Black scholar's arrest raises profiling questions

Black scholar's arrest raises profiling questions

news.yahoo. com

Police responding to a call about "two black males" breaking into a home near Harvard University ended up arresting the man who lives there — Henry Louis Gates Jr., the nation's pre-eminent black scholar.

(visit the link for the full news article)

Its a shame, such things continue to happen.

After poducing his ID the questioning should have stopped.
The ID check would have confirmed he lived there.

But he might also have better chosen his initial demeanor whe responding to officers requests.
All they need is an excuse to esclate any interaction into a confrontation.
If a cop ever telse you to "calm down" your going to jail.
I had similar experience last week, except for the being arrested.
I was working late and all of the other tenants in the gated industrial complex had gone home.
After business hrs whenever any leaves they lock the gate behind them, so i was efectivley locked in.
Well I guess my pounding away had triggered the neighbors alarm system.
From the gate they were at they could see me leave my front door and lock up before i rode to the locked gate.
I was surprised to be met by two squad cars at the gate.
So I asked them what was up and they said that they were responding to an alarm call.
And wanted me to show them my ID, so I unlocked the gate and opened up produced my id.
So they asked all the pertinents, what was I doing there so on and so forth.
i replied i was a business owner in the complex.
So they ran my id and figured out that it was my pounding that had set off my neighbors alarm service.
I knew i was the only one there, and told them so.
I was polite and repectful, they were just doing there job.
So while they had check being done i made sure the tone of the converstation stayed light and non threatning, by chatting with them about the hot weather and general light conversation.
After about 15 minutes of chatting after getting my id back , I was starting to be a little concerned that the check was taking a little long.
So i asked "hey guys are we good?"
They kinda chuckled and replied "oh ya" "your good to go"
It seems we were actually just chatting.
So i locke up and we all left with out them even going past the gate.
I know there are a lot of power hungry cops out there but how you react right off dictates the whole tone of the subsequent encounter.
If you start off with a crap attitude youll get one back.



news.yahoo. com
(visit the link for the full news article)

The man was arrested because the police were investigating a crime and the subject refused to cooperate and created a disturbance.

Black or white, if you mess with the police, the police can and will mess with you.

How can something so simple be so hard for a Harvard professor to understand?

He was looking for trouble and he got it.

... Then again do we really know the details of this case ???

... perhaps Mr. Gates was wearing a ski mask because he was cold, .... and on his way to the trash can with a bag of old valuables.

Racial profiling does exist and I've witnessed it many times in my neighborhood, its disgusting.

Its not always a case of people not cooperating with cops. These cops can and do violate peoples rights, and they do it a lot.

Peace

The article is pretty detailed.

I wasn't there, but if the article is correct, then I would expect that anyone who acted toward the police in the execution of their duties as the subject did, could expect to be arrested.

They were there, after all, to protect his property.

Why would he not cooperate?

[edit on 2009/7/20 by GradyPhilpott]

Originally posted by jeasahtheseer
Racial profiling does exist and I've witnessed it many times in my neighborhood, its disgusting.

The report said that two black men were breaking into a house and when the police arrived that's what they found.

If I were breaking into my own house, which I've had to do, and the police arrived to investigate, I would expect them to assume first that I was committing a crime and I would politely produce evidence to the contrary.

This guy was looking for trouble.

Originally posted by GradyPhilpott
The article is pretty detailed.

I wasn't there, but if the article is correct, then I would expect that anyone who acted toward the police in the execution of their duties as the subject did, could expect to be arrested.

They were there, after all, to protect his property.

Why would he not cooperate?

[edit on 2009/7/20 by GradyPhilpott]

Well I do agree with that pretty much... I hadnt read the whole article yet. I do admit some people pull the race card over every little thing and its just as annoying as the bad cops. It also makes the people with real corrupt cop cases involving race look like they are just pulling the race card too.

I'm just tired of people who thinks cops are always right and peolpe who deny that profiling exists, because it does. I'm from a poor area and have seen it many times. And its not just against blacks... Its NOT illegal to be poor.

Plus screw cops I'm a marine ive done more for the world than ANY cop.

BTW I'm not some black power dude... I'm half black but I look like a average white guy.

Peace



[edit on 20-7-2009 by jeasahtheseer]

He should sue,a nd ask in court WHO reported the black males breaking in. Get to the bottom of the truth. I never understood why racial profiling exists, or why the system seems to favor it. it s pointless and mindless! Guess it does go to show, where the system really sits.

...there are two points of view on this story - professor gates view and the cops view... i find it hard to believe that such a highly educated man would behave so inappropriately, as the cops allege - but - he had just returned from an overseas flight and was ill, so he couldve been a bit testy but i doubt it was severe enough to warrant being arrested...

Originally posted by Wyn Hawks
...there are two points of view on this story - professor gates view and the cops view... i find it hard to believe that such a highly educated man would behave so inappropriately, as the cops allege - but - he had just returned from an overseas flight and was ill, so he couldve been a bit testy but i doubt it was severe enough to warrant being arrested...

Good post. My thoughs exactly. Fact is none of us know what happened but I tend to not believe the cops stories.

reply to post by jeasahtheseer


Oakland? One of the armpits of America. Cops have a tough job there.

This Harvard idjut deserved everything he got, imo.

Originally posted by jsobecky
reply to post by jeasahtheseer

 

Oakland? One of the armpits of America. Cops have a tough job there.

This Harvard idjut deserved everything he got, imo.

Oh boo hoo. You know NOTHING about me or my city.


Bye


[edit on 20-7-2009 by jeasahtheseer]

Originally posted by Wyn Hawks
...there are two points of view on this story - professor gates view and the cops view... i find it hard to believe that such a highly educated man would behave so inappropriately, as the cops allege - but - he had just returned from an overseas flight and was ill, so he couldve been a bit testy but i doubt it was severe enough to warrant being arrested...

Odds are he was just waving his Harvard credentials in front of the cops and he expected them to kowtow to him.

He got what he deserved.

Originally posted by jeasahtheseer

Originally posted by jsobecky
reply to post by jeasahtheseer

 

Oakland? One of the armpits of America. Cops have a tough job there.

This Harvard idjut deserved everything he got, imo.

Oh boo hoo. You know NOTHING about my city. Worthless lazy sack of # you are.

Bye and dont respond your all on ignore.

[edit on 20-7-2009 by jeasahtheseer]

Been there too many times; watched it rapidly degrade from the 60's. What a pit.

reply to post by jsobecky


And dont disrespect me I am a soldier and have done more for america than any cop.. You know nothing about me. I havent disrespected you at all. Dont judge me because of where im from. I'm a family man who suports a wife and child. I'm NOT some worthless ghetto dweller.

Believe me I pretty much agree oaklands a hell hole

peace



[edit on 20-7-2009 by jeasahtheseer]

[edit on 20-7-2009 by jeasahtheseer]

From the little bits of info I have heard about this the story it seems that his neighbor called the police and when they arrived on scene and began questioning the men, the professor thought it would be a good idea to refuse to identify himself.

Guess what that makes the cop think? That you are breaking the law and trying to hide something.

Guess what that gets you? A one way ticket to the booty house.

If you are dumb enough to get busted breaking into your own home and then get riled up and self righteous and refuse to cooperate when the cops show up, then you deserve to take the ride down town for being a moron.

How difficult would it have been to simply say "yes officer...my name is _______ and this is my residence"?

Originally posted by punkinworks

Black scholar's arrest raises profiling questions

news.yahoo. com

Police responding to a call about "two black males" breaking into a home near Harvard University ended up arresting the man who lives there — Henry Louis Gates Jr., the nation's pre-eminent black scholar.

(visit the link for the full news article)

I hope Al sharpton does not attend this .......He is a publicity hound and a disgrace to all black and all and any American's .....

You never hear a word from him until something happens to a black man that the MSM gets a hold of , then all of the sudden hear comes comments from Sharpton and hear he is in the public eye again...

That man is such a douche it's not even funny......back to OP

This is definitely racial profiling......They still didn't trust this man after he provided his Drivers license and his School ID......That should have been enough.....

I can't stand to hear about this stuff , but I know it happens and it's disgusting...

I'm am not a black American so I can't say it has ever happened to me, but I feel sorry for those who have to go through it........

Sad really how ignorant people are....

Police officer's procedures and everything they are taught is ignorant too....

That is why cops do stupid sh*t.......because they are taught to do so.....not to mention they recruit some of the dumbest people in the world....

Not all cops are bad but I feel some are blind to what is happening.

Originally posted by LucidDreamer85

Originally posted by punkinworks

Black scholar's arrest raises profiling questions

news.yahoo. com

Police responding to a call about "two black males" breaking into a home near Harvard University ended up arresting the man who lives there — Henry Louis Gates Jr., the nation's pre-eminent black scholar.

(visit the link for the full news article)

I hope Al sharpton does not attend this .......He is a publicity hound and a disgrace to all black and all and any American's .....

Agreed. Even most black folk HATE al sharpton. Just so yall know.

That man enforces all the negative stereotypes about blacks that we all think the "white man" is out to get us. Most blacks dont think that... The GOVERNMENT is equally f'ing every person in america. Its not "white people". We gotta get over racial differences and band together and FIGHT this government.


[edit on 20-7-2009 by jeasahtheseer]

[edit on 20-7-2009 by jeasahtheseer]

My problem with the whole situation is that after they confirmed his ID they still escalated the situation till they made an arrest.
The problem is that the police have become mindless automatons in many cases.
Ive had so many questionable interaction with the police, but I know they are looking for an excuse to escalate the interaction into a confrontation so i do all i can to avoid such while not giving up my rights.
A perfect example happend a few weeks ago at a very respectable local pub (city officials and attorneys hang out there ) while I was having a pint.
One of the regulars was just hanging out having a drink and saw her exboyfriend with her ex best friend.
She made a comment to mutual friend that she had heard that this girl pregnant. Well the friend told the other girl that she said she was pregnant.
Well the exfriend got all worked up and came in a BROKE A GLASS on the first girls back and left.
So the cops were called and it took them 45 minutes to show up.
$%$@ 45 minutes even though there is a station less than a 1/4 mile away.
So, long after the thing had become just a report taking they rushed in all gung ho.
One of the servers pointed out the victim and they rushed over and took her down.
I was stunned that they took a calm situation, and immediatley escalated it into a physical confrontation.
I was sitting on the stool next to her, and as they cuffed her I said " what are you guys doing shes the victim of the assault"
You could tell by the looks on thier faces that they realized they had just f'd up.
My protest immmediatley triggered step over here and lets see your ID.
So I politely complied and started to relate what happend.
they eventually figured out what was going on and took the report the were supposed to.
The victim made a complaint to the PD, and one of the officers actually appologized later on.
But it illustrates how some officers will use any excuse to escalate a situation.