Black scholar's arrest raises profiling questions

If Mr. Gates was drunk, soaking wet, and claimed he just walked home after drivivg his car off a bridge and into a river, the Cambridge police would have asked for his autograph.
President Obama, Oprah Winfrey, and yes, even Rev. Al Sharpton should make statements condemning the way this investigation was handled.
Start profiling caucasian males that resemble James "Whitey" Bulger and maybe you'll catch a real bad guy.

Unless there was something missing in the story, I don't see anything that the police did wrong.

The DA did since he dropped the charges.

Just Curious wrote:

Unless there was something missing in the story, I don't see anything that the police did wrong.

C Heston wrote:

The DA did since he dropped the charges.
<quoted text>

No, he dropped the charges because somebody whined loudly about racial profiling, and the DA is more worried about politics than he is about law.

But again, what did the police do wrong?

Yes I'm sure you know all the details.
Why do you hate our country so much? Would you prefer to live in China and just have them grab you off the street and no trial?

If you don't like the laws of my country go back to where you came from.

Just Curious wrote:

<quoted text>
No, he dropped the charges because somebody whined loudly about racial profiling, and the DA is more worried about politics than he is about law.
But again, what did the police do wrong?

C Heston wrote:

Yes I'm sure you know all the details.
Why do you hate our country so much? Would you prefer to live in China and just have them grab you off the street and no trial?
If you don't like the laws of my country go back to where you came from.
<quoted text>

No, I don't know all the details. But why did you say the police did something wrong by using the DA dropping the charges as evidence of that? It's not, but people like you who are easily fooled might think so.

What laws of the country are you referring to? Did the police violate the law by responding to a breaking and entering call? Why are you filled with so much self-rightous hate?

I'm sure if a Black officer responded to the call, no one would even know about this indicent. I'm a black officer and I would have done the same. He was arrested for Disorderly Conduct. Had he just provided the IDs and kept his mouth shut the officers would have been long gone...no problems.

C Heston wrote:

Yes I'm sure you know all the details.
Why do you hate our country so much? Would you prefer to live in China and just have them grab you off the street and no trial?
If you don't like the laws of my country go back to where you came from.
<quoted text>

Try re-reading my posts as best you can, I know you might need a little help.

I never said the police did anything wrong. It was the DA who decided the case had no merit.

Try and filter out what is said and what you imagine is said. you may see it is quite diffrent.

Just Curious wrote:

<quoted text>
No, I don't know all the details. But why did you say the police did something wrong by using the DA dropping the charges as evidence of that? It's not, but people like you who are easily fooled might think so.
What laws of the country are you referring to? Did the police violate the law by responding to a breaking and entering call? Why are you filled with so much self-rightous hate?

So as an officer of the law you have made a decision about what you would have done from a newspaper article? Do you think the story gave enough details?

I question if you are an officer and if you are I hope you look a little further than hearsay, which is what a newspaper story is.

Blk officer wrote:

I'm sure if a Black officer responded to the call, no one would even know about this indicent. I'm a black officer and I would have done the same. He was arrested for Disorderly Conduct. Had he just provided the IDs and kept his mouth shut the officers would have been long gone...no problems.
<quoted text>

Blk officer wrote:

I'm sure if a Black officer responded to the call, no one would even know about this indicent. I'm a black officer and I would have done the same. He was arrested for Disorderly Conduct. Had he just provided the IDs and kept his mouth shut the officers would have been long gone...no problems.
<quoted text>

Bingo! It's standard procedure for police to ask for a person's ID if they are outside the scene of a police call even if the person is recognizably famous which Gates isn't. What was the big deal other than Gates thinking he is too elite to defer to a request from law enforcement. It was a righteous arrest but of course it was politically incorrect since Gates is part of the Liberal elite thereofre the cop is racist, fascist, homophobic, antidisestablishantarianist, insert perjorative here etc

I'm referring to the fact in The USA a person is considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
I'm not sure where you come from but this is one of the fundamentals of the USA. The longer you live here the more you will see the beauty of this law.

Just Curious wrote:

<quoted text>
No, I don't know all the details. But why did you say the police did something wrong by using the DA dropping the charges as evidence of that? It's not, but people like you who are easily fooled might think so.
What laws of the country are you referring to? Did the police violate the law by responding to a breaking and entering call? Why are you filled with so much self-rightous hate?

All anyone replying to this artical can go on is what the artical says. Another artical states: "Gates continued to yell at me, accusing me of racial bias and continued to tell me that I had not heard the last of him," the officer wrote (http://www.boston.com/news/education/higher/a... ). It goes on to state Gates followed the officers as they left the home (making it a public event). The article does not tell if the Gates continued to yell, but i'm willing to bet he did. If so...yes my mind is made up. The statute is very plain. If that is the case, he broke the law and should have been arrested.
Yes, I am an officer, I am POST certified and have 9 years experience. I've been a Sergeant and am now a Lieutenant. I served 6 years in the Military and supported Operation Iraqi Freedom in Iraq. I love my country and thank God for it. I am black and successful...it's a mindset really.

C Heston wrote:

So as an officer of the law you have made a decision about what you would have done from a newspaper article? Do you think the story gave enough details?
I question if you are an officer and if you are I hope you look a little further than hearsay, which is what a newspaper story is.
<quoted text>

Typical rightwingnut hears about 15% of the story and you already knows everything.

Ever find the WMD's?

Yep wrote:

<quoted text>
Bingo! It's standard procedure for police to ask for a person's ID if they are outside the scene of a police call even if the person is recognizably famous which Gates isn't. What was the big deal other than Gates thinking he is too elite to defer to a request from law enforcement. It was a righteous arrest but of course it was politically incorrect since Gates is part of the Liberal elite thereofre the cop is racist, fascist, homophobic, antidisestablishantarianist, insert perjorative here etc

Face the facts. First, the police responded to a report of someone possibly breaking into a house, not a report of the homeowner trying to get into his own home. The police officer was doing his job, properly, by the book, by asking Gates for ID to prove it was him at his residence. A police officer can not take someone at their word, it could have been anyone. Just because Gates is known among some people doesn't mean that he is known among all or even most people. There is no excuse for Gates initially acting the way he did. I guess he just has some emotional problems. A real disappointment for a scholar of any race. Would Gate have reacted the same way if a black officer initially responded? It seems like Gates is the racist in this case. Second, the officer was within his right to arrest or give a citation to Gates for disorderly conduct. Gates refused to show ID, it was the officer who restrained himself in giving Gates multiple opportunities to prove his identity. The officer did not have to do that. For a scholar, Gates is ignorant and his behavior is inexcusable. It's not all Gates though DA should not have been so weak and bend to another racist claim. Gates was clearly in the wrong here.

Thanks...you are absolutely right. No matter what an officer does or to whom they do it to, officers are always called names and "seemingly" never make the right decisions. Can't make everyone happy though. Especially those who get the short end of the stick. I've been called "Uncle Tom" a lot. Stings that my own race can sometimes hate me for doing what is right.

Yep wrote:

<quoted text>
Bingo! It's standard procedure for police to ask for a person's ID if they are outside the scene of a police call even if the person is recognizably famous which Gates isn't. What was the big deal other than Gates thinking he is too elite to defer to a request from law enforcement. It was a righteous arrest but of course it was politically incorrect since Gates is part of the Liberal elite thereofre the cop is racist, fascist, homophobic, antidisestablishantarianist, insert perjorative here etc

Oh God...your a left winger. That's what is wrong with you. No hope talking to you about anything.

C Heston wrote:

Typical rightwingnut hears about 15% of the story and you already knows everything.
Ever find the WMD's?
<quoted text>

I'm so sure you are who you claim to be. Let me guess you are a African American Republican? Shame your party hates you.

Wasn't it the newly elected prez of the young republicans that compaired your race to apes a few weeks ago?

Blk officer wrote:

Oh God...your a left winger. That's what is wrong with you. No hope talking to you about anything.
<quoted text>

C Heston wrote:

Typical rightwingnut hears about 15% of the story and you already knows everything.
Ever find the WMD's?
<quoted text>

Hey idiot,

What would Gates have said if someone was really breaking into his house and the police did nothing. More than likely he would be crying racism and claim the police did nothing because they don't like to protect Black people or the property of Black people isn't equal to that of Whites. This has nothing to do with race it has everything to do with an antagonistic, agressive person who is at the scene of a reported break in. All he had to do was show ID and the whole thing stops right there in it's tracks but no Gates is a legend in his own mind. You are an idiotic apologist

C Heston wrote:

Try re-reading my posts as best you can, I know you might need a little help.
I never said the police did anything wrong. It was the DA who decided the case had no merit.
Try and filter out what is said and what you imagine is said. you may see it is quite diffrent.
<quoted text>

You said the DA did (think the officers did something wrong) because he dropped the charges.

You have no clue why the DA dropped the charges, but here's what the case came down to, according to the story:

"Police said the 58-year-old Gates was arrested after he yelled at an officer, accused him of racial bias and refused to calm down after the officer demanded Gates show him identification to prove he lived in the home.

Ogletree said Gates showed his driver's license and Harvard ID—both with his photos—and repeatedly asked for the name and badge number of the officer, who refused. He followed the officer as he left his house onto his front porch, where he was arrested. "

If, as you say, we're innocent until proven guilty in a court of law, then we agree he should have gone to trial where the truth would come out.

The DA didn't want the truth to come out, I guess.

I thought he did good for a fake cop.

DUMBING DOWN AMERICA wrote:

<quoted text>
You used the wrong form of "you're", genius.