Monday, July 27, 2009
Law and Order / Politics Obama blundered on Henry Louis Gates Case
Posted by Pete Kotz on Mon, Jul 27, 2009 at 1:26 PM
Comments (14)
Showing 1-14 of 14
911 is called because a person expresses some concern about a suspicious circumstance at 12:44 in the afternoon, and in fact does not report any break-in. Sgt. Crowley responds. He walks up the front door and inquires. Prof. Gates answers the door. There is no furtive running away, no piled up loot ready to be off-loaded, no evidence that the door or the lock or the window had been forced, no blood, no damage, no malicious mischief, no yelling, no panic, indeed nothing to confirm the caller's original "concern." Sgt asks for some identification. Gates goes into his kitchen to get identification. Officer FOLLOWS GATES INTO THE HOME. No reason, no right, no warrant, no evidence of a crime--Sgt. Crowley has not, can not, and will never be able to explain why he crossed the threshold and went inside the house. I would have called the chief of police and had him removed. Second officer appears, finds the door open, enters, sees that Crowley is there with owner and then quickly exits. Crowley finally leaves where he had no right to be. Gates instantly knew this was heavy-handed and unlawful by any measure. He yells, Crowley loses face in front of other officers and the 40 year old women caller and then arrests on a bogus charge of disorderly conduct under Mass. Law. Crowley was quite stupid but you are right Obama should not have said it. Say, I would like to see those "protocols" Cambridge Police keep insisting Crowley followed; what exactly do they say about entering people's homes. Perhaps everyone should re-read the Fourth Amendment.
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President Obama DID NOT profile anyone. He spoke out against an UNLAWFUL arrest (Human Rights) in his own country - Obama's a lawyer remember!! If he can't do that in the USA, then how could he possibly speak out against human rights in China, Iran or any other country.
He'd look like an idiot trying to tell another country about human rights when he lets his own policeman make UNLAWFUL arrests of its citizens. It was NOT DISORDERLY CONDUCT, that's why it was DROPPED!!!
I agree with Houston. The charges were dropped, so obviously there was a mistake made by the officer. Obama sided with the law, even if he didn't put it in his usual smooth words. He works long hours trying to repair this clusterfuck we find ourselves in and people spend long hours talking about how he gaffed. Priorities my ass.
Does anyone at the paper even read these Mark Breton posts before they go on line?
I take it Henry Walker is one of those know it all liberals who always personally attacks the messenger - TYPICAL. Obama admitted he did know the facts and still said the cops acted "stupidly".......obviously because Sargent Crowley was white. Skippy Gates has been on talk shows for years -- and for years, he has been nothing more than another angry black man. I bet he rips The Messiah a new one at the White House when he is only offered a beer.....only the finest French wine for the distinguished Harvard professor. People like him and Henry Walker deserve each other..........liberal gasbags in love with their own BS.
The charges being dropped doesn't automatically mean there was a mistake by the officer. Sometimes it's just convenient. There were several officers at the scene, so it isn't as if Crowley was alone in the decision to arrest Gates. This whole thing was silly crap that Obama didn't even need to comment on, except he loves hearing himself pontificate so freakin much he just had to flap his gums. Not everyone is drinking the koolaid with this clown. He should have said that if the feds need to get involved, they will. And that was all. He is so daft and unsophisticated when it comes to keeping his ego out of the way. It's like the empty suit messiah is still running for office. He won already. He needs to shut up and get to work. I am sick of seeing his mug on tv.
Gates has recently learned through DNA testing that he is 57% white and, in his own words, is "horrified". He appears to have succeeded in profiling himself.
I am just curious as to how many of the people who are so upset about the potential violation of the Fourth Amendment are also fond of calling defenders of gun rights 'extremists?'
Mr. Walker,
Your post didn't actually state what you found a difference of opinion with. It just left the impression that people who have different opinions than yours shouldn't be writing here. Are we not discussing current events in the arena of ideas here? In my gut, I so wish none of this had happened. It had to have been just awful for the professor, and I am sure the officer is miserable with the press coverage. Good management usually dictates that conflict be handled at the lowest possible level; I was just wishing the President had allowed that to happen, that he was somehow erudite enough to know how to pick his battles. The evidence speaks otherwise.
Mark,
I think Henry was simply observing that your post involved the racial aspect while the first few posters focused on a different aspect of the affair.
Your original point was well taken although it was somewhat shocking to find a Pith article that suggests that profiling can be a two-way street.
If that is the debate that springs from the Gates business, then we may benefit as a society.
The charges being dropped doesn't automatically mean there was a mistake by the officer. Sometimes it's just convenient.
Oh please. Numerous lawyers in many press outlets have noted that the charge was bogus and certain to be dropped because it is pretty much impossible to commit disorderly conduct (a threat to public order) on private property alone with a police officer.
Obama's original opinion at last Wednesday's news conference may have been inelegantly phrased and politically dodgy, but it's hard to fault him for attaching a perjorative label to that the fact that this incident culminated in the handcuffing and arrest of a 58-year old Harvard professor with a cane who was lawfully in his own home. I have no idea what role race played in the cognition and behavior of the officer, but it's clear that poor judgment on the officer's part was involved.
BB,
Suppose Professor Gates and a friend or family member were being held by intruders when the police arrived. Couldn't the officers be concerned that Gates' behavior was the result of duress? If they had simply said "Good Night" and left and Gates been harmed, people like you would be screaming that the police failed to do their duty and implying that it was because of race.
You guys are missing the point -- Cambridge cops are dicks.
But seriously...the whole thing has been mismanaged on all levels and by all parties. I hope they all sit down, drink a beer and handle it like adults.
Mark and Mark:
After reading this post yesterday, I went back and read all the other posts from Mark Breton that I could find just to make sure this latest article was not an abberation. After reading them, my snarky comment ("doesn't anyone at the paper edit these things") was intended more for the Scene staff than anyone else.
But in fairness to Mr. Breton, let me explain. He shows much promise as a conservative commentator and, with help, could develop into a good one. For now, though, his research, writing, and reasoning skills are not of the quality of the other regular contributors to Pith. And let me state the obvious: I'm not criticizing Mr. Breton's point of view. But he could present his case more cogently if an experienced editor armed with a red pencil gave some advice instead of (as it appears) just posting these as they arrive. That does not help either Mr. Breton or the paper.
