Obama/Gates/Police fiasco....

[CharlieMac]

Probably because disorderly conduct charges are dropped all the time.

Yeah, everyone knows the president.

[Crookshanks]

This Gates guy has a reputation for being a hothead and an agitator. He teaches "Black Studies" at Harvard. He makes his living stirring up racial tension and teaching his students how the white man has kept the black man down and how all the ills in the black community are the white man's fault.

Gates is a joke and he got what he deserved. I heard a large segment of Officer Crowley's interview on the local Boston TV station and he made it clear that he didn't know who Gates was when he arrived on the scene and he thought the burlary in process call came from INSIDE the house. He didn't want to go into the house alone, when he had no idea who the black guy was. Basic police procedure - don't put yourself in a dangerous situation if it can be avoided.

Gates has a huge chip on his shoulder - jusk like Obama; and they still feel the white man needs to pay. They're the ones stirring up racial tensions. I guess Obama really did listen to Rev. Wright for those 20 years.

[Marcus Bryant]

Yeah, all those uppity negroes need to know their role.

[clambake]

This Gates guy has a reputation for being a hothead and an agitator. He teaches "Black Studies" at Harvard. He makes his living stirring up racial tension and teaching his students how the white man has kept the black man down and how all the ills in the black community are the white man's fault.

Gates is a joke and he got what he deserved. I heard a large segment of Officer Crowley's interview on the local Boston TV station and he made it clear that he didn't know who Gates was when he arrived on the scene and he thought the burlary in process call came from INSIDE the house. He didn't want to go into the house alone, when he had no idea who the black guy was. Basic police procedure - don't put yourself in a dangerous situation if it can be avoided.

Gates has a huge chip on his shoulder - jusk like Obama; and they still feel the white man needs to pay. They're the ones stirring up racial tensions. I guess Obama really did listen to Rev. Wright for those 20 years.

[doobs]

Yeah, all those uppity negroes need to know their role.

Nice contribution.

What's your point?

[Gino]

And then watch Barry try to dance his way out of the question:

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/vid...prevailed.html

I was just thinking how often he did this on the campaign trail too.

When questioned about a controversial statement that he previously made (such as pulling out of Iraq within 16 months.....meeting with leaders of any nation without pre-conditions.....saying the police acted stupidly), he puts on a smug smile and says

"What I said was......"

And then proceeds to change his statement to be less controversial. He was asked a couple of times in the link above if he stood by his previous statement and he wouldnt answer the question.

[sam1617]

Just a little bias. That would be like someone saying "I'd trust the word of a world-renowned scholar before I trust the word of a guy that probably never went to college."

We don't really know if it's racial profiling, but it's disingenuous to attack Obama and others for taking the side of Gates while you're willing to take the officer's account as Gospel.

If you think being racist has anything to do with the willingness to give a black person CPR, then it's clear there has to be more education on what 'racism' is.

I would trust the word of a world-renowned scholar if it was about his field, and there wasn't enough reason for me to disagree.

And I'm pretty sure I haven't attacked Obama at all. While I think he should keep his mouth shut until all the facts are presented to him, I haven't said anything about how he handled the situation until just now. He is the President, and his comments, even his uninformed comments, which he admitted they were when he said he didn't know all the facts, have a lot of power, and he basically threw this officer under the bus.

As for Lewis, thats not what I was saying at all. I just thought it was interesting that he was the guy that gave him CPR. This is a basketball forum after all...

[Viva Las Espuelas]

If you think being racist has anything to do with the willingness to give a black person CPR, then it's clear there has to be more education on what 'racism' is.

i'm trying to figure out where you're coming from with this statement. are you saying there are sympathetic racists? would a grand dragon of the kkk administer cpr on reggie?

[Gino]

You have to read the interview Gates gave....

to his DAUGHTER:

http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-a...jailbird/full/


Amazing amount of self promotion, even in the interview:

"He was there investigating? He should have gotten out of there and said, “I’m sorry, sir, good luck. Loved your PBS series—check with you later!”

[Viva Las Espuelas]

"my daddy the jailbird"

[DarrinS]

[Gino]

Obama shot himself in the foot on this one.

The whitehouse is desperately hoping this will go away. Or they might have Obama make another "race" speech. However, just like with the Rev. Wright fiasco, it wont go away until he publicly denounces Gates, admits that he made a mistake when he said the cops acted stupidly and asks to move on.

[Viva Las Espuelas]

oh damn. that's Crabman. chris rock rocks. i wished he'd do his show again. i don't want to hijack the thread, but i prefer rock over chapelle.

[DarrinS]

oh damn. that's Crabman. chris rock rocks. i wished he'd do his show again. i don't want to hijack the thread, but i prefer rock over chapelle.

I like them both, but I think Rock curses a little too much for my taste.

[resistanze]

i'm trying to figure out where you're coming from with this statement. are you saying there are sympathetic racists? would a grand dragon of the kkk administer cpr on reggie?

Certainly, there are sympathetic racists. You're mistaken if you think being in the KKK is a requirement for being a racist.

Maybe I need to make an extreme example to illustrate this point. People used to own slaves, and a lot of them didn't hate them. They allowed them to cook their meals, raise the slavemaster's children, and have place to sleep. Some people even loved their slaves. Were they racist?

Racism is not the phobia of touching minorities.

[Viva Las Espuelas]

Certainly, there are sympathetic racists. You're mistaken if you think being in the KKK is a requirement for being a racist.

Maybe I need to make an extreme example to illustrate this point. People used to own slaves, and a lot of them didn't hate them. They allowed them to cook their meals, raise the slavemaster's children, and have place to sleep. Some people even loved their slaves. Were they racist?

Racism is not the phobia of touching minorities.

rac⋅ism

  /ˈreɪsɪzəm/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [rey-siz-uhm]
–noun
1. a belief or doctrine that inherent differences among the various human races determine cultural or individual achievement, usually involving the idea that one's own race is superior and has the right to rule others.
2. a policy, system of government, etc., based upon or fostering such a doctrine; discrimination.
3. hatred or intolerance of another race or other races.


rac⋅ism

  /ˈreɪsɪzəm/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [rey-siz-uhm]
–noun
1. a belief or doctrine that inherent differences among the various human races determine cultural or individual achievement, usually involving the idea that one's own race is superior and has the right to rule others.
2. a policy, system of government, etc., based upon or fostering such a doctrine; discrimination.
3. hatred or intolerance of another race or other races.

sorry, i think maybe you have a different definition of racist/racism. to each their own. to your slavemaster question....why did they only buy blacks?..................... and my answer is, yes. read the definition(s)

[ChumpDumper]

Nice contribution.

What's your point?

That you guys think he is an uppity negro that needs to be put in his place.

[DarrinS]

That you guys think he is an uppity negro that needs to be put in his place.

I think police need to start wearing video cameras on their uniforms for the same reason the use dashboard cams.

[ChumpDumper]

I think police need to start wearing video cameras on their uniforms for the same reason the use dashboard cams.

I think the police should have apologized and left the guy alone once they found out they were completely and utterly wrong.

[DarrinS]

I think the police should have apologized and left the guy alone once they found out they were completely and utterly wrong.

From what I understand, the OFFICERS were trying to leave, when professor fruitcake escalated the situation.

[DarrinS]

Or, perhaps we should hold judgement until we hear all of the audio that is pending release.

[Wild Cobra]

Or, perhaps we should hold judgement until we hear all of the audio that is pending release.

I wonder if he sounds like Reverend Wright?

[ChumpDumper]

From what I understand, the OFFICERS were trying to leave, when professor fruitcake escalated the situation.

Did he physically stop them from leaving?

All of them?

Were they in mortal danger?

Why couldn't they just leave?

Their mere continued presence escalated the situation.

[BacktoBasics]

Regardless of the tension or any amount of ranting and raving inside or outside of this mans house the officer should have simply left after seeing his ID. He chose to exercise his power by arresting him for being loud. That was the arrestable offense. Being loud. Had the officer left the scene the man would have had no reason to continue on with his behavior. He should have defused the situation by removing himself. The arrest looks pretty spiteful to me. He did it to show the guy that he had power over him because he didn't like being called a racist a-hole.

There was nothing to gain by arresting that guy regardless of his behavior. The situation would have been done and over with had he just left. If the guy continued to "disturb the peace" then he could have returned with a lot more purpose and motive.

I don't usually side with the loud black man but in no way did that cop do the right thing.

[Gino]

I think the police should have apologized and left the guy alone once they found out they were completely and utterly wrong.

How were they completely and "utterly" wrong? He was called in to investigate a break in. Whether or not one was occuring or not, in no way was he wrong to question Gates as to if he was the owner of the home.

Never fails that Chumpy will defend the left NO MATTER WHAT. I would just give up on this one, Chumpy. You have no moral high ground or leg to stand on. The Gates fool acted like an asshole. Whats worse is that he continues to act like an asshole.