Comments on: Amazing video: Cambridge officers, white, black, and Hispanic stand behind Crowley

By: Missy

Missy — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 03:06:16 +0000

“I think that the officers should have just apologized for showing up and left after Dr. Gates said it was his home and showed them ID.”

Really? Universities do not typically include your PERSONAL ADDRESS on your ID, and I imagine Harvard is no different than the norm. The officer keeps being blamed for not leaving after Gates (finally) showed his ID. Validating your identity is a different matter than validating your residence. Otherwise, I could just break into YOUR house, show the cops my University ID (real OR fake), tell them it’s MY house, wave goodbye as they leave, then proceed to loot your place without police distraction. Heck, I might even ask them to help me carry a few things out to the car.

People, you really need to think this through.

By: Tom TB

Tom TB — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 19:24:01 +0000

I’d forgotten that quote; thanks Severian. Remember Timothy Leary and Richard Alpert were Harvard professors once, and used graduate student volunteers in their experiments.

By: Shawnnana

Shawnnana — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 18:01:42 +0000

Obama’s arrogance is matched only by Gate’s belligerence, and both are the remnants of misplaced affirmative action and preferential treatment programs in a country of mixed races that places one race on a pedestal.

Indeed, change is needed.

By: Severian

Severian — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 17:27:23 +0000

Well Tom, remember that William F Buckley always said that he’d rather be governed by the first X number of people listed in the Boston phone book than by the Harvard faculty.

By: Tom TB

Tom TB — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 16:44:17 +0000

Gates rents the house; Harvard U owns it. They are the landlord and responsible for repairs, so why was Gates and his driver forcing the door open in the first place? Call the campus maintenance dept.! The more I learn about tenured professors in “prestigious” universities, the more I think they lack common sense, but have no lack of arrogance, “Do you know who I am?!”

By: Severian

Severian — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 15:32:33 +0000

Gee Loretta, I was in the exact same position at least twice over the past 10 years, and somehow I managed to avoid shrieking at the cops and getting myself arrested.

Must be something wrong with me…

By: Loretta Nauth

Loretta Nauth — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 14:13:13 +0000

I think that the officers should have just apologized for showing up and left after Dr. Gates said it was his home and showed them ID. Anyone in that position would have lost it, especially when they’re accused of breaking into their own home. The police have a reputation of silencing people and not letting them say anything. They must’ve tried this with Gates and he lost it. The police all over this country have a reputation for sticking up for each other — it’s called the “Blue Wall of Silence” whenever they violate a person’s rights.

By: Lorica

Lorica — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 14:01:05 +0000

Tom the reason why Gates was arrested is due the the fact that he followed the officer out of the house, and challenged the officer’s authority making a huge scene and distrubing the peace. Yeah there was a racist there certainly, but it wasn’t the white guy. – Lorica

By: Lynne Pollard

Lynne Pollard — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 13:58:43 +0000

How did the president get the new about Mr. Gates was it through the media? As a black man that have had experience racial profiling to hear about this about a friend was up setting to him,so he spoke about it. How many times has this happen to black man in Mass and was not reported or put in the media by cops whites and blacks because I lived in urban commiunty were I see it everyday and the cops cover up for one another through there badges. When other presidents do not like what was said about them the secrectly handled the problem behind closed doors were they could not get work or was fired from there job. This show me that our president do not have the power to change what is right in America. Shame on America.

By: Lorica

Lorica — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 13:57:42 +0000

Aren’t you all sick to death over this constant attempt to show Obama as “everyman”?? He’s just another commoner right?? This guy is such an elitist, it makes me want to vomit whenever they try to show him as an everyday Joe. Wanna know if someone is an elitist, look at the company he keeps. Gates, elitist, Ayers, elitist, Wright, elitist, Rezko, elitist criminal, even Michelle. I am with Carol on this one. The sooner the next 3.5 years are over the happier I will be. – Lorica

By: donna

donna — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 13:53:22 +0000

Sounds like the last thing Gates needs is a beer. He evidently has trouble controlling his temper. I say AMERICA WAKE UP PRESIDENT OBAMA IS A RACIST!! I am encouraged to see the black police standing for what is right – that my friend is what shows a new America.

By: G Force

G Force — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 12:56:31 +0000

If the officers in this situation went into Gates home wouldn’t they have seen plenty of evidence that this was in fact his house? I don’t think that anyone anticipated the controversy that would arise out of this or even that the president would make any comment. However everyone is jumping on the noteriety bandwagon. This is America so everone is entitled to their opinion, racism is alive and well in America and we all know it, law enforcement organizations are historically loyal and very rarely admit being wrong because it diminishes their authority figure position, and Mr. Gates has probably gone through a lot of hell to make to the position he has in life. I commend our president for making himself both accessile and for having an opinion about a situation. You can act dumb, with out being dumb., he did not attack the credibility of that officer’s organization. I have had 8 years of elitist bumbling and our country is in the worst codition it’s been in in the last 20 years, I’m going to give our President the chance to succeed and stumble, because that’s what loyalty is. By the way what happened to the story about the emergency vehicle that was stopped by a tropper and held up with a patient inside. Seems like that would be a lot more serious than this especially if it were my family in the ambulance………….

By: omapian

omapian — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 12:49:58 +0000

Perhaps racism is in the eyes of the beholder.
A Harvard Professor who was on the scene, and POTUS (who has sufficient resources to gather all the facts), both saw racism without any objective evidence to support that claim. Sounds like religion – one can believe in God without needing proof.
Can sitting down over a beer change anybody’s religion?

By: Debbie Jones

Debbie Jones — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 12:16:44 +0000

Sgt. Crowley does not need a beer with the President or a discussion with him & Professor Gates about tolerance. Professor Gates and President Obama can and should lecture each other on that issue & share a beer if they must. They both owe the Sgt. and the entire police department in that community an apology. False charges of racism can be very damaging to someone’s reputation and should not be made lightly or dismissed lightly when they are proven wrong. The financial stress on both this man and the department he serves has been substantial I’m sure. While they (the President & Professor) are making amends, they should foot the bill for those expenses. Perhaps they would both think before they speak next time.

By: Rob

Rob — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 05:17:05 +0000

It’s really not surprising.

BTW I suspect black officers really resent Mr Gates crying wolf over an issue some people actually suffer for