Comments on: Why won’t President Obama shut up about the Gates arrest?

By: Just Hours from the Anticipated ‘Beer Summit’… Obama’s Approval Numbers Drop to -12 « Frugal Café Blog Zone

Thu, 30 Jul 2009 15:00:10 +0000

[...] is a losing situation for Obama – and black youths (UPDATE: POLICE RELEASE TAPES) and Why won’t President Obama shut up about the Gates arrest? American Thinker: If Obama Were My Friend Autographed Letter Signed: Thursday Stitch N’ Bitch: [...]

By: WRoth

WRoth — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 11:48:47 +0000

Carlos,

Obama was asked a question? He gave an answer. I don’t think he was wrong. He could have chosen his words better. Yes! An incident happened at his alma-mater to one of his friends. If he had avoided the question he would have been accused of PC side-stepping, Obama is not afraid. That’s why he is where he is. Only whites can be racist, because they are still the power broker in the country others can only be prejudiced. This fact was well demonstrated by this incident.

By: Dr BLT

Dr BLT — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 01:42:17 +0000

This is interesting from both a sociological and psychological perspective. This song that is generating so much buzz and airplay was written a couple of weeks ago by yours truly and may provide some answers:

White Lies about White Guys
Dr BLT and Rockwell
words and music by Dr BLT copyright 2009
http://www.drblt.net/music/whiteDemom.mp3

It’s been released on the CD, From Buck Owens Blvd. to Merle Haggard Drive:
http://www.drblt.net (hit music link to find CD)

Bruce L. Thiessen, Ph.D., aka Dr BLT

By: forest hunter

forest hunter — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 23:40:54 +0000

Could someone refresh my memory as to what ACTUAL disaster was about to take/took place in some foreign country (less than a month ago it seems)and teh Nubian voted present, by saying/doing nothing?

As expected, the apologists for the Marxist are either silent or makin’ shit up again……

By: Carlos from NC

Carlos from NC — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 22:30:40 +0000

First off, BOTH the officer and Gates were wrong. Cooler heads should’ve prevailed. You should NOT be arrested on your OWN property or property that you are directly in control of for raising your voice. If a neighbor had come out and complained about the noise level, then the officer would have had grounds. This was clearly an abuse of power and NOT racism in my Black opinion.

Gates knee jerk response is typical of most Black men because WE DO get stopped no matter how much we DON’T fit the description and that’s the truth. He should’ve remained calmed and made polite inquiries and then he would’ve gotten to the bottom of it. It’s that simple.

By: Carlos

Carlos — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 19:46:08 +0000

Yes, WRoth, I know it’s in the Constitution somewhere that the President of the United States is to inject his racist assumptive wisdom into local politics wherever the charge of “racism” raises its ugly head, especially without having any of the facts and without conversing with any of the actors involved. I just can’t seem to find it, but I know it’s there.

As far as the rest of your “intellectual” screed goes, it makes no more sense than your postulation that the Prez should not be criticized for commenting on something he had prejudged and pretty much knew nothing about except that a white man had arrested a black man who happened to be an acquaintance.

By: omapian

omapian — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 02:08:08 +0000

It is easy to hypothesize that a white person in the same situation would not have been arrested. It would be just as easy to hypothesize that the outburst by the professor could have encourage bystanders to throw rocks at the police. But without being at the incident, either claim should be dismissed as the personal bias of the commentator.
In NYC a vehicle accident took the life of a 7 year old. Bystanders incited a crowd and an unstable man stabbed a totally unrelated student. This produced four days of riots back in 1991.
If there is as much latent hostility as the POTUS suggests, then inciting a crowd of casual bystanders with unsubstantiated allegations of unfair treatment should be cause for concern. At some point, any person who yells “fire” in a crowded theater should be taken into custody before panic ensues. Race should not be an excuse for irrational behavior.

By: Severian

Severian — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 02:07:01 +0000

Oh I think race definitely was a factor, Gates is a racist, and demonstrated that with his little tirade. Instead of behaving calmly and and rationally, he went open loop and lost control of himself.

Oh yeah, a crazy situation that made him act that way, why is it that you idiots always try and blame someone else for your own lack of manners, self control, and common sense? As I mentioned elsewhere in a comment, I’ve had the exact same precipitating experience as Gates (more than once), police coming to my house after a burglar alarm being set off accidentally and asking me for my ID and a reason for the problem. Somehow, I managed to not shriek racism or police brutality, impugn the police, the officer, and his Momma/family genealogy, and avoided getting myself arrested.

A cop showing up after such a report, either automated from the alarm or from a witness calling it in, is doing his/her job when asking for an explanation and ID. If he didn’t, and Gates came home to a stripped house, then it’d be “well, whitey won’t protect a black man’s house!”

When you’re a racist, you see race in every response no matter what. The cop would be damned if he did, damned if he didn’t.

The charges should never have been dropped, a judge and jury is the right place to straighten this out, not drop the charges because the perp is politically connected.

By: WRoth

WRoth — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 01:19:33 +0000

Racial remarks are not the only indicator that race may have played a factor. It is not necessary that it was even a conscious process on the part of the police officer. If a White Harvard professor had been in the same situation, just by mention of his status, even an outburst on his part would have been overlooked. Professor Gates may have said anything. He was in a crazy making situation, should he have tried to maintain his cool. Yes, should he have been arrested because he didn’t, absolutely not!

By: omapian

omapian — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 21:28:21 +0000

Like most of the people commenting on this subject, I was not at the scene and have to rely upon others for details. I can only analyze the facts offered by the media.
Initially the President acknowledged he did not have all the facts and then declared the police acted ‘stupidly.’
When the President collected additional details, some of which (i.e. the 911 tapes) were not made public, he stated there was some ‘overreaction’ on the part of both sides and wished he (POTUS) had calibrated his words differently. With the advantage of hindsight, and perhaps a thorough ‘Joe the plumber’ type background check regarding the sergeant, the President had an opportunity to set the record straight. He invited the sergeant to the WH for a beer!
I would imagine that if there were any racial remarks (other than those by Prof. Gates), the President would not be inviting a racist cop to have a beer. In fact, if the sergeant had in any manner, shape, or form, violated any of the professor’s rights, the cop would have been arrested and the Cambridge Police Department would have a federal monitor assigned. I think it is safe to conclude the police officer did not do anything wrong. But since the President declined to make such a positive statement in support of the law enforcement officer, he allows others to continue to defame all police officers as racists.
When all this finally falls by the wayside, all police officers will remain under a cloud of suspicion of racism while the professor will be funded to produce a documentary for PBS to study race relations. I would not be surprised if Rev. Wright, Bill Ayers, etcetera, are featured while public servants who risk their lives on a daily basis are ignored.

By: WRoth

WRoth — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 11:38:47 +0000

Obama doesn’t have to shut up. He is the President he can comment on what he likes. Perhaps he could have been a little more cautious and chosen his words better, but I essentially agree with what he said. The stupidy was on the part of the officer, it was incumbent on him to smooth the situation over since P.Gates was guilty of no wrong doing, but officers are not geared that way. P.Gates, acted emotionally, he lost control, but what caused that? It was a reasonable reaction to a insane situation. Actually P.Gates is lucky he wasn’t killed like Amadou Diallo in NYC on trying to enter his own home.police officers demand total respect and obedience even if they are in the wrong. Obama has made many comments on race relations throughout his career and especially during his run for office. He is in a unique position as a mixed race person with the appearance of a Black man to show sensitivity to both sides. He was raised by a White mother, and White grandparents and even admitted his grandmother who has loved and raised him a little Black boy would time get nervous if a group of Black boys walked near her. So he knows people can carry preconcieved notions and stereotypes even if they are not intentionally racist, and it is something that is built into law enforcemt mentality sensitiviy trained or not. Also having lived in a Black Man’s skin he is aware of the prejudgements directly as it has related to him his whole life. Having attended Harvard and lived in this area though it may have been long ago, he probably also aware of the racial climate overt and covert. Let me say I believe if a White Harvard Professor had become belligerant after being confronted by police trying to get into his own home the situations would have been entirely different.To the person abe who said the officer had no way of knowing he would not hurt another residident in the home, I say bull. The cops have very good ways of inding out who legally resides at an address , even if they didn’t they could have held in the care and checked out the home.

By: WRoth

WRoth — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 03:07:30 +0000

I believe that race did play an issue here.The history of discrimination progammed both these men to their reactions in that fateful moment. It does matter that both were trained in race relations. In the final analysis it changed nothing about the incendiary quality of this meeting. Gates who is a Harvard Scholar on race is well aware of the the victimizations of young Black men who are pulled over in disproportionate numbers, left on the side of streets when trying to catch a taxi, looked at with distrust when in the wrong car or in the wrong neighborhood. Even though he was aware of these things and no doubt had experienced some, he probably never expected to undergo such indignanties in his own Home. So of course he reacted badly, he may even havehad a pyschotic break from such an incident. The policement if he was properly trained for sensitivity should have realized that. If I was accosted by police in my home I might react the same. Of course you would hope you would keep enough presence of mind not to provoke a policemen, but who knows. The man is 58 years old and 5'7' he presented no threat to the officer. The office just would not stand for disrespect even though he has mortally wounded and direspected Professor Gates. He should have left the man alone, a mistake was made, perhaps it was not his but the woman who called. But once he realized that P.Gates was that upset,perhaps he should have called a police social worker or pyschologist to the scene to talk him down and leave the man in his own home. he was only trying to get home after a long over seas trip, instead he ends up in jail. What a nightmare! If that officer is the result of sensitivity training they need a new program. What hope do we have. Perhaps they should call it insensitivity training.

By: gene

gene — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 02:20:43 +0000

do you think the n.a.a.c.p. would have coffee and cakes if a white man called them stupid for being a racist group?or al sharpton or jesse jackson?would these race baiters say,oh,just a misunderstanding of words,forget about it.hell f..king no!they would want the person on national television to apology’s to all the race baiters and then call for his head on a silver platter!

By: Younganj

Younganj — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 00:58:32 +0000

I can not believe anyone can honestly say the Cambridge police were justified for baiting Mr. Gates to step outside of his home so they could arrest him. What was his crime? Showing anger when the officer refused to look at his identification to prove he indeed lived in the home they thought he might be breaking into? Maybe a good reason to arrest Mr. Gates was because he mentioned how he could now identify with the plight of so many men of color whom have been arrested or harassed by the police without merit. I applaud President Obama for showing loyalty to a friend. The fact that the officer had no problem making a disrespectful remark concerning President Obama and Gates’ request for an apology is disconcerting to say the least. I f Mr. Gates was not such a prominent figure he might have shared the same fate of the Jena Six.

By: Lorica

Lorica — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 13:50:40 +0000

This man is such a meglomaniac it is truly laughable. It’s all about you Barry!! This controversy continues because our S*** for brains President can’t keep his mouth SHUT!!! Did you all hear his converstion with the White Sox picture who thru a no hitter?? Barry told him the reason why he was able to do this was because HE, the one, wore a White Sox jacket when he threw out the 1st pitch at the All Star game. Dayum what a Pig!! – Lorica