Obama '08?

@cicerone imposter,

cicerone imposter wrote:

This is precisely the problem where the police thinks only the public can provoke the police and not the other way around - especially to a black man.

Quote:
“I really didn’t want to have to take such a drastic action because I knew it was going to bring a certain amount of attention, unwanted attention, on me. Nonetheless, that’s how far professor Gates pushed it and provoked and just wouldn’t stop,” Crowley said.

Who's the provoketeer here? Police think they have a license to abuse the black man, but will think twice before they treat a white man the same way.

I'd like to see evidence of any white policeman treating a white man this way under similar circumstances.

I think CI has an element of truth but beyond that I think any form of police officer especially in uniform has an attitude of superior authority. I've seen many examples of uniform over commoner regardless of race on either party. put a uniform/badge/gun on any person of any race and you all to often have abuse of authority.

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@dyslexia,

I have witnessed this smug feeling of superiority and the abuse of authority from Obama.

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@dyslexia,

I personally hate police...but doesn't society GIVE them the authority?

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@maporsche,

maporsche wrote:

I personally hate police...but doesn't society GIVE them the authority?

Only to the extent of the law, and not a hair past that.

Cycloptichorn

1 Reply

@maporsche,

Do you hate the CONCEPT of police or the actual police officers?

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@Yankee,

The concept. I only know a few police officers, and they're nice enough.

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@Cycloptichorn,

And what's the MA law say about disorderly conduct?

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@maporsche,

maporsche wrote:

And what's the MA law say about disorderly conduct?

Gates was charged with violating Chapter 272, Section 53 of Massachusetts' state code, which reads in full:

Quote:

Common night walkers, common street walkers, both male and female, common railers and brawlers, persons who with offensive and disorderly acts or language accost or annoy persons of the opposite sex, lewd, wanton and lascivious persons in speech or behavior, idle and disorderly persons, disturbers of the peace, keepers of noisy and disorderly houses, and persons guilty of indecent exposure may be punished by imprisonment in a jail or house of correction for not more than six months, or by a fine of not more than two hundred dollars, or by both such fine and imprisonment.

I guess you could say he was a 'disturber of the peace,' but that's a real stretch. An honest reading of the code clearly shows that Gates was doing none of these things, and the whole thing was just a pretense to arrest a guy that the cops didn't like - something which happens with depressing frequency, something I've seen myself more than once.

Cycloptichorn

2 Replies

@Cycloptichorn,

Cyclotroll is A2Ks apologist for Obama, Gates and the dumbest-among-us.

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@Cycloptichorn,

Cycloptichorn wrote:

An honest reading of the code clearly shows that Gates was doing none of these things, and the whole thing was just a pretense to arrest a guy that the cops didn't like - something which happens with depressing frequency, something I've seen myself more than once.

One of the numerous reasons I don't like cops. And I have personal experience with getting arrested for what I believe to be a personal disagreement, not a violation of the law (incidently, I was not charged).

BUT, the law is left vague (probably intentionally so), so I don't think it's accurate to say he acted outside of the authority given to him by society. If it is deemed that it is too much authority, the lawmakers have the ability to correct the issue.

1 Reply

@maporsche,

You're right; the law is left vague, and how it's applied against blacks differ a great deal from how it's applied against whites.

If you were harrassed frequently based on the color of your skin, you'd get a bit touchy about how cops treat you too!

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@cicerone imposter,

cicerone imposter wrote:

You're right; the law is left vague, and how it's applied against blacks differ a great deal from how it's applied against whites.

If you were harrassed frequently based on the color of your skin, you'd get a bit touchy about how cops treat you too!

And is the correct response to get angry at the officer, and argurably try to incite a response from the crowd building outside your home?

Or is the correct response to address the inconsistency of the law with our lawmakers?

Or is the correct reponse to make "your mama" jokes to the cop?

I personally would have expected a lot more restraint from a 60 year old, Harvard professor.

1 Reply

@maporsche,

maporsche wrote:

I personally would have expected a lot more restraint from a 60 year old, Harvard professor.

from what i've heard, it does seem like he really got himself worked up and totally went off.

could have saved himself a lot of trouble if he had simply said something like, "hey , i live here. this is my license. thanks for stopping by. "

1 Reply

@dyslexia,

Quote:

I'm thinking the police first must determine that a crime has been committed before anyone is arrested.

Sgt Crowley determined that a crime had been committed, (creating a public nuisance or something similar) and arrested the person who he believed committed the crime (Gates).

The DA either believed a crime was not committed, that there wasn't sufficient evidence to prove Gates committed it, it didn't serve the interests of the community to pursue the matter, or that it was far too hot a political potato to handle and so the charges were dropped as, in my opinion, they should have been.

1 Reply

@DontTreadOnMe,

DTOM, We all say something we regret after any incident happens that may rile us for one reason or another. Gates is human like everybody else, and his reaction was justified based on the facts. Black men aren't treated equally by our police; those are the facts.

Over-reaction? Perhaps, but understandable based on history in this country.

1 Reply

@rabel22,

Quote:

...yet although the conseratives are sure working to make it one.

Disregarding the fact that the Democrats control the White House and both houses of congress...in what way(s) do you believe conservatives are working to make this country a police state?

1 Reply

@Finn dAbuzz,

The "police State" has been on-going no matter who's in the white house or congress.

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@cicerone imposter,

cicerone imposter wrote:

You're right; the law is left vague, and how it's applied against blacks differ a great deal from how it's applied against whites.

BullShit, BullShit, BullShit!

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@cicerone imposter,

That's true for most blue states controlled by liberals.
Maryland is such a state.

0 Replies

@Cycloptichorn,

Thanks for the John McWhorter link, Cyclo.

1 Reply

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