Profiling
-
- July
- 26
It’s hard to blame Henry Louis Gates for unloading centuries worth of pent up anger and frustration over the plight of black Americans when he was confronted in his own home
by a cop. Did the officer deserve it? Probably not. He was answering a 911 call. Would the woman who witnessed two men prying open Gates’s front door have called 911 if the men were white? I would hope so. Would the officer have overreacted and arrested Gates for being belligerent if he was white? Based on police behavior I have witnessed – Yep. He would.
I’m sure the whole incident would have played out differently however, if the investigating officer had watched Gates’ PBS special on African Americans’ lives. He might have gotten his autograph instead.
This entry was posted
on Sunday, July 26th, 2009 at 9:45 am by Matt Davies.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
| 
This incident was not about race, right from the onset! The police were answering a 911 call on a burglary in progress. They arrive at the address, and find a man inside the house who fits the description of the perpetrator (from the information called into 911). When they begin to question this man, he goes into a rage and refuses to cooperate by showing identification. He then continues to give the police attitude instead of expressing thanks for them trying to protect his property from a burglar. He then pulls the “race card.”
Professor Gates acted totally inappropriately and deserved to be arrested for disorderly conduct, even after the police officers were sure that he was not the burglar. Police officers do NOT have to take attitude from people. They don’t get paid enough for that. They are always there for us in our times of need. In my opinion Professor Gates is the racist, and so is President Obama for immediately believing that the police were racially profiling without even knowing the facts.
I will have to agree 100% with Pat on this one. Well said…
I was all set to rant on how the President and Gates were totally wrong and the police totally correct. But Pat said it all for me.
While Matt’s explanation was reasonable, his cartoon was unfair, and gives the impression that the police were/are a bunch of goons.
Matt:
Do you realize that your site is plugging Ann Coulter?
Ah, the irony…
Pat, Goldstinker or Iceman – have you ever had to tolerate racial slurs, discrimination or profiling? Given Gates’ age I have no doubt he’s endured plenty.
I’m white, but I can only imagine the rage I’d feel as a black man were I to be detained by police for “breaking into” my own house. It was a mix-up, to be sure, and we don’t know exactly what happened. But as soon as the police realized Gates was the owner, they should have let it go. I’m sure he berated them, and it probably was over the top. But walking away with an apology is what the police should have done. Instead they were embarrassed by his response, so they cuffed him. The fact that charges were dropped so quickly says enough. Then the union got involved, and everyone wanted an apology.
Should have been resolved at the house.
I’m with you LB—everyone acted poorly. It should have been resolved at the house.
But Gates really should have been more appreciative that the cops showed up to protect his house. In my ‘hood the cops show up in 45 minutes. Thanks…. for nothing MPD.
Bless your heart LB! I’m white too & my feelings are not liberal guilt. I’ve witnessed what looks to me like discrimination against people of color. Sorry about bringing up English-language matters, but black people who speak English natively are still targets of white indignation when something isn’t to their liking. I’ve seen frustrated white customers unload on black; eastern Indian clerks, etc, but not on the white clerks next to them. I’ve had store clerks ignore black people & take me as the next customer (I clearly wasn’t next). More often than not, people of color working in banks are deferenital to me;; even before I open my mouth. Generally, they’re also more grateful than white people if I’m the least bit polite.
Lalas, you make a good point that everyone acted poorly; both sides needed clearer heads to prevail. But guys, who’s got the radio to call in if they’re unclear about the owner’s race?
Police officer’s of all races are professional ‘problem solvers’ as part of their jobs. That’s not to excuse bad behavior towards them, but we should expect them to react professionally.
Finally, guys, have you heard the President’s further remarks about racism? He says when he was younger, & standing outside a restaurant, people threw their keys @ him for valet parking.
Yeah, yeah, everyone has their “I’m-not-a-bad-guy see-how-PC-I-am” gland spurting in high gear.
The cop involved is a rather small, rather calm, unassuming looking man, so where does Mr. Davies get the Godzilla-Cop in his cartoon from? From his “I-wanna-be-liked-cause-I’m-so-PC” gland? Wouldn’t that be Euro-profiling a good American cop? (The reverse PC version of racial profiling).
Actually GATES was the Godzilla.
And… the nincompoop can’t even get into his own house without messing up? This is a supposedly smart man?
Sounds more like Alzheimer Pete to me !
Obama’s true colors are coming out now. He dug his own grave
on this one.
For those of you who are old enough do you remember: “Manson Guilty” by President Nixon? almost nullified a 4 month long trial. Presidents should keep their lips sealed
Artisan33 is correct, Officer Crowley in no way resembles that cartoon. This is a man who teaches cops how to avoid confrontation with the minority community. Gates must have really pushed his buttons to get arrested. The photo of Gates in handcuffs screaming his head off is an indication of that. The charges were dropped because it wasn’t worth the aggravation. There was even a story today(unconfirmed) that the White House called to have the charges dropped.
It is also interesting that both Gates (“Whitey”) & Obama (“typical White person”) are on record as having made racist statements in the past, I have yet to hear anyone accuse Sgt. Crowley of doing the same. He may be the only non-race obsessed person in this drama
Gates is a racist bigot. He has made speeches and interviews which once again if a white guy said things like that he would be run out of town. He said his mother hated all white people. He said he listened to Malcolm X speech about hating whitey and said right on. He is now a race baiter and is making a living about on profiling. Gee when an officer responds to a 911 call about a break in at a house he never knows what he will find. This address has a brake in before. So when the police show up you would think he would be grateful and say here is my ID thanks for helping. BUT NO RACE CARD GAME ALERT. AND THE JOURNAL RAG AND YOU MATT JUST FALL RIGHT IN LINE
AND BARRY WHO CALLS THE POLICE OFFICER STUPID WITH OUT KNOWING THE FACTS. WE ARE ALL PROUD OF HIM.
Well, I would only hope that now more information has come out about this incident all of you who accused this police officer of racial profiling are not turning to the professor and noting that racial profiling works both ways. How long are we going to continue this “the poor black man” and continue this affirmative action nonsense which is just reverse descrimination! We have a black president for goodness sakes. Now Matt Davies needs to draw another cartoon to reflect the information that has now surfaced about this incident.
Ah, the angry ALL CAPS, name-calling folk enter the arena. Ever think that it’s the angry folk that have turned this country into a zoo? Ever hear of sympathy or empathy? We’ve all turned into a bunch of intolerant know-it-alls.
Artisan33, joking about Alzheimer’s is pretty funny – great work, you must be proud.
Bottom line is it all could have ended if the officer had walked away after learning the guy was in his own home. That’s it. If that had happened, there would be no talk of profiling or race baiting – this wouldn’t even have been a story. And that solution has nothing to do with being PC.
A cop’s size has nothing to do with it, which is another reason why I enjoy Matt’s cartoon. Cops can be 5-foot, 120 pounds and it doesn’t matter. They have guns, club, cuffs, radios and backup and can pretty much dictate how events like this go down – thus the intimidating image. Anyone who’s been pulled over and given a simple ticket has experienced that helpless feeling. What can you say? What can you do? They have the power. I fully acknowledge they have a tough job, but it’s the job they chose. Wielding their power responsibly should be priority one. Crowley didn’t do that in this case.
And TJ’s absolutely right – Obama should not have weighed in on this so quickly, particularly given the lack of facts at the time. He needs to stay above the fray and serve as an example, not an accelerant.
Dear “Lord Baltimore”..... YES I am proud.
Your prescription for future civil order goes about like this: ” If you are a white cop, just walk away from all black crime”. That would be all too easy.
But since that would breed even MORE black-on-black crime, how can you suggest it, even by inference? Does that make you PROUD?
Gates’ over-reaction reduced his supposed IQ to the level of a two-year-old, in full tantrum. Just like Alzheimers, in my book.
You make zero sense, “artisan33” but then you never do.
There was no crime here. That’s the whole point. And black-on-black crime? What are you even talking about?
All Crowley had to do was walk away from Gates’ house. Not from a crime – because once again, in case you missed it, there was no crime.
Keep making your jokes about Alzheimer’s. I’ll pray for the day you joke to the wrong person face to face. It’s nothing like a child’s tantrum, despite what your “book” says, and it’s not in any way humorous.
Matt I think hit the nail on the head in his commentary: Gates was upset more for the fact that this police officer didn’t RECOGNIZE him, than for the fact that he was black. But you can’t throw a tantrum because somebody doesn’t realize you are somewhat famous. So the ironic thing in all of this is that Gates was reacting to somebody not recognizing his position of prominence in the community, rather than being harassed because he was black.
Gates is an elitist Harvard professor. It is that status that I would assert he identifies with more than his race. Failing to be recognized when you have an inflated view of yourself is worse to the offended party than any imagined racism.
“But you can’t throw a tantrum because somebody doesn’t realize you are somewhat famous.”
Really, AJ, you can’t throw a tantrum in your own home — really? I thought types like you were all about individual freedoms and keeping government from intruding in your private life. Now you’re saying you can’t throw a tantrum in your own house? I smell a big old pile of hypocrisy.
Maybe I miswrote that McGriff. What I meant was it’s not really an acceptable response socially to be angry at somebody because you think you are famous enough to be recognized and then are not. But it is more acceptable to rant about racism, so I was merely being playful by suggesting he was more angry about not being recognized by the officer than about any perceived racism on his part.
We’ve all weighed in w/our fellings, thoughts, rants, etc. Now I just gotta get this off my chest: what’s w/the hate-filled posts above?! Some of you come off as vipers spewing out venom w/fangs bared. As usual, Lord Baltimore, you’re so rational. Are you some TV-show snake-wrangler guy? Ok, so you’re not alone, but you & a few others aren’t ready to get stuck into 1 of those white canvas bags.
Sometimes reason trumps emotions. It’s what should’ve happened w/Gates & Officer Crowley, but didn’t.
What I wrote makes perfect sense.
Lord B suggests cops “Just walk away”
THAT is nonsense.
We pay cops to not “just walk away”.
That’s how society functions.
Gates failed to realize this.
His failure to realize it made him mentally impaired.
Kind of like self-induced Alzheimers
Have a nice rest-of-your-life
Will do, artisan. And you keep grinding your teeth in anger and abusing CAPS, “quotes” and hy-phens.
Matt Davies doesn’t hide the fact he’s a liberal. That’s refreshing. Usually these guys pretend they’re objective and “just poking fun” at politicians. His views always came through with his cartoons—-I’m just glad he doesn’t deny them. I don’t agree with his views, but at least he’s honest. That being said, I think he’s very naive and looks at the surface of issues. Health care for instance: He looks at it as healthy vs. sick in his cartoon with the guy getting hit on the head with a sign. If he could get beyond his politics, he’d see it’s an issue of rights and freedom. I for one, don’t feel entitled or feel I have a right to health insurance. My rights shouldn’t create an obligation on anyone. As a liberal, does Mr. Davies see the irony in a government run healthcare system. Liberals usually cry about Big Brother. “Don’t let Big Brother see my health records.” “Bush is tapping phone lines” and on and on… Where are the liberal rights when government starts to tell you what you can and can’t eat because you might be a burden on the healthcare system? (see New Zealand for that one)
Really too bad. A guy with his skills could do a lot better with some more thinking. If Michael Moore could draw, I guess he could replace him.