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I know I'm late. But everyone is asking me to weigh in on this so I'm gonna go ahead and take a swing at it. Truthfully? Knowing the level of harassment that police extend to African Americans, I wasn't surprised that this occurred. I'm more surprised that people are so appalled at President Obama for having an opinion on the subject. I'm more upset that Glenn Beck is insinuating that Barack Obama dislikes white people because he said the officers "acted stupidly". And Lou Dobbs using his platform to drum up already debunked theories that Barack Obama is not an American citizen because he was born in Hawaii. But I'll go in order of offense.
Henry Louis Gates, Jr. -an American literary critic, educator, scholar, writer, editor and public intellectual. He's the first African American to recieve the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Fellowship and has recieved countless honorary degress and awards for his teaching and development of academic institutions to study black culture.
- In 2002, Gates was selected to give the Jefferson Lecture, in recognition of his "distinguished intellectual achievement in the humanities." The lecture resulted in his 2003 book, The Trials of Phillis Wheatley.
- As the host of the 2006 and 2008 PBS television miniseries African American Lives, Gates explored the genealogy of prominent African Americans.
- Gates sits on the boards of many notable arts, cultural, and research institutions.
- He serves as the Alphonse Fletcher University Professor at Harvard University, where he is Director of the W.E.B. Du Bois Institute for African and African American Research.
- Micheal Kinsley referred to him as "the nation's most famous black scholar."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Louis_Gates
According to the police report released on The Smoking Gun:
Cops responded to Gates's house after neighbor Lucia Whalen reported spotting "two black males with backpacks" trying to gain entry to the home (Gates, returning home from a trip overseas, and his driver were contending with a stuck front door). The Cambridge Police Department reports, authored by Sergeant James Crowley and Officer James Figueroa, quote an incensed Gates yelling, "This is what happens to black men in America!," and, when asked by Crowley to speak with him outside the residence, Gates replied, "ya, I'll speak with your mama outside." A disorderly conduct rap was filed against Gates, but quickly dropped by prosecutors. Gates is reportedly considering legal action against the Cambridge police.
http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2009/0723092gates1.html
Gates, however "incensed" he may have been; had every right to be. He had the police called on him by his own neighbor and arrested in his own home for attempting to get in through a less than cooperative door.
I was asked by a student on Facebook who questioned Obama's "Beer Diplomacy" tactics whether or not this would be such an issue if a black arresting officer would have treated a white professor the same way. I feel just as comfortable answering that question here as I did in his stream of status comments.
Plainly stated, this wouldn't have happened if it were a black arresting officer and a white college professor. The facts in the case would be totally different. If police would have arrived on the scene to see a white professor and his driver, they would've been given the benefit of the doubt. The police would've probably assisted him in getting into his home and stuck around for coffee and pastry as they laughed about the misunderstanding.
Worse yet, there would be no call to the police. Ms. Whalen would've known the White professor Gates to be a pilar of the community and a fine upstanding citizen. She probably would have come out on the porch to see if she could be of help and invited him in to call a locksmith.
But none of the aforementioned scenarios occured. Do you know why? Ask Skip:
"This is what happens to black men in America!,"
Mr. Beck...
So Barack Obama has a problem... a deep seeded aggression against white people? I'm still trying to figure out why Gates or Obama deserves to give Crowley an apology. I think that Fox News has a hard time distingushing fact from fiction because someone is lying here. The police report says that the caller described two African American men with backpacks breaking into a home. Now all of a sudden the 911 tapes reflect her not knowing what the nationality of the men were. If we live in such a post-racial society where American's don't see color, why is the nationality of the alleged perpetrators important at all? Why not say, I see some suspicious activity going on at my neighbors house and leave it at that. No, that's not the cause for alarm. It's that there are two black men in my neighborhood. They look like they're trying to break in.
Glenn Beck is an idiot. I'm sorry. This is subject for debate of course, but American's DO see color. You plainly state that he's hired all these black-liberationist people to support him in diplomacy roles and you almost exposed yourself. "Show me who you hang around and I'll show you your peop- future"...
Huh? So if I show you who I hang around, I'll show you my people. So Obama's people are Jeremiah Wright and Oprah, but they're also Rahm Emanuel, they're also Sonia Sotomyor, they're also Joe Biden. The American people are his people. Our people. No one differentiates in this equation but you Glenn.
And no I don't think all cops are corrupt. I do however think cops shoot first and ask questions last. Look at the track record. Sean Bell, Oscar Grant... Omar Edwards was a police officer himself. His chief offense? Holding a gun and being black.
So what have you learned Glenn? American's do see color, so did your caller. If you're gonna make someone look in the mirror and call them a racist, turn the mirror on yourself first. If you come to a stop-light at an intersection and you know when to stop and go, you see color. We're not made to live in a politically correct world. We're made to live in a civilized one. And if you beg for a world where white men can call black men niggers and not be penalized for it, if assassination of body and character are on the side of right, then I suggest you high tail it back to the era of Jim Crow. To quote a phrase "this ain't that".
Lou Dobbs...
Almost lost your cotton picking mind for a minute, eh Lou? Epic Fail.
Someone get this man a teleprompter.
This just proves you can't take anything this man says regarding race seriously. So he's been using his platform on CNN, a truly respected news authority (compared to Fox News even a local station is considered less bias), he's now re-hashing conspiracy theories that Barack Obama is not an American citizen because he was born in Hawaii.
The issue isn't an issue at all. Why are we attacking the president for things that aren't necessary for or detrimental to the direction of our country? This has nothing to do with our failing economy, bringing our troops home or universal health care. Is there nothing else to talk about? The only reason this would be important to anyone would be to devalidate Barack Obama's election to the presidency. None of this is relevant. Roland Martin is absolutely correct. Why is there a need to add another hurdle for future presidents to cross unless it's to overturn the out and out trample of John McCain in the election. Lou Dobbs, your satisfaction doesn't mean anything to anyone but you. Get over it. Stop making this an issue, if he's a citizen then why does he have to prove it?
I've said it before and I'll say it again. There have always been racist snakes in the grass. But when you cut it, they're much more visible. Thank you Mr. Martin for being a souped up Dixie Chopper.