Dr. Henry Louis Gates Arrested

[SydneyK]

Here's the thing:

If a neighbor didn't recognize me as the owner of my home, and said neighbor saw me force my way into my home, I wouldn't give the cops grief when they responded to the call. I think I might even be grateful that they came to check out the situation.

[AGDee]

Originally Posted by SydneyK

Here's the thing:

If a neighbor didn't recognize me as the owner of my home, and said neighbor saw me force my way into my home, I wouldn't give the cops grief when they responded to the call. I think I might even be grateful that they came to check out the situation.

Ditto.

[UGAalum94]

Originally Posted by SydneyK

Here's the thing:

If a neighbor didn't recognize me as the owner of my home, and said neighbor saw me force my way into my home, I wouldn't give the cops grief when they responded to the call. I think I might even be grateful that they came to check out the situation.

I think I'd react the same way and I'd ask the officer what information he needed to resolved the situation, like a photo ID with my address or whatever.

But if I were a member of a group who got hassled by the cops a lot, and I was just entering my own home, I'm sure I'd probably be really angry and maybe react differently.

I think Gates overreacted if we're trying to use some objective standard for the policeman responding to the complaint, but I think that the officer made a pretty grave error arresting Gates. It doesn't seem to me that overreacting, being angry, and attempting to professionally threaten a guy reacting to call are actually crimes, and the officer should have tried really hard not to compound the situation. The police escalated the situation and it's hard not to see that alone as a pretty serious error, even if the policeman responding isn't guilty of the racist conduct that Gates assumed he was. I also think the the cop getting Gates to go outside was pretty cheap because it just set Gates up to be arrested for doing something publicly that wasn't actionable inside the house.

I think we're seeing a clash of egos more than we're seeing a great example of racist police behavior.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by SydneyK

Here's the thing:

If a neighbor didn't recognize me as the owner of my home, and said neighbor saw me force my way into my home, I wouldn't give the cops grief when they responded to the call. I think I might even be grateful that they came to check out the situation.

Yep.

Along those lines, almost everyone has had to "break into" their own home or find the hidden key. If you can do that, so can a burglarer. I would not be offended if a neighbor saw that happening, didn't know who was doing it (i.e. we didn't wave at each other like we normally do) and instead of walking up to me to inquire, called the police.

Some may be more startled seeing a Black person doing that in a white neighborhood (or a white person doing that in a Black neighborhood), but I think the main point is the same.

[als463]

Originally Posted by SydneyK

Here's the thing:

If a neighbor didn't recognize me as the owner of my home, and said neighbor saw me force my way into my home, I wouldn't give the cops grief when they responded to the call. I think I might even be grateful that they came to check out the situation.

I totally agree with this statement! I don't understand what the fuss is about. If people thought I was breaking into my apartment and the police officer wanted me to come out and talk to him, I would come out or invite him into my apartment/ home. I'm sure if he would have come out of his home, properly, and showed his ID (especially a Harvard ID), the cop would have probably not made an issue of it. It had nothing to do with his race, in my mind. It had to do with the fact he was acting like a lunatic when the police showed up. Sometimes I think the race card gets pulled more than it should. Before anyone thinks I'm some kind of racist...I'm actually a minority, too.

[deepimpact2]

Originally Posted by als463

I totally agree with this statement! I don't understand what the fuss is about. If people thought I was breaking into my apartment and the police officer wanted me to come out and talk to him, I would come out or invite him into my apartment/ home. I'm sure if he would have come out of his home, properly, and showed his ID (especially a Harvard ID), the cop would have probably not made an issue of it. It had nothing to do with his race, in my mind. It had to do with the fact he was acting like a lunatic when the police showed up. Sometimes I think the race card gets pulled more than it should. Before anyone thinks I'm some kind of racist...I'm actually a minority, too.

If you don't understand what the fuss was about, perhaps you should go back and read up on the situation again. The biggest problem is that the cop arrested Gates on a charge that could not be supported. Gates did not break the law. The cop demonstrated a willingness to abuse his power. If you can't see the problem with that, then there is something wrong. I personally don't want cops to be able to arrest people whenever they desire without there being some basis in law. Otherwise cops could just do anything they want.

Second, the cop refused to give his own identifying information to Gates upon request. That is not an option. A cop is REQUIRED to provide that information when a citizen asks for it.

Furthermore, the point that you and many others seem to be ignoring or overlooking is that Gates showed the cop TWO forms of identification. He showed his driver's license. He also showed his Harvard identification card because the cops questioned his assertion that he was a Harvard professor. From what I understand after doing more research, the cop did not have legal grounds to enter the home in the manner in which he did. That too presents a problem. Contrary to popular belief, cops don't have the right to just barge into your home whenever they so desire. (Thank goodness for that because they would probably abuse that too)

While I don't believe that every situation involving blacks and law enforcement involves racism, I believe that there were issues in this case. I hate when people just automatically try to bend over backwards to say that the race card is being played too much instead of just looking at each situation. And I also hate it when minorities allow non-minorities to make them feel as though they are being too sensitive if they feel that racism is involved in a situation. Racism is alive and well, but they certainly aren't going to admit to participating in and perpetuating it.

One has to wonder WHY this cop continued to think the worse after arriving on the scene, meeting Gates, and seeing his id. One has to wonder WHY the cop didn't believe Gates was a Harvard professor.

[SydneyK]

Originally Posted by deepimpact2

And I also hate it when minorities allow non-minorities to make them feel as though they are being too sensitive if they feel that racism is involved in a situation.

No one can make someone feel something they don't, regardless of whether they're a minority or non-minority. But I can see how you'd want to lay blame on non-minorities, since that's your typical MO.

[DrPhil]

And the redundant beating of a dead horse goes to...deepimpact2.

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by SydneyK

/typical

We have come full circle now.