President Obama and Cambridge police

[Home'scool]

I live in the Boston area so this is all over our news.

 

I really like Obama, but was shocked when I turned on the evening news to hear his statement regarding the whole Professor Gates/Officer Crowley incident.

 

He acknowledged that he didn't know all the facts, but then went on to say that the Cambridge police acted "stupidly." He said that the professor presented his ID while in his home and promptly was arrested. WRONG!

 

From what we do know now, and again not all the facts are known, is that the Professor presented his Harvard ID to the officer while in his foyer. According to Gates' own words the officer was looking at the ID and seemed unsure of his next step. Gates then said something like "are you trying to arrest me because I am black?" and became loud and abusive. The office told him to step out onto the front porch, and that is when all heck broke loose. He was then arrested for disorderly conduct.

 

The most the President should have said was something along the lines of an unfortunate incident happening and hopefully a full and fair investigation will be launched and that both sides will be expected to coorperate and that perhaps we can learn that race relations in America is still a tricky thing blah blah blah.

 

But to go on national TV and denounce a policeman without even knowing the facts? Not something I expected.

[Snickerdoodle]

What Soph the Vet said.

Edited July 23, 2009 by Snickerdoodle

[Soph the vet]

 

 

But to go on national TV and denounce a policeman without even knowing the facts? Not something I expected.

It is consistent with the reason he went on TV in the first place last night, to talk about something he hasn't even read. My question is why even bring up the Boston incident at all last night? What purpose does it serve except to divide people even more?

[OHGrandma]

It is consistent with the reason he went on TV in the first place last night, to talk about something he hasn't even read. My question is why even bring up the Boston incident at all last night? What purpose does it serve except to divide people even more?

 

IMO, BO plays a race card to get people in line behind him just to prove we're really NOT racist in this country. What better way to prove you are not a racist by supporting your black president?

[BamaTanya]

(missed it all last night) --

 

And I'm thinking, 'Why was this included in the speech at all?"

 

Of course, I've thought that plenty of times when it seemed that an elected leader would talk about something unconnected to his/her purpose.

 

ETA: Just read Dot's response. Didn't get that point from the headlines. Sorry.

[unsinkable]

He did not BRING IT UP, he was asked the question.

 

Not to be smarmy, but don't all these questions have to be approved before they can be asked?

 

I mean, you can't just ask anything you want, right?

[KingM]

Uhm, political thread?

 

To answer the question, I'm sure none of us know all the facts, but that doesn't stop us from offering opinions. Maybe it was ill-conceived, but it appears that Obama is also offering his opinion.

[OHGrandma]

A reporter ASKED him the question. He did not bring it up himself.

 

It's still my opinion he uses a race card to get people in line behind him to prove we're not racist. If this was an unplanned question(which I doubt), he still used it.

[ConnieB]

I live in the Boston area so this is all over our news.

 

I really like Obama' date=' but was shocked when I turned on the evening news to hear his statement regarding the whole Professor Gates/Officer Crowley incident.

 

He acknowledged that he didn't know all the facts, but then went on to say that the Cambridge police acted "stupidly." He said that the professor presented his ID while in his home and promptly was arrested. WRONG!

 

From what we do know now, and again not all the facts are known, is that the Professor presented his Harvard ID to the officer while in his foyer. According to Gates' [u']own words[/u] the officer was looking at the ID and seemed unsure of his next step. Gates then said something like "are you trying to arrest me because I am black?" and became loud and abusive. The office told him to step out onto the front porch, and that is when all heck broke loose. He was then arrested for disorderly conduct.

 

The most the President should have said was something along the lines of an unfortunate incident happening and hopefully a full and fair investigation will be launched and that both sides will be expected to coorperate and that perhaps we can learn that race relations in America is still a tricky thing blah blah blah.

 

But to go on national TV and denounce a policeman without even knowing the facts? Not something I expected.

 

 

I have wondered how the media arrived so shortly after this incident appears to have started.....don't know about this town, but around here the media don't typically follow the police around for what seems small time burglary......so how is it that the police arrive, request ID, have him step out on the porch and there are media there to take photos already? Almost sounds like it was staged?

 

And sorry, but if he was getting disorderly, then he DESERVED to be arrested, black, white or purple, you don't do that with the police. The police were completely justified in requesting ID, that had nothing to do with his race it had to do with a phone call saying that someone was breaking into a house, arriving at that house and finding the door jamb damaged and a person inside. I had to break a window once to get in when one of my kids shut the front door while I went to the mailbox and then wouldn't open it (we now don't have those types of locks on the doorknobs, lol). The neighbor heard the glass break but didn't see me crawling in and called police. They arrived while I was on the phone with the glass company. I readily explained the situation, showed them my ID and then because my Driver's License had an older address on it, had to show them other proof (thankfully the bills were sitting on my desk, lol). They said they figured I was the homeowner as I had 3 little ones running around and most burglar's don't bring the toddlers, lol. But it was procedure to require photo ID and proof of address. I am Hispanic in an area of a lot of "illegal" immigrants, but never once did I feel that the white cop was racist. He was just doing his job and making sure I really should be in that home.

 

We've since changed lock types and hidden a door key, lol.

 

While I will totally and completely agree that as a nation we still have a lot of race issues, I also personally feel that a many of the incidents are self-inflicted by the person because of their attitude. The police had no way of knowing if this gentleman belonged here or not, only ID would prove that...and it appears he chose to mouth off instead of comply with a lawful request. My husband has a chip on his shoulder about race as well, and I do understand and even agree that he has been wronged quite often, but I also believe that he brings a lot of it on himself with that chip. It's obvious and I believe that it only escalates the situation that may not have ever gone there except for his confrontational attitude right off the bat. Obviously, we don't know the whole story yet with Gates, and may never know the true story as both sides are growing further apart in their telling of it, but I wonder how Gates would have felt if he'd come home to find his house broken into and the police telling him that the guy they found in there said he lived there and so they left without proof. That wouldn't have gone over very well either.

[ConnieB]

It is consistent with the reason he went on TV in the first place last night, to talk about something he hasn't even read. My question is why even bring up the Boston incident at all last night? What purpose does it serve except to divide people even more?

 

My understanding was that this was not the topic he was planning to discuss but that a reporter asked the question. Yeah, the Pres should have deferred answering until he knew more, but like the rest of us, he was probably reacting to the initial news reports. I can say that the initial reports had me a bit angry......but as the truth came out now I really am leaning towards to the police being in the right in this situation and Gates overreacting. President doesn't have quite the same opportunity to easily change his view as I do, because no one was asking my opinion before I knew more. Past Presidents would have probably deferred the question.....Obama doesn't do that nearly as much as past presidents have, and MOST of the time I appreciate that, this however wasn't one of them.

 

It'll be interesting to see if he retracts that comment now that more is known.

[Home'scool]

I believe the pictures you see from the scene are ones taken by a bystander, not the news.

 

There was also an interview with the policeman on the news last night. He says he absolutely will not apoligize. Regardless, his career is basically over now that he has been branded a "racist." It's a shame.

[ConnieB]

Not to be smarmy, but don't all these questions have to be approved before they can be asked?

 

I mean, you can't just ask anything you want, right?

 

I doubt that....some very uncomfortable questions get asked of President's all the time. Now....these are journalists that have the PRIVILEDGE of being able to attend the White House briefings and I'm sure that they have to be careful about offending the President so that they don't lose that priviledge, which after all is very profitable to them and the news agency they represent. I've seen many reporters ask "hard" questions but in a respectful way. The President's advisors constantly coach them on the possible issues that will come up besides whatever they are meaning to discuss, so he should have had some type of response. I think Obama, more than any other President I can recall, gives a lot of "off the cuff" remarks. Of course, as those continue to backfire on him he'll likely stick to the practiced answers more, but that is unfortunate. I really would prefer to hear HIS response, not the hashed over, well rehearsed and well thought out responses that we are used to from other Presidents. Even after leaving office past Pres rarely make off the cuff remarks.

[JudoMom]

I doubt that....some very uncomfortable questions get asked of President's all the time. Now....these are journalists that have the PRIVILEDGE of being able to attend the White House briefings and I'm sure that they have to be careful about offending the President so that they don't lose that priviledge, which after all is very profitable to them and the news agency they represent. I've seen many reporters ask "hard" questions but in a respectful way.

 

Does anyone know how the reporters are chosen/called on to ask their questions? I've wondered this for awhile.

[Big Buckin' Longhorn]

And sorry, but if he was getting disorderly, then he DESERVED to be arrested, black, white or purple, you don't do that with the police. The police were completely justified in requesting ID, that had nothing to do with his race it had to do with a phone call saying that someone was breaking into a house, arriving at that house and finding the door jamb damaged and a person inside. I had to break a window once to get in when one of my kids shut the front door while I went to the mailbox and then wouldn't open it (we now don't have those types of locks on the doorknobs, lol). The neighbor heard the glass break but didn't see me crawling in and called police. They arrived while I was on the phone with the glass company. I readily explained the situation, showed them my ID and then because my Driver's License had an older address on it, had to show them other proof (thankfully the bills were sitting on my desk, lol). They said they figured I was the homeowner as I had 3 little ones running around and most burglar's don't bring the toddlers, lol. But it was procedure to require photo ID and proof of address. I am Hispanic in an area of a lot of "illegal" immigrants, but never once did I feel that the white cop was racist. He was just doing his job and making sure I really should be in that home.

 

We've since changed lock types and hidden a door key, lol.

 

While I will totally and completely agree that as a nation we still have a lot of race issues, I also personally feel that a many of the incidents are self-inflicted by the person because of their attitude. The police had no way of knowing if this gentleman belonged here or not, only ID would prove that...and it appears he chose to mouth off instead of comply with a lawful request. My husband has a chip on his shoulder about race as well, and I do understand and even agree that he has been wronged quite often, but I also believe that he brings a lot of it on himself with that chip. It's obvious and I believe that it only escalates the situation that may not have ever gone there except for his confrontational attitude right off the bat. Obviously, we don't know the whole story yet with Gates, and may never know the true story as both sides are growing further apart in their telling of it, but I wonder how Gates would have felt if he'd come home to find his house broken into and the police telling him that the guy they found in there said he lived there and so they left without proof. That wouldn't have gone over very well either.

 

I mostly agree with what you're saying . . . but . . . something about this really just bothers me. I mean no matter what kind of nasty attitude Mr. Gates had, he did show his ID and he was in his own home.

 

I mean . . . I feel I should be able to act disorderly or however I want in my own home. When he proved who he was, as long as he wasn't being physically violent to any police officers(or anyone else), he should have been left to rant and rave in his own home for as long as he wanted to. It's his home.

 

I know on a couple of occasions, I've acted quite disorderly in my home, but no one arrests me. Policemen aren't super-powers. They aren't gods. They should be expected to be reasonable as well. I think arresting him was just over the top because the officer felt he should be obeyed without question. I believe in asking lots of questions, so I guess I could just see something like this happening to me or someone I love. My Dad is an older black man, and he likes to argue any and every point . . . that's just how some people are :001_smile:. That doesn't mean they need to be arrested because you don't like their particular personality.

 

But, of course, that's JMHO, YMMV, and all that jazz. ;)

[Home'scool]

The original call came in from a neighbor because two men were seen jimming the door and forcing it open. That is the information the police had when they showed up.

 

So, yes, his ID did say that he was in his own home, but what if there was a marital dispute and he no longer lived there? There could have been a restraining order on him.

 

What if the other person with Professor Gates was not his driver but someone who forced him out of his car and then forced his way into the home?

 

What if the ID was fake?

 

So, no, just because you are in your home, until the police officer is reasonably satisfied (and I doubt a lot of time had passed to say it was unreasonable) you really cannot start flipping out and refuse subsequent requests.

 

It is my impression that the police officer was taking a few moments to get all the angles and making sure that everything was as it seemed. It doesn't hurt to take a few moments. The go-to position should NOT have been to then immediately say he was being treated this way because he was black.

 

Chris Rock made a spoof video about how not to get arrested by the police. One of the things he said was when you get pulled over, BE POLITE! Give the officer all the information he wants without swearing or being belligerent. The video had funny reenactments of how not to behave, but the message is the same.

[astrid]

:iagree::iagree: