Obama rushes to quell racial uproar he helped fire

Its not whining. Although it didnt seem to be a factor in this case, racial profiling, racism, and discrimination is REAL, and it happens everyday. Remember, people like Gates are from a different time. They grew up during a time when black people could be hung for voting, using the wrong water fountain, or even looking at somebody the wrong way. So for him to be a bit testy and quick to think somebody is targeting him because of his race is understandable. Does it make him right? No. But you can obviously understand why he might think someone is coming at him incorrectly.

Contrary to what Al and Jesse have told you, black people do not sit around and cry racism all day. Many of us just want to work hard and make a living, free from stereotypes, etc. Now, free black America is a very young culture, only about 40-45 years old. Thats only a generation or two. I'll be honest, its taking a while for people to get their act together, much longer than we would like, but progress has been made, and we're going to take it a day at a time.

and i'm sure you also realize that criminals are in the vast minority of African Americans. Even if AA committed 100% of the crimes in America, that amount wouldn't even make up 10% of the AA American population.

You don't harrass 90% of store shoppers based on 10% of shoplifters.

And you don't harass 90% of the black population based on a small percentage of crooks.

Many of us White Americans are simply fed up to here with Blacks' incessant whining about racism, racial profiling and discrimination.

And the majority of us AMERICANS are simply fed up with the misrepresentation of statistics in order to support a racist perception.

(Afro-Americans are some 12% of our population. . . but we also REALIZE Blacks commit roughly40% to 45% of domestic crime

40-45% (i'm taking you at ur word, i didn't check this) is based on the 5% of total criminals in the US. not on the 12% of the black population. Nice try making a small number seem a lot bigger than what it is.

Mr. Obama ought to just shut up. I've said it on another thread--I'll say it here again.

Barack Obama has a Barack Obama problem. He's not content with putting just one foot in his mouth--he goes for broke and puts both in. That takes talent, I'll give him that!

And if the officer is smart, he'll politely decline--no need to p-o one's co-workers by accepting an invite to the Whitehouse over a blunder that, had Mr. Obama had all of the facts, would not have occurred in the first place.

Obama rushes to quell racial uproar he helped fire

Really now. He rushed Mr/Mrs/Ms AP headline writer?

Did you see him run to the podium? Was he out of breath or something?

AP headlines the last few days have been atrocious.

Very well said, Kym. And many of us are educated with professional careers. We work hard and have raised a family whom are productive members of society. They're not robbing, gang-banging, killing, selling drugs, and having kids that they can't provide for. I have five children that do not fit this stereotypical mold.

It's time we equip our police with wearable video cameras. This whole issue would be a non-issue if we could review exactly what happened.

We have the technology.

Seeking Only Truth You are quick to condemn, but let me point out to you that THE POLICE DROPPED THE CHARGES. If they had a case against this man, no matter what color he is, that would never of happened. So yeah, they were stupid in the way they handled this situation. Nobody likes to be called stupid, so yeah, Obama could of said the same thing a little better, I'll agree, but that's about as far as all of this needs to go. End of story put it to bed.

Eric A....it finally hit me.....u b a satirist,

how sneaky.....

The charges where dropped because "someone" called the DA and demanded they be dropped

Somehow you all are missing the point. This is not about racism. It is NOW about your president stepping into a minor civil matter and then, making uninformed comments aimed at a well-respected police officer. The word 'stupid' came out of your president's mouth. Totally unacceptable. He has belittled and angered the people that risk their lives everyday to protect both your person, and his.

A serious and damning flaw in Obama has been revealed. The very flaw that most Americans are now sorrowly aware of. He may well be unfit for the job to which he was elected (or not, by some estimations).

Remember that this man holds the highest office in your land. He has his one hand on the nuclear button, and his other hand in your pockets.

Aside from all other considerations....the sound of the President of the United States uttering such a pedestrian small-minded critique makes him sound like Sarkozy...or even less than a Sarkozy.{as at least Sakozy has had his statesman-lite moments)

"This is not about racism"

It's been about racism since the president won the election. It did not matter what he said, someone was going to find a problem with it. By the way........he used the word "stupidly" not stupid. If you are going to repeat something repeat it RIGHT!

Henry Louis Gates' favorite song.

Hopefully he learns to stick closer to the issues from this controversey.

A better response to the police issue might have been, "Well, Sgt Crowley and Gates are both already covered by the Massuchets State Health plan, so their health coverage won't change..."

Kym in DC, Don't feel that all whites are against the blacks, as I don't think all the blacks are againse the white. There are slugs on both sides.

But I will say that there has been a disservice done to the black community by the Jesse Jacksons, the AL Sharptons, and the Jeremiah Wrights of the world by stirring up this BLT (Black Liberation Theology) and some of the victimhood stuff. They keep stirring the pot everytime something happens like this, except this time Obama stepped in it BIG TIME and stirred the pot. It was not smart of him and he should have issued a no comment, the more he talks the worse he makes it, but this is what he believes and what he has been taught for however many years he was sitting in Wright's church.

There are more people that applaud you for just wanting to work and make a living like everybody else in our country whatever their origin, than there are people who have the "stereotyped" version.

vol fan: That is right. Always a few bad apples in the barrel of life.

People like Jesse and Al and Rev Wright only exacerbate the issue. They get on TV and say all kinds of crazy things, and a lot of people think they speak for the black community and this is what we all believe. Not true at ALL. They dont consult anybody before making any of their claims, so when you all hear about it, thats when we hear about it.

The president should definitely have stayed away from this issue, mainly because no matter what he said people were going to have an issue. If he sided with the police officer there would be black people who think he supports discrimination, and if he sided with Mr. Gates there would be white people who thinks he's anti-white. The funny thing about that is that nobody seems to be able to weigh the issue of whether or not Gates' actions warranted arrest or if Gates was the victim of racial profiling. They are two separate factors in one case. Obama admitted that separate from this case, racial discrimination exists, but every seems to forget that part. They have all assumed he thought the officer was discriminating...

Thank you, Kym, for your comments.

I'll be honest, its taking a while for people to get their act together, much longer than we would like, but progress has been made, and we're going to take it a day at a time.

Taking a while for people to get their acts together?? HELLO!! There is now a black Prez of the USA, a black Attny General, a black long time sitting on the supreme court and black judges, mayors, attnys, actors, professors, generals (ie Colin Powell), CEO's, , doctors and whatever...so how much more "time" do they need to get their acts together?? How many more "role models" ?? I would say at this late time in the game, it is as Bill Cosby says it is NOT as those racists Al and Jessie try to force their own 'race cards' on the rest of the country in order to line their own pockets!

Obama had NO business speaking up on something he knew nothing about, no business defending a friend who was acting racist on his own side of the door apparently against the police, and Obama now wonders WHY the country is a tad upset with him?? Talk about a "joe biden" moment for Obama!

A few success stories does not mean the community as a whole has reached a good place. If that were true you would not see so many black men sitting in prisons, living in extreme poverty, or many of the other negative issues black people have to face. Like I said, progress has been made. But lets not pretend that after centuries of slavery and decades of Jim Crow that 45 years is going to be enough to see a dramatic change in the lifestyles of many black people in this country. It has been one, sometimes 2 generations. People who lived through those times had little access to education and gainful employment. Now their children are JUST becoming the first generations to graduate college. That is not "this late in the game." Its going to take time.

Kym, your ignorance of American history is appalling. I won't even start to explain, because basically you know nothing. I will say that Black America had had a couple of centuries of college graduates, not 40 years worth. Read!

Your constant defense of Gates is expected but deplorable. In the your post 1.1 you explain how it is due to his age, because he is from the old school. The guy is 58 years old - that's not old His generation was Black Panthers, etc., not sitting around letting themselves be hanged for "looking at someone the wrong way." They were setting fires in the Watts are in LA and Detroit, etc.

Rush Limbaugh and Gates are about the same age - are you as ready to excuse Limbaugh's attitudes due to "age" as you are Gates?

Nothing will change for the better in this society until all groups admit that racism it NOT just a white problem. Everyone needs to look at the inner dark corners of their minds and admit to their own "stuff" before we can ever address this as a nation. America did not invent slavery and at least one point in their history, every group of people on this earth has been enslaved to someone - everyone else moved forward and did it without a Civil War, 4 consitutional amendments and Affirmation Action.

You keep picking a scab, it will never heal over.

we also REALIZE Blacks commit roughly40% to 45% of domestic crime!

Let talk about crimes!

Who commits most of the major White Collar Crimes? These cost American millions to billions $$$ Enron, Tyco, Worldcom, Savings and Loans. Predominantly Whites especially big Financial ones.

Who is mostly likely going embezzle money from companies? Predominately Whites!

Who tend to commit most hate crimes? Against various minorities, Muslim, Jews and other religions, Homosexuals, and anybody different? Predominately White Males!

Yes, African American commits more crimes like murder, armed robbery. Whites commits the most costly crimes with victims everyone including yourself.

Did I say that there were no black graduates? I attend an HBCU; we've been cranking out college graduates since 1867. I said that people who lived through that time had little access to education. The segregated black schools in the south were oftentimes deplorable. There wasnt enough money, wasnt enough books, and they werent enough teachers. And when some of them did make it to college, there were many colleges who REFUSED to accept them based solely on the color of their skin. Thurgood Marshall himself was rejected from UMD because he was black, so he attended Howard Law School instead, and then SUED UMD, and won.

For many of THOSE people, the ones who DID NOT receive a quality education, THEIR children are becoming first-generation college grads. You cannot tell me this isnt true because I talk to people all of the time who say they are the first in their family to graduate college. I myself am the first in my family to go to college. If you think that all black people were Black Panthers, then your view of history is the one that is incorrect. There were PLENTY of people in the south who were hanged, beaten, shot, harassed, and had their homes bombed for absolutely nothing. These are FACTS that you cannot deny.

America may not have invented slavery, but that did not make their share in it any less deplorable. The Civil Was was NOT fought to free the slaves, so I dont know why you would attribute that as something America did to correct their wrongs. Its a shame that the original constitution did not cover all men like it said, but whatever. Even if we totally left out slavery, to expect a society to be completely recovered from all of those years of Jim Crow ALONE in only 45 years is ludicrous.

Think about it: name one other modern society on earth that was oppressed for so long and made a complete resurgence in less than 50 years. I'll wait...

Kym, your ignorance of American history is appalling. I won't even start to explain, because basically you know nothing. I will say that Black America had had a couple of centuries of college graduates, not 40 years worth. Read!

Um could you possibly tamp down your hatred and cease with the personal attacks? It does absolutely nothing for the point your trying to make, and actually proves the opposite.

Your constant defense of Gates is expected but deplorable. In the your post 1.1 you explain how it is due to his age, because he is from the old school.

That's not much of an argument. We could say your expected revelry in civil rights violations is deplorable, but that's just the opposite of what your original statement was. I think you can do better.

Nothing will change for the better in this society until all groups admit that racism it NOT just a white problem. Everyone needs to look at the inner dark corners of their minds and admit to their own "stuff" before we can ever address this as a nation.

You're right. However, it doesn't look like you're taking your own advice.

Seeking and others that have expressed similar views.

Crime rates are even across the board but the percentage of charges filed isn't. Statements like what I read above are nothing more than racial profiling and a huge part of the problem.

Look at it this way if Gates had been white do you think the cops would have been called for the B&E in the first place? Most likely not but it is something to consider. Should he have been arrested for defending his rights and getting upset as he felt his rights where being violated? Would you have done the same when you knew you had done nothing wrong?

According to the Chicago Tribune there was a black officer present at the time of the arrest (Thanks Wolf Wolfman for that seed).

Wow.Im a non-partasin supporter of Obama. He gave me an un-pleasant surprize. It was not His place to address the nation the way he did. Id been in hope He is soooo busy with health care reform,economic reform,education reform,government reform,closing gitmo, upping the ante in Afganistan,fighting Iran ,and N. Korea. I spose Im wrong. All polititions suck

Some such more than others. The ones who initiate their political career in Chicago suck like a Hoover.

I think too many people are making too big a deal out of what the President said. He was asked the questions, and had a right to answer it. You can disagree with him, but to use this as an excuse to dislike him is ridiculous.

Since the election, and since Rush, et. al. have been spewing their hate-filled rhetoric, it has given the racists an excuse to come out of the woodwork.

The President was correct in what he said. The police did act stupidly in this instance. Mr. Gates should not have been mouthing off to the officer, but mouthing off does not constitute arrest. The officer should have walked away.

Unfortunately, even though a black man was elected President, racism still exists in this country. And as President Obama said, we need to discuss the topic of race in America.

You want Jesus? What if he's a Democrat?

Jesus would be a socialist.

Better a socialist than a mud slinging, right wing hypocrite.

Who's a hypocrite?

Jesus is a hypocrit,ofcourse

Actually if you actually read the NT you'll find that around a quarter of what He said had to do with money. While He promoted charity or tsedaka and caring for the poor and widows many of his parables seemed to indicate He supported honest, fair Capitalism. Nowhere will you find Him advocating the most productive people in society being forced to support the least productive. He had calloused hands.

Jesus a socialist? Not in the context Websters Dictionary would define.

As the Bible says "if a man does not work, he shall not eat." That does not sound too Socialist to me.

I don't think this would have been an incident if, first, Dr. Gates had simply provided his identification and not gone ballistic. Second, if the media had not made this into a federal case (remember, no one screamed about a 72 year old white woman being tasered by a cop). And third, if some races would not feel so put upon because of past cruelties, or some intimidated to the point that they have to step carefully at all times to avoid being called a racist no matter how they are treated.

This wasn't racist. This was a case of an individual man screaming at a cop, not calming down and the cop wanting to put an end to it and reasserting control of the situation. I guarantee you that in the suburban city where I live, if you opened your mouth to a cop and kept on going, you would probably get the same treatment as Gates got. Mr. Obama should have kept above the fray, he is President of ALL the people.

So, go ahead, call me a racist. I simply practice the first amendment, without hysterics.

I asked a friend, who doesn't watch the news, how he would react if he were arrested in his own home after the neighbors reported that they thought his house were being broken into. He responded: "I'd sue them." I replied, "But they dropped the charges." He finished the conversation, "I'd still sue."

My conclusion is that it isn't the President who is reacting to this event because of politics and race, you are.

Heck I didn't have to come back and explain myself

Free Spirit, you didn't give your neighbor the facts of this case. But I suspect that you don't let facts get in your way. Gates was arrested for disorderly conduct because he followed the cops outside and continued to harangue Crowley with your mama remarks, etc. When you set up scenarios, make sure you include all the variables.

I asked a friend, who doesn't watch the news, how he would react if he were arrested in his own home after the neighbors reported that they thought his house were being broken into. He responded: "I'd sue them." I replied, "But they dropped the charges." He finished the conversation, "I'd still sue."

Maybe the police should just stop responding to calls for fear of being sued.

The President takes sides? How do you figure? He identifies himself as a black man because well, he looks more black than white. I do not see this as denying whites or whatever it is you are implying.

Mud slinging at its best.

i agree fs.. is you watch the videos and see the mud and filth coming out of obama's mouth, you'll see him for the obamanation he is...

You are referring to the President of the United States? The man elected by a significant majority of voter to lead us during these hard times? The man who has earned the respect and admiration of the world - a great man recognized as a very industrious, conscientious, intelligent, charismatic leader?

I think you have just provided us with a great example of irrational political and racial ranting.

We will see how you think about our President in a couple of years.

It has not taken very long for a lot of people to relaize that they have made a big mistake by voting for him, how long will it take you?

fs is shocked, shocked ! to find there are politics going on here... yes obama is a fraud, as i said before the election and as I say now.

A couple of years...heck President Obama won't even be beginning his second term by then. What about in 6 glorious years.

In 6 years, we'll all be living with obama in a camp in guyana... at least some of us will be.

Is anyone else frightened by the worshipful tone of obamaites... glorious, charismatic. Or concerned about the attempt to label as a raicst anyone who questions their chosen one?

Cults of personality are a form of self-delusion -- and delusional people can become obsessed, even violent when their delusions are challenged.

We've know for a very long time that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. I think that's why President Obama would like to promote bipartisanship. It's a shame the far right can't appreciate its benefit for our country. They appear more inclined to behave as terrorists and traitors to the detriment of America.

debating some obamaites is like debating a hari krishna at the airport, a fruitless exercise.

LOL.

I think that's why President Obama would like to promote bipartisanship. It's a shame the far right can't appreciate its benefit for our country. They appear more inclined to behave as terrorists and traitors to the detriment of America.

Wow! Forget bipartisanship, he can't even be racially neutral as he illustrated by calling the police officer's actions "stupid" without having the facts. You can, and you can, try to defend this pathetic thing he did, but it doesn't become you FS.

And then to call the "far right" terrorists and traitors when Obama is the VERY one who started this fire storm - blame him. Anyway, That's a pretty low stoop, wouldn't you say, even for you FS? A little on the defensive as people who are guilty usually are.

fs:

I think that's why President Obama would like to promote bipartisanship.

That must be why almost all amendments and bills proposed by Reps are marked to vote no.

Republican Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute to .R. 2920 – Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2009

1. Paul Ryan: The Republican substitute completely gets rid of the Pay-As-You-Go rules contained in the base bill. Instead, it puts in place a different set of budget enforcement mechanisms, none of which focus directly on constraining the unbalanced tax cuts that have caused so much of our fiscal problems in the first place. First, the Republican substitute places tight caps on all discretionary spending – defense and non-defense – at levels far below what was included in this year’s budget resolution, meaning that passing appropriations bills at the levels in this year’s budget resolution would produce across-the-board cuts to defense and non-defense discretionary programs. The Republican substitute also imposes caps on total spending at levels significantly below what was in our budget resolution, which would cause additional across-the-board spending cuts. The Republican substitute also includes deficit targets, again enforced with across-the-board spending cuts. Unlike the base bill, which entirely protects low-income programs from across-the-board cuts, the Republican substitute allows some cuts to most low-income programs.
   (60 minutes)
   Members are urged to VOTE NO.

But of course you aren't.

And what was Bush?

President Bush was a man badly used by the far right in general and Dick Cheney in particular.

hit someone in the face and break their jaw

Then how can he smile and talk and suggest he would like to visit the White House and have a beer?

If I were Crowley, I would have hung up on him.

LOL. Apparently a lot of people on this article don't know Crowley is an Obama supporter...

Obama supporter or not, Obama slammed him on the TV news before having all the facts.

I wonder if he will still be an Obama supporter.

I wonder if he will still be an Obama supporter.

apparently so, seeing as he said he supported the president 110% after he was asked about Obama "slamming" him on TV.

i kinda feel bad for the GOP-elect, first Ricci wouldn't slam sotomayor and now Crowely won't turn on Obama.

I guess its kinda hard getting poster boys for your conservative movement when they come from liberal places.

Then you won't mind I cut ahead of you. You probably wouldn't fit in with a constructive dialoge anyway.

If he offered to have me in for a beer I'd jump at the chance. It'd be an honor to have the chance for some intelligent conversation with one of the great people of our time.

Be my guest, I am sure you are up to all the free beer that can be had.

Or should I say tax payer beer that is.

Free, from what I've read of your comments, you wouldn't contribute anything to a constructive dialogue either. With Gates and Obama there, no dialogue would take place anyway - each of them has an ego big enough to fill a soccer stadium. They both like to pontificate. I'm sure the beer would be perfectly chilled, though.

Perfectly chilled beer provided by the far right. Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

It'd be an honor to have the chance for some intelligent conversation with one of the great people of our time.

An intelligent conversation with someone who can't make intelligent comments? If that isn't an oxymoron. Intelligence says we don't have 58 states... the Federal Reserve is NOT a branch of Government... and intelligence isn't snorting coke all the way through college. Not impressed. Intelligence is not blowing trillions of dollars more in debt. Intelligence is not supporting a health care system that is single payer.. and fines you for not having it. Intelligence isn't increasing the war in Afghanistan. Intelligence isn't breaking campaign promises. Intelligence isn't saying jobs have been saved... but unemployment continues to rise at an alarming rate. The list goes on... and on... and on. Hes intelligent because he has a Harvard degree? Well so did Bush. From Yale and Harvard. Being intelligent on paper.. doesn't make you intelligent in real life or on common sense issues. He should of stuck to community organizing... a lawyer... or Hollywood actor. Intelligence is not sticking his nose into this. Hes the President. More important things then a dispute between on person and the police. Inviting them both to the White House for a beer? Yeah that be a great way to spend his time and tax payer dollars. Laughable. Hey if I get in a fight with my boss... will Obama invite us both over for beer too to talk it out? LOL. I hope it isn't Milwaukee's Best.........

No job is worth the abuse you far righters dish out. Have you no shame?

No, no they do not.

Have you no shame?

Not if our POTUS is going to @!$%# up our nation up even more and is a moron. Nope. Nobody should stand for that.

Wow, home run there, simplistic. Couldn't have said it better myself.

An intelligent conversation with someone who can't make intelligent comments?

If you are talking about the President, that would have to be one of the most ignorant and asinine things I have seen you post.

S R & vol fan: Ditto

No job is worth the abuse you far righters dish out. Have you no shame?

In their ignorance they are repeating the same mistakes. They are so offending the rational population with their rhetoric, and so fooling themselves with their gazing into multi-faceted mirrored navels, that they are guaranteeing an Obama second term, and likely the election of his hand -picked successor.

Just as these sort of attacks galvanized support and even brought home Florida during the election, their vile rhetoric will slowly turn more and more states blue. It is going to take a GPS for them to find their way out of the wilderness.

you people are funny... after 8 years of bush derangement syndrome you're going to lecture someone else? obama's approval has fallen about 10 points in 1 month already -- and outside of race baiting blacks and pandering leftists, this issue will drive his numbers even lower.

this issue will drive his numbers even lower.

Sure, sure. And the polls said he would never beat Hillary, and that McCain was in it right until the end.

Sorry folks, but we've found the promised land, and we aren't giving it up. Trolling is all you have.

"Just as these sort of attacks galvanized support and even brought home Florida during the election, their vile rhetoric will slowly turn more and more states blue. It is going to take a GPS for them to find their way out of the wilderness."

Love the humor!!!! LMAO

This was not about race, it was about a cop stepping over the line.

exactly. Arresting a old man with a cane in the privacy of his own home for being agitated is as stupid as arresting someone for indecent exposure when they get out of the shower.

The cop acted stupidly.

The cop followed procedure by the book. Gates was an arrogant racist a-hole and if he would of not got defensive.. showed the cop ID, his name, and stated it was his place and treated the cop with an ounce of respect... nothing would of happened. Gates was in the fault. Somebody called the cops with a possible break end. The cop was following procedure. Even Obama retracted and said "This guy is an outstanding officer".

You are not required to treat officers "with respect" in your own home. It's not a crime to be an as*shole to a cop in your own home and on your own property. Cops do not have the authority that many of them arrogantly come to think they do. Insulting a cop is not illegal, even though some of them think it is. That's why the charges were not pressed in this case. The cop over-stepped his boundaries. This was not racial profiling, it is a case of "How dare he insult me! I'm a cop! He can't do that!" Um, yes he really can.

Your right its not illegal to be an immature jackass ahole and cuss at the cops and say racist stuff, but.. if you act badly and cuss at him.. you can be arrested for "other" things which Gates WAS arrested for.

If you do it in a loud manner that can be heard by others, you can be arrested for disturbing the peace.

If you do it one on one, chances are you won't be arrested, but you will be cited for any number of "objective" offenses. Could lead to charges of refusing to obey the orders of a law enforcement office or disturbing the peace - or any one of the myriad laws and rules.

Fact is. The cop had a call of possible break in. He didn't know if Gates was the robber.. his own house.. whatever. Gates refused to present ID.. got hot with the cop (which is legal) and basically failed to follow the cops simple instructions to clear the matter up. Should the cop have just said.. "Oh I'll take your word for it its your house... your not breaking in... have a good night, bye bye". No. Would you want the cop to question someone in your house if a neighbor called and thought someone was breaking in? It might tick ya off if it IS your house... etc etc. But at least you know the cop was checking up on a call.. and making sure you are who you say you are. There was zero reason for Gates to get all jackass like with the cop and start slinging the "Why cause I a Black man in America blah blah blah rhetoric". The cop report is clear. There was a witness. Gates brought it unto himself by not complying respectfully and being an arrogant racist jackass. Now Gates is looking to "sue" the police department. Typical opportunist. Lets make a buck off the police department and tax payers money for something stupid!

Link to police report here.

The fact is that no one is complaining that he responded to a report of a crime. Once it was established that a crime was not being committed that should have been the end of it. Gates was arrested because instead of kissing the cops ass he told him to kiss his, which is his right. This professor was no threat to anyone or anything except this cops ego. Otherwise the charges would have been pursued, but cooler heads at the police department realized that the cop screwed up by arresting him instead of de-escalating the situation by just saying "Good night" and leaving. I have no doubt that for the most part he's probably a good cop, but he just plain screwed up this time. He blew it.

There was zero reason for Gates to get all jackass like with the cop and start slinging the "Why cause I a Black man in America blah blah blah rhetoric". The cop report is clear. There was a witness. Gates brought it unto himself by not complying respectfully and being an arrogant racist jackass.

It is his right to be an arrogant jackass and it is not within the cops authority to arrest him just because he wasn't treating the cop with respect. It is not a crime to treat a cop with disrespect. Again I don't think this cop arrested him based on race, but just because he was arrogantly pushing his power beyond his right to. If he's that thin-skinned then he needs to find another job.

Otherwise the charges would have been pursued

Kind of like why charges are not being persued for Bush / Cheney and the laws they violated and other people in the last Admin you all cry out about. Same thing right? Political pressure can make things dissapear and go away. Just like the Judges daughter and son that I know in my county. They got DUI's... tickets.. and all kinds of things wiped under the table because of who there Dad is. Political pressure. It was the whole "you owe me one" type of deal. Same thing happens all the time. Its not right, but it happens. You think the DA wanted to get the flack politically over this? Nah. More about self preservation. Your right.. it isn't a huge crime or anything. But legally.. the cop followed the book and was in no wrong. The police department verified this. As Obama has now said. "This cop is an outstanding officer" and "Gates should of handled it better". Outstanding officer... sounds like very high praise to me. Or is this just Obama kissing both there ass's?

@!$%#... he wants both to come to the White House on the tax payers dime for a BEER!

But legally.. the cop followed the book and was in no wrong.

The cop was guilty of police arrogance. Fortunately for him that's not a crime in this case either.

Fortunately for him that's not a crime in this case either.

Right. So back to what I'm saying... The cop broke no law in arresting Gates. If the cop did in fact illegally arrest Gates... then that's a different matter. The fact I'm trying to get at.... regardless of Gates being a jackass.. or the so called "arrogance" of this cop is.. WAS IT A LEGAL arrest. Keyword legal. If so.. end of debate. The DA refusing to charge him doesn't mean the cop was wrong. Just that it isn't worth the effort or big enough of a crime. Let alone the potential @!$%# storm. The racism claim is complete bull@!$%#. Gates is an opportunist. Even wanting to sue. Sue happy America.

Did Gates show an ID?

Not sure if he showed an ID or not, but one of the things the cop was trying to establish was if it was actually Gates breaking into his own home or was Gates being held at gunpoint by some other "robbers", the actual "robbers" the neighbor thot they were reporting breaking in (apparently Gates house had been robbed once prior to this), that was why he kept asking for Gates to step outside his house onto the porch--NOT an unreasonable request, and Gates refused, refused to answer questions, called the cop nasty, racist names (gee, and we thot only whites were nasty race baiters), called the cops mother nasty racist names, until the cops finally arrested him. Had this so called "educated" man stopped to think of WHY maybe the cops were asking him if he COULD step outside, he might have realized this was not racial, but trying to protect the man himself from possible danger inside the house.

IMAGINE if the cop had walked away, saying, fine, you seem to be OK and Gates was actually being held up behind his closed door? What would all you racist cop haters say then? Oh the cops deliberately did not check for the robbers despite a neighbor calling in a potential breaking and entering and Gates got hurt/killed/robbed whatever, because he was black, blah blah blah blah and the police don't help blacks, now if Gates had been white, they would have stormed the house to protect him blah blah blah...

Frankly, I think the college should look into firing Gates, who wants someone on their staff who is so disrespectful, so racist, so hateful that that is his way of dealing with something?

The DA refusing to charge him doesn't mean the cop was wrong.

Yes, yes it does. Criminally wrong? No. Yet still wrong. He should have been better then that. He betrayed his position as a public servant and as a police officer. He did not commit a crime, but he was still wrong.

You are not required to treat officers "with respect" in your own home

u cn tell the cop to get the f'ck off ur property, if there is no cause for arrest. The cop was there to protect and (obviously this is the part he forgot) and SERVE. Once there was nothing to protect (other than his own ego) he should have, as the position of authority, diffused the situation and LEFT. If the cop didn't know how to do it, he could have called someone else in to talk to the old guy and get him to calm down.

But instead the cop's "fewings" got hurt and he decided that he was going to make a point and he did. He arrested an old guy with a cane (a man, mind you, that could have been off/on his medication) over NOTHING.

They both acted like a$$holes, thats what guys do in pi$$ing contests.

However, one was the position of authority and should have known how to diffuse a situation and not exacerbate it, as the cop did.

Did Gates show an ID?

Of course he did. Because if he didn't the cop would have had a REALISTIC charge instead of a drummed up fake one that got dropped.

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2009/0723092gates1.html

ohiogal

u cn tell the cop to get the f'ck off ur property, if there is no cause for arrest

The problem was the police were called to the residence by a neighbor who thought the house was being broken into. First he needed to show the cops he was not breaking in, but in fact lived there. Instead he became belligerent.

R. Donald Snyder

Once it was established that a crime was not being committed that should have been the end of it.

How was it supposed to be established no crime was being committed when he refused to cooperate?

First he needed to show the cops he was not breaking in, but in fact lived there. Instead he became belligerent.

He can be as belligerent as he wants. This is america, not some facist country where police have the supreme rights.

Once Gates showed the cop his havard id, by the cop's own police report, and the cop called it in and it cleared. The cop had no right (no warrant and no cause for arrest) to stay and he should have LEFT. U just don't agitate the elderly in their own home.

If I came to your house and you became belligerent toward me, and the cops were called. Even if i don't do anything to you, the cops will tell ME to leave because i am causing agitation to you on your private property.

Same thing applies to police, once there is no cause for arrest the cop becomes a trespasser on the mans property, so if the cop is the MAIN source of agitation then he has to remove HIMSELF from the premises in order to diffuse the situation.

Having been around a lot of cops, i can tell you the truth is in the middle. I don't believe crowley went to any real effort to reveal who he was to Gates. Cops carry Cards and write down their ID information anytime they are called out to an incident. Even if Gates was being loud and couldn't "hear" the cop. The cop could have handed him the business card and LEFT.

Again this was a pi$$ing contest btwn men. The only diff. is that a trained cop should have known better than to let himself get pulled into a situaiton like that.

He can be as belligerent as he wants. This is america, not some facist country where police have the supreme rights.

Hear, hear!

This is the real issue.

How was it supposed to be established no crime was being committed when he refused to cooperate?

He initially refused to show his ID, but then he did produce it. At that point the cop's job is to say "Have a good evening" and leave.

I never said he could not be belligerent, or should not be allowed to be belligerent. I merely stated the fact that he became belligerent. I never stated he should have been arrested for being belligerent.

Snyder

You are correct. Once an ID is produced, the cops should have left.

In my case, I triggered my home alarm and before I knew it the cops was at my door. They came in, asked my name and if there was anybody else in the home. They then asked for some ID. I produced the ID and they left. A little respect from both parties goes a long ways.

As a teacher I have heard students mouth off to me countless times. However, I know that it is better to walk away, diffuse the situation. If I expelled every kid I heard yelling about me or other teachers, there would be no one in class.

As the authority figure, teachers know when to leave the battle before an actual war begins.

then go watch Fox news.

Right Joules? No one ever questions 'The One.' LOL.

JoulesBeef

i'm so sick of the media being in the tank for obama.

On that we can agree.

You have a point there Beef, but this is a most recent development and may not last beyond media's guilty feelings for not supporting The One.

read my post above linda...and learn...

Obama will fall back to his more natural inclinations to Divide us...the better with which to inflame, intimidate, and demonize. This guy is the master racial-baiter.

So how did he win over so many voters - of all colors, religions, ethnicities - in 2008?

The Pres. may be a politician with an ego, but I can tell right away he's a good person.

He radiates a positive, reassuring vibe.

Adolf Hitler also radiated a positive and reasurring vibe for the Germans in the 1930's

So how did he win over so many voters - of all colors, religions, ethnicities - in 2008?

Well lucky for him there are plenty of idiots who can't think for themselves and got caught up in the "We hate Bush hype" and "Obama trend hype". A lot of youngersters who have never voted before... nor knew politics.. nor knew issues and jumped on the "Big O trend". Like it was the latest fad.

People like this and this and this. = Morons.

Simplistic Reality

I have seen these before, these people are dumber than a box of rocks.

I wonder how many of these idiots wish they did not vote for this fool of a President we have now?

I wonder how many of these idiots wish they did not vote for this fool of a President we have now?

plenty, you can read their sad tales here on the vine.

Those same people probably still think Palin is Obama's VP. Lol.

LOL!!! I think I will put a law suit on Howard Stern..When I first listened to that I fell out of my chair and hit the floor hard.

{Well it was because I was laughing so hard, but that is besides the point}

My mother would get mad at me for calling someone stupid, but if she would hear these stupid ass people, she would understand.

Its funny... but so sad at the same time. lol.

I loved that radio interview...I too LMAO...

Adolf Hitler also radiated a positive and reasurring vibe for the Germans in the 1930's

The comparisons to Hitler are stale, not to mention creepy.

When I watch 5 seconds of Hitler footage, my reaction is "what a psychopath."

vs. When I see our Pres. on TV, my reaction is, "what an intelligent, hard working leader."

Obama has my vote in 2012. :-)

"I am in dread of what the next big POTUS SNAFU turns out being. Let's hope it does not entail the creation of more dire consequences like an international incident caused by insulting or infuriating an ally or leading a rogue nation to do something rash... :|"

...like "let's go invade Irak looking for WMD's" ooops, Bush H and W both already tried that...what a lesson in wisdom...

Oh do you mean the war that even the Democrat leadership was clamouring for? The one that your current Sec State endorsed and said "absolutely, Saddam Hussein must be taken down"?

Look, maybe Iraq was unwarranted but while noone is looking, our man in the white house is already inching us into a third country. Google = U.S. +military +Pakistan

Back on topic... If history teaches us anything, it is that it repeats itself. Democrat, Republican, whoever is in the White House, they need to know what they are doing and our current president is showing a decidedly limited knowledge of his responsibilities in many areas. Thus my original comment that OJT is not acceptable for POTUS.

Obama should have keep his mouth shut. Biden with foot-in-mouth is enough. IMO, much ado about nothing.

"Obama should have keep his mouth shut."

He was asked a question and he answered it the way he wanted to answer it.

He was asked a question and he answered it the way he wanted to answer it.

well then he needs to be ready for the fallout.

like I said on another vine, as the forum was SUPPOSED to be focused on health care, what he should have said was:

"I'm here to discuss the healthcare crisis that is facing our nation and truthfully, I don't find it appropriate to take focus away from such an important topic.

The facts haven't all been uncovered and until such time, I don't see it necessary to make statements based on speculation and hearsay, even for a friend and colleague of mine."

And then field another question relating to health care so that the "take away" from the speech isn't some speculative racism issue, but instead what he was there to discuss - health care.

Truth be told - I would personally ding the woman that asked the question from asking questions at the next speech since she (or her company) don't seem to be able to stay on target, instead wanting to divert attentions.

"well then he needs to be ready for the fallout."

He is ready for the fallout, but he also appears to be the bigger person than all parties concerned.

Shawn:

Don't you think the subject of racism/discrimination needed exposure? Why should everyone go around acting as if it does not exist? Mr. Gates opened the door, let's walk through it without ignorance.

"Obama should have keep his mouth shut."

He was asked a question and he answered it the way he wanted to answer it.

Giving us even more insight to his true feelings.

"Giving us even more insight to his true feelings."

You say that as if it is a bad thing. Most of us who believe in our President would prefer to know his true feelings. We don't expect him to be perfect, as no one can name a President who was perfect, he at least has America's best interest at heart, unlike some other presidents that will remain nameless.

Now that you know more of his true feelings, you still think he has our best interests at heart. Wow, good thing he is not anti-American, we would really be in trouble. Oh, wait...

MizDelight,

Do I believe such matters need to be addressed...sure, why not. Do I think that doing so at an event that was specifically designated to be about healthcare was the correct forum to do so? ABSOLUTELY NOT!

So what was achieved by doing so, the world now is talking racism and reverse racism in America and the focus of the speech, the reason for the event...right down the toilet.

There was a reason that every single other question posed was about health care - stay on topic. No one asked about his trip to Russia, his thoughts about Iran, the Pakistani issues that are going on, the violence in Afghanistan that is escalating, the number of jobless figures going up, etc. etc. etc.

Everyone seemed to understand that the sole purpose for that event was to discuss health care, the state of it in the US, and the plan of overcome the adversity that parties are bringing up on both sides of the fence. Thanks to one woman who couldn't seem to keep her focus on what it should have been on that night, the prior hour's worth of speech, all but lost in significance.

MizDelight: " Mr. Gates opened the door, let's walk through it without ignorance"

If Gates could open a door we wouldn't be having this discussion.

like I said on another vine, as the forum was SUPPOSED to be focused on health care, what he should have said was:

no it was NOT a forum on health care it was a press conference and they could have asked him whatever they wanted. The majority of the questions were on healthcare but there were questions about TARP funds as well. Its the reporters who decide what they want to ask about and if they DIDN'T want to ask about health care they didn't have to.

I guarantee you, he won't be lambasted like that again, without warning, if he can help it. But the truth of the matter is THIS is who the president is. He sees things in a whole different light than most of the rest of the country.

To suggest that someone not be allowed to ask a question at a PRESS CONFERENCE where you are allowed and supposed to ask because the POTUS might answer "stupidly", is certainly NOT journalism.

"Do I think that doing so at an event that was specifically designated to be about healthcare was the correct forum to do so? ABSOLUTELY NOT!"

The problem is Shawn that if we take the presidents comment away, and skip past the call and the ID issue, what we are still left with was who was the most offensive and why. Like I stated earlier, even if this case is not about racism, can we, as Americans, deny that racism exists? Most people know that it exists, why blow the President's comment out of the water, and not focus on the real issue whch was discrimination. All this talk about what the president should have said, or should not have said, does nothing to the actual situation which needs to be addressed as well as health reform. If people are going to bitch, bitch about something that we can change is my feeling.

can we, as Americans, deny that racism exists...

Sure it does...to some. But here's the kicker:

• Gender discrimination exists...to some.
• And age discrimination exists...to some.
• Sexual discrimination exists...to some.
• Religious discrimination and persecution exists...to some.

There are studies that show that people are discriminated against in various events in life because of their height, their weight, their hair color, their gender, their heritage, their hairstyle, the number/type of tattoos a person has, medical background, the clothes that you wear, the vehicle you drive, the city you live in, and one I even read about that showed that men with hair were offered the same job more often that one's that were bald....same job, same resume, picture with/without hair.

So, every single person in this nation "is" discriminated against one way or another for one "affliction" or another - that is fact.

I'll restate what I said before, we want to discuss how people view gender and race in this nation...sounds great - do it to the cows come home, but if you are having a conference that is supposed to be discussing healthcare, discuss it and nothing more.

Are there race issues in this nation - yes, but you notice that until goaded to do so, talking about race was not on the President's agenda, as it shouldn't have been.

Oh, and this case is DEFINITELY about racism, and it started by Gates when said, "why, because I'm a black man in America?".

Shawn:

"Oh, and this case is DEFINITELY about racism, and it started by Gates when said, "why, because I'm a black man in America?"

I read the police report this morning, and I do see where Professor Gates spoke inappropriately, but not in asking the black man question. According to the report, (I would love to hear Mr. Gates original statement) he mentioned something about the officer's mother. I hope it is not true, but my gut says that it is. I am outdone that a man of his stature would disrespect himself and African Americans by speaking like that even out of anger. It is very possible that he was waiting for an opportunity such as this for a project he is working on, but the question still remains whether the officer within his legal rights to arrest the professor. By dropping the charges, it is clear that the prosecutor thought not. If the professor truly committed a crime, he would have been prosecuted.

This president used words that was not politically correct, and we now know that he is not perfect just like every single human being on earth. When have we had a perfect president? Is this president not allowed to make mistakes? Why the big deal over two words?

Being rude or impolite is NOT a crime.

It's funny too because when asked about another topic awhile back.. he simply said.. "I didn't answer right away because I like to know the facts before I open my mouth". Apparently that only means some of the time. I'm surprised Biden hasn't made a jackass remark yet.

I'm surprised Biden hasn't made a jackass remark yet.

Well, I can imagine he has a little smile toying with the corners of his mouth, thinking maybe his weren't as bad as this one Obama steped in.

Apparently that only means some of the time

Only to people who didn't watch the press conference. i could have sworn obama introduced a disclaimer saying he was biased and that he didn't know all the facts BEFORE he made the comment.

But like everything else, people with attention spans of goldfish, jump on a few words because they can never comprehend the entire sentence.

But like everything else, people with attention spans of goldfish

Lol.

Maybe, just maybe as President, instead of saying he might be biased and may not know all the facts, he should have waited to make a comment on this until he did know the facts. This way maybe he would not have been biased. The President of the entire US should not in my opinion be stating "Maybe I'm biased". Yes he has the right. But sometimes just because you can does not mean you should.

Terry,

Don't forget about Michelle Obama's little dialogue with a couple of hardscrabble American women with little kids at the laundromat when she was doing her best to campaign for her husband. The women were conveying to her how hard it was for them to raise their children and put food on the table.

In an effort to demonstrate her empathy for the women she chimed in about how hard it was considering she had to pay around $10k for piano lessons and sport supplements for her two girls.

It might surprise a lot of liberals who are supporting this mystery Health Care proposal of her husbands that is supposedly deficit neutral, that the University Hospital in Illinois that Michelle worked for up until her hubby initiated his Prez. campaign did not accept patients without insurance. She started out there at $130 k per year salary and when her hubby became a U.S. Senator, they doubled her salary. It seems that Brack greased the wheels for the hospital to get some government pork. When questioned about the potential conflict of interest the by a local Newspaper, a hospital spokesperson l released a statement that her position their was very important to the Administration. When Michelle left, they never filled the empty position. Typical Illinois monkey business.