OF COURSE it was *&^%$ stupid for the cops to arrest Gates.

[Jackpine Radical]

First let me make the point that Obama was calling the police action stupid, not the cops themselves. Non-stupid people can do stupid things.

But beyond that, all actions have contexts.

So you're a Cambridge cop. You investigate a possible break-in. This black guy shows you ID proving that he's not only the legal resident of the house, but he's a Harvard professor. Maybe he mouths off a little and pisses you off. Maybe he doesn't. (I think maybe he did.) That doesn't matter. The point is, this is Cambridge. Harvard faculty are gods. The guy has already proved that he not only lives in this house, but that he is a minor deity.

You have to know that nothing good is going to come of your hauling a black Harvard professor out of his own house on a disorderly conduct charge. You think this guy doesn't have friends? You think maybe this is your big chance to go all macho on an uppity ... ? You don't think your little event isn't gonna get major media attention? You don't think you're setting up a scene that is going to blow up in your face?

Congratulations, Buddy. You have just turned a little contretemps into a major, racially charged Big Fucking Deal, and you didn't have to. You could have walked away. But you didn't. THAT is #@$%^ STUPID, Goddamit, and if you don't like Obama calling it what it is, go suck eggs.

[T Wolf]

1. Disorderly Conduct is the pigs' version of a Get-into-Jail card. They can and do use that "charge"

whenever a real crime has not been committed.

[DarthDem]

2. Pigs???

Jesus. Have you ever known a police officer socially? Sad.

Pigs - - incredible.

[uponit7771]

6. WOW!! What country do you live in?! Do you understand how oppresive the police have been to certain

...cultures in this country?

Come on man, a black president doesn't mean generations of bad history is erased

[Jackpine Radical]

10. I think it was Abbie Hoffman who commented that the term "Pigs"

wasn't in the vocabulary of the New Left until Chicago '68, and they got the name because they earned it.

No, I don't think cops are pigs, but as someone who participated in the predominant social activities on campus in the late 60's & early 70's, I can tell you they sometimes behaved like suidae.

[Moochy]

7. There are Pigs and there are Good Cops

Know the difference!

[yodermon]

11. Some are Pigs. Some aren't. Just like the rest of humanity.

Why is this so hard to understand?

[DarthDem]

15. It Isn't

The post to which I responded said that "pigs" will trump up a disorderly conduct charge. So I missed the nuance that you apparently saw.

Ugh.

[yodermon]

25. Well cops who trump up disorderly conduct charges certainly are Pigs.

round and round we go.

[mkultra]

18. i have, most are pigs

sorry if you are one and i hope your of the better set. Sad fact is(according to them) that most units are so infested with retardation that being a god cop is difficult. The first time one of your corrupt brothers commits a crime in the execution of his duties, you are required to ignore it, thus turning you into a selective enforcer.

[Jackpine Radical]

4. Yes, I know. And they usually get away with it.

This time, though, the cops were being morons (Oops--I meant morans) to do what they did.

[uponit7771]

14. Crowleys OWN WORDS: "I radio'd channel 1 that I was off in the residence with someone who appeared

...to be the residence but very uncooperative"

So from the get he knew Gates wasn't a threat and was upset at being questioned about his residence...

Crowley, don't know man...his own report throws his side of the story off

[uponit7771]

3. K&R! EVERYONE should read the police report EVERYONE!! It went down just as you outlined..

....and it sounded like Crowley didn't like the way he was being talked to.

I didn't know that was cause for arrest.

[Captain Hilts]

9. It sure can be. nt

[uponit7771]

16. WTF?! On your own property!?!?! Come on man, read the report. Gate can make the case that

...he didn't know why Crowley was there and Crowley can make the case that Gates was being an asshole but neither can make the case that cooler heads shouldn't have prevailed ON BOTH SIDES but Gates wasn't the person with a gun.

I place the greater responsibility on the person with the greater power knowing we can all be human.

[Captain Hilts]

20. In an ideal world, yes....but it's not ideal. Sad. I hope this makes people think. nt

[Moochy]

21. And watch for those who try and falsely equivocate the power positions of the officer and the prof.

just like the racists falsely equivocate bigotry with racism.

See Perky's ridiculous fucking apologia re: Gates profiling the officer!
It's a switcheroo!!

[Raineyb]

26. Only if you accept such abuse of power. n/t

[JayMusgrove]

13. Yeah, if a policeman doesn't like the way he is treated, if his judgment is

questioned...

Arresting a 60+ year old in his own home is the best way to handle it......!!! Yeah.. right.

poor policemen! They are so powerless against Harvard black professors!:sarcasm:

[johnaries]

5. Absolutely! Otherwise it wouldn't have made the news

in the first place! What other reason is there for the media to even report on it?

[Captain Hilts]

8. He said the 'department' was being stupid. And they were. I can't believe the folks

at the station actually processed Gates.

[SacredCow]

12. Not knowing either of the parties, nor having seen the events...

I just really can't say whether the arrest was based on anything concrete. As for Obama commenting on it? Well, he was asked about it point-blank. Had he said, "No comment," he would be criticized for that, too.

Otherwise, this post is dead on. Even if Gates WAS being a pompous ass, an absolute idiot would know full well that his arrest would be on the national news in short order. It would have been WAY smarter to (all apologies to Rex Kwon Do) Forget about it...

[uponit7771]

17. Read the officers OWN REPORT, he had NO REASON to arrest Gates

[SacredCow]

19. I've read BOTH accounts....

and I don't really see anything that warranted an arrest. The "disturbing the peace" charge was a stretch (and has since been dropped, if I'm not mistaken). HOWEVER... I'm not taking EITHER of those accounts as factual. I'm a bit surprised that the officer's report wasn't more accusatory, though.

[Evergreen Emerald]

22. The police and Gates acted stupidly.

Hypothetically: Assume that the police were called because a neighbor saw someone breaking into your home. When the police arrived the person who broke in said, “is my home,” and refused to give ID. And the police took her at her word, and left.

The officer of course would be fired for lack of investigation as he did not even check to confirm that the person actually lived there.

What is the protocol when the police are called to a burglary? Likely, it is to ask for ID—no matter what gender or color the person inside the home is.

What is the protocol of the person inside the home? I personally would be grateful that the police are protecting my property. I would give my ID.

I believe that Gates could have given his ID and thanked the officers for checking to make sure his home was not being burglarized. It would have ended. But instead, he jumped to racism immediately. Instead he started verbally attacking the officer, who was there because of a call (he was not “profiling” as he was called to the scene of a potential burglary).

Gates gave ID finally as he continued to berate him. Indeed, according to the police report, the officer gave his badge number and ID when Gates demanded, and it was not enough for Gates.

The officer, according to the police report, walked outside and Gates followed, continuing to berate him (for doing his job). People gathered.

He was not arrested in his home. He was not profiled by the police.
Had a white female done the same thing, she would likely also have been arrested.

So: the officer had PC to be in the home to confirm a burglary was not occurring. Indeed had he not followed up he would have been neglecting his duties.

Asking for ID to confirm the address was appropriate—and not a racial profile.
Gates acted Stupidly. Berating and yelling and shouting racism.

So, now what should the officer do? He walked outside. Gates followed him out and continued to yell. I believe he should have continued to his vehicle and left. Gates technically did commit the offense…yet had clearer heads prevailed ON ALL SIDES he would / should not have been arrested.

Obama said the officers acted stupidly. I agree. But so did Gates.

[Jackpine Radical]

23. Yes, maybe Gates acted stupidly (or provocatively). I acknowledged that

in the OP. I'm not even really saying that the cops had no basis for their actions. I'm just saying that, given the total scene, what they did was stupid, and the proof of that pudding is in the consequences. Had they acted with good judgment, DU and the rest of the world would be talking about something else today. They had discretion in the range of actions open to them. Their choice of actions from among those options was a poor one. Or, to use Obama's word, a stupid one. They may have had the right to haul Gates in, but that doesn't mean they needed to exercise that right.

[indepat]

24. Telling it like it really is with verve and aplomb

:thumbsup:

[GeorgeGist]

27. As said elsewhere ...

parsing stupidity is not a useful talent; unless you're just acting stupid.

[KansasVoter]

28. The cop was an ass, that is all there is too it. Cops love using their power!

[TheKentuckian]

29. What is with the continued push that Gates behaved stupidly?

Maybe he did, maybe not but he did not behave criminally and he was not in the position of authority. The standard is on the guy with the badge and gun that is being paid to provide a service. The cop is the one in the situation that must behave professionally, Gates is well within his rights to be an utter douche (not saying he was because I don't know and think it is of no importance).