From the "Black People Arrest Themselves" files

[Jacob]

it's been kind of sad to see some here try to equate him with the likes of Sharpton or Jeremiah Wright given that his entire life he has been a principled voice for moderation and "accomodation" and kwown and respected for his open-mindedness in engaging with others.  I think Crowley was seriously wrong and that his actions were probably impacted by race but its not like I've tried make some ridiculous caricature of him as some Bull Conner crossed with Mark Fuhrman.

What's the value of a man's entire life when balanced against the sweetness of rhetorical advantage on the internet?

[Berkut]

I've been trying to tell you guys that the "word on the street" was always that Gates was cool.

it's been kind of sad to see some here try to equate him with the likes of Sharpton or Jeremiah Wright given that his entire life he has been a principled voice for moderation and "accomodation" and kwown and respected for his open-mindedness in engaging with others. 

I think it is sad to see someone whose entire life has been a principles voice for moderation and accommodation blow it in one temper tantrum at a cop trying to do his job in the face of an irrationally hostile asshole.

He certianly wasn't "open minded" when he started ranting about being a black man in MAerica becaues a cop asked him for some ID.

Whether or not Crowley is a super secret closet racist, he did nothing to instigate Gates at all, and Gates had jumped the shark long before you can argue that Crowley was over-reacting and exceeding his authority because he is a racist.

Gates needs no help from anyone else to create a "ridiculous caricature" of himself. He did that on his own.

[Berkut]

it's been kind of sad to see some here try to equate him with the likes of Sharpton or Jeremiah Wright given that his entire life he has been a principled voice for moderation and "accomodation" and kwown and respected for his open-mindedness in engaging with others.  I think Crowley was seriously wrong and that his actions were probably impacted by race but its not like I've tried make some ridiculous caricature of him as some Bull Conner crossed with Mark Fuhrman.

What's the value of a man's entire life when balanced against the sweetness of rhetorical advantage on the internet?

Depends - in the man in question white or black?

JR seems to think that is an important distinction - he is quite willing to accuse Crowley of racism without a single smidge of evidence that anything he did had anything to do with race. Of course, Crowley is not an "eminent and important" academic, so the value of his entire life is somewhat lower, I suspect.

[Barrister]

I wish Dr Gates was more like Berkut, i.e. always calm, never getting angry, and always apologizing for harsh words.

There is nothing wrong with harsh words, as long as they are right.

And I am perfectly capable of apologizing when I screw up.

There is plenty wrong with harsh words.  They tend to anger and upset people, put them on the defensive.   

Now there are times when you want people to be angry and upset.  It can be a useful technique at times.  It can get people's attention.

But "correctness" is a very poor excuse for using harsh words.  There is always a way to say the same thing without a harsh tone.  Be harsh if you want to be harsh, but don't blame people for getting upset when those kinds of words are designed to upset people.

[Barrister]

I'm 99% sure that someone in the Whitehouse wrote that statement (and a similar one for Crowley) well before either met the President.

I am almost equally sure that it didn't because the speech contains some noticeable Gatesisms that a WH staffer would not have written.  It may be that someone for the WH vetted it or suggested some language though.

Fair enough.  I remain convinced that the WH knew what the post-meeting script was going to be however, no matter who wrote the words.

[alfred russel]

Mark Fuhrman.

Now there is an interesting fellow: comes to the public's attention for recorded racist diatribes that sink the prosecution in a high profile murder case, and turns that start into a career as a fox news commentator with MLB friends that bring him along to the locker room.

[garbon]

I think it is sad to see someone whose entire life has been a principles voice for moderation and accommodation blow it in one temper tantrum at a cop trying to do his job in the face of an irrationally hostile asshole.

Gates is human, no?

[MadImmortalMan]

The whole situation seems like it ought to be an episode of Yes, Minister. I bet Humphrey Appleby wrote that Gates statement.

[The Minsky Moment]

He certianly wasn't "open minded" when he started ranting about being a black man in MAerica becaues a cop asked him for some ID.

No he was tired after a long vacation and surprised to find an cop showing up unannounced and walking uninvited into his home.

If you weren't so busy trying to spin some class-based narrative of your own, you might be able to emphathize with that position and understand why someone might not be cool.

[Jaron]

I'm not the kind of man to throw accusations around..

but doesn't Berkut seem to be fired up about this a little more than usual?

[Ed Anger]

When isn't Berkut fired up?

[Jaron]

I said MORE THAN USUAL, potato brain.

[PDH]

Can't we all just get along?

[Ed Anger]

I said MORE THAN USUAL, potato brain.

Delicious Potatoes.

[Razgovory]

I'm not the kind of man to throw accusations around..

but doesn't Berkut seem to be fired up about this a little more than usual?

Berkut is scared of black people.  He's made that clear by now.  GOD DAMN AMERICA!