Gates was going ballistic, and screaming racist BEFORE he was being arrested. I can see if he was super calm, and did everything that was asked of him, and then all of a sudden, out of the blue he was arrested… but he started the racist charges BEFORE he was in cuffs. He started it the minute Crowley approached him.

And like i said, the crazy thing is, Gates KNEW he had been trying to break down the front door!

Gates made this mess – one by acting like an elitist asshole when Crowley was doing his job, and two, by going to the media and making this a HUGE overblown racial issue, when it wasn’t.

The question can be debated on whether he should have actually been arrested, but all the behavior leading up to it was uncalled for, and going to the media smearing Crowley was uncalled for, in fact, I would sue him.

And all of that started before he was arrested, or there was even any HINT of his going to jail….so serves him right.

Once, when I was younger, I was asked for a date by a black lawyer in my office building who obviously didn’t notice my wedding ring under a large unusual engagement ring. When I told him I was married he obviously didn’t believe me. I got peeved and said “I don’t have to justify myself to you, you’re the one calling me.”

At the same time a black colleague accused me of ignoring him in a crowded subway car when I simply didn’t see him. The following week the opposite situation happened when he didn’t see me.

Has anyone else who is white had social situations with black men where they feel they have had to justify normal actions because they are subtly being accused of being racist, or have I just met up with a couple of paranoid men?
Do you think this is the norm?

However, once this got blown up by Gates into a huge racial thing, we unfortunately lost any chance to have a “conversation on the proper powers of the police”. And that’s sad.

In my opinion, and in the opinion of so many others WHO WERE THERE, it’s clear that Sgt Crowley behaved without reproach, and Professor Gates was out of control. Why I don’t know; but his charges of “racial profiling” are clearly wrong, since the police officer didn’t know the race of the people reported by the 9/11 caller. Who, by the way, also feels attacked and smeared by Professor Gates’ accusation right in front of her that Crowley “would take a white woman’s word over a black man’s word!”

Sgt Crowley had every right, and I would argue, a duty to arrest Professor Gates who was clearly out of control.

The lesson from this instance–this “teachable moment”– is turning out to be the most important lesson Professor Gates, and his friend, President Obama, and their sycopants in the press and elsewhere, ever did NOT intend to teach:

BLACK PEOPLE CAN ALSO BE RACISTS.

Ironic, isn’t it…

In my opinion, and in the opinion of so many others WHO WERE THERE, it’s clear that Sgt Crowley behaved without reproach, and Professor Gates was out of control. Why I don’t know; but his charges of “racial profiling” are clearly wrong, since the police officer didn’t know the race of the people reported by the 9/11 caller. Who, by the way, also feels attacked and smeared by Professor Gates’ accusation right in front of her that Crowley “would take a white woman’s word over a black man’s word!”

Sgt Crowley had every right, and I would argue, a duty to arrest Professor Gates who was clearly out of control.

The lesson from this instance–this “teachable moment” is turning out to be the most important lesson Professor Gates, and his friend, President Obama, and their sycopants in the press and elsewhere, ever did NOT intend to teach:

BLACK PEOPLE CAN ALSO BE RACISTS.

speaking for myself, if i were a lemming, i think i would have voted for obama.

perhaps we can’t agree on the issue because you are the type who would scream and rant at someone for doing their job, and i’m not? I’m not worried about this happening to me, because I would NEVER act that way.

I see the right of the officer to respond to a possible B&E, putting his own life on the line every day, without being called a racist, and without being screamed at, and without someone refusing to provide vital information that could endanger an officer (not stepping out to the porch, and not responding if there is someone in the house is putting the officer in danger, in my opinion).

Yes, we have rights, but they apply to all Americans don’t they?

Some things we will just never agree on. (I am leaving for the day – will check back later!) ciao!!

Lastly, I am not defending Gates, I am defending Gates’ rights– which happen also to be my rights

That is dead on right Nom, and I am with you that more aren’t concerned with that point. I think the opportunity to trounce Obama is blinding some, and the lemming like “fall into line” regarding anything to do with the police is the rest of it. But, I think this is wrong. All rights are precious. Even the rights of those we don’t agree with… maybe even especially those rights. Because, who knows when and if we may find ourselves at the receiving end of something like this? Who will in turn stand for us if that time comes?