I don't think the Gates incident was a racial thing

[Inchworm]

So much as it was a thing where a police officer wasn't getting his way.

Dr. Gates didn't submit and respond to specifics in a way the officer requested. The officer did what he felt he had to to show his teeth. The way that works usually is that the officer's word is truth when it is presented in a court.

Dr Gates called him on it and The President called the officer stupid for acting like that.

How is this a continuing controversy? It is common every day crap people do when police think they know what happened without listening.

Umm.. Don't taze me brah.

:rant:

(I'm just surprised at how much spin a few sentences from the Prez can get)

[European Socialist]

1. I agree. Black or white you don't get nasty with a cop, or you...

end up down at the station. Police are one of the few occupations that work with the public that can get even.

[pansypoo53219]

2. more like the cop is Cartman.

respect mah authoatay!

[Inchworm]

3. Exactly

Not saying that this is the case here, but that "getting even" thing probably is the most often abused power officers wield.

[Captain Hilts]

9. I learned that dealing with the Va. Beach police dept. You don't talk back or engage in dialog.

No matter what.

[Raineyb]

14. So instead of correcting the situation you think the solution is to bow and scrape

and generally cow tow to cops?

What a load of cowardly bullshit.

[mkultra]

4. That or Tin Cop syndrome.

[uponit7771]

5. You have the story wrong, please read the OFFICERS OWN REPORT!!

This is Crowleys report said in HIS WORDS.

http://www.thebostonchannel.com/download/2009/0720/20120754.pdf

From the arresting officers report I don't see why Gates had to be arrested and the officers report confirms , it seem unnecessary after the ID was shown and that Gates was pissed not knowing who the officer was or why he was there.

Crowley said that Gates "seemed to ignore me" after Crowley explained why he was there...

Crowley said that Gates "appeared" to be the residence BEFORE asking for ID.

[Inchworm]

7. That is more of the same

From my experience.

Those narratives are one person's version of what happened. If the officer had it in his head to arrest Gates for anything, the story he'd tell would lean his way. If it ever gets in a court (or in the media for that matter) the officer's word appears to be gospel.

[Bluerthanblue]

10. why did Crowley ask the campus police to come after he'd seen

Gate's picture ID confirming he was a Prof. and was who he said he was? Was that SOP? Was it done to intimidate or embarrass Gates? Seems pretty redundant to me, and pretty arrogant. Then Crowley uses the presence of the campus police against Gates when he claims that a crowd had assembled and were witnessing Gates being tumultous...???

This case is not a shining example of good police work. And it doesn't do anything positive for the relationship between the Police and the community...


:(

[timeforpeace]

6. I agree. It may be a class thing, but the officer seems anything but a racist.

[Rebubula]

12. Shhhhh....

...that kind of even minded thinking is NOT welcome here.

Repeat after me...all cops are racist, fascist pigs...

[Dreamer Tatum]

8. I think this is correct nt

[CakeGrrl]

11. The President certainly did NOT imply that race was a factor

I've pointed out on a couple of other threads that he very carefully made a "separate and apart from" break in his statement on Gates before he commented on racial profiling.

That the cops are making statements defending their behavior is a case of overplaying their hand. There could be more to it than they want to admit.

[Leo The Cleo]

13. Incorrect

I've been pulled over for DWB on quite a few occasions. Not one time had I broken a law. This is evidenced by why they let me go and I have nothing on my driver's license. However, I was hipped to the fact that they pulled me over to see my license and to see if I had any offenses. So, to say race has nothing to do with it is a bit short sighted. I am quite sure a white college professor would not have received the same treatment,

[Inchworm]

15. If the white college professor was contrary to the officer...

In a manner that rubbed the officer wrong, he/she would have been just as arrested.

That is kind of my point to posting my rant.

A li'l background story...

I'm white and was physically carried to the jail once when I refused to let police in my home on principle. Oh, and.. I was fairly buzzed. The police (all 7 of them) gathered on my porch, subdued me, and hauled me off.

When they approached I told them noone was here and to go away. They failed to inform me that someone called 911 from inside my house. If I'd have known that small detail it would have been ok'd by me to enter because that seems like a law. Noone is allowed in my house unless I want them to be or if I'm breaking the law.

The crap they said in court was a "narrative" of the events made up by the officer who charged me with communicating threats and some crap assault thing. (I smacked a bottle off my porch banister and it made a perfect golf bounce into his car)

I called the guy a liar in court, did my time, and let it go. Naturally there is much more to this story, but it is my narrative.