From the "Black People Arrest Themselves" files

[garbon]

You are doing the "oh, some people somewhere are mean to some other people somewhere, so it is ok for some other people to treat yet other people like shit!" thing though.

Yipee for racism, as long as it can be justified by other racism!

That's not really a Marty stance.  He wants his target groups killed not treated meanly.

Besides, I'm not cheering that the professor was so quick to cry racism (I find that deplorable) but rather a cop being forced to take shit.

[Eddie Teach]

I think I already said that. He clearly made a professional error which will cost him dearly. When a black Harvard professor demands that you kiss his ass or he will level a racism charge at you, you better pucker on up if you like your career.

Not sure how refraining from arresting someone counts as ass-kissing.

Way I see it, the officer may not have been a racist. But he acted like an asshole and took advantage of his authority. So if Gates takes advantage of his clout to get the guy shitcanned it's karma.

[Berkut]

I think I already said that. He clearly made a professional error which will cost him dearly. When a black Harvard professor demands that you kiss his ass or he will level a racism charge at you, you better pucker on up if you like your career.

Not sure how refraining from arresting someone counts as ass-kissing.

The Prof started bleating about racism and asking for badge numbers before he was arrested, so it seems unlikely that is what precipitated his little tantrum.

[Caliga]

I was reading an article earlier that quoted The Root (some webzine or something Gates is involved in) as saying that Gates did indeed bring up the racism issue early in the "discussion", to the effect that when the officer asked him to step outside Gates responded with "oh, that's how it is because I'm a black man in America" or something.

So it sounds to me like both men were being assholes, but Gates can do whatever the fuck he wants in terms of behaving like an asshole when he's not at work.  Since the officer was actually working, I'm less inclined to excuse his response.  I certainly don't think the officer ought to be fired or even reprimanded, but we all know he's about to be railroaded out of town for being a "racist".

edit: It's amusing to me that the comments on the most recent Globe article about this are overwhelmingly against Gates and in favor of the Cambridge PD.  http://www.boston.com/news/local/breaking_news/2009/07/gates_considers.html

[Berkut]

Gates said he has gone out of his way in the past to avoid run-ins with police. When he first arrived at Harvard in 1991, he moved into a large house in the mostly white suburb of Lexington and promptly visited the police station to introduce himself.

"I wanted them to see my black face,'' Gates said. "I would be driving home late from Harvard. I had a Mercedes. I didn't want to be stopped for 'driving while black.' . . . I should have done that with the Cambridge Police Department.''

What a complete asshole.

"I'm outraged. I shouldn't have been treated this way, but it makes me so keenly aware of how many people every day experience abuses in the criminal justice system. This is really about justice for the least amongst us.''

How very white of him.

[Caliga]

You seem surprised... this is a big part of what the guy does for a living.

Hell, he could have intentionally escalated the issue hoping the cop would fall into his trap... knowing full well the kind of firestorm he could generate.

[garbon]

What a complete asshole.

Yes, although if it'd said he was living in Wellesley, that'd probably be a smart move on his part.  I saw a non-white person there once, he was taking a trash bag out of a trash can.

[DontSayBanana]

Hm, are you guys aware of the fact that Gates has disputed that he ever made any of those statements about racism?  The only thing he agrees that he said was that he wanted to know the officer's name and badge number, and he agreed that he got angry when the officer refused to provide that info.

Was that part mentioned in the OP? That paints an even worse picture on the part of the cop. Now, there's possibilities of the cop refusing to give badge number and entering Gates' home without permission after Gates was IDed as a resident.

[Berkut]

Hm, are you guys aware of the fact that Gates has disputed that he ever made any of those statements about racism?  The only thing he agrees that he said was that he wanted to know the officer's name and badge number, and he agreed that he got angry when the officer refused to provide that info.

Was that part mentioned in the OP? That paints an even worse picture on the part of the cop. Now, there's possibilities of the cop refusing to give badge number and entering Gates' home without permission after Gates was IDed as a resident.

I am curious what people think the cops reason was for fucking with Gates after Gates made it clear he was the owner and was polite and reasonable at all times. You think the cop just decided to mess with him for shits and giggles?

The racism charge makes no sense - if the cop is a racist, why would he evidence that by such things as entering his home, and refusing to give his name? Is that some kind of code for calling eminent and important black people the n-word or something?

Of course, Gates is later quoted saying he did mention racism. Seems like his story changes quite a bit.

[Berkut]

Is it fair to say that someone assuming a white officer questioning a black man is being racist "racial profiling"?

If the officer had been black, would Gates have been so offended at being asked to prove he owned the house?

What is the normal SOP for responding to a break in report and arriving to find a potential suspect and a broken down door? If he flashes some ID, is that adequate to assume that everything is ok and you should just leave? Is it typical to want to check out the house anyway? Where exactly did the officer violate SOP because the homeowner was a black man? What exactly would the officer had done differently if Gates was white?

Gates makes his living as a prestigious history professor specialing in race relations, specifically racism. Is his claim that his treatment some kind of microcosm of the problems of racism in general fair, even if we assume his changing story is not a bald faced lie? What is the terrible injustice that was done to him, exactly, that warranted his verbal abuse and accusations of racism? The cop entered his house? Really? Is that it?

Gates does have Al Sharpton going to bat for him though. Anyone remember those Duke students who raped that black girl?

[The Minsky Moment]

When a black Harvard professor demands that you kiss his ass or he will level a racism charge at you, you better pucker on up if you like your career.

Your hypothetical may be correct, but as yet we have no data to verify it.

[Caliga]

Your hypothetical may be correct, but as yet we have no data to verify it.

We will soon.

[Berkut]

Your hypothetical may be correct, but as yet we have no data to verify it.

We will soon.

No kidding.

Although, I would argue that no matter how this ends up, it is clear that the officer has come out on the short end of it - even if nothing comes of it, the officer has been labeled a racist for asking for ID, and Gates gets his 15 minutes of additional fame.

[The Minsky Moment]

We will soon.

That I don't doubt.

[Berkut]

When a black Harvard professor demands that you kiss his ass or he will level a racism charge at you, you better pucker on up if you like your career.

Your hypothetical may be correct, but as yet we have no data to verify it.

What we have no data to verify is Gates claim that the officer is a racist and was unreasonable in his request for ID or entering his home.

I am still wondering about that part of the story - what exactly was it that the officer did that was so clearly racist that justified Gates bitching at him that led to Gates being arrested?

Even if we accept that the arrest was not warranted and an over-reaction, what was it that Crowley did that was so terrible otherwise?