In 1987, I had recently moved into a run-down apartment building in Freeport, NY. I was starting a new job, which was walking distance from my apt. On my first day of work, I walked home during my lunch hour. On my way back to work, less than half a block from my building, three police cars converged on me. An officer got out of his car, drew his gun, and yelled "freeze!"
Of course, I froze. The other officers came up to me, asked for my ID, and frisked me. Apparently, my building was a known drug spot, and these officers thought I went there to buy drugs. After explaining my situation, and proving that I didn't have any drugs, they let me go. I was rattled, but went back to work for the rest of the day. I mention this now because of the current debate about "racial profiling."
Was I "racially profiled," because I was a White guy walking in a largely minority area? Or was it, as the police said, because I was leaving a "known drug location?" I'll never know, and I don't really care. I'm certain that such "profiling" exists, and indeed it is often justified, when race is one component of a larger profile.
Here are two more recent examples: Twice, police have stopped me while riding my bicycle, for no apparent reason. The first time was in the middle of winter, and I was wearing a ski mask, riding through tony North Woodmere after midnight. I lived in N. Woodmere, and had my ID to prove it. The second time was right here in Lynbrook, on the route I take to work every day. This cop knew me, from my job, and explained that they were looking for "a guy on a bicycle with a backpack," which fit me exactly. As I was getting ready to show him the contents of my backpack, he got a call, saying they had caught the suspect, literally around the corner.
The suspect in the second incident was a dark-skinned Latino, who also was riding a bicycle with a backpack. This is an example of race being one factor in a "profile," and how police use that information. Sometimes profiles are inaccurate, and a good officer knows this. Witnesses get details wrong, and clothing can be changed, or backpacks discarded. Skin color is not so easy to change, or conceal, which means it is will continue to be used when making a description of a suspect, or a "profile" of a potential suspect. Unfortunately, this also means that some will continue to use race as a means to divide us, when it comes to law enforcement.
Police are human. There are good cops, and bad cops. I have no brief for officers that break the law, or actually violate people's civil rights. I find those who falsely accuse police of this behavior just as contemptible. This brings me to mention President Obama, who brought up "racial profiling" in response to a question about Harvard Prof. Henry Louis Gates' encounter with Sgt. James Crowley, of the Cambridge P.D. While the president didn't directly accuse Sgt. Crowley of it, he strongly implied it. Why even bring it up?
Does the President of the United States want to stoke the flames of racial animus? I don't think so. I think it was more a a "reflex" for him, because this is part of the liberal "profile" in law enforcement situations like this. Liberals' "knee-jerk" reaction to these situations is that somehow the person was "targeted" because of their race. As the facts have come out, it is apparent that was not the case, regarding Sgt. Crowley's actions. The President owes Sgt. Crowley, and the Cambridge P.D. an apology.
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Comments: 116
Thomas Charles Armstrong.
Oscar Grant III
Abner Louima
Sean Bell
All pawns of the left.
Hold your hand up and use your fingers to tick off the number of times you've heard of the blue and kakhi turning out a bad apple from their ranks. Bet you dn't have one. Yet how many times do they, via the union, demand an apology somewhere from someone.
Sure its a tough job, but they decided to go into that line of work. The shame and outrage is over the refusal of the thin blue line to stop coddling the bad eggs.
Its looking more and more like two men acted badly. One out of arrogance and maybe the other too.
He sure does but that won't happen. Even after admitting that he did not have the facts when he first made the statement he then today said he stands by the statement even though yesterday he said he didn't mean to call them stupid.
I better stop now because I have nothing nice to say about Obama at this point.
A sincere apology would end this matter and let the media get back to health care. I just saw the President's appearance on TV, and he didn't apologize.
That's another mistake.
After the festival, we had to find a public phone. The only place was a notorious drug bar (since the '70's), where a guy out front was saying "I'm selling snowblowers." This was in June.
[ a vile despicable race hustler} Farrakhan-black panthers{ remember Duke Lacross players attemted lynching of the white guys}.
This is a teaching moment, Obama, teach you to stop playing racial politics you no longer work for ACORN, you work for all Americans, and that includes WHITE COPS, who you just smeared with out knowing the truth. I know that's the M.O. while working for ACORN, BUT NOT FOR LEADING A MULTI-RACIAL NATION.
I think in this situations arrogance does not do any good . You have to be calm and say good bye and walk away. He failed and con the man out of his house.
That was stupid and mean.
Let's say something worse was happening, and the cops had just left. Would there then be cries of "unequal justice" for Black crime victims? I suspect so. Lea, your imputation of racial motives is unfair.
It got more interesting, though, when my turn came. The instructor said "why are you here, Steven Spielberg?" Everybody laughed, but I was being "racially profiled," right there! When I told my story, that the cop let me off with a ticket, even though I didn't have ID, there was an outcry from the whole group. Several people said that only happened because I'm White. However, there are several other differences in my encounter with the police than most of the others':
I did not try to avoid being caught, or challenge the officer's contention that I was breaking the law. I also called him "sir," and treated him respectfully. I also gave my real name and address, which he was able to check on his radio.
Almost none of the other people in the group followed these simple steps, when dealing with the police. We're talking about minor infractions, for things like riding a bike on the sidewalk, or (as in my case) having an open beer in public. For all of the complaints I heard, few appreciated that they were in this class IN LIEU of getting the ticket. All they had to do was stay out of trouble for six months, and there would be no record of getting cited.
From that experience, I am skeptical of "racial profiling" claims. I'm not saying it doesn't exist, just that it is claimed much more often than it's actually happening.
This wasn't Selma, it was Los Angeles 1970. The foreman told me later in the evening that he'd get stopped a lot (we cleaned high security areas, this was over at Lockheed, just as we left and headed to the freeway,) whenever a veteran cop was riding with a rookie, and he'd get manhandled no matter how he answered the cops. He said the veteran cops knew the blacks wouldn't complain because of how hard it was to get security clearance for that job, and they wanted to show the rookies 'how to handle these people.'
With the visibility of this incident I have only heard detail media investiagtion of the police officer, his training, his perfromance, his career, and so much more. Now I am hearing of the media being staked out on his yard. I am even hearing from the President.
What I am not hearing is about the Harvard professor Gates. I have heard nothing about his career, his personal history, if he has had any precious interaction with the police. He isn;t even being interview. In effect he has dispaeer from consideration by the media. I have to believe this is a conscious effort on the medias part. Does anyone have a suggestion of the nonexistant of Mr. Gates since thihs case has gained national prominance?
Has anyone heard an interview with Gates since his allagation of racisim? Has anyone heard of the media being camped out on his front lawn waiting to ask questions or get a picture of him?
Face it, what they did was stupid, no matter what the professor was saying.
We still have freedom of speech and property rights in this country.
I am simply wondering if there is a pattern of action on the medias part. The police, as best I can tell, seem be put into question most times before all the facts are know. If that is the case would that be a form of profiling?
About what happened in the house, I don't have the facts so what I offer is simply speculation that could put a slightly different light on events.
Could it be the police officer was responding to a report of two "black men" with a crowbar trying to break in. If the police offer took that report as valid and was talking to the home owner (who hadn't explained he was one the one with the crowbar) and the officer was simply asking him to come out of the house in case the reported two men were still in the house. What would the reactioh have been if those two men then mugged the home owner after the officer left or if they attacked the home owner and officer while they were there in the house talking. I surely don;t know but cold that have influence the desire of the officer to get the homeowner outside? This would be credible scenario at least with what has happened in my state and my area.
If we only focus on the problems we risk losing the successes.
THis whole incident is focused on the racial overtones. While to me the fact that there was no violance, and aside from a few hours of people times were taken up by this it seemed that the Cambridge Police procedures work. My concern is that if the focus of all parties is on the people and managing the media the risk is to have the procedures and training programs undermined and even lost.
How do you call asking a man to step outside so you can arrest him for something after he has identified himself properly WORKING?
You may feel it is fair and just for a person to make comments about you mother and be less than cooperative while yo are performing your lawful duties as prescribed by your employer and the citizens of the town. I find that as challeneging and I expect procedure and training police officer kept the situtaion from deteriorating.
This is all speculation on my part since I have not heard all the details. All that I have heard is about that Professor Gates history justified his actions. I suspect that there are places here in Michigan acting like that against a neighbor would have gotten him shot. I doubtn't believe the police here would have shot him because of training and procedures.
I have always felt that Obama was a racist too. Look at who his friends are... For starters the good old racist Rev. Wright... Need I say more....?
There is a principal in LAW and LAW ENFORCEMENT, you must take the VICTIM as you find him. Professor Gates was "RIGHTEOUSLY" indignant. Proof for that assertion is found in the decision to DISMISS the disorderly conduct charges. The President did not ask himself the question, and using his own personal life experience, and his acquaintance with Professor Gates, he made a well reasoned and considered response that fit the facts as he knew them then, and UNFORTUNATELY fit the facts as they have become better known as well.
The issue is RACISM STILL EXISTS IN THE USA, AND EVEN IF THIS INCIDENT WAS NOT A RACIAL INCIDENT, THAT POLICE SARGENT ACTED "STUPIDLY."
WHen do we each have responsiblity for managing our own baggage?
We have all seen reports of victims or their familes assualting the criminal in the court room or court huose after conviction, were they exercising their rightous indignation?
If you have ever been in a situation where you were offend by another person's words even though they had no knowledge of you history or that those words or action albeit legal and proper were offending you would you have been justified in assualting them either verballly or physically?
Sgt Crowley makes the excuse that he was on his radio checking the ID he was given and could not provide his. He apparently never did. I guess the stupidity exhibited was the inability to multi-task.
Gates answered the door with a phone in hand. I guess you think he is lucky that he was not shot 41 times.
As I understand it there has been no suggestion that there was even a gun drawn or any physical contact other then the placing of handcuffs on Mr. Gates. Then why are you so quick to raise the idea of shooting? Is there a bit of emotion in your response?
You raised the point of Professor Gates being justified in what ever action he took. I only offered that in justification and can contribute to a situation getting out of control by all parties. In my limited experieince when emotion take control there is more likely for events to become regretable.
I worry when ever the justification of events/actions is based on emotional righteousness that regretable things happen.
Oddly, the person who asked the question, Lynn Sweet works for a Chicago Newspaper, but denies the question in the news conference was planted.
I have learned that we need to keep things in context. I have also learned that I am dealing with the person in front of me at that moment and not someone who offended/verbally abused me many years and thousands of miles away.
As for the question, I believe all questions at news conferences are planned and they include reasons other than simply gathering infromation. I doubt that if this was aplanted question that all the previous President's have face similarly planted questions. As far as the answer, I believe that was the choice of the answerer.
Now what the President actually said:
"But I think it's fair to say, No. 1, any of us would be pretty angry," Obama said. "No. 2, that the Cambridge police acted stupidly in arresting somebody when there was already proof that they were in their own home. And No. 3 -- what I think we know separate and apart from this incident -- is that there is a long history in this country of African-Americans and Latinos being stopped by law enforcement disproportionately, and that's just a fact."
The police went to the house where the suspected break-in had been reported. They went in and found the only person in the house.
Is that REALLY racial profiling?
Have you heard both parties have been invited to the Whitehouse to talk it over.
I think this is a GREAT IDEA.
If it was NOT racial, and the evidence is beginning to show the Professor thought it was and the cop thought it was not, IT WAS STILL ABOUT AS STUPID AS IT CAN GET WITHOUT HAVING THE PARTICIPANTS PUT IN A GROUP HOME FOR LIFE.
It may have been a case of decibelism. The officer may be biased against people who yell at him. I can't read the officer's mind.
I am saying racially motivated or not, it was NOT racial profiling.
Racial profiling would mean that when the officer entered the house, had there been a black man and a white man, he would choose one as the perpetrator based on race.
I agree and I think he did.
I don't care if he said he had sex with his mother, unless the Professor attacked the cop, there is NOOO REASON to arrest him in his own home.
Spike Gates acted like a complete ass, Crowley merely reported to a call of a break-in, in progress. Barry Obama owes an APOLOGY to Crowley, the police department he insulted, and to the American people for acting more like Al {race-hustler} Sharpton, than as the leader of all Americans-Obama, you are innocent until "Proven" guilty, even if you happen to be a "White-Cop" in America.Mr.President,"Stupid is what stupid does".
You and your pal, Spike Gates might want to keep that in mind????-Just-saying.
As I said before that was just Obama being Obama, the ACORN COMMUNITY ORGANIZER, and going back to his roots -mentors- Rev. Wright!!
Obama played the race card-Sam, and he owes an aplogy to White America.
The president is a Magna cum Laude constitutional law graduate from Harvard. What have you accomplished in your life so far that distinguishes you and gives you the ability to talk disparagingly about our president?
And our right to talk disparagingly of the man it is one granted by birth and protected by the first amendment. Or have you forgotten that part of the great American experiment that said 'No More Kings!'?
You anti-Obama racist bigots think you fool anyone??
Sam, this all a LIE-Skippy was the first person to use race in this situation-" I'll talk to YOU-MAMMA WERE THE WORDS OF THIS JERK. Sam as usual the race hustler line is always exactly what you said -I'M A racist-Sam, you are the racist, stop and read your words-Its the same old tired Sharpton-Farrakhan-Jesse-Panthers- and for that matter all the race hustling Liberal Democrats.
All that cop did was go to Professor Spike's home to investigate a break-in, Sam. When he got there he found a jerk named Gates- who seems to have some form of anger issues-especially if your guest is White. Spike must have known Crowley's parents? Spike Gates kept referring to Crowley's- YO- MAMMA!
Obama and Spike owe an apology, but neither has the "character" to do it.
Sam, call me a racist, I do not care. I refuse to be silenced any longer, the true racist in this country are the Sharpton's-Jackson's-Obama-Rev.Wright. and the likes of Farrakhan who is also a JEW-HATER.
I dont think any of us know the whole story but I still say, Gates had no right to say something about the cops mama. If this is true, are you sure he is educated or did he get his degree at the dime store.... Real class Act.....
Lets look at the Gates case. The policeman went to Gate's home as a result of a 911 call by a neighbor thinking the house was being broken into. When he arrived and Gates opened the door I am supposinig the officer told him why he was there (though I have not found anything to substantiate it) and asked Gates for ID. It has been said Gates initially showed him his university ID and finally his drivers license. At this point we "may" assume Gates was upset or irritaed by the difficulty he had in getting the front door opened. His demenor has nothing to do with the law at this point. We do know that Gates was not pleased for what ever reason. When he asked the officer for his name and ID he was ignored by the officer.
Now keep in mind the officer, at this point, had seen Gate's ID so why would the officer now want Gates to come outside? Gates had been inside for a few minutes and the officer had been there for a few minutes as well so why would the officer consider asking Gates outside obstensively for his own safety (there might had been a burglar inside). This is where the officer went beyond the law and showed some non legal personality.
Gates followed him to the porch and the officer arrested him for disorderly conduct. In most states disorderly conduct charges are sort of an umbrella charge which covers a lot of territory for misdemeanor type offenses. To be disorderly (legally) a person must be acting in a reckless manner, be publically drunk, fighting, disrupting an orderly assembly, presenting potential physical harm to others or any number of other similar conditions. Even if you take into consideration Gates being belligerant (in his own home) how was he being legally disorderlly? Why didn't the police give him his ID and badge number?
Why did the officer arrest Gates? That is the question which has not been addressed by most who wrote articles about the incident.
Is it racism? I don't know. Is there a reasonable question there? Yes, of course there is. Had Gates been a white man would he had been handcuffed and charged with disorderly conduct under the same situation while on his own property? That's the tell tale condition which many choose to ignore. Other than verbal indignation what threat did Gates present to the officer? Keep in mind the officer has a gun and a club in which to defend himself against this nearly 60 year old man who uses a cane to get around. What I see as a potential in this situation is a white cop who felt indignant that this black man had the audacity to question his actions and motives and arresting him was the way to get pay back.
No matter how I look at the situation I see it as a stupid arrest and when those who can get their emotions out of the facts do they should also.
If there was any racist intent it certainly showed the possibility at the point when the officer asked Gates to step outside. Why? For what gain or reason? I repeat the arrest was stupid and unlawful by any measure and under disorderly conduct would not stand in court.
Obama and his honey live in a million dollar home-how could this be?. A black couple in Racist America, are millionaires,their kids go to the best "Private Schools", HOW?-HOW? IS THIS POSSIBLE- in such a racist country, Karl.
To say that Barack H. Obama had it tough in America because he was a black- man is so ridiculous and defies any common-sense.
Juan, when asked for an ID Spike Gates produced an ID with no photo, it was a Harvard faculty card. Crowley phoned Harvard to verify Spike's ID. Crowley said i'm leaving and he left the apt. Spikey in full racist throttle followed Crowley and went into his YO-MAMMA rants, and was then arrested for disorderly conduct-- Out-Side the apt. Out-side!.
The biggest -STUPIDO- in this whole affair is the Big-Mouth, who was not smart enough to just shut-up and not play the race card. This was Obama being Obama the ACORN street radical community organizer- Whitey, bad, black man good!
Last-Laugh- Obama had such a terrible life in America just because he was a black-man in America-
'Hysterical"--- Spike baby was booked for being a JERK- NOT FOR BURLARY.
"To say that Barack H. Obama had it tough in America because he was a black- man is so ridiculous and defies any common-sense."
Apparently you are the one without common sense. He did not live a previledged life unless of course living with an absent father and being raised mostly by grandparents is favorite to you. What makes you so far off base? What is your problem?
Gates could scream to the top of his lungs in his own home yet you seem to wish to take that right from him and by default you also. How intelligent is that?
Vickey, I hope you can forgive me?.
Or maybe if you are white or Latino and you make the mistake of passing an exam that unfortunately the black exam takers failed-what to do- tell the people who passed they really failed and get no promotion- their rights taken away.
Spencer, if you want to compare black people who really had to fight insidious hate and racism research a man like Clarence Thomas, Dr.Thomas Sowell, Condoleezza Rice, Rev. Jesse Lee Peterson.
Obama never faced what these great people did. Obama was packaged and given everything he needed by the corrupt Chicago machine. Please spare me the Obama the victim of racism in America.
I grew-up in the Bronx NY, went to high school near Yankee stadium. My dad passed when I was 14 yrs. old I was raised by my mom-college was out of the question.
Spencer, I know Sowell-Thomas-Condi are considered "TOMS", ,but if you really want to read about true "profiles"of courage, pick up their auto-biography's and see the amazing accomplishments these Conservative Black people overcame to become brilliant, role models-who for some reason are criticized as TOMS-,traitors to their race. By the likes of true race hustlers and haters like Sharpton.
Obama never had to deal with the racism that these great people had to deal with. Or for that matter he never faced the racism those fire-fighters had used against them.
What I did say is that his arresting Gates was stupid in that it met no means test of disorderly conduct.
I invite you to read what I said and see if your emotions can be relaxed enough to respond as if you did read it. The rest of your repsonse must have been some creation in your mind cause it has nothing to do with what I said.
I am so tired of talking to people who have not developed and there is only one side of the story, it is all negative, I can never change my mind, I will never accept this president or whatever is making him itch in the rear.
Time for a break...
Spencer is someone I can have a respectful disagreement with. You ought to emulate him, lea.
PS- The last time I got really got harassed by the cops I had some pretty long hair . . . so I'm guessing that those officers were sexist too!
So he told the professor to step out and arrested him, which was stupid. He proved he could do it and in so doing made himself a little man who has to use his power over an older man who is over reacting to the situation. Well if I was black and had happened to me I may have done the same as the professor or maybe not.
The bad part was the cunning, he asked the man to step out, because he could not arrest him in his home.
He needs a spanking.
Spencer racial profiling is wrong no matter what ethnicity or color you are. White firefighters denied a promotion because black men failed to pass a test is profiling "white- people". Affirmative action and Quotas are also race-profiling.
And wrong!.
If we do not let go of our past we cannot open ourselves up to change for better in the future.
Even the most intelligent of our nation are biased by their past and until they decide to let go of it and look at events in today’s context their actions perpetuate the past.
It appears that Professor Gates has had a troubled history police and with “white” Americans. That history has been used to explain his forceful reaction to the “white” police officer approaching him in his home and questioning the validity of his presence there.
I have not heard that the President’s personal experience was similar, but his public reaction to this incident was to be less than complimentary of the Police and their actions. From what I can tell of his history of community organizer in Chicago and other affiliations he has had contact with people that have had bad experiences with the police.
To the best of my knowledge neither of these men have had bad experiences or heard of bad experiences with the Cambridge Police in recent memory or with the particular office making the initial investigation of the 911 call.
I understand how each of us rely on what we have learned in the past, and yet if we don’t practice what we expect of others how will anyone change the past.
If each time Mr. Gates is confronted by a police officer and reacts in an animated and less than cordial way how can he expect a police officer to show him respect? If the President is going to condemn publicly the police based on a second hand version of how a friend reacted, how can he expect the rest of the country to believe that he is open to a new attitude?
This is the ACORN-Obama way, all white people are racist, unless they agree with you. Dare to criticize an African American and you are a racist. It's enough to be "vomitious"- AKA sickening, . Not only is Spikey-Gates a sick-racist, he is still a Snob- elitist-intellectual-hater from Harvard. Rude that smell- you smell, is coming from under your skin.
Lea, every time I look at my four sons, my pretty wife and my happy life in America, I thank God for allowing me a kid from the Bronx NY. TO BE SO LUCKY!. Lea, no surprise that a liberal leftist would wonder what gives me and American citizen the right to criticize Barack H. Obama Jr., Lea it's called Freedom of Speech. In our Constitution. Lea, chill-out, take some down time and read the Constitution- because the way Obama is going down hill- You are going to have to toughen up a little, or how will you handle it if people start saying things about Barry O., Terrible things, like things people said about Bush everyday. Pay-back is a BIT--!!!
But any red-blooded American would have to look at the state and say, if the facts warrant this assessment then no apology is necessary. It was "acting stupidly."
James, please, please, Obama opened his community organizer mouth and automatically assumed old Spike was a victim of racial profiling by the usual suspects. Those white-fuzz-pig racist cops, a line right out of the Sharpton-Acorn play book.
James here is a man?, Obama who when faced with pictures of Iranian people being killed in the streets for protesting a rigged election- Barack, said very little, showed no outrage, blamed no one at first. But when he was asked a question concerning race in America he stated that Spike a black man was violated by a racist white cop{profiled}.
A man who ran ACORN and prayed for 20 years with a Reverend who calls all white people the devil, that man, Obama was just being Obama- a racist, just like his racist preacher who baptized his kids.
There's some guy who sang a song, "Walk a mile in my shoes . . .before you abuse, or criticize them shoes, walk a mile in my shoes", and so on, and so on, and so on.
I don't expect you to completely understand what happened, why it happened, or even the evils of "racial profiling", in addition to your questioning whether it really exists as frequently as is reported.
It would be the same as expecting you to understand the pains of childbirth, or PMS, and its associated discomforts.
It would be the same as my telling my brother, or my sister, "I KNOW how you feel" or "I empathize with you." when I have NO IDEA what it's like to lose a child.
It would be the same as my making judgments about "war crimes", supposedly perpetrated by American soldiers on innocent Iraqi citizens.
It would be the same as my saying I understand what it's like to be White in America. I do NOT understand, just as a White person won't know what it's like to be Black/African American in America.
All too often people make the mistake of forming opinions or reaching conclusions when they have no way of understanding the plight of the individual(s) being judged.
Dale Carnegie, in his book, "How to Win Friends, and Influence People" commented that if he could get his readers to at least try to see and understand things from the other person's perspective, that the intent of his book would be successful. I believe he knew just how hard that really is -- to see things from the other person's perspective.
Finally, in the book, "Black Like Me" -- are you familiar with it -- the author makes it clear that, while he thought he knew what it was like to be Black in America, he now realized that he had not had a clue, and that it took the actually darkening of his pigment, and passing for a Black man for him to REALLY know.
Unless I have "been there and done that", I earnestly try to not jump to conclusions. It isn't easy; it's much easier to state an opinion or make a judgment when there is simply no firsthand experience involved in the opinion or judgment.