Sometimes a person has to call it like they see it. I have been asked to comment on this matter, so here goes. The recent debacle in Cambridge, Massachusetts has reinvigorated the racial profiling debate. Dr. Henry Louis Gates alleges that he was racially profiled by an officer from the Cambridge Police Department. I was quick to dispel any notion that racial profiling had anything to do with this matter. I must be honest, prior to this incident, I did not have a high opinion of Mr. Gates. I've always viewed him as an elitist, but gave him props for his knowledge. I had an opportunity to listen to his version and my opinion has not changed. I think Mr. Gates believes that he deserves special dispensation just because he is a "Harvard" professor. I sense that both parties let their emotions get the best of them and feelings were hurt. I think this situation was blown out of proportion and should have been handled at the local level. To receive such media attention only validates my assumption that if this was someone with less status, we would not be talking about it. There is no doubt that racial profiling is real, but not in this case. Mr. Gates....get over yourself.
7 comments:
Welcome "black" to the neighborhood, Skip. The incident was an unfortunate one and I bet you never believed would visit your door steps.
I have mixed emotions concerning the incident and think that both you and the police officer let your emotions and egos get the better of you. The police officer was responding to a dispatched call of a burglary or burglary in progress. Therefore, he had every right to respond to your residence. Upon encountering you and advising you of the reason for his presence at your residence and ascertaining your identity. The matter should have been over without any fanfare.
Somewhere between; "I said and he said", lies the absolute truth of what really occurred. Unfortunately, due to both of your bull elephant mentalities, it is hard to assess blame directly upon just one individual. Things were said by both of you which under less confrontational circumstances, may not have been uttered. Why did you invoke the police officer's mother into the conversation? Everyone knows from grammar school, that taking about someone's mother in a derogatory manner will lead to harsh feelings and quite often lead to physical combat. You knew that your comments would emotionally hurt the police officer. However, you are a Harvard Professor and defer to childish behavior.
Concerning the police officer, he may have gotten under your skin with his line of questioning and/or disbelief of you being domiciled at the particular residence. I believe that he may have lured you out of your residence to facilitate charging you with a disorderly offense of distrubing the peace. There is freedom of speech in this country and you were in your own home. Therefore, you can act the way you want to, yell, scream and do backward flips, as long as, you don't verbally threaten and/or attempt to do bodily harm to yourself and/or the officer.
In closing, I agree that the incident will be or become a teachable moment. Hopefully, the U.S. population needs to acknowledge that there is still unfinished business regarding the interaction of the police and people of color.
no one know what really happened between the police officer and Dr henry louis. however every one know that racial discrimination still exist.i believe the polices was doing their jobs ,even thouhg Dr henry was right and they were wrong.that matter should not get out of hand like that. i don't think the people in that neighborhood was trying to be racism but instead i think they were trying to protect their cmmunity.anyway for the racism point of view i believed no metter who one are , i do think every one shoul be treated with respect , does'nt matter of who or what education one receive or what back ground one come from, it's all about respect one another.nevertheless i understand the frustration of Dr henry from been apprehended from his own house,but if that was me i would act different ,after i told them that ,that's my house and they did not believed ,i would let them go with me and, maybe when i get to where the were going with me i would trying again to make them listen to me.that what i think a educated person will do.i think both the police and Dr henry have cross the line. Js 7920
This is the first time I'm hearing about this but cases like this pop up everyday. Who's in the wrong and who's in the right can never really be determined because someone's wrong and they're more than likely sticking to their story. Racial profiling has become a cop out for so many individuals not only African Americans so typically when a minority is in some trouble, it's the easiest card to pull.
In some cases people always try to find an excuse in order to let others responsible their damages.No one can say that, discrimination is not exist but, that couldn't be happened for all cases are black people have been involved.The profesor is a person in the highest education level and he should be understood no one is above of the law.J.E 9722
People have tried to racism as an excuse. It couldn't be happened for all the cases are black have been involved.The profesor as a person who are in the highest rank of education have been expected a different treatement but, law is for everybody.He should respect the police officer, the same as his students should respect him. Respect for everyone and everything will be OK in the society even for the future.J.E 9722
Racial profiling does exist but in this situation he was trying to get above the law and tried pull the race card out. Shame on those who cry wolf. SK
Most of the time I ear is fault or these or those I think all are excuses to justify his mistake N.T 3580
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