From the "Black People Arrest Themselves" files

[Darth Wagtaros]

Talk about a tempest in a crock pot. 

Once upon a time a racist cop would break a black man's face and get off scot free.  Today a police officer arresting someone for being an asshole and they make it outlike Rodney King and the Amistad trial combined.

[grumbler]

One time when it's fun to see Berkut and Grumbler in action.

We play for the peanut gallery. :bows:

[Caliga]

 

Now Obama has jumped into the fray, taking Gates's side (of course).

Hey dude, less grandstanding and photo opping and more fixing the country, PLZ. 

[DontSayBanana]

Now Obama has jumped into the fray, taking Gates's side (of course).

Hey dude, less grandstanding and photo opping and more fixing the country, PLZ. 

*facepalm* I've been willing to cut the dude some major slack up to this point, but I think that's the last straw. He should know better than this. I can't believe the White House's PR guys would let him take on such a flimsy cause.

[Caliga]

Well, to be fair, he didn't call a press conference or anything about this... a question was asked of him about it at some other press conference but he did choose to give a fairly lengthy answer.  Here you go:

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/politics/2009/07/22/sot.obama.gates.police.cnn

[Neil]

Well, to be fair, he didn't call a press conference or anything about this... a question was asked of him about it at some other press conference but he did choose to give a fairly lengthy answer.  Here you go:

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/politics/2009/07/22/sot.obama.gates.police.cnn

And he should have known better than to answer.

[Caliga]

That's why I emphasized that he "did choose" to answer.  The smart thing to say would have been "I know the professor personally so I should probably just refrain from answering."

[derspiess]

That picture = 

I had a few college profs I would've like to have seen in a similar situation.

[KRonn]

Now Obama has jumped into the fray, taking Gates's side (of course).

Hey dude, less grandstanding and photo opping and more fixing the country, PLZ. 

*facepalm* I've been willing to cut the dude some major slack up to this point, but I think that's the last straw. He should know better than this. I can't believe the White House's PR guys would let him take on such a flimsy cause.

Pres Obama started off by saying that he didn't have all the facts of the case, and should have stopped there. Instead he went off on telling about the entire story, almost like he was there at the time!   

[KRonn]

Boston talk radio is interesting. On one hand are the wingnuts who say silly ass crap like, "well I'm just going to be a racist because black people are all whiners" and the other are stellar tools who call up saying 'it has to be racist because cops are all racist' or the best one who said the cops must have known who he was and where he lived because he is an important scholar and went out of their way to fuck with him.  Because they couldn't handle a black professor.

Pretty much spot on. I've been listening to local talk and it gets "interesting".

[Malthus]

Malthus, what part of this discussion did you miss?
Mouthy to a cop is not an offense.  Disturbing the public peace is;  which is what happened once Gates took his tirade outside the house, following the officer towards the car.

Well, obviously they charged him with an offence that exists rather than one that does not. 

[The Minsky Moment]

Silly maybe, but proper within the definition of the charge.
He was disturbing the public peace 

It has been established by now that both those statements are wrong.

[Valmy]

Now Obama has jumped into the fray, taking Gates's side (of course).

Hey dude, less grandstanding and photo opping and more fixing the country, PLZ. 

Why dear god why?  One arrest with dropped charges hardly seems worthy of a Presidential statement.

[Berkut]

Now Obama has jumped into the fray, taking Gates's side (of course).

Hey dude, less grandstanding and photo opping and more fixing the country, PLZ. 

Why dear god why?  One arrest with dropped charges hardly seems worthy of a Presidential statement.

Well, like JR said, this isn't just any arrest. This man is an "eminent" and important black person who deserves special consideration, which he was not adequately given. Clearly this incompetent sergeant needs some Presidential attention.

[The Minsky Moment]

When did that happen?

Just before the arrest, from what I have read.

Could you provide a quotation and a source?  According to the police report, the officer invited to come outside to speak with him further.  It is also clear from the report that while the officer walked out of the house down the stairs to the sidewalk, Gates never left the porch of the house.

So any source you have read that indicates Gates "chased" after the officer is mistaken.

Can you link me to a transcript of what the professor said.  Obviously, you must have read it to judge the language used, and I'd like to do the same.

Well the police report contains various verbatim statements he is alleged to have made.  These consist of the following:

"Why, because I am a black man in America?"
"I'll speak with your mama outside"
"You don't know who you are messing with"
"I am disabled" [and cannot walk without my cane]
"This is what happens to Black men in America"

The report also indicates that Gates accused the officer of being racist but does not recount any other specific words used. 

While the statements made by Gates according to the police are not of the sort typically expected in refined discourse, they hardly rise to the level of "verbal assault" - whatever the hell that is supposed to be.  I hear a lot worse by people trying to get on and off the subway just about every day.