Obama Slams Cops Over Professor's Arrest or Did He?

While many are reacting to Obama's remark about the Cambridge cops acting stupidly, seems other news sources are seeing it from a different point of view.

Australian news

Obama slams cops over professor's arrest

news.ninemsn.com.au...

An Asian News report runs a similar title

Obama slams police for 'stupidly' arresting black Harvard scholar

news.asiaone.com...


Based on the following quote by Obama

"What I think we know separate and apart from this incident is that there's a long history in this country of African-Americans and Latinos being stopped by law enforcement disproportionately," Obama said. "That's just a fact."

That disparity is a reminder that "race remains a factor in the society," Obama said.

www.msnbc.msn.com...


Do you feel that Obama was really slamming law enforcement or was he just speaking the truth?

and What role does the War on Drugs play in racial profiling?

There are two sides to the racial profiling issue. Many people argue that singling out people by virtue of race or ethnicity is a very real practice of law enforcement. Others claim that racial profiling is a myth; there is little credible evidence to suggest this practice exists. They may also feel race is just a factor in identifying potential criminals. Those on either side of the issue seem to agree on one thing: that the practice of profiling began during the nation's war on drugs that began in the 1970s.

social.jrank.org...

Did the Supreme Court decision in Whren v. United States contribute to racial profiling?

The ruling allowed law enforcement officers greater latitude in the investigation and pursuit of individuals engaged in the illegal drug trade. Because aviolation of the traffic laws, however minor, justifies the authorities in stopping a vehicle, the Court ruled that any additional evidence obtained by aplain view search during such a stop, regardless of police motives or the existence of probable cause to believe that any crime other than the traffic violation was occurring, was legally admissible.

law.jrank.org...

IMO, Obama did not disrespect law enforcement. I feel he was merely pointing out a fact, as he puts it, that is commonly shared by many minorities.

I am still undecided whether it is a proven fact. Don't get me wrong. I do believe many people are stopped because of their color. However, I find it hard to believe how some of these reports and studies that I have seen can distinguish between a valid minority stop and stopping a minority just because of their color.

If they can, then maybe they should report the officer doing the stops based on color so they can be reprimanded or fired.

Will still be interesting to see if any law enforcement agencies respond to this comment.

The matter is immaterial.

All it does is detract attention from the horribly lame presentation of the health care plan.

Obama spoke for one hour on health care and did not explain anything.

This is it in a nutshell.

Obama gets a lot of letters from people who have medical bills or are facing expensive treatments.

AARP supports his health care plan.

One whole hour for that.

No wonder all anyone can talk about is an off-topic question about a Harvard professor who's too good to cooperate with the police.

What I find completely questionable about the matter is why, when the Professor admitted to being "56% White", does he suddenly revert to the "Oh, why are you harassing a Black Man" line of thinking? Does he simply change his racial "loyalties" and orientation when it suits him?

The Professor seems to have at least that much in common with President Obama.

[edit on 7-23-2009 by TheAgentNineteen]

Obama calls out cops on racial profiling and I can't seem to find not one article where law enforcement officials respond to those remarks.

Either these cops agree with what President Obama says about racial profiling or they are just unwilling to go up against him.

authority doesn;t like having its authority questioned by a bigger alpha... IMHO in this case the cops may stand up on not apologizing, but will stay silent on something that is under the table but still happening.

In this case, if they roll over, they undermine their perceived authority by capitulating. If they remain silent, they may be thought weak, but will not demonstrate it and prove the point.

reply to post by jam321




Police union condemns Obama's comments

thehill.com...

President Obama's Wednesday night criticism of Cambridge, Mass., police has drawn a rebuke from the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP).

The criticism comes after Obama said Cambridge police officers acted "stupidly" when they arrested Henry Louis Gates, a friend of the president's, after he broke into his own home. Gates was arrested on disorderly conduct charges, which were then dropped. The president said it highlights ongoing problems with race relations in the U.S.



Jim Pasco, executive director of the FOP's legislative office, noted that before Obama made the remarks, the president acknowledged that he was only vaguely familiar with what happened.

"That being the case, it's unfortunate that he chose to say anything," Pasco said. "He wasn't there, and he doesn't know what happened."

Pasco said it appears that Gates was the "provocateur" because he called Officer James Crowley a racist instead of producing identification as requested.

The white police sergeant criticized by President Barack Obama for arresting black scholar Henry Louis Gates Jr. in his Massachusetts home is a police academy expert on racial profiling.

Cambridge Sgt. James Crowley has taught a class on racial profiling for five years at the Lowell Police Academy after being hand-picked for the job by former police Commissioner Ronny Watson, who is black, said Academy Director Thomas Fleming.

"I have nothing but the highest respect for him as a police officer. He is very professional and he is a good role model for the young recruits in the police academy," Fleming told The Associated Press on Thursday.

news.yahoo.com...

[edit on 113131p://bThursday2009 by Stormdancer777]

reply to post by Stormdancer777


Yes, they talked about what Obama said about the incident that happened over Gates. They have said nothing about Obama's remarks about law enforcement stopping minorities.

From quote above

What I think we know separate and apart from this incident is that there's a long history in this country of African-Americans and Latinos being stopped by law enforcement disproportionately," Obama said. "That's just a fact."

[edit on 23-7-2009 by jam321]

reply to post by jam321


other than the televised announcement by the Cambridge police department, which totally supported the officer today.. here was this early today..

thehill.com...

sorry didn't see the above post

[edit on 23-7-2009 by pccat]

reply to post by jam321

Originally posted by jam321
Obama calls out cops on racial profiling and I can't seem to find not one article where law enforcement officials respond to those remarks.

Either these cops agree with what President Obama says about racial profiling or they are just unwilling to go up against him.

Or maybe they have bigger fish to fry and maybe they look at Obama's comments as not worthy of response.

Obama has bigger fish to fry also; he should shut his damn mouth and do his job for once.

Originally posted by TheAgentNineteen
What I find completely questionable about the matter is why, when the Professor admitted to being "56% White", does he suddenly revert to the "Oh, why are you harassing a Black Man" line of thinking? Does he simply change his racial "loyalties" and orientation when it suits him?

The Professor seems to have at least that much in common with President Obama.

[edit on 7-23-2009 by TheAgentNineteen]

This reminds me that Obama is technically mulatto and is constantly referred to as our Black President. Oh how the press forgets such tiny details.