This story has been making making the rounds on the news for the last few days

Obama On Skip Gates Arrest: Police Acted "Stupidly"
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/07/22/obama-on-skip-gates-arres_n_243250.html

Now I don't know about you, but if I were locked out of my house and a friend suggested that we try forcing the door I would immediately become concerned about the appearance of breaking and entering. If I couldn't get the door open with a discreet amount of force, I would contact a locksmith or other professional, and have them work on it.

Beyond that, let me say that Gates was not arrested because is Black, he was arrested for behaving in a disorderly manner in the presence of a police officer. My father, who is also a Professor (and white) was arrested for exactly the same idiotic behavior. He has no street smarts, and doesn't understand that if you behave aggressively with an LEO, you are most likely going for a ride.

If a police officer asks me to step outside of my home, I will respond "Yes, sir." or maybe even "Am I under arrest?" If I were to respond as Gates did with "Ya, I'll see your Mama outside!" I would fully expect to get cuffed, (probably with my wrist at the wrong orientation) and driven downtown (probably getting my head bounced off the partition by an "accidental" hit of the breaks). This is what happens when you disrespect the police. Everyone knows that. Everyone except college professors and movie stars.

I can also tell you that as a native of Cambridge, MA, I am amused by Gates' assertion that he is oppressed. Of the people I was raised with, not one remains within the limits of our fair city. Everyone has been forced out. Not one family, friend, or teacher. Not one person remains. The entire population has been pushed out to make room for Gates and his fancy friends. If you speak with a local accent, good luck finding work at the university unless its emptying trash cans. Colleagues of mine who are also locals disguise their speech, and hide their accents so they are not discriminated against, as do I. If I wear my Scally cap to work I am stopped by security. If I don't, I am not.

Gates is a pampered **** who is living a privileged existence a city I can never hope to return to, and he is simply not used to local people (ie: cops) telling him what to do. No wonder Gates became enraged: we are supposed to be cutting his lawn and emptying his trash, not demanding to see his ID(!) Who does that upitty Mick think he is, messing with an academic of Gates' stature?!

Dr. Gates: Get off your high horse and submit to the authority of law enforcement like everyone else, and stop using your color as an excuse not to see things as they really are. If you can't behave yourself in my city, I respectfully suggest you get the **** out.

P.S. Involving the president was overkill, dont'cha think? Fag.

Here is the official police report:
http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2009/0723092gates1.html

We do have a current events/politics forum on sociocide.

Although I don't suggest you make this post there.

Keep in mind that quotes such as "Ya, I'll see your mama outside!" come from one report of the incident.

I like the nuanced commentary here:

http://roomfordebate.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/22/the-gates-case-and-racial-profiling/?hp

Yes, it was stupid for Gates to blow his stack. Yes, it was stupid for the cop to arrest the guy for yelling after having been accused of being a thief in his own home. There is plenty of nuance and blame in this incident to go around.

Keep in mind that quotes such as "Ya, I'll see your mama outside!" come from one report of the incident.
Yes, the police report. Gates has not disputed it.

What was stupid was for the "gentleman" to go outside to continue to berate the officer. The officer did exactly what one would expect for the call he was answering. Read the police report. Sadly the suspect wanted to continue his silly claim of racism and followed officer outside to do so. He was told to calm down, he didn't, and at that moment he was arrested for disorderly conduct, as he should have been.

Even more outrageous is that this was commented on by the President, during a national news event. I am not so ignorant as to believe that a single question is not vetted in advance with this Administration. I think we have WAY more important things to deal with as a nation; but as this man is a personal friend of the President, and the event fits his view of the world, it becomes bigger than it is.

But to be clear, the man is not an idiot, he is someone with an agenda, and he is pushing it through this story.

I like the nuanced commentary here:

http://roomfordebate.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/22/the-gates-case-and-racial-profiling/?hpYes, it was stupid for the cop to arrest the guy for yelling after having been accused of being a thief in his own home.
I'm sorry, but where I come from there are laws against this (screaming at a cop).

If you are not participating in political resistance ala Tehran, you have no right to challenge the police in a disorderly manner. That's the way it works. Of course Gates would probably argue that his oppression at the hands of the Cambridge police was equal to or greater than the generations of shattered dreams in post-revolution Iran, and thus his childish outburst was his own personal Tianemen Sq(!)

I'm sorry, but where I come from there are laws against this (screaming at a cop).

If you are not participating in a political resistance ala Tehran, you keep you mouth shut and do ask the officer asks. That's the way it works.

No, actually, there aren't, and it's not.

I'm pretty amazed at some of the people who are okay with the notion of criminalizing being an asshole. I for one am united in asshole solidarity with Dr Gates.

But to be clear, the man is not an idiot, he is someone with an agenda, and he is pushing it through this story.
He is an idiot for believing that some folks might get away with screaming at a cop. He is a bigot for believing he has social station that sets him above submission to law enforcement. He is an opportunist for using the event to advance his agenda.

No, actually, there aren't, and it's not.

I'm pretty amazed at some of the people who are okay with the notion of criminalizing being an asshole.

Disrespecting an officer of the law.




I for one am united in asshole solidarity with Dr Gates.


Have fun with that. Bring a condom.

I'm sorry, but where I come from there are laws against this (screaming at a cop).

If you are not participating in political resistance ala Tehran, you have no right to challenge the police in a disorderly manner.

In all seriousness, those laws are fucked. Police are big boys, they should be able to take the **** normal people take.

I think the problem here is that you are advocating submitting to police while I am advocating submitting to lawful police requests. These are not the same. Did you read the NYT article? Or does this fall outside the realm of topics that you allow yourself to take in new information on?

PS. Even when it's political resistance it's illegal.

Disrespecting an officer of the law.

Is not a crime here. I don't know about Massachusets, but even if such a law does exists there it's not what he was charged with.

I'm pretty sure you are mistaking the common sense, "don't **** with cops because they are better able to **** with you back" rule with the actual law.

Is not a crime here. I don't know about Massachusets, but even if such a law does exists there it's not what he was charged with.

Charges were dropped anyway. Won't stop the cops from doing the same thing to other people, particularly those who can't defend themselves with lawyers, erudition, and the media, but the cop's supervisor decided to do the right thing (probably cursing the whole time).

Is not a crime here. I don't know about Massachusets, but even if such a law does exists there it's not what he was charged with.

I'm pretty sure you are mistaking the common sense, "don't **** with cops because they are better able to **** with you back" rule with the actual law.

The man was arrested AFTER he displayed identification and asked for the officers badge number. WharWheel, you do know that cops routinely arrest people over bullshit and charge them with disorderly conduct or resisting arrest...just to cover their sorry asses dont you? Oh that's right.....your in Mass. A place known for it's racial tolerance.....or not.

The man was arrested AFTER he displayed identification and asked for the officers badge number. WharWheel, you do know that cops routinely arrest people over bullshit and charge them with disorderly conduct or resisting arrest...just to cover their sorry asses dont you? Oh that's right.....your in Mass. A place known for it's racial tolerance.....or not.

Coulda been worse.

He could have been a mayor in PG county, brother.

Add "loitering" to the fun list of charges that cops are allowed to use as a catch-all.

If you are in the streets and not proceeding in a direct line of locomotion towards a specific destination that you are required to locomote towards (school, work, maybe the supermarket if they're generous) you are loitering.

The fact that you don't get arrested for loitering while window-shopping is just an expression of officer's discretion.

This is what the local police told my friends and me when we were 22.