Dr. Henry Louis Gates Arrested

[christiangirl]

Originally Posted by DaemonSeid

Pay attention to what I and others said...he showed his HARVARD I.D. according to the article. NOT HIS DRIVERS LICENSE OR ANY PROOF OF RESIDENCE. that is more than likely what the officer wanted to see... PROOF. OF. RESIDENCE.

DS, you might wanna read the article again:

According to his lawyer, Professor Gates told the sergeant that he lived there and showed his Massachusetts driver’s license and his Harvard identification card, but Sergeant Crowley still did not seem to believe that Professor Gates lived in the home, a few blocks from Harvard Square.

Anywho, I'm glad the charges have been dropped. We'll never know if it was a race issue that made the police keep badgering him once he complied. And really, if I'd just gotten home after traveling all the way from China and had to deal with that foolishnes, I may have gotten "disorderly" as well. Who knows, maybe the police had a vendetta against Harvard professors. Or they didn't like residents of Ware Street. Fine, it may not have been racial, so I won't say it was. But I think it was and I hope the CPD learn better how to handle home visits better (when what you've been called for is resolved, LEAVE) and that people learn how to better deal when being questioned by police.

[KSig RC]

Originally Posted by christiangirl

DS, you might wanna read the article again:



Anywho, I'm glad the charges have been dropped. We'll never know if it was a race issue that made the police keep badgering him once he complied. And really, if I'd just gotten home after traveling all the way from China and had to deal with that foolishnes, I may have gotten "disorderly" as well. Who knows, maybe the police had a vendetta against Harvard professors. Or they didn't like residents of Ware Street. Fine, it may not have been racial, so I won't say it was. But I think it was and I hope the CPD learn better how to handle home visits better (when what you've been called for is resolved, LEAVE) and that people learn how to better deal when being questioned by police.

Yeah - and you might want to read the police report again, because there's a "difference of opinion" as to when and how Gates showed identification.

Seriously, we'll never know which side was in the "wrong" here - it's clear Gates was quite irate with the officer, which is generally a bad idea but doesn't automatically raise to the level of disorderly conduct. It's clear the officer was somewhat over his head, and we'll never know if his actions, mannerisms or tone served to further enrage Gates or instigate a confrontation.

Sure, the cop could have deep-seated prejudices against blacks. However, it could also be exactly what it looks like: two "alpha-male" types, both of whom are convinced the other is wrong, and both of whom likely feel the other is disrespecting them or owes them a debt of respect prima facie.

[DaemonSeid]

Originally Posted by christiangirl

DS, you might wanna read the article again:



Anywho, I'm glad the charges have been dropped. We'll never know if it was a race issue that made the police keep badgering him once he complied. And really, if I'd just gotten home after traveling all the way from China and had to deal with that foolishnes, I may have gotten "disorderly" as well. Who knows, maybe the police had a vendetta against Harvard professors. Or they didn't like residents of Ware Street. Fine, it may not have been racial, so I won't say it was. But I think it was and I hope the CPD learn better how to handle home visits better (when what you've been called for is resolved, LEAVE) and that people learn how to better deal when being questioned by police.

Yeah...I did and one article says he did...another said he didn't...thank you for pointing that out..and I think what we all came to the conclusion to is that being belligerent with cops almost guarantees a lil time in the pokey. And regardless...ID or no ID, he got arrested for being disorderly not for B and E. We will just never ever know because we weren't there, so I have to really disagree with race being a strong issue here...now if he was breaking into a certain pool in Philly, however..........