Apparently Mr. Gates Jr likes controversy and getting arrested in his tony neighborhood of Cambridge after struggling unsuccessfully to get into his home after traveling all day is exactly what the doctor ordered. Lets face it no matter how you cut it being a police officer isn't easy and you are on point stressed and looking for trouble. Lets face it being an African American man is also just as stressful even after Obama's election. So it was the perfect storm of circumstance. I think we must be self responsible and admit we are biased and quick to judge people by how they look. I also think we give cops a rough time too and maybe it should be mandatory that every citizen serve as volunteer cops in our neighborhoods once a year like jury duty...in other words walk in each others shoes?
I am not sure I am on either side here...I know too well both sides. I am thinking honestly he is lucky he wasn't shot. Down south in the Bronx he could have been and the cops acquitted of it. Here in Cambridge it's not so quick but obviously it is still a hair trigger situation.
I know if Mr. Gates was a Caucasian the cop would have given him a bigger window of doubt and talked longer then he did and probably with more respect.
I also know that Mr. Gates likes publicity so who knows what really went down.
Yes, both sides are really guilty but of what?
Mr. Gates for being Black and the Cop for being a cop?
It's tricky...
10 comments:
The guilt hides all protected by the human skull that's been filled with pre-judge-ice since the ice itself age...we have learned nothing.
We grow from tykes learning to fear or hate that which is different or new, green looks at blue, and blue looks back but neither think turquoise. Black looks at white, white looks at black, and it's day versus night. We'd rather stay in the fray than make hay or gray. Palettes have no shade without the two. The contrasting white yang and black yin just go spinning on and on and on and on and on and...
... on a key rhythm change...
we need to live! we need to breathe!
we need to make like a tree and leave ALL THE PAST behind! We need to flow in the now, flow warm!
Ditch the arms and race to the heart of love, making time stand still, hovering over the rooftops of the whole damned world this very moment of joy and grace and goosebumps!
nuf said. :)))
Hi Rae! Obviously...i'm random...but just wanted to drop my 2 cents somewhere :)
So...
I can understand the both sides of the fence standpoint to a degree....but...
While it is known that Mr. Gates can be "arrogant as hell" as one of my friends who is a former Harvard student has confided....arresting someone for words at their own house isn't even legal.
The only legal verbiage that could warrant an arrest is a direct threat to ones physical person. The reported "You don't know who you're messing with." or "Its because i'm a black man in america" statements don't sound fall in the physical threats category by far.
Whether it was racial or not (so many signs say it was...my same harvard friend has some boston/cambridge police tales as well), it wasn't legal...and thusly, an abuse of authority....at the very least.
The outpour of support for the cop is somewhat puzzling to me...even if we don't go with the concern of institutional racial profiling...this particular officer made an unlawful arrest...point blank....
but of course....the question still remains...would an arrogant or loud white professor be arrested from his own home? ......i'd lean toward...NO! :)
just my thoughts...
Does anyone think Mr. Gates was acting decent, whether or not he was breaking the law? I'm guessing his neighbor probably knew who he was, so why did she call the cops? He didn't ask for help nor did anyone offer. It looks like his neighbor pinned a bum rap on him, knowing that by sending the cops to his house the fireworks would begin. I don't think his relations with his neighbors are any better than with the cops. The bigger deal for the country, is that Obama seems to be pulling himself out of it as of late and showing why he was elected.
Apparently people in Cambride DON'T know their neighbors...this is what I heard from very decent people who tech at Harvarda nd live in Cambridge. So can't point to the neighbor for calling on an acquaintance.
People these days don't do the welcome mat thing to each other.
Sad really.
These kind of incidents are going to be occurring more frequently from now on, it's a shame how the media builds up the tension without properly allowing both sides to settle. I blame the media moreover, as in the media as we all know it's all to do with ratings.
It's no longer 1950 but 2009, something the media seems to have forgotten.
You make some good points I don't see a lot of talking heads making. Thank you for your words. I think well after this wack summit Skip, Barry and the police officer are about to have, there's going to be a LOT we all need to discuss.
As an average "Jane" citizen, I'd be unnerved by a cop showing up at my house. I would, however, eagerly show proper ID (not my work ID, but my state issued drivers license) to prove my residence. I would then thank the officer for coming to my home to stop what may have been a burglary in process.
To insinuate that the people of Cambridge are so racist they'd call the police on and African American neighbor so "the fireworks would begin" is ludicrous and an insult to any decent person, white, black, blue pink or purple. To say police should not be involved in a potentially violent situation unless invited is comical at best, and he who suggests such silliness would be the first to sue in a police "non-response" situation. Can't have it both ways, (Charles).
I think that to be a police officer, you must not like people very much. Just like parking officers.
To be encouraged to 'catch' people who break the rules .... for minor things like this. why????
i do wonder why the western world has become such a hideous place to live.
consumerism, greed, paying huge bonuses to MEN on the directorship board, allowing people to go homeless, only being happy when you are buying 'stuff'
what country would you rather live in. australia seems like a better place than the uk and america...!!
Post a Comment