Obama vs. Cambridge police

[Guynemer]

I think there is plenty of stupidity to go around in the this case--Gates, the cop, the media, and Obama.

[Lefty Scaevola]

Here is a link to two arrest/incedent reports filed.

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2009/0723092gates1.html

Does'nt sound much like the version Gates gave.

[DaShi]

This just in...




Slightly off topic but: It's so weird to have a president who can admit a mistake.

What a scandal? jesjes

[SpencerH]

I dont know the facts yet, so unlike our dickhead president, I'll wait and see.

[Berzerker]

both behaved like idiots, but Gates was worse - just show him the ID damnit and thank the cop for protecting your home

Gates was looking for racism so he found it

the cop should have noticed the guy was acting like an outraged homeowner and not a burglar

he arrested him for being an ass, not for burglary

sounds like a bogus charge, and I do not like it when cops invent reasons to arrest people

oh, disorderly conduct in public? The cop asked him to step outside while the guy's ranting. Thats like telling a drunk to step out of the bar and then arresting him for being drunk in public

Tater Salad can tell you all about that

[OzzyKP]

Telling a cop to go **** himself is stupid, but not grounds for arrest. The cop was wrong. Gates is a jerk, but not a criminal.

[David Floyd]

sounds like a bogus charge, and I do not like it when cops invent reasons to arrest people

I used to feel the same way, however - my sister and one of my best friends are both police officers. They have told me numerous stories about dealing with *******s who hate cops and throw abuse at them for no reason, and stories about domestic abuse calls in some "lower class" areas of town that almost turn into riots, as well as stories about drug busts and crack houses.

What I've picked up from them is that what some people need is a ride downtown, even if the charges eventually get dropped, to teach them a lesson - lesson being, police officers are there to protect them, and obstructing that is both pointless and asinine.

So yeah, I would imagine that sometimes police officers find creative ways to arrest people - I know this for a fact. They do it because in some situations it's the right thing to do. The solution is to not act like an idiot, and in this specific case, the solution should have been for Gates not to try to race bait the officer, and, if he had a complaint, to peacefully register it if he couldn't peacefully resolve it with the cop. The officer was responding to a burglary call - of course he was going to be a little bit edgier than usual, as he had reason to believe a potentially violent crime was in progress. Gates should have understood it - and if he chose not to understand that point, maybe he understands it after spending a little time in jail.

Oops, except that he probably doesn't, because that ignorant ****head in the White House immediately shot his mouth off. Great job, dickhead

[KrazyHorse]

What a surprise. The lolbertarians show their true colours.

[Donegeal]

I am very quickly becoming very upset with Obama as a president. I would like to think that race is not an issue (it isn't for me anyway), but look at the people he seems to like. Reverend Down with the White Man Wright. Wise Latina Sotomeyor and now Prof Oppressed Gates.

[David Floyd]

What a surprise. The lolbertarians show their true colours.

Real world, my friend. Join it, won't you?

Translation: Political theories work fine in, well, theory - and that's true for everyone. The reality is that some people need to be put in check. That might mean an ass-kicking, that might mean a tasering, that might mean a verbal tongue lashing. That might mean getting your car impounded. Whatever. All it meant in this case was a little ride down to the station - the guy is lucky he DIDN'T get tasered, given the fact that he was a)a burglary suspect, at least initially, and b)mouthing off for no reason.

[Caligastia]

In the tradition of U.S. scandal naming, I hereby proclaim this to be Gates-gate.

[Kuciwalker]

Real world, my friend. Join it, won't you?

Translation: Political theories work fine in, well, theory - and that's true for everyone. The reality is that some people need to be put in check.

Especially the darkies

[David Floyd]

Well, that particular one, anyway

[MOBIUS]

Has anyone called this Gatesgate yet? Otherwise, meh.

[edit]Oh Cali did. An impressively non-racist post there Cali - must've required great willpower on your part.[/edit]

[Felch]

the guy is lucky he DIDN'T get tasered, given the fact that he was a)a burglary suspect, at least initially, and b)mouthing off for no reason.

He's nearly sixty years old. He's just an ornery old man, with a chip on his shoulder because he's black. And you think he's lucky he didn't get tasered?

Gates is a jerk. He was arrested for being a jerk, I don't think race was an issue. But being a jerk isn't a crime, and cops are expected to keep their cool when the occasional grumpy old man verbally ****s on them. It's part of the job.