops had come- I said I would have told them who I was and they would have left once I proved who I was. No way in hell would they have been anything other that polite and apologetic to me- no way. And if they had been huffy with me, I would have been huffy with them.

Why were the charges dropped? Could it have anything to do with the fact that the arrest was unjustified? Would love to have seen this come to court...

 

[Blue_Dolphin308]

I don't beleive that this is racism at all. I do beleive that this person had/has an Agenda and has now found a way to use it!

 

[Blue_Dolphin308]

And no you cannot be as disorderly in your own home as you want. I know this because I know someone who was charged with disorderly conduct for being disorderly in her home!