Comments on: Racist Cops In Cambridge?

By: TwoDoorRose

TwoDoorRose — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 04:45:50 +0000

Professor Gates saw his chance to become a martyr for racism. Why else did he continue to harangue the officer, going so far as to follow him outside all the while insulting and threatening him? He got what he wanted, an arrest. Although I don’t think it turned out quite the way he planned. First, it was revealed that the 911 caller did not mention race until the operator asked her for a description of the men. She stated that she couldn’t tell the race of one man, and the other “might be hispanic” but she wasn’t sure. Second, the caller told the operator that she wasn’t sure that the men didn’t live there and were having trouble getting into their house. She never claimed that she saw it as a break-in. She left that to the police to sort out. No racism at all. I think if Gates’s neighbors ever see his home being broken into in the future, they should mind their own business and avoid the slanderous accusations of being referred to as racists.

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 18:19:50 +0000

Refusing to come outside was enough to get the cop’s antennas up. As a matter of course, people are asked to come outside. This proves freedom of movement to the cop. Gates responded to this routine request in a combative manner. The way shit’s been going lately, he’s lucky he didn’t get tased.
Im no fan of the cops, and I think they overstep their boundaries far too often for MY comfort…but this wasn’t one of those instances.

By: Paul

Paul — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 03:51:55 +0000

Umm, actually he *did* show ID – Harvard faculty ID *and* driver’s license. And what makes you think he is “a friend of Barack Obama’s”? News to me.

And his actual crime, for which we was arrested?

“Crowley claims that Gates called him names, called him a racist, and threatened to file a complaint against him, and that as a result he arrested him.”

Hmm. Arrested for *threatening* to file a complaint. I wonder what they do to anyone who actually attempts to go ahead with it?

Crowley was arrested for being an uppity nigger. It’s that simple.

By: Reggie Greene / The Logistician

Reggie Greene / The Logistician — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 21:01:54 +0000

We have three observations about the Harvard professor incident:

1. We find it interesting that the fact that this was the professor’s home was evidently not established early on way before the dispute escalated;

2. We find it fascinating that the versions of two members of society, who most would ordinarily view as responsible and honest citizens (this obviously does not include politicians), would vary so dramatically from a factual point of view.

3. Finally, considering that the reading and viewing public were not present at the scene (and thus have no first hand knowledge), and that there is no video tape to our knowledge of the sequence of events and what was said, how so many have formed conclusions, and made assumptions, about who did what and who was wrong.

There are some things which Professor Gates might have considered upon the arrival of the police, no matter how incensed he may have been.