***UPDATE: Contrary to widely published reports, 911 calls released in the case show the neighbor who called police did not mention the race of the two men.
President Barack Obama says police in Cambridge, Massachusetts "acted stupidly," when they arrested African-American Harvard University scholar, Dr. Henry Louis Gates.
Here's what happened:
Officers responded to Gates' home after a woman reported seeing two men trying to force open the front door. It turns out one of the men was Gates, who had just returned from a trip overseas. Gates says the front door was jammed.
When police arrived, he was already inside the home. There was an angry exchange between Gates and the officers. Gates says he handed over identification to prove that he lives in the house, but he was arrested for disorderly conduct.
The charge was dropped on Tuesday.
Gates says his experience is an example of the racial profiling that still exists in the United States, and he is demanding a public apology from police. The arresting sergeant is refusing to apologize.
We want to know what you think. Was this racial profiling? Or, is Gates pulling the race card? Post your thoughts here.
Comments (3)
First, the woman that called 911 did NOT indicate that there were "two black males with backpacks" trying to force open the front door, as was clarified today during her news conference. Mr Gates should have been thankful that he has neighbors that are watching out for him, rather than being belligerent when the police showed up to investigate. Secondly, Obama thinks the police "acted stupidly" for arresting Gates? He should have waited to hear all of the facts before making such accusations. If someone were being belligerent to Obama, what would happen? They'd be arrested. He should be backing his law enforcement agency, not condemning it. Yes, he's pulling the race card. And I consider pulling the race card as racial profiling...against whites. There's no difference what race. Racial profiling is racial profiling. And lastly, why hasn't Obama asked the woman that called 911 (in an effort to help protect the homeowner, Gates) to join their little coffee clutch they're planning? She only tried to do the right thing, yet is being critisized and even threatened for it. Everyone should just ignore one another completely, not help their neighbors and not do the right thing. Is this the change Obama wants, because that's what he's creating by brining up race as often as he does.
Posted by Shirley | July 29, 2009 5:39 PM
Posted on July 29, 2009 17:39
The police are not required to jump through hoops. The police are allowed to come on any property to check out a report. Your suggestion that they go throught some long investigation before going up and knocking on a door means that many burglars would be long gone.
runescape money
Posted by runescape gold | July 23, 2009 4:09 AM
Posted on July 23, 2009 04:09
In the above description, Mr. Gates was arrested for disorderly conduct after an "angry exchange between Gates and the officers". I do not see that the arrest was biased on racial profiling. I believe that America has come much further than that. What I do know is that the President stated he "knows only what was reported" and should NOT have made ANY comments about racial profiling! Nor make discrediting comments about the Cambridge Police Department. As the President of the United States he is held to a standard that ALL are equal. His comments about racial profiling have set the civil rights movement back 40 years. As an American veteran, I am appalled by President Obama's comments.
Posted by Doug | July 22, 2009 10:21 PM
Posted on July 22, 2009 22:21