IheartTesla Posted July 20, 2009 Share Posted July 20, 2009 Here's the link:Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr., one of the nation's pre-eminent African-American scholars, was arrested Thursday afternoon at his home by Cambridge police investigating a possible break-in. The incident raised concerns among some Harvard faculty that Gates was a victim of racial profiling.I forgot to mention he was African American because I thought it was tangential to the story. No wait, its probably the whole reason for the story.He was booked for disorderly conduct after “exhibiting loud and tumultuous behavior,†according to the Cambridge police log. Friends of Gates said he was already in his home when police arrived. He showed his driver’s license and Harvard identification card, but was handcuffed and taken into police custody for several hours last Thursday, they said.Well, there is no reason for being loud and tumultuous when you are being arrested for breaking into your own home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IheartTesla Posted July 20, 2009 Author Share Posted July 20, 2009 In the interest of full disclosure, here is a competing article by the Boston herald:Police say they were called to the home of Henry Louis Gates Jr. last Thursday after a woman reported seeing a man try to pry open the front door.They say they ordered the man to identify himself, and Gates refused. According to a police report, Gates then called the officer a racist and said, "This is what happens to black men in America."Sounds a little bit too cartoonish, and I dont think any self-respecting academic would actually use those words....we'll see the truth come out I guess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ser Scot A Ellison Posted July 20, 2009 Share Posted July 20, 2009 Cyrano,This sounds bad on the part of the Cambridge Police. He produced ID and showed he had a right to be there. I'm pretty certian I'd be "loud and tumultuous" if I had to deal with the police after locking myself out of my house. I can't believe they arrested him for this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Relic Posted July 20, 2009 Share Posted July 20, 2009 Cyrano,This sounds bad on the part of the Cambridge Police. He produced ID and showed he had a right to be there. I'm pretty certian I'd be "loud and tumultuous" if I had to deal with the police after locking myself out of my house. I can't believe they arrested him for this.What Scot said. Ridiculous. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaime L Posted July 20, 2009 Share Posted July 20, 2009 How do people in Cambridge sleep at night knowing Henry Louis Gates Jr. could be out there stalking their streets? The town still hasn't recovered from the "Summer of Niall Ferguson" crimewave last August. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tormund Ukrainesbane Posted July 20, 2009 Share Posted July 20, 2009 Sigh. I'm sure the officers acted within department policy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stilgar Posted July 20, 2009 Share Posted July 20, 2009 Cyrano,The Herald is Boston's paper of record for pissed-off white guys. Anything it writes about race or academia should be taken with a huge grain of salt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BloodRider Posted July 20, 2009 Share Posted July 20, 2009 Sigh. I'm sure the officers acted within department policy.Then both their policy and the officers are for shit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brude Posted July 20, 2009 Share Posted July 20, 2009 I remember breaking into my own house several times as a kid when I came home from high school only to find I didn't have my key with me. Nobody ever called the cops on me - one time my neighbor said, "oh, did you forget your key?" But she knew me well.If he did ID himself, this is quite bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaqen the FatManderly Posted July 20, 2009 Share Posted July 20, 2009 Oh, to be Henry Louis Gates, Jr....___________You come home one night, your door is stuck/locked and you try to pry it open.One of your neighbors calls the police, saying someone's trying to break into your home.Police arrive and ask you to identify yourself.You scream at police, accusing them of racism ... ____________You go out to a restaurant with a white female colleague.She orders the salmon.You order a steak.The waitress asks if you want your steak rare, medium, or well done.You scream at the waitress, accusing her of racism ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ser Scot A Ellison Posted July 20, 2009 Share Posted July 20, 2009 Jaqen,They arrested him after he identified himself. That's way beyond the pale. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaqen the FatManderly Posted July 20, 2009 Share Posted July 20, 2009 Oh, to be Henry Louis Gates, Jr....I guess I shouldn't pick on the guy unduly... he probably had had a glass of wine and the officer was probably just as polite as officers of the law tend to be, and it went downhill from there. I know I'd be pissed as hell if a cop arrested me outside my own home, no matter the reason.Ser Scot, we're not informed what he did to be arrested, but apparently he wasn't arrested for trying to break into the home, but for the way he treated the cop. No details, withheld judgment. Although based on the details we have, yelling at cops that they're racist for doing their job is really scummy, disgusting behavior, and Gates should be ashamed and apologize. Whether being an asshole like that deserve being arrested, doesn't sound like it, but again, we don't really know the details. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ser Scot A Ellison Posted July 20, 2009 Share Posted July 20, 2009 Jaqen,I guess I shouldn't pick on the guy unduly... he probably had had a glass of wine and the officer was probably just as polite as officers of the law tend to be, and it went downhill from there. I know I'd be pissed as hell if a cop arrested me outside my own home, no matter the reason.Ser Scot, we're not informed what he did to be arrested, but apparently he wasn't arrested for trying to break into the home, but for the way he treated the cop. No details, withheld judgment.Telling an officer to get the fuck off your property when he has no reason or right to be there and you are acting lawfully isn't something that should make an individual subject to arrest. Sounds like the officer got pissed and decided to teach the Professor a lesson. Somehow, I don't think it is the Professor who is in need of a lesson here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ocean of Notions Posted July 20, 2009 Share Posted July 20, 2009 The last place I lived, the girl next door got away with screaming at four police officers (and being more than uncooperative) after they showed up in the middle of the night due to a domestic dispute report (a fight with her boyfriend, I could even hear shit breaking from my side of the wall). Yes, the girl was white. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheKassi Posted July 20, 2009 Share Posted July 20, 2009 Jaqen,They arrested him after he identified himself. That's way beyond the pale. The facts are not yet solidly established, thus any statement of what did as fact happen is just chest thumping and agenda pushing. If the Gentlemen in question showed his ID, then the cops should go to jail for a real long time. The best way to combat abuse of power is to punish it fiercely and brutally. If the Gentlemen refused to show his ID, then he is a jerk, and probably a racist. Police officers have job to do. Asking to see the identification of someone seen breaking into a home isn't an unreasonable request. Either way, I hope who ever turns up in the wrong gets shafted. Fine for the Gentlemen if he refused to show his ID and wasted the city's resources being a jerk, or a stiff jail sentence for the cops if he cooperated. Hopefully fact will be established swiftly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanteGabriel Posted July 20, 2009 Share Posted July 20, 2009 If the Gentlemen refused to show his ID, then he is a jerk, and probably a racist.Huh? How does this follow? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lany Freelove Cassandra Posted July 20, 2009 Share Posted July 20, 2009 I have screamed at cops in my house. I sort of freaked out when a "too young to be carrying a gun" cop pulled said gun and pointed it at my son who was already threatning to kill himself. Yeah, I stood in front of the cop screaming "put the fucking gun away" over and over. No, I was not arrested. Neither was my son, but he was taken to the hospital for a psych eval. (and a serious wake up call)*(ok, I realize I stood in front of a loaded gun and maybe I should have had a psych eval too)To the OP: I can understand if the situation got a little out of control, even if both sides were being asses, but I can't see any reason for the arrest once they knew he did live there.*cops were called for a very different issue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shryke Posted July 20, 2009 Share Posted July 20, 2009 I don't see anything wrong with the Officers, while responding to a robbery report, asking the man for ID. Once he's GIVEN them the ID, they should get the fuck out of the house with a "Sorry for disturbing you sir".If he did show them ID and they still arrested him? That's just fucking idiotic and the officers should be disciplined.The best way to combat abuse of power is to punish it fiercely and brutally.Yeah, cause this works SO well for everything..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ser Scot A Ellison Posted July 20, 2009 Share Posted July 20, 2009 Shryke,Once they knew he was trying to get into his own house, they should have left him the hell alone. Being arrested for be "loud and tumlutous" while on your own property is just wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheKassi Posted July 20, 2009 Share Posted July 20, 2009 Huh? How does this follow? If someone replies to a reasonable request with 'Your only asking me that because you are a racist/sexist' they are generally themselves racist/sexist. Reading the police report provides a lot of light on the story. Should have read it first before commenting. Ah well. Anyway, it will be interesting to hear the other side. Hopefully the officer was recording. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.