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The President, the Professor, and the Cop-The Henry Gates Arrest

by Yolanda Ro  
8/10/2009 / Events

Is there anyone in the free world who hasn't heard or read about the infamous Henry Gates arrest? If you are among those (maybe three) who have not, allow me to enlighten you.

On July 16 2009, African-American Henry Louis Gates, a Harvard University professor, documentary film maker, and resident of Cambridge Massachusetts was arrested in his home and charged with disorderly conduct. The arrest came after Lucia Whalen, 40, dialed 911 to report a possible burglary in process. Gates, who'd misplaced his key, forced open his front door with a screw driver, drawing the attention of an elderly resident who prompted Ms. Whalen to phone the police.

After having arrived on the scene, Sgt. James Crowley, a Caucasian officer, secured the identity of Gates as [in fact] being the owner of the home in question. But he then asked Gates to "step outside." Allegedly Gates refused, saying "Why, because I'm a black man in America?" followed by "I'll speak with your mama outside." The officer stated that Gates was disorderly and drew a crowd of onlookers. The charge against Professor Gates was later dropped on July 21.

Gates vowed to bring as much attention to this "teachable moment" as possible. His views on the arrest were that of racial profiling. The Cambridge Police Department has since apologized for the incident. However, Officer Crowley refused to apologize and has refuted allegations that he is racist, citing he once gave black ball player, Reggie Lewis, "mouth-to-mouth" resuscitation in a desperate bid to save his life.

If you find the events so far to be puzzling just wait; it gets more interesting. U.S. President Barack Obama was asked about the incident July 22, at a news conference on health care reform and replied "Now, I don't know, not having been there and not seeing all the facts, what role race played in that. But I think it's fair to say, number one, any of us would be pretty angry; number two, that the Cambridge police ACTED STUPIDLY in arresting somebody when there was already proof that they were in their own home...." The statements sparked a national debate over the arrest, and brought Obama much criticism. In an attempt to offset the negative publicity the arrest [and his statment] incurred, Obama agreed to meet with both the officer and the professor, at the White House on July 24, to talk things out 'over beer.' I kid you not...so help me there was an actual 'beer summit'.

So now that you've been properly briefed on this ridiculous turn of events, what does this all boil down to? Was this a true case of racial profiling? Or is this a case of an incensed black man [understandably] getting hysterical and having to be detained by the police?

Lucia Whalen insisted that she never divulged the race of the suspected buglar until asked by the dispatcher. The 911 tapes confirmed this. Her exact words were "one of them might be Hispanic."

But I have to ask the questions: wouldn't she have known the difference between a stranger and her very own neighbor? Also, why did Crowley arrest Gates after knowing full-well that he was not a burglar as originally suspected. Free speech in this country is a given. Should Crowley have simply ignored Gates and left the premisis?

On the flip side, did Gates become verbally abusive to Officer Crowley? And if he did, were his alleged insults posing any appreciable threat of violence or other lawlessness? Should he just have cooperated with the officer, then later filed a complaint against the CPD?


Oh! And let's not forget the chug-a-lug beer summit at our nation's capital. Did Obama become too emotionally involved with this situation? Was he correct in addressing and giving a voice to the ugly reality of racism which still exists in the United States today? Did the meeting between the three ever resolve anything?

The Gates case is beginning to die down somewhat. So what are Gates thoughts on the windstorm media event? Reportedly Gates final statement after the White House meeting was "We've learned that we can have our differences without demonizing one another."

Weigh in on this topic...

Copyright (c)2009 YOLANDA RO
http://www.yolanda-ro.comoj.com/
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