My Take on the Prof. Henry Gates Incident

As a Black man -- way before he entered politics -- there's no doubt in my mind that Pres. Obama has had confrontation(s) with the cops. He does know what he's talking about from personal experience. Barack went to school in L.A. pre-Rodney King (before camcorders were available to the public), when the LAPD ran rampant in the communities of color.

I don't think Pres. Obama inferred that the cop is a racist. He said the cop acted stupidly...which anyone with a brain can deduce is fact. Prof. Gates should not have been arrested at all. He proved to the cops that that was his home. My theory is he was charged because he talked back to the cops. This has happened to me before. The cops come up with a bullshit charge like disorderly conduct or disturbing the peace when they want to harass someone who gives them backtalk. The charge(s) won't stick...but, they're not meant to -- they're only arrested & charged for the purpose of harassment.

I can't say whether or not the cops were racist unless I could read their minds, but clearly they stepped way over the line by arresting Prof. Gates. He clearly has grounds for some major litigation against the city of Cambridge, Mass., as well as the cops.

The Kid Rasta

 

I'd say this is a rather accurate analysis of the events that took place.

 

I was talking to someone who attended HBS the other day, and he told me that prof Gates is very well known, so how come the police did not know who he is? Also they could easily verify his living address once they put his name in their data base. Or could have simply placed a call to Harvard Security office and verify Gates' residence b4 arresting a prominent AA Ivy league scholar.

 

I agree, but I'm gonna re-state what I wrote above: Prof. Gates was arrested because he gave the cops "backtalk". In my previous encounters with cops, they get extremely riled when they get backtalk....particularly, from a Black man.

Another thing that makes cops go ballistic, is when you point your finger at them when you give them backtalk.

The Kid Rasta

 

BTW, Cambridge, Mass. has a Black woman mayor:

http://www.cambridgema.gov/mayor.cfm

The Kid Rasta

 

Well, so is the Governor of that state or the Prez of the country. Look, all I want out of this, is an honest discussion about race in America.

 

Youll never get it because of the power structure. People are too afraid to say they have racists inclinations/ideas/thoughts.

I was hoping for the same out of that Seinfeld actor when he went off during that gig. But unfortunately, he was too busy trying to deny racism.

 

That's my point. This kind of bullshit should be over and done with.

The Kid Rasta

 

Well Fly, I know I was reaching for the stars, but you never dissappoint with your logical analysis and you brought me back to the ground. Oh well, one can hope tho. Like Dr. King said keep hope alive!

 

Aw dammit. I dont wanna be your chalk. Keep flying and Ill stay outta your way. LOL

 

Well now that I got your permission, Houston we've got no problem, we are ready to soar!

 

We have liftoff...

 

Much like Malcolm X used to begin his sentences with "the Honorable Elijah Muhammed says...", all that I utter shall now be preceded by "the Honorable Fly Girl says...".

This is until I stop getting that cursed message "You must spread some reputation around before giving it to fly girl again".

 

Kid Rasta -

Your comments here are excellent ! I agree with them totally !

Your points are REAL WORLD and not a bunch of obfuscating bullshit , that is so often expressed by some folks when they are discussing this incident !

 

Kid Rasta, you are so right. In fact, Obama has written in his books about being profiled - being pulled over by police for no apparent reason, having white women grab their pocket books if he happened to be walking behind them, etc. So he definitely has personaly experience here.

I think it's GOOD this is being talked about, and - even if he probably should not have stepped in with the "stupid" word - he is right that this can be a "teachable moment" for us, if we let it be.

 

Another part if this that I find interresting is that hew was arrested for dissorderly conduct.
As far as I understand, you need to be in public for that charge (you can not be arrested for that in your own home).

So they had to bring him outside to do the arrest....
sceeming to me.
That bugs the crap out of me.

The other thing that bugs me is that he needs a cane to walk and they intitially handcuffed him w his hands behind his back.


So words were exchanged when the cops assumed that an older gentleman with a cane was brealking an entering - clearly even with showing proof he lived there, there must have been more words exchanged and the cops retailated...
???
Why didnt the cops initially make sure he was allright? I mean, he could have been in danger if someone acctually was breaking an entering while he was there.
Why wasnt that the first though (retorical question btw)???

 

You bring up some good points...but, I cannot answer cause I wasn't there. But, pls. read this article in the NY Times which deals specifically with citizens who get "lippy" (in police parlance) with the police.

NY Times:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32136369/ns/us_news-the_new_york_times/

The Kid Rasta

 

I like how in the article one officer said "they would rather see a fireman"

So true. When I was an officer we had a joking dislike for the firefighters. They show up and people literally have sandwiches and juice waiting for them. Police show up and get spit on. LOL

Nobody is EVER glad to see the police even if they called them. It just means something bad has happened in their life.

People can say what they like about the police. I was proud to be one and I never saw any brutality or violence by my fellow officers. Yes there are bad ones but there are also some REALLY good ones who go above and beyond. They take To Serve and Protect to heart.

 

my uncle was a MP in the air force, and came out and joined the Staties here and in Virginia. I never had any problems with the law myself, nor has any of my family members. If anything, run-ins with the law have been the total opposite. My cousin got pulled over by a white cop for speeding (while i was in the passenger seat), and shown him his military ID, and was let go followed by a 'stay safe, brother.'

I know that all white officers aren't racists trying to lock up black people, which is why I was disappointed when everyone just piled on them, without attempting to look at the situation from their viewpoint.

Shows how far we've came along in this country.

 

Thank you for that link.. a very good article - and it just reinforces my feelings about this story.