The Gates Controversy

[LuciusBeebe]

I shall sum it up for you:


Gates overreacted to perceived racism.

The cops overreacted to someone challenging their authority.

Obama was right to call the cops stupid. He would have been equally correct in calling Gates stupid.

Everyone involved was stupid. I am not sure if the neighbor was stupid. She may have poor vision.

Limbaugh is definitely stupid for calling Obama "militant" in calling the cops stupid. I am unsure if he knows what the word "militant" means.

And the media is stupid for devoting so much energy to such a stupid story.

It is unclear whether I am stupid for starting a stupid thread about it.

[HomeyG]

I shall sum it up for you:


Gates overreacted to perceived racism.

The cops overreacted to someone challenging their authority.

Obama was right to call the cops stupid. He would have been equally correct in calling Gates stupid.

Everyone involved was stupid. I am not sure if the neighbor was stupid. She may have poor vision.

Limbaugh is definitely stupid for calling Obama "militant" in calling the cops stupid. I am unsure if he knows what the word "militant" means.

And the media is stupid for devoting so much energy to such a stupid story.

It is unclear whether I am stupid for starting a stupid thread about it.

And I'm stupid for reading your post, and I'm doubly stupid for posting that I read your post. Stupidlty must be contagious. The latest news coverage is what kind of beer is Obama going to serve. Now isn't that stupid.

[michael medeski]

here is a copy of the police report and it sounds like he was not being very cooperative. if i would have talked to the police like that i am sure they would have arrested me. no matter what race, if you start yelling at the cops it tends to get them upset............ at least that is what i have heard. i think he waaaay overreacted. the cop was going to leave if that idiot would have just kept his "sharptonish" mouth shut. he even told the cop "i'll speak with your mama outside". it seems like he was trying to see how far he could push the cop.

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive...092gates1.html

[Graygleam]

And I'm stupid for reading your post, and I'm doubly stupid for posting that I read your post. Stupidlty must be contagious.

Stupidity is contagious. I am now triply stupid because I am posting that I read your post, Homey, in which you posted about reading Lucius' post.

[HoosierHelen]

Stop beating yourselves up! Every darn one of us is human and imperfect. Perfection is something all of us aim for and none of us has yet attained.

In my opinion the professor over reacted, the policeman over reacted, and our President should have measured his words better. The fact that all three are willing to sip a brew and discuss where they went wrong is PROGRESS. That would never have happened 50 yrs ago.

Let us toast to the progress and supress the threads of racism that has again surfaced. We all know racism is not good for us as individuals or as a nation. Let's pour water on those fires and put them out!

[Graygleam]

What Helen said !!

[LuciusBeebe]

here is a copy of the police report and it sounds like he was not being very cooperative. if i would have talked to the police like that i am sure they would have arrested me. no matter what race, if you start yelling at the cops it tends to get them upset............ at least that is what i have heard. i think he waaaay overreacted. the cop was going to leave if that idiot would have just kept his "sharptonish" mouth shut. he even told the cop "i'll speak with your mama outside". it seems like he was trying to see how far he could push the cop.

Whatever happened to "sticks and stones"?

Yeah, he was dumb to yell at the cops. But after it was clear that he was in his own house, they should have just left. But, being cops, they couldn't.

The facts are that the man was arrested for being a jerk in his own house. That's ridiculous, to me. People should not be jerks, but its not against the law. Especially in their own house.

[Copycatted]

I shall sum it up for you:


Gates overreacted to perceived racism.

The cops overreacted to someone challenging their authority.

Obama was right to call the cops stupid. He would have been equally correct in calling Gates stupid.

Everyone involved was stupid. I am not sure if the neighbor was stupid. She may have poor vision.

Limbaugh is definitely stupid for calling Obama "militant" in calling the cops stupid. I am unsure if he knows what the word "militant" means.

And the media is stupid for devoting so much energy to such a stupid story.

It is unclear whether I am stupid for starting a stupid thread about it.

I'd not want to edit all my posts in here,let alone threads started-BORing...Forest Gump had it right,stupid is stupid does-all hail Forest Gump

[denali]

I think that this is out of hand. I am also uncomfortable that our President invited them all to have a "beer". Why is this Presidential and why is "beer" the beverage of choice?

[Copycatted]

I think that this is out of hand. I am also uncomfortable that our President invited them all to have a "beer". Why is this Presidential and why is "beer" the beverage of choice?

Morning denali-Media is making a day of that one,huh? Maye he should of said because I am President and I have the Staff to do it come on over and we'll all sit down to the beveage of our choice. Scuttle-butt was though such glasses had the appearance,GW's contents was NA.

[JohnBoy44]

I think that this is out of hand. I am also uncomfortable that our President invited them all to have a "beer". Why is this Presidential and why is "beer" the beverage of choice?

sitting down over a beer is a figure of speech. The person could drink an O'douls if they were averse to alcohol.

[michael medeski]

Whatever happened to "sticks and stones"?

Yeah, he was dumb to yell at the cops. But after it was clear that he was in his own house, they should have just left. But, being cops, they couldn't.

The facts are that the man was arrested for being a jerk in his own house. That's ridiculous, to me. People should not be jerks, but its not against the law. Especially in their own house.

i agree. it's too bad all police don't see it that way. most have a chip on their shoulder. my significant other got pulled over a while back for not wearing a seat belt. it was the middle of the day. she was not speeding or driving recklessly. the cop was a jerk and yelled at her for not having her seat belt on. then after he ran her license and wrote the ticket, he saw it was her birthday. his attitude changed from jerk to i'm sorry i already typed/called it in and being real nice. if she would have talked back he would have found any excuse to write more tickets, search the car, breathalyze, call for back-up, or lock her up for disorderly conduct. it should not have to be your b-day for a police officer to treat you with some respect. it seems like they are easily annoyed. can't they just do their job and shut-up? NO! that is not how cops are. it's a fact that they don't like to be yelled at, and if you do, it just makes things worse for yourself.

bottom line........black or white gates should of kept his mouth shut and things would have been fine, but he chose to argue with the cops, act like a jerk, and get arrested.

[pixiegirl]

Since when did local matters become hot presidential topics?
The Pres should have not even commented on it at all !

[JohnBoy44]

http://www.theroot.com/views/lawyers...louis-gates-jr

UPDATE: The disorderly conduct charges against Henry Louis Gates Jr. were dropped on Tuesday.



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 [in] 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.

[michael medeski]

http://www.theroot.com/views/lawyers...louis-gates-jr

UPDATE: The disorderly conduct charges against Henry Louis Gates Jr. were dropped on Tuesday.



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 [in] 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.

wow! it's amazing how his statement differs from the police report. i would like to read all the reports from every officer on the scene. poor gates, i'm sure he did not act like a jerk at all.

[blue adept]

I shall sum it up for you:


Gates overreacted to perceived racism.

The cops overreacted to someone challenging their authority.

Obama was right to call the cops stupid. He would have been equally correct in calling Gates stupid.

Everyone involved was stupid. I am not sure if the neighbor was stupid. She may have poor vision.

Limbaugh is definitely stupid for calling Obama "militant" in calling the cops stupid. I am unsure if he knows what the word "militant" means.

And the media is stupid for devoting so much energy to such a stupid story.

It is unclear whether I am stupid for starting a stupid thread about it.

I agree with you, LB.

[blue adept]

here is a copy of the police report and it sounds like he was not being very cooperative. if i would have talked to the police like that i am sure they would have arrested me. no matter what race, if you start yelling at the cops it tends to get them upset............ at least that is what i have heard. i think he waaaay overreacted. the cop was going to leave if that idiot would have just kept his "sharptonish" mouth shut. he even told the cop "i'll speak with your mama outside". it seems like he was trying to see how far he could push the cop.

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive...092gates1.html

Ya know, I don't care what he said to the police. The minute the police found out it was his house they should have left. The bottom line is, you can not be disorderly in your own home with people that don't live there.

[JohnBoy44]

wow! it's amazing how his statement differs from the police report. i would like to read all the reports from every officer on the scene. poor gates, i'm sure he did not act like a jerk at all.

the police report is the final arbiter of truth and neutrality. to think otherwise would be naive. There aren't two sides to a story, just the police report.

[michael medeski]

Ya know, I don't care what he said to the police. The minute the police found out it was his house they should have left. The bottom line is, you can not be disorderly in your own home with people that don't live there.

exactly. i'm glad the president apologized said that both gates and the officer overreacted. i guess i would feel different if it were not for gates background. i've heard some of his speeches and things he has said before this incident ever happened. it sounds like he wants to be the next sharpton or jackson. i think some of the things they say are racist towards whites and he is following in their footsteps. the white people that talk like they do are the ones that ware hoods, and i don't have any respect for them either.

[michael medeski]

the police report is the final arbiter of truth and neutrality. to think otherwise would be naive. There aren't two sides to a story, just the police report.

that's what i mean. i would like to see statements from every witness and cop involved or even a video so we could see it from both sides. compare all the statements and see if they match up.