Arrest of Henry Louis Gates

[KChill]

As far as I'm concerned:

The police officers were doing their job.

Gates got defensive and overreacted.

Obama overreacted before he knew the facts.

Gates and Obama say they want this unfortunate incident to be a "teachable moment" for America. I say let this be a teachable moment about judgment for the Harvard professor & the President.

Come talk to me when it happens to you....I got jacked up outside my dorm room in college as soon as I stepped outside the door, because apparently a couple had had an argument out there 10 min before and someone had called the cops. Except unlike, Gates I got frisked and a gun drawn on me, because in his own words "I was making him nervous."

You might say the police was just "doing his job" in that case, but there's a right and a wrong way to "do your job" and that's the issue with the Gates incident. I laughed at the teachable moment comment myself, because Obama is very naive to think that Americans would want to empathize with an unfamiliar experience -- whether it be that of a cop, black man, or white man. People just don't want to think about it.

[PJ]

I got jacked up outside my dorm room in college as soon as I stepped outside the door, because apparently a couple had had an argument out there 10 min before and someone had called the cops. Except unlike, Gates I got frisked and a gun drawn on me, because in his own words "I was making him nervous."

Your case is a completely different one, one that I don't know the details and can't comment on.

You might say the police was just "doing his job" in that case, but there's a right and a wrong way to "do your job"

There's also a right way and a wrong way to react to a police officer's reasonable request; Gates did not cooperate with the officer's reasonable request, and that's why he got the treatment.

Gates' supporters are only looking at the treatment he received from the police. But what caused such a treatment from the police? It was Gates' own noncooperation to the police's initial request.

Gates was exhausted, the police did not know who he is, etc etc. Good people clashed at the wrong place due to unfortunate circumstances. Beer at White House sounds like a good closure.

[K2Grey]

I believe the police were in the right, but few people can be exactly sure what happened when the policeman confronted Gates and to what degree either party was uncooperative.

[jiang bao]

Come talk to me when it happens to you....I got jacked up outside my dorm room in college as soon as I stepped outside the door, because apparently a couple had had an argument out there 10 min before and someone had called the cops. Except unlike, Gates I got frisked and a gun drawn on me, because in his own words "I was making him nervous."

You might say the police was just "doing his job" in that case, but there's a right and a wrong way to "do your job" and that's the issue with the Gates incident. I laughed at the teachable moment comment myself, because Obama is very naive to think that Americans would want to empathize with an unfamiliar experience -- whether it be that of a cop, black man, or white man. People just don't want to think about it.

Cops screw people over all the time. Back many years ago, in my neighborhood at the time, two cops killed a chinese kid. The kid and his friend were shooting BB guns at garbage cans in the backyard. A neighbor called the cops, and they came. What happened next no one knows for sure. But the kid (90 lb 14 year old) got shot in the head at close range.

The cops claim he was "resisting arrest." Right.

The gun probably went off by accident, but the cop lied. Can't blame him for lying, since he wants to save his job, but that's what cops do too. They lie. They are just like other people.

Why do some cops act like a-holes? Cuz they can.

Someone I know got arrested cuz he laughed at a cop's last name when he got pulled over honking his horn at a no-honking zone. Stupid thing to do, yes, but he was arrested purely for laughing at the guy's name. People usually don't get handcuffed for violating a minor traffic law. It's like how people jaywalk all the time and cops just let it go.

[KChill]

BTW, I am in no way a Gates supporter...I could care less about him, and had only heard of him once or twice before this happened. I just like jumping into discussions and giving my 2 cents. I've got much love for everyone on here... TC, keep the good discussions going man!

[Trinie]

Cops screw people over all the time. Back many years ago, in my neighborhood at the time, two cops killed a chinese kid. The kid and his friend were shooting BB guns at garbage cans in the backyard. A neighbor called the cops, and they came. What happened next no one knows for sure. But the kid (90 lb 14 year old) got shot in the head at close range.

The cops claim he was "resisting arrest." Right.

The gun probably went off by accident, but the cop lied. Can't blame him for lying, since he wants to save his job, but that's what cops do too. They lie. They are just like other people.

Why do some cops act like a-holes? Cuz they can.

Someone I know got arrested cuz he laughed at a cop's last name when he got pulled over honking his horn at a no-honking zone. Stupid thing to do, yes, but he was arrested purely for laughing at the guy's name. People usually don't get handcuffed for violating a minor traffic law. It's like how people jaywalk all the time and cops just let it go.

I can't believe that a cop just kills a young kid and lies about it. They get away with it too??? I think society often gives cops way too much credit. But there are good cops that deserve it too. My brother said that he once got a parking ticket for no good reason at all. He said that he parked in the school parking lot and some cops would just go around and give anyone a ticket just because they felt like it. Gosh, was he mad.... Cops get away with it just because they can....

[jiang bao]

I don't remember what happened to the cop who killed the kid. He might have lost his job anyway. He claimed that the gun went off accidentally when the kid resisted arrest. What I think happened is that he shoved the kid to the wall with the gun on him, but his finger must have been on the trigger and when he shoved the kid his finger got pushed back into the trigger and the gun fired.

This soldier who returned from Iraq talked about how whenever a roadside bomb exploded, some of the American soldiers would just fire indiscriminately and kill any Iraqi in sight. Sometimes for whatever reason: stress, arrogance, anger, etc, soldiers and cops alike just lose control.

[oGaKirA]

that's not true at all man, when do you usually sees cop? when you ****ed up, and when you ****ed up and a cop is on your ***, do you love that cop? probably not.

Cops deals with shit that takes their life in a split sec, i don't blame them for being asses.

Couldn't better worded.
Cops have to deal with dangerous situations on a regular basis so no doubt that they have to take everything very seriously at all times. Obama should apologize to the police department for criticised them without even know the fact of the situation.

So errr...because they carry a badge and work in a life threatening environment gives them the right to be pricks??? I really don't think "being a dick" is part of the job requirement. I would like to think that the majority of cops are good....but don't be going around giving them justification for being dicks. C'mon now!!! Some of you's must never go out?

Recently 4th of July. Had a get together at my house. Everyone partying in my open garage. Pple lighting fireworks up and down the street.(fireworks are illegal here) Freakin bastard a$$ cops showed up and asked us if we had any fireworks. We said no. They asked if they could enter the premises. We said f*ck no. My sister was cleaning up some beer bottles off the drive way. After all said and done, the beotches wrote my sister an Open Container ticket and she doesnt even drink!!!

Once was just driving around with some cousins. Cops pulls us over. Asks for permission to search the car. We said sure so we all stepped out. After he found that we were clean he starts writing a ticket. My cousin, the driver, asked why did you pull us over? Cop said, for bald tires and that was what the ticket was for. WTF!!!!??? How the f*ck you gonna see that our tires were bald while we were rolling down the street???

Being a minority, Asian, from a big city, you gonna run into a-hole cops. And if you passin by a small country town, you best be on your best behavior...cuz some of them mofos are prejudice as f*ck.

In the Gates case. I'd be pissed as f*ck if cops came abustin in my house. Whatever went on between the cop and Gates I dont think warranted his arrest. On top of it all....they dropped the charges!!! If they felt they were in the right, then why drop the charges? Cop was just being a dick.

For the cops that are dicks, why can't they just do their jobs, nothing less, nothing more???

[PJ]

In the Gates case. I'd be pissed as f*ck if cops came abustin in my house.

Umm, the officer was investigating a possible break in. He asked Gates to step outside, which seems reasonable to me, which Gates refused. If I were the officer, I'd be ready to use force at that point to enforce the law to an uncooperative person.

On top of it all....they dropped the charges!!! If they felt they were in the right, then why drop the charges? Cop was just being a dick.

You don't want to mess with the president's friend (who just happens to be the #1 Black scholar in America)?

The sensitive dick in this case is not the cop, but Turner "I'm better than everybody else because I'm Black" Gates.

For the cops that are dicks, why can't they just do their jobs, nothing less, nothing more???

Forget dicks, let's talk about all cops. And the answer is simple: Because some people don't cooperate. How are they supposed to do their jobs nice and gentle when people refuse to cooperate is beyond me.

[Trien Chieu]

So errr...because they carry a badge and work in a life threatening environment gives them the right to be pricks??? I really don't think "being a dick" is part of the job requirement. I would like to think that the majority of cops are good....but don't be going around giving them justification for being dicks. C'mon now!!! Some of you's must never go out?

Sure, they shouldn't being a dick and they are not in the case of Gates. What do you expect from them when they responding to a possible break in case? Of course they have to take it very seriously because it's dangerous.

Recently 4th of July. Had a get together at my house. Everyone partying in my open garage. Pple lighting fireworks up and down the street.(fireworks are illegal here) Freakin bastard a$$ cops showed up and asked us if we had any fireworks. We said no. They asked if they could enter the premises. We said f*ck no. My sister was cleaning up some beer bottles off the drive way. After all said and done, the beotches wrote my sister an Open Container ticket and she doesnt even drink!!!

What is an Open Container Ticket? Is it a violation for partying and drinking in the garage? If so, give you a ticket for any violation is reasonable.

Once was just driving around with some cousins. Cops pulls us over. Asks for permission to search the car. We said sure so we all stepped out. After he found that we were clean he starts writing a ticket. My cousin, the driver, asked why did you pull us over? Cop said, for bald tires and that was what the ticket was for. WTF!!!!??? How the f*ck you gonna see that our tires were bald while we were rolling down the street???

Was your tires bald? If so, then you deserved the ticket.

Being a minority, Asian, from a big city, you gonna run into a-hole cops. And if you passin by a small country town, you best be on your best behavior...cuz some of them mofos are prejudice as f*ck.

I am an asian and have been living in both small and big city. I have no problem with cops. I got 1 speeding ticket like 8 years ago for driving 69 km/hr in 50 km/hr zone. I have no one to blame but myself. I didn't blame cop for it. I got a $20 parking ticket for parking on the side of the road at night recently as I forgot to park it on the driveway. Again, by law it's a violation and I don't blame the cop but myself. I paid the ticket and make sure it won't happen again.

In the Gates case. I'd be pissed as f*ck if cops came abustin in my house. Whatever went on between the cop and Gates I dont think warranted his arrest. On top of it all....they dropped the charges!!! If they felt they were in the right, then why drop the charges? Cop was just being a dick.

For the cops that are dicks, why can't they just do their jobs, nothing less, nothing more???

Dropping the charges was a big mistake.
What do you expect from the cops when they respond to a break-in case? If I was the cop, I would not just handcuff him, I would use the taser if he didn't cooperate.

[KChill]

PJ, who ranked him as the number one black scholar in America....b/c on my list he wouldn't even make the top 10?

[Happy Kadaw]

My older sister worked with officer Crowley when he was teaching a racial profiling class at the Lowell Police Academy. According to her, he was a good cop, nice and friendly too. Btw, my sister wasn't a cop, she worked for the Lowell police department and was in this program where she was supposed to help young gangster kids. From what I can remember, the program was a fail. Anyway I'm glad this story is already over.

Speaking of cops, when I was younger, I was saved by this nice cop so I tend to like cops in general until the last few years when I learned more about dirty cops so my feelings for them now are nothing but a mixed bag.