GG Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 I'm thinking he's OK with the neighbors (black or white) calling the police when they suspect a break-in is occurring (whether the suspected perpetrators are black or white). I'm guessing he is more than OK with the police responding to the call, as well. I'm guessing what Gates objected to was what was said/done in the exchange after the police arrived. You mean getting indignant that police asked him for ID when they're investigating a break in? The charges against Gates have been dropped. That says something right there. I'm guessing it was done more to avoid the bigger circus that was about to unfold. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magox Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 Shut up! The charges were dropped and that obviously says something! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dean Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 Go ahead and let us know what it says. They can't support the arrest. It surely implies as much. Prosecutors don't typically drop charges they know they can sustain, and get a conviction with. BTW, feel free to let me know when White guys start getting arrested on their porch, in the Boston area, with no physical confrontation, or complaining civilian party. Anyone who thinks the police in the USA (and particularly in New England) are completely color blind in their demeanor with the public and enforcement, is living in a fantasy world. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
X. Benedict Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 They dropped the charges because nothing ever comes of that stuff anyway. I wasn't there but in my experience with police, if you give respect that's what you get. If you're a douche bag, they'll haul you in just to mess up your day. They don't care if the arrest is stupid and will be invalidated a few hours later. They've proved their point. Now this "Professor" could learn a valuable lesson but he'll probably continue to be a whiny douche bag liberal hypocrite. Power to the state, good educator. The police determined that there was no merit to the original complaint. Now shouldn't libertarians be saying that he has every right to be a mad ranting douchebag from his own porch? This is the middle of the afternoon. He's not keeping anybody awake or inciting a riot. Calling a policeman a racist really shouldn't get much of a rise out him. I don't recommend doing it, but they are professionals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dean Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 You mean getting indignant that police asked him for ID when they're investigating a break in? No. But perhaps in the WAY they asked, the manner it which it was handled, what they may have said during the exchange, etc. Not hard to imagine a scenario where they could have been particularly aggressive or insulting. Once they got the ID, the whole thing should be over, words shouted from the porch, or not. The fact they chose to arrest him, even when they knew it was his home suggests these were not color-blind cops. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelly the Dog Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 That is exactly his logic. The police officer investigated the possible burglary, asked the suspect for ID, and the suspect refused. Gates then became offended that a white police officer asked him for ID in his own home, and specially since he is a prominent black man, then cried out Racism in America. This guy does nothing but move us backward, not forward So you just assume that the cop was honest and Gates was lying? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dean Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 So you just assume that the cop was honest and Gates was lying? Magox? Of course that is what he believes. He is one of the few "conservatives" to get snared in the OwensMania sting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaska Darin Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 They can't support the arrest. It surely implies as much. Prosecutors don't typically drop charges they know they can sustain, and get a conviction with. Yeah, they like to spend a ton of time in court on high profile misdemeanors that have received national publicity. Happens all the time. BTW, feel free to let me know when White guys start getting arrested on their porch, in the Boston area, with no physical confrontation, or complaining civilian party. Anyone who thinks the police in the USA (and particularly in New England) are completely color blind in their demeanor with the public and enforcement, is living in a fantasy world. Couldn't tell you because it wouldn't make national news to ensure you liberal douche bags get stirred up over one of your own getting screwed over by the big government you worship. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cheeseburger_in_paradise Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 "Tumultuous" behavior? Is that really cop speak? Christ, that word has four syllables in it. Be that as it may, why does this have to be about racism? Can't it just be about stupid cops, or the increasingly invasive police state we now live in? Stuff like this has happened to me, and I'm not black. That said, without being there, who knows what happened? Do cops make stuff up in their reports? You Betcha. Do arrogant college professors unjustifiably play the race card? Uh huh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GG Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 No. But perhaps in the WAY they asked, the manner it which it was handled, what they may have said during the exchange, etc. Not hard to imagine a scenario where they could have been particularly aggressive or insulting. Once they got the ID, the whole thing should be over, words shouted from the porch, or not. The fact they chose to arrest him, even when they knew it was his home suggests these were not color-blind cops. Actually, there is absolutely nothing that's been reported that supports this theory. It surely looks like he got arrested because the cops thought he was acting like a douche and they arrested him for that. But you may play up to the racist cop stereotype, if you wish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC Tom Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 So you just assume that the cop was honest and Gates was lying? I assume they're both reasonably honest about the basic facts. I also assume that Gates is an arrogant pinhead (being, after all, a Harvard professor), and the police were much more confrontational than their reports suggest (because everyone who's ever been to Boston knows how unfailingly polite everyone isn't...) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC Tom Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 "Tumultuous" behavior? Is that really cop speak? Christ, that word has four syllables in it. They are "Harvard" cops. They might even read. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaska Darin Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 The police determined that their was no merit to the original complaint. Sure they did. Now shouldn't libertarians be saying that he has every right to be a mad ranting douchebag from his own porch? I didn't say I supported arresting the guy. I certainly wouldn't have supported them wasting taxpayer money prosecuting the guy. I said I understood why the cop took him in and were I in the good Professor's shoes I'd have expected to be taken in for acting like a douche. This is the middle of the afternoon. He's not keeping anybody awake or inciting a riot. He was charged with disorderly conduct, not inciting a riot. Calling a policeman a racist really shouldn't get much of a rise out him. I don't recommend doing it, but they are professionals. Like I said before, most cops will haul you in if you disrespect them in front of any civilian. You can argue whether it's right or wrong all day long but that's pretty much written in stone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dean Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 Yeah, they like to spend a ton of time in court on high profile misdemeanors that have received national publicity. Happens all the time. Haven't some (Black) NFL players been cited for Disorderly Conduct, and not have those charges instantly dropped? Couldn't tell you because it wouldn't make national news to ensure you liberal douche bags get stirred up over one of your own getting screwed over by the big government you worship. Sure, that's it. Seriously living in Alaska has left you out of touch with reality, I think. This has nothing to do with "big government" or liberalism. This is local law enforcement issue. People complain about it all the time, and it is often reported. I'm sure there would be evidence/accounts if these things happened to white civilians. Every police shooting gets reported. How many unarmed white suspects are killed by cops? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dean Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 Actually, there is absolutely nothing that's been reported that supports this theory. Except for the arrest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaska Darin Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 Haven't some (Black) NFL players been cited for Disorderly Conduct, and not have those charges instantly dropped? I have no idea. Go ahead and give some examples. Be sure to include the ones the President commented on in his daily press gig. Sure, that's it. Seriously living in Alaska has left you out of touch with reality, I think. This has nothing to do with "big government" or liberalism. This is local law enforcement issue. People complain about it all the time, and it is often reported. I'm sure there would be evidence/accounts if these things happened to white civilians. Every police shooting gets reported. How many unarmed white suspects are killed by cops? So "local law enforcement" and their apparent abuse of power has nothing to do with big government? Yeah, I'm the one out of touch because of where I hang my hat at night. It's systemic, moron. Doesn't matter if it's local, county, state, or federal. People with too much power will abuse it. I like how we've moved onto how many unarmed white suspects are killed by cops. Fear mongering rules when it's a liberal topic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelly the Dog Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 I assume they're both reasonably honest about the basic facts. I also assume that Gates is an arrogant pinhead (being, after all, a Harvard professor), and the police were much more confrontational than their reports suggest (because everyone who's ever been to Boston knows how unfailingly polite everyone isn't...) That's what I think happened, too, that they were both being azzholes about it. But, the simple fact remains, at least to me, that according to Gates, the policeman asked him for ID, and Gates immediately gave him his Harvard ID and his drivers license, which showed that he was in his own house. Crowley doesn't seem to dispute that. Gates at this point was probably being an arrogant prick, because he felt he was racially profiled, and refusing to come out or answer more questions. In fact, later on Gates lawyer, probably rightfully, said he was smart right away to not walk outside because the cop could have arrested him for breaking and entering. But the cop should have just walked away because at that point he knew there was no crime at all. He didn't, he kept asking Gates to walk outside because Gates was yelling at him and asking for his badge number. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaska Darin Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 Gates immediately gave him his Harvard ID and his drivers license "Gates initially refused, demanding that I show him identification..." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC Tom Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 That's what I think happened, too, that they were both being azzholes about it. But, the simple fact remains, at least to me, that according to Gates, the policeman asked him for ID, and Gates immediately gave him his Harvard ID and his drivers license, which showed that he was in his own house. Crowley doesn't seem to dispute that. Gates at this point was probably being an arrogant prick, because he felt he was racially profiled, and refusing to come out or answer more questions. In fact, later on Gates lawyer, probably rightfully, said he was smart right away to not walk outside because the cop could have arrested him for breaking and entering. But the cop should have just walked away because at that point he knew there was no crime at all. He didn't, he kept asking Gates to walk outside because Gates was yelling at him and asking for his badge number. But that doesn't, however, make it racial. It's equally likely that Gates is playing the "offended black man" card to cover his own dick-headedness as much as the cops are playing the "innocent, honest law enforcement officials" card to cover theirs. The difference being that, while I doubt Gates' "offended black man" card is being fairly played, I don't doubt that it was fairly earned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
X. Benedict Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 He was charged with disorderly conduct, not inciting a riot. FWIW, I understand it to be close to that..... this is from some lawyers page, but I think it sums it pretty well. A disorderly person is defined as one who: * with purpose to cause public inconvenience, annoyance or alarm, or * recklessly creates a risk thereof * engages in fighting or threatening, violent or tumultuous behavior, or * creates a hazard or physically offensive condition by any act which serves no legitimate purpose. Conviction for Disorderly conduct in MA can be punishable by imprisonment for up to 6 months. http://www.masscriminaldefense.com/disorderly.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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