X. Benedict Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 Ummm, it is my understanding that the police were uniformed officers (please correct me if I'm wrong); displaying their badges on their shirts, and arrived in a police car. If I am correct, that would presumptively identify them as police officers. And asking for Gates' ID (not his college ID, but one issued by a government entity), would be the only way to, on-the-spot verify, that Gates was, in fact, in his own home. No. Only the quickest. There is a 4th amendment. .... . and the probable is a phone call........and nobody was fleeing. The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
X. Benedict Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 Since the institution of speech codes in the 80s and 90s. People lose jobs over ACCUSATIONS of racist speech. Okay, but we aren't talking about labor law here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pine Barrens Mafia Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 Okay, but we aren't talking about labor law here. law is law, no? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dean Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 So like I said before: I can understand (intellectually) Gates' point of view. At the same time, it doesn't make him any less of an idiot for going off on a long tirade against an officer doing his legitimate duty. Well put. I agree Gates likely acted like an assshole. As far as I know, that isn't illegal. But the police are supposed to be trained to mollify civilians in these sorts of situations. The cop should understand exactly what you and I realize. Given the careful wording in the police report, there is precious little there to show this officer did what he should have done to help quiet Gates. Arresting him, was just icing on the cake. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magox Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 Another thing people are forgetting is that Gates has spent a large part of his career discussing, writing and teaching about racial profiling. It's a very sensitive subject to him. But, I also have no doubt that people here have a completely different reaction to a cop coming to your door accusing you of breaking into your own house than a 60 year old black professor does. That doesn't justify his actions. Like I said earlier, his actions are regressive not progressive. I would hope that Harvard would look into this matter and discipline him accordingly, but of course they won't, because they would be considered racist if they did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
X. Benedict Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 Arresting him, was just icing on the cake. The arrest seems to based on the officers interpretation of "tumultuous" behavior. A stupid arrest. Not a surprising one. But a stupid one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magox Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 Well put. I agree Gates likely acted like an assshole. As far as I know, that isn't illegal. But the police are supposed to be trained to mollify civilians in these sorts of situations. The cop should understand exactly what you and I realize. Given the careful wording in the police report, there is precious little there to show this officer did what he should have done to help quiet Gates. Arresting him, was just icing on the cake. So which is it Dean? Did they arrest him because he was black or because he acted like an assshole? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
murra Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 Well put. I agree Gates likely acted like an assshole. As far as I know, that isn't illegal. But the police are supposed to be trained to mollify civilians in these sorts of situations. The cop should understand exactly what you and I realize. Given the careful wording in the police report, there is precious little there to show this officer did what he should have done to help quiet Gates. Arresting him, was just icing on the cake. Sure. The police officer didn't act very police-like, but calling him stupid sure isn't presidential. (Sorry if this isn't the direction that the thread was intended to go towards) Obama calls the froce stupid, and leaves an impression on America that cops are bad. That's a fantastic leader. He should have ignored the topic, and left it up to the Cambridge police where it belonged. He did not need to address it, even if he's black. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
X. Benedict Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 Sure. The police officer didn't act very police-like, but calling him stupid sure isn't presidential. He didn't see above Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaska Darin Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 That's fair enough, isn't it? Aren't police required to identify themselves, and show their badge, and such? Especially in a situation like this? I don't have a problem with it. I don't know if police are "required" to identify themselves, though I suspect they are. My response was only in reference to the word "immediately" because initially the professor refused (I don't know if refusing is illegal but I suspect it is). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelly the Dog Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 That doesn't justify his actions. Like I said earlier, his actions are regressive not progressive. I would hope that Harvard would look into this matter and discipline him accordingly, but of course they won't, because they would be considered racist if they did. Does the cop's behavior justify the cop's actions? I don't know what happened. If I HAD to guess, I would say that it was right smackdab in the middle of the police report, and Gates's own report. If that were true, and the real story was somewhat in the middle, IMO, it was stupid for him to be arrested. There was no crime. He was just being arrogant, uncooperative, and offended that he was accused of breaking into his own house, which he had proved. That's not a crime, sorry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelly the Dog Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 I don't have a problem with it. I don't know if police are "required" to identify themselves, though I suspect they are. My response was only in reference to the word "immediately" because initially the professor refused (I don't know if refusing is illegal but I suspect it is). Why is the cop's report right and Gates' report wrong? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaska Darin Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 Four? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dean Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 So which is it Dean? Did they arrest him because he was black or because he acted like an assshole? A combo. There would likely have been no confrontation, or accusations, with a White suspect, as the area police have no history of racist behavior against Caucasians (to my knowledge). They should all be aware of the tensions with the Black community due, in large part, to the misconduct of area police in the past. They failed to take the steps necessary to calm down an upset, irritated suspect...at least they did not document those steps in the report. When the no-longer-suspect vented some more, they arrested him on his own property (his porch!) for insulting them. None of that happens with a white suspect, IMO. If the white suspect shouted epithets at them from the porch, as they walked away (less likely as explained above) they still don't arrest him. "Acting like an assshole" is NOT a crime. They took the opportunity to arrest him because he was black and obnoxious, IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanker Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 Here's a little more background information on the arresting officer. Of course it should be discounted because it comes from the far right wing conspirators at ABC News. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StupidNation Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 Yes, only black people are searched and arrested for suspicion of things by police. I'm sure that had a lot to do with a white policeman with a hispanic policeman doing a routine follow-up. It's the same racism people decry when they are black. Now that the person who is the racist is black we turn a blind-eye to his racism. The very fact this guy makes a buck on crying about black injustice shows what a racist prick he is. Only one racism is to be tolerated and embraced, namely, racism against white men. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dean Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 Sure. The police officer didn't act very police-like, but calling him stupid sure isn't presidential. (Sorry if this isn't the direction that the thread was intended to go towards) Obama didn't call him stupid. You lied in your initial post. He said they acted stupidly. A big difference to those who understand it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaska Darin Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 Why is the cop's report right and Gates' report wrong? Because you're almost always wrong. I have to admit, I'm having a blast watching you libs complain about the government abusing their power in this case. It's even better that it's one of your own on the "receiving end". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
murra Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 He didn't see above I did see above, I have no idea what your post even means. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaska Darin Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 Obama didn't call him stupid. You lied in your initial post. He said they acted stupidly. A big difference to those who understand it. Semantic argument. The President should know better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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