From the "Black People Arrest Themselves" files

Started by CountDeMoney, July 21, 2009, 05:35:20 AM

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Valmy

Quote from: garbon on July 21, 2009, 11:12:25 AM
Sounds like the officer got annoyed with him yelling about racism and the like, and used the excuse that the professor hadn't initially wanted to show ID.  One would think after 58 years, said African-American professor would know how a black person is supposed to act around cops...kind and courteous.

That is generally a good policy for all ethnic groups.  No matter how big a douche a cop is always kiss his/her ass.  There will be time later in court if the asshole goes over the line.
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Caliga

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derspiess

He should have the book thrown at him just for trotting out the "You don't know who you're dealing with" line.
"If you can play a guitar and harmonica at the same time, like Bob Dylan or Neil Young, you're a genius. But make that extra bit of effort and strap some cymbals to your knees, suddenly people want to get the hell away from you."  --Rich Hall

garbon

Quote from: Valmy on July 21, 2009, 11:15:51 AM
That is generally a good policy for all ethnic groups.  No matter how big a douche a cop is always kiss his/her ass.  There will be time later in court if the asshole goes over the line.

Which I think is entirely fucked up.
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Caliga

Quote from: derspiess on July 21, 2009, 11:21:48 AM
He should have the book thrown at him just for trotting out the "You don't know who you're dealing with" line.
If arrogance was a crime, Harvard would have to relocate to the federal pen. ^_^
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Faeelin

Quote from: KRonn on July 21, 2009, 07:57:36 AM
Very messy, mostly by the professor it would seem. Seems the cop was doing the right thing; I just don't get it. Got a call of a break in, arrived and saw a man in the house. Asked for his ID and wound up getting accused of racism and what ever.
Is this a non-issue that would have ended quietly, but turned into a racial issue because someone was looking for it to be one?

Only if you accept the police report as being the accurate version. Not that I would ever question these fine, upstanding members of society...

derspiess

Quote from: Caliga on July 21, 2009, 11:23:12 AM
If arrogance was a crime, Harvard would have to relocate to the federal pen. ^_^

Do you hear me arguing with that?
"If you can play a guitar and harmonica at the same time, like Bob Dylan or Neil Young, you're a genius. But make that extra bit of effort and strap some cymbals to your knees, suddenly people want to get the hell away from you."  --Rich Hall

jimmy olsen

Quote from: Caliga on July 21, 2009, 08:24:10 AM
I never met this guy but I heard he's pretty cool.  I did meet the other famous black professor (the guy who got mad at Larry Summers and went to Princeton) and he WAS pretty cool... but now I forget his name :ph34r:
I saw a documentary he hosted on Lincoln, seemed like a nice guy.
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KRonn

Quote from: Faeelin on July 21, 2009, 11:28:24 AM
Quote from: KRonn on July 21, 2009, 07:57:36 AM
Very messy, mostly by the professor it would seem. Seems the cop was doing the right thing; I just don't get it. Got a call of a break in, arrived and saw a man in the house. Asked for his ID and wound up getting accused of racism and what ever.
Is this a non-issue that would have ended quietly, but turned into a racial issue because someone was looking for it to be one?

Only if you accept the police report as being the accurate version. Not that I would ever question these fine, upstanding members of society...
Agreed, and that's why I mentioned previously waiting for the investigation into the matter. The initial police and news reports can be sketchy.

Berkut

Quote from: The Minsky Moment on July 21, 2009, 09:18:53 AM
I'm just saying that is a pretty small town.  You would think a police sergeant would probably be able to recognize him by appearance, or at the very least recognize the name on the two forms of ID he saw.

So perhaps the problem isn't racism, so much as the prima donna prof who was pissed the lowly sergeant didn't kiss his ass sufficiently, and assumed it must be racism?
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garbon

Quote from: Berkut on July 21, 2009, 12:49:05 PM
So perhaps the problem isn't racism, so much as the prima donna prof who was pissed the lowly sergeant didn't kiss his ass sufficiently, and assumed it must be racism?

Except your missing the part about the cop getting pissed that the prima donna prof didn't kiss the officer's ass sufficiently. ;)

Oh and I didn't add "prima donna" a descriptor for the cop as that'd be redundant.
"I've never been quite sure what the point of a eunuch is, if truth be told. It seems to me they're only men with the useful bits cut off."
I drank because I wanted to drown my sorrows, but now the damned things have learned to swim.

Berkut

Quote from: garbon on July 21, 2009, 12:53:25 PM
Quote from: Berkut on July 21, 2009, 12:49:05 PM
So perhaps the problem isn't racism, so much as the prima donna prof who was pissed the lowly sergeant didn't kiss his ass sufficiently, and assumed it must be racism?

Except your missing the part about the cop getting pissed that the prima donna prof didn't kiss the officer's ass sufficiently. ;)

Oh and I didn't add "prima donna" a descriptor for the cop as that'd be redundant.

Your well known hatred and fear of the police might be relevant if in fact the professor in question has the same fear, but I haven't seen any evidence that that is actually the case.

I haven't seen anything from the reports that anything that happened had anything to do with anyone other than the professor being an asshole.
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Barrister

Quote from: Berkut on July 21, 2009, 12:56:25 PM
Quote from: garbon on July 21, 2009, 12:53:25 PM
Quote from: Berkut on July 21, 2009, 12:49:05 PM
So perhaps the problem isn't racism, so much as the prima donna prof who was pissed the lowly sergeant didn't kiss his ass sufficiently, and assumed it must be racism?

Except your missing the part about the cop getting pissed that the prima donna prof didn't kiss the officer's ass sufficiently. ;)

Oh and I didn't add "prima donna" a descriptor for the cop as that'd be redundant.

Your well known hatred and fear of the police might be relevant if in fact the professor in question has the same fear, but I haven't seen any evidence that that is actually the case.

I haven't seen anything from the reports that anything that happened had anything to do with anyone other than the professor being an asshole.

Apparently the prof issued a statement where he claimed he did, in fact, show his ID to the officers.  That would seem to be the sticking point.  As far as I can tell under our law police would have been justified in detaining the prof as part of a B&E investigation.  If he did not wish to provide any ID they would be justified in continuing to detain him until they could determine whether or not a crima had occurred.
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garbon

Most sources are now reporting that he did identify himself, although not before he flipped out.
"I've never been quite sure what the point of a eunuch is, if truth be told. It seems to me they're only men with the useful bits cut off."
I drank because I wanted to drown my sorrows, but now the damned things have learned to swim.

Malthus

According to this account:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/21/us/21gates.html

Quote"While I was led to believe that Gates was lawfully in the residence," Sergeant Crowley wrote in the report, "I was quite surprised and confused with the behavior he exhibited toward me."

The Prof identified himself and the cop believed him. He was arrested for following the cop out of the house yelling abuse - according to the cop, and not really denied by his lawyer.

QuoteProfessor Ogletree said that Professor Gates had "never touched" Sergeant Crowley, but did "express his frustration at being subjected to the threat of arrest in his own home."

I suspect that the appropriateness or otherwise of the cop's arrest will hinge on exactly what form his "expression of frustration" took.

Thing is - is mouthing off at the cops an arrestable offence? I know that it isn't a smart thing to do because cops may well harrass you for it, but how legally legitimate is that harassment?

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