Cambridge is like the UN. I grew up in the next town over. As a teenager,

[Raven]

the place to hang out was in front of the T Station in the middle of Harvard Square. Decades later, it is still a magnet for all kinds of people. If you get on the T in Harvard Square, chances are, if you are a white anglo saxon, you will be in a distinct minority. This city attracts and is the home to people of all races and ethnic backgrounds. It is a fabulous melting pot. So, having said that, I am at a loss to figure out how a police officer serving the people of Cambridge could become so unhinged by Professor Gates. This is a City that prides itself on its diversity and I suspect that the Cambridge City Council and the residents of Cambridge are going to let the CPD know that they are not happy. This is probably why the CPD has gone on the offensive...the best defense is a good offense, the saying goes.

[AspenRose]

1. I hope you're right.

(About the city council and residents.)

[BlooInBloo]

2. Always good for everybody to see whose side the cops are on....

EDIT: Even in the most diverse communities.

[Captain Hilts]

3. How many folks of all races and ethnic backgrounds own property in Gates' neighborhood?

No, the cop had no reason for the arrest.

[Raven]

4. I would say that there are many people of different races and ethnic backgrounds

in his neighborhood. The point I was trying to make, probably badly, is that a cop working in Cambridge should be an expert in dealing with situations like this. No excuse for this cop's behavior at all.

[Captain Hilts]

5. Yes, that's why I think class has a lot to do with it. Town vs. Gown, as it were. nt

[Raven]

13. Good point. There always has been tension there. I wonder if this

incident has been completely misread and it is more about the local boy/cop and the snooty Harvard Professor. Harvard Real Estate is an affiliate of the University and only rents to Harvard folks. The University owns an enormous amount of residential property in Cambridge which bugs the locals. I know this because I used to represent Harvard on its real estate matters in my prior life. You may have really hit on something that we've all missed...class and culture rather than race.

[Captain Hilts]

16. I've seen this kind of thing in less snooty places, like Norfolk near Old Dominion U. It certainly

happens around the University of Toronto.

[hfojvt]

6. you think the officer was unhinged?

Crowley should have been arrested for disorderly conduct?

I don't understand how a Professor becomes unhinged at a simple request for ID. If that's what happened, but nobody disagrees that Gates was disorderly do they? Only that he had a right to be disorderly on his own front porch especially after a racist pig demanded to see ID.

[EFerrari]

7. When the police respond to a call like this, they take charge.

They are the pack leader. It was on Crowley to get a good outcome and he screwed up.

[Raven]

9. Exactly! And it appears that Crowley had an audience so maybe

his pride was hurt. What I can't get over is that Gates is a little old guy with a cane...

[EFerrari]

11. He is little, 5'7" and about 150. And he was sick and jet lagged to boot. n/t

[Captain Hilts]

12. Yes. He showed none of the poise and perspective a veteran officer is supposed to have. nt

[hfojvt]

14. you cannot always get a good outcome even when you are in charge

Now you sound like you wanted him to be more authoritative?

But I don't disagree that the arrest should not have been made. I just don't see Gates as being as pure as the driven snow.

[EFerrari]

19. Well, you don't have to be authoritarian to take the lead.

I'm of the opinion that Dr. Gates was jet lagged and not at his best. But for this incident to wind up as an arrest is over the top.

[HughMoran]

20. It doesn't matter if Gates was "pure as the driven snow". It was HIS HOUSE that was invaded by the

police. I can't blame him after his long trip and issue with the front door for being pissed that the cop was clearly harassing him. If the cop wasn't stirring up shit, then why did he end up arresting him?

[HughMoran]

17. How does "GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY HOUSE!" sound?

If a cop comes into my house and starts harassing me, I hope I can say the same without getting arrested, don't you?

[hfojvt]

23. What was the alleged harrassment again?

I have already posted on this issue that America is not America if you cannot tell the cops to get the fock out of my house.

So really we have a fair amount of agreement on this issue. I am not trying to defend the arrest, but neither am I trying to defend Gates.

When my older sister made like she was gonna bite my hand, I popped her in the nose. I shouldn't have done that, but at the same time it never would have happened if she hadn't tried to bite me. Strange concept, that there's fault on both sides.

Gates kept going after the cop left his house, didn't he? And he kept going after he was told to calm down. He was bound and determined to have that racist pig's carcass served at his next barbeque for having the nerve to demand that a black man show his ID. Everybody knows white people never have to show ID. Not when they're Harvard Professors by gum.

[HughMoran]

24. Why don't DUers seem to believe Gates' statement?

Why do you choose not to believe this?

Statement on Behalf of Henry Louis Gates, Jr. -- by Charles Ogletree

This brief statement is being submitted on behalf of my client, friend, and colleague, Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr. This is a statement concerning the arrest of Professor Gates. On July 16, 2009, Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr., 58, the Alphonse Fletcher University Professor of Harvard University, was headed from Logan airport to his home Cambridge after spending a week in China, where he was filming his new PBS documentary entitled “Faces of America.” Professor Gates was driven to his home by a driver for a local car company. Professor Gates attempted to enter his front door, but the door was damaged. Professor Gates then entered his rear door with his key, turned off his alarm, and again attempted to open the front door. With the help of his driver they were able to force the front door open, and then the driver carried Professor Gates’ luggage into his home.

Professor Gates immediately called the Harvard Real Estate office to report the damage to his door and requested that it be repaired immediately. As he was talking to the Harvard Real Estate office on his portable phone in his house, he observed a uniformed officer on his front porch. When Professor Gates opened the door, the officer immediately asked him to step outside. Professor Gates remained inside his home and asked the officer why he was there. The officer indicated that he was responding to a 911 call about a breaking and entering in progress at this address. Professor Gates informed the officer that he lived there and was a faculty member at Harvard University. The officer then asked Professor Gates whether he could prove that he lived there and taught at Harvard. Professor Gates said that he could, and turned to walk into his kitchen, where he had left his wallet. The officer followed him. Professor Gates handed both his Harvard University identification and his valid Massachusetts driver’s license to the officer. Both include Professor Gates’ photograph, and the license includes his address.

Professor Gates then asked the police officer if he would give him his name and his badge number. He made this request several times. The officer did not produce any identification nor did he respond to Professor Gates’ request for this information. After an additional request by Professor Gates for the officer’s name and badge number, the officer then turned and left the kitchen of Professor Gates’ home without ever acknowledging who he was or if there were charges against Professor Gates. As Professor Gates followed the officer to his own front door, he was astonished to see several police officers gathered on his front porch. Professor Gates asked the officer’s colleagues for his name and badge number. As Professor Gates stepped onto his front porch, the officer who had been inside and who had examined his identification, said to him, “Thank you for accommodating my earlier request,” and then placed Professor Gates under arrest. He was handcuffed on his own front porch.

Professor Gates was taken to the Cambridge Police Station where he remained for approximately 4 hours before being released that evening. Professor Gates’ counsel has been cooperating with the Middlesex District Attorneys Office, and the City of Cambridge, and is hopeful that this matter will be resolved promptly. Professor Gates will not be making any other statements concerning this matter at this time.

[hfojvt]

25. because it is pretty clearly self justifying

It never mentions the accusation of racism. It never says that Gates was upset or what he was upset about. It is a report written to make Gates sound as pure as the driven snow. I don't buy it.

Starting in the 3rd paragraph Gates asks for a badge number. Why? It never says in Gates' report and the lack of that detail makes me highly doubt its veracity. There is some conflict or argument that was simply whitewashed in that report. Gates was gonna report the officer. Why? For asking for ID? For walking into his house?

Those omissions or inconsistencies make me highly doubt that report.

[HughMoran]

26. It doesn't matter if Gates was as pure as driven snow!

WTF is the matter with you? I don't think we have to justify why we don't want our homes invaded AFTER we prove that NOTHING untoward was going on!!!

So you simply choose to believe the cop over the citizen who was in his own home BOTHERING NOBODY!!

You've just pissed me off beyond acceptable limits - I can't even talk to a person you thinks like you.

I'm putting you on ignore. Sorry.

[hfojvt]

27. the truth. You can't handle the truth!

Gates home was not invaded. The ctizen reportedly acted like a major jerk to a guy who was trying to protect Gates house from burglary. I didn't choose to believe the cop over Gates, but the inconsistencies and ommissions of his story were obvious to me. I don't know how I can make you see them.

[C_U_L8R]

8. There's a big gap between working class Cambridge

and Brattle Street Cantabrigians

[Raven]

10. Agreed, but that's just my point. Cambridge has got to be one of the

most diverse cities in the country...economic, racial, ethnic backgrounds.

[AllieB]

21. It is but there are still some less than stellar attitudes on the part of the Cambridge townies.

They're being pushed out by gentrification on one side and immigrants on the other. Most of the cops are Cambridge townies and still have that bully attitude. I grew up dealing with them. Yes, Cambridge is diverse and tolerant for the most part. The class divide and town/gown divide still causes a lot of issues.

[graywarrior]

15. Cambridge do not represent the essence of Cambridge

You'd think with all the diversity around them they'd be more tolerant, but they are not.

[marmar]

18. I like Cambridge more than I like Boston, and I'm a black man.....That said....

even diverse, tolerant communities are subject to fearful, prejudicial residents and rogue cops (many of whom don't even live in the community)

[mahina]

22. We lived in Cambridge for about five years. I remember marching in the street when a black kid was

killed in jail. They said they didn't know how he died. He was picked up for some minor thing, healthy as you or I. When they checked his cell later, he was dead. No reason why.

I remember race riots. I remember big fights at the high school. (Back then it was Cambridge High adn Latin, before it merged with Rindge tech). I remember black and white kids getting beat up all the time. I remember being astonished as I saw my friends little brothers and sisters learning racism from their older siblings.

Coming from Hawaii, I tried to tell my friends they were nuts to be against other people for their race. They all thought I was crazy.

People weren't just white. They were Italian, or Polish, or Irish. This was in the 70's, so hopefully things improved, but I kind of doubt it. A few of the kids I knew then are cops now, and they were racist SOBs then.