Harvard professor arrested

[Ser Scot A Ellison]

Stego,

To be clear, the issue for me is not Prof. Gates being abused because he was black but Prof. Gates being mistreated while doing absolutely nothing wrong on his own property.

[Mudguard]

Charges were dropped against Gates. Not a surprise.

[Jaqen the FatManderly]

I understand that you are not excusing the arrest, but I don't understand why you seem to be suggesting the officer is deserving of an award for his role as deliverer of karmic retribution. Or why you think an unwarranted arrest is an example of professional behavior:

The statement you quoted was referring to Professor Gates (not the cop), ironically suggesting he could get an award for his actions as a racebaiting asshole, since he is the supposed victim of racial injustice!

Further irony is that while the cop may have abused his power by an overly technical enforcement of the law (a la Barney Fife), Gates reportedly threatened to abuse his power as a famed professor to enact retribution on an officer whose offense (at the time) was to respond to a 911 call relating to the security of Gates' own premises! He has had his lawyer bring strong political pressure in the media so far, and who knows how far he'll take his race-baiting crusade.

[IheartTesla]

Cambridge is the most liberal city in the most liberal state in America. An America with a black President. The Black card might not be the thing to play in such circumstances. It's a bit comical.

Cambridge ain't no Mississippi Burnin.

I'm sorry, but extrapolating the average behavior of people in a geographical location to the actions of a single individual is a tad bit ridiculous.

And yes, I've lived in Cambridge myself.

[DanteGabriel]

Oh come now. There is tons of racism in Boston. The cop in the incident may work in Cambridge, but that doesn't mean he's immune to racism.

ETA: If we want to go by anecdata, I had a roommate for a year or so who used to live in Cambridge, and is full of stories about how he was stopped and rudely questioned by cops for the crime of being black in a neighborhood where a black person may have committed a crime.

[Tormund Ukrainesbane]

For the record, I doubt very seriously that the cop is a racist. He is something much worse: a government employee.

[lessthanluke]

For the record, I doubt very seriously that the cop is a racist. He is something much worse: a government employee.

Just from reading a few pages of this thread you seem to have a REALLY BIG problem with cops. Whats the deal?

[awesome possum]

But I don't buy the race card being pulled by this guy or by most folks, to be perfectly honest.

The professor had multiple opportunities to play the race card. When Al Sharpton is knocking on your door, the race card is as easy as saying "hello." Instead, the professor has stated he will no longer be making statements and considers the matter closed. That's not playing the race card.

The only charge of racism comes from the police report, which could be true or could be absolute bullshit used to make arresting the guy seem not as retarded. I personally take it with a grain of salt.

[IheartTesla]

Further irony is that while the cop may have abused his power by an overly technical enforcement of the law (a la Barney Fife), Gates reportedly threatened to abuse his power as a famed professor to enact retribution on an officer whose offense (at the time) was to respond to a 911 call relating to the security of Gates' own premises! He has had his lawyer bring strong political pressure in the media so far, and who knows how far he'll take his race-baiting crusade.

So rather than condemn someone who abused his power, you would choose to condemn someone who threatened to abuse their power? Ludicrous.

[Annelise]

The statement you quoted was referring to Professor Gates (not the cop) ironically suggesting he could get an award for his actions

:lol: Apologies for misreading your post. Now where is this? It wasn't in the original article or the one I read about the charges being dropped. Evidently I have missed a link?

[Stego]

He stopped playing the race card because he realized how fucking absurd it was in retrospect.

IMO.

[IheartTesla]

Apologies for misreading your post. Now where is this? It wasn't in the original article or the one I read about the charges being dropped. Evidently I have missed a link?

Such an occurance never happened except in the feverish imagination of JaqentheFatManderly.

[Ser Scot A Ellison]

Stego,

He stopped playing the race card because he realized how fucking absurd it was in retrospect.

IMO.

It would have been nice if the Officer hadn't played his "abuse my authority" card in the first place.

[Stego]

Cops suck. Just like Lawyers. We don't need a thread talking about it IMO.

What made this newsworthy at all was the claims of racism.

[BloodRider]

Bad idea that's basically the same as letting the goverernment decide.

Anyone here like Penn and Teller? the did a good show on freedom of speech here although it's specifically about swearing it's also about freedom of speech in general

I think the South Park move is perhaps the greatest treatise on Freedom of Speech in recent times, but that P&T show is awesome too.

[Tyrellius]

How hard can it be to have a little webcam/power supply and storage attached to a stab jacket that is activated every time you get out of the patrol car?!

1. It'd stop all these racist cracker cops hellbent on intruding on the lives of affluent up and coming black/yellow/green/blue americans.

2. It'd stop all these people with nothing better to do than mistreat those sworn to protect them.

[Jaqen the FatManderly]

So rather than condemn someone who abused his power, you would choose to condemn someone who threatened to abuse their power? Ludicrous.

I criticized both, as you know. My point is that most of the comments on this thread solely focused on the cop and refused to criticize Gates for anything. That is ironic because people who claim to care about abuse of power seem to apply that concern selectively.

It's like pulling teeth to even get people to admit that the cop was properly responding to a 911 call, and not randomly rousting a black guy from his home.

[Annelise]

For the record, I doubt very seriously that the cop is a racist. He is something much worse: a government employee.

I am a sinner that does not expect forgiveness. But I am not a government official.

Heh.

[Jaqen the FatManderly]

Stego,

It would have been nice if the Officer hadn't played his "abuse my authority" card in the first place.

Ser Scot,

The race card was the first, second, and third card played, along with "do you know who you're messing with" and "I'm calling your boss".

That was all before the arrest.

[DanteGabriel]

I criticized both, as you know. My point is that most of the comments on this thread solely focused on the cop and refused to criticize Gates for anything. That is ironic because people who claim to care about abuse of power seem to apply that concern selectively.

Abuse of power? Gates had no power to abuse. He had no power over the cop. If the cop's characterization of his conduct was accurate, Gates is guilty of being a dick. Not abusing power. Calling a cop a racist and saying you're going to call his supervisor is not an abuse of power. If a waiter in a restaurant displeases me and I threaten to escalate to his manager, is that an abuse of power?

It's like pulling teeth to even get people to admit that the cop was properly responding to a 911 call, and not randomly rousting a black guy from his home.

Oh, fuck you and your straw men. No one here is saying the cop shouldn't have responded to the call. We are saying Gates never should have been arrested.