Henry Louis Gates arrested when trying to force open door of his own home

[Anonymous]

The logic above makes no sense. A poor split second decision by a cop can lead to someone dying and college admission is hardly a split second decision.

[Anonymous]

Interesting nugget in Time on nebulousness of "disorderly conduct" charge: http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1912777,00.html

[Anonymous]

After reading the police report, it seems that while this incident might have begun with tones of racial discrimination (and that is a big "might") it actually ended up as a pissing contest between two males with big egos who could have both been any color under the sun. Oversimplification, maybe, but just my take. After reading the police report which was written by the officer in question, it sounded like both men behaved badly and the officer's reasoning as to why he arrested Prof. Gates when he stepped out onto his porch sounds rather specious (something along the lines of a crowd had gathered and seemed intimidated or dismayed at Gate's behavior). Again, sounds to me like a college professor who is also human and a police officer, human as well, displaying very human bad behavior.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:... Again, sounds to me like a college professor who is also human and a police officer, human as well, displaying very human bad behavior.

And, given that they are both pretty bright, maybe they foresaw the WH brews.

[Anonymous]

Yeah, I saw that too. That's one thing about men-they can get real angry at each other, yell, possibly come to blows but they can also sit down, share a Rock at the WH, shake hands and forget about it. Now, two women? Obama'd have to take them shoe shopping, to the day spa and probably to the Oprah show together and then maybe they might think about not holding a grudge.

[Anonymous]

I don't care whether or not the two men make peace. That's not relevant to the rest of us. The societal problems of abuse of police power, which still seems to me to have happened in this case as it has in my own experience, and racial profiling, which may or may not have happened here, and even manipulation by the media, which also may have happened here, won't be settled by a friendly White House invitation. We need to keep looking at these issues even when this incident is buried.

[Anonymous]

So sick of police bashing. I kow a lot of officers and they have to completely tip toe around nuts like pp. They have a dangerous job and shouldn't have to deal with elite idiots like Dr. Gates. PP please make sure not to call police if you house is broken in or if you are mugged on the street.

[Anonymous]

Article about the contents of the 911 call:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/27/AR2009072700470.html?hpid=topnews

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So sick of police bashing. I kow a lot of officers and they have to completely tip toe around nuts like pp. They have a dangerous job and shouldn't have to deal with elite idiots like Dr. Gates. PP please make sure not to call police if you house is broken in or if you are mugged on the street.

That's not a reasonable argument. Yes, police need to have the freedom to attend to their public safety function without having their hands tied too much, but they also have a history of abusing their power-- mostly in little ways but also in the kinds of big ways that provoke occasional scandals. Our society has a lot invested in protecting citizens' freedoms. The answer needs to balance both needs, and won't be a simple one.

By the way, Alexandria's police chief was arrested for drunk driving Saturday night: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/26/AR2009072601007.html . I'm pleasantly surprised that he was even charged, but the offense itself is another chilling example of officers behaving as if they're above the law. Considering the consequences for citizens of lapses in police judgment, malicious lapses as well as stupid ones, I think we need to be a lot tougher about the latitude we give policemen.

[Anonymous]

I too am surprised by the strong anti-police sentiment in this thread. I can only assume that the previous posters experiences with law enforcement has been very different than mine. I have lived in 5 states and had approximately 7 - 8 encounters with law enforcement - as a victim, as a witness, and as someone's whose foot on the gas was a tad too heavy - all have been courteous, professional, etc.

If I were the police officer responding to 2 men breaking into a home, I too would want the homeowner to come out of the house. Could there not have been someone with a knife, gun, whatever behind the door coercing the homeowner? Not seeing 2 people, you have to wonder where the 2nd is - especially if your sense of self-preservation is as highly tuned as your average cop's.

How differently this would have ended if Mr. Gates has simply been courteous and cooperative. Over in 5 minutes or less is my honest expectation.

[Anonymous]

An eerily similar situation happened to my husband, also black, also breaking into his own home (locked out). After being put up against a wall, asked for ID while the situation was stabilized and verified--the situation ended incredibly peaceably and amicably. Perhaps because my husband is a Marine, he understands that the people we charge to protect us need to establish facts before they can safely (for everyone) make a judgment and release in the situation. For his part, he did not shout insults at the police officer, but peacefully complied to resolve the situation. It does not sound like Professor Gates did this, or showed any understanding as to the danger police officers face every day in their efforts to protect our lives and property -- and that he did the best to heighten what is by definition a charged and potentially dangerous situation (investigation into a possible breaking and entry). Gates is a private citizen and his decision to behave poorly impacted only himself; the President's decision to weigh in before the facts were established and both sides given a fair hearing is more bizarre to me. These men in blue are the ones who would throw down their lives to protect his every step--and for his part he needs to stand behind a professional review process for the decisions they make in 'real-time'--instead of characterizing them as 'stupid' before the facts are fully aired. I know the Pres enjoyed many years of hanging with the mildly to extremely anti-establishment crowd (all the Wrights and Ayers and just the folks you discuss societal ills interminably with in grad school...), but now he IS the establishment and might wish to expand his mind to the possibility that society needs police, fire fighters etc... and they need his fair-minded support and appreciation. Maybe one of his advisors can let him in on that....

[Anonymous]

I just listened to all the tapes and read the most recent coverage. I am one of the early posters who was horrified for Skip Gates.

However, now I take it all back. The officer did absolutely nothing wrong in my opinion.

It sucks to have a police officer come into your house and demand ID, however, when two people called the police because you broke into your own house (with suitcases outside - which looks even worse) then maybe you ought to chill out and have some respect for the police.

Also, race was never mentioned in the 911 call. The woman said she only saw one of the men and that he looked Hispanic.

Lastly, the officer sounded calm and rational and called for backup because Gates was so uncooperative.

[Anonymous]

All you folks who are sick and tired of police bashing would have your anger better directed towards the one or two (or more) bad apple police officers who abuse their power, are unfit for the job and break the law on a regular basis themselves. Just like any profession, you got your good apples and your bad apples (and probably lots in between). Whether you like it or not, and I'm not saying that this statement applies in this particular case, but racist police officers exist (just as racist lawyers, doctors, cashiers, wind-surfers, etc), officers who abuse their power exist and good cops get blamed and maligned by their behavior when that behavior is brought to public attention. Maybe you should lay blame on those few bad apples rather than the people who have experienced it first hand (the ones who are alive, that is).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:All you folks who are sick and tired of police bashing would have your anger better directed towards the one or two (or more) bad apple police officers who abuse their power, are unfit for the job and break the law on a regular basis themselves. Just like any profession, you got your good apples and your bad apples (and probably lots in between). Whether you like it or not, and I'm not saying that this statement applies in this particular case, but racist police officers exist (just as racist lawyers, doctors, cashiers, wind-surfers, etc), officers who abuse their power exist and good cops get blamed and maligned by their behavior when that behavior is brought to public attention. Maybe you should lay blame on those few bad apples rather than the people who have experienced it first hand (the ones who are alive, that is).

Yes, but in this case a "good" cop may have been bashed (two times actually). Why should we not react? And how do you know we do not react with equal vehemence to the bad apples?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I just listened to all the tapes and read the most recent coverage. I am one of the early posters who was horrified for Skip Gates.

However, now I take it all back. The officer did absolutely nothing wrong in my opinion.

It sucks to have a police officer come into your house and demand ID, however, when two people called the police because you broke into your own house (with suitcases outside - which looks even worse) then maybe you ought to chill out and have some respect for the police.

Also, race was never mentioned in the 911 call. The woman said she only saw one of the men and that he looked Hispanic.

Lastly, the officer sounded calm and rational and called for backup because Gates was so uncooperative.

Who cares if race was mentioned in the initial 911 tape. The officer should have left his house THE MINUTE he showed his ID.