Gates arrested for talking back to cops in own home, Kostric allowed to wait on POTUS w/gun

[wndycty]

Cross posted at: http://blog.windycitywatch.com/2009/08/prof-gates-arrested-for-talking-back-to.html

Prof. Gates arrested for talking back to cops in own home, Kostric allowed to wait on POTUS w/gun strapped to leg



On Tuesday, August 11, a man, William Kostric, shows up to protest President Barack Obama in Portsmouth, NH with a loaded gun strapped to his leg, holding a sign that carried what many consider to be a threatening message. Police and Secret Service agents made the determination that under the circumstances (local gun laws) Kostric would be allowed to remain in his position alongside other protesters awaiting the arrival of President Obama’s motorcade.

On Thursday, July 16, Harvard Professor, Henry Louis (Skip) Gates was arrested in his own home after Cambridge, MA police responding to suspected break-in call, charged him with disorderly conduct for getting into a verbal altercation with Officer James Crowley. The arrest was controversial because Gates was arrested after providing identification that proved he lived at the address and was in the house lawfully. Charges against Gates were eventually dropped but not before the situation quickly escalated into a heated debate about race and racial profiling.

In both situations law enforcement officials used their discretion in deciding whether or not either man needed to be taken into custody. It should be pointed out that these two events happened in different jurisdictions. Its very likely that the Cambridge police may have arrested Kostric had they been given the responsibility of protecting President Obama and that Portsmouth police as well as Secret Service agents may have left Gates home without taking him into custody had they responded to the suspected break-in.

Who knows? But the contrast between the handling of the two incidents is extremely unsettling for many of us concerned about race relations in this country, the safety of the first African American president, who has received more death threats than any other in our nation’s history, and the increasing ugly tone in our country’s political discourse.

The fact that a Harvard professor of one race can be arrested in his own home for exercising his First Amendment rights while a man of another race who is exercising his First and Second Amendment rights while waiting on the President, is left alone raises many questions that fuel the debate of racial profiling and how people of different backgrounds are treated by law enforcement.

Kostric was not just a citizen exercising his First and Second Amendment rights. He wore that gun for a reason and the slogan on the sign he was holding was meant to send a message. The sign read “It is time to water the tree of liberty” which many people believe to be a reference to Thomas Jefferson’s quote "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants."

It should be noted that Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh were a shirt with the same slogan when he was arrested. It is baffling how anyone cannot see Kostric’s gun and this sign as anything but a provocative act intended to intimidate some or incite others to violence.

Many of us believe that an American citizen born of middle eastern decent, who was also a practicing Muslim would not have been allowed to protest former President George W. Bush with a gun strapped to his leg and holding a sign with a threatening slogan.

Law enforcement has discretion in these situations lets just hope they start employing a consistent standard so that we can all have confidence in their actions.

[justiceischeap]

1. You make a valid point!

It amazes me how backwards things are at times.

[City Lights]

2. K&R. nt

[TaffyMoon]

3. Seriously, this man was make a threat, via body language.

[47of74]

4. There was no good reason for Kostric to be wearing that gun like that

And both the cops and the secret service fucked up big time allowing Kostric to remain where he was instead of insisting that he leave immediately.

[Name removed]

5. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[justiceischeap]

6. I've got the popcorn ready!

:popcorn:

[wndycty]

7. LOL I went to the freezer to get some pizza but when I returned

Our guest was gone.

[justiceischeap]

8. Oh well, at least we get to eat.

:)

[wndycty]

9. Very true

:kick:

[KeepItReal]

10. If it is any comfort, realize that there was at least 1 Secret Service or FBI sharpshooter

ready to light Mr. Kostic up like a Christmas Tree if he chose to reach for and draw that weapon in the presence of POTUS.

It's the cowards that hide their intentions that trouble me.

[wndycty]

11. The sharp shooter should not have been needed. . .

. . .it is law enforcements job to prevent violence, had the sharp shooter been required to pull the trigger that would have been wrong because it could have been prevented.

[KeepItReal]

12. I agree.

Kostic has his bases covered legally.

In the era of Bush & Co., they would have immediately arrested someone like Kostic, detained him, and dealt with the lawsuits afterward.

[wndycty]

13. Yet when Gates threatens to sue he is an angry racist

:kick:

[zonkers]

17. Gates MUST sue.. if he cares about the human condition. Sadly, hitting them in the pocketbook is

the greatest motivator for reforming a police department.

[wndycty]

18. My dad supports Gates and wants the charges reinstated

He feels that is the only way that folks will Gates clear his name.

[Uncle Joe]

14. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, wndycty.

[wndycty]

15. Thanks for the love Uncle Joe

:kick:

[kgnu_fan]

16. knr

[wndycty]

19. Thank you very much. . .shameless self kick

:kick:

[Kievan Rus]

20. This proves most cops are right-wingers

[wndycty]

21. No it doesn't and that is not what I wrote. . .

. . .I wrote that there needs to be consistency. I also noted that had the Portsmouth police responded to the Gates call he MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN ARRESTED and had the Cambridge Police been in Portsmouth Kostric might have been arrested.

This is not so much of a left/right argument as it is the need for consistency.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

22. Wierd, eh?

:crazy:

And then, everybody goes literally nuts when the President calls the situation (re:Gates) as he sees it (and rightly, IMHO) and nobody can talk about anything else for weeks. That whole Gates situation almost completely drowned out the rest of his July presser that was SUPPOSED to really be about health care reform.

Although the gun-carrying protester did not appear to be doing anything illegal outside the NH Town Hall Meeting yesterday, in the midst of all of this intentionally heated and scary rhetoric about health care reform and Obama's Presidency in general that is being actively generated by wingnuts on a daily basis, it is rather unnerving to have people (other than security personnel) standing around with guns anywhere near POTUS, particularly people holding signs with messages talking about "the blood of tyrants". I wonder what would've happened if a Democratic activist was packing heat at a protest against Buscho? Members of Code Pink and other progressive groups seem to routinely get thrown out of meetings and/or arrested for far less. :eyes:

[wndycty]

23. Yeah if he was wearing a Pink shirt around Bush he would have ended up in the pokey

:kick:

[wndycty]

24. Midday shameless kick

:kick:

[loyalkydem]

25. Bravo

Kicked, where are you on this issue Crawly?

[wndycty]

27. Evolving

Still think it was a bad arrest, however I am beginning to think Crowley was not motivated by race, however most folks on either side of the issue are responding based on race.

[Bobbie Jo]

26. K&R

:kick: