Obama ''acted stupidly'' while discussing Harvard arrest

I'm an Obama supporter, and even I was baffled as to why he fell for the bait of this hot potato issue. The topic is politically radioactive, yet he took it hook, line, and sinker.

All Obama (or any President) should have said was, "I can't really comment on the matter because I wasn't there and don't have all the facts, so for me to characterize the situation one way or the other would be irresponsible at best. Next question..."

But to comment on the matter, use the word "stupidly" in reference to the police, and to then go off track and broaden the discussion to experiences of blacks and latinos with police officers all over the nation and through out history? WTF.

I guess even the best of us can have off days.

[edit on 23-7-2009 by harrytuttle]

Wait a second, Obama said he doesn't know all the details yet commented on how the police acted?
Shouldn't we expect more from the Prez?

Something smells fishy.

A four-part genealogical series, Faces of America is scheduled to air next year. Written and presented by Harvard scholar, Henry Louis Gates, Jr. Faces of America hopes to give an understanding and identity to America’s melting pot of immigrants.

All in the name of sensationalism!

This Harvard Professor is taking advantage of this situation and will milk it for all its worth just to promote his upcoming PBS Series.

New PBS Series, "Faces of America" to air in 2010

Don't be surprised if it turns out that he and his neighbor planned the entire scene that led to his arrest.

reply to post by sunny_2008ny


Do you think a white professor would have been arrested for entering his own home? If he were, wouldn't you be sympathetic to the guy and believe the police overstepped themselves?

I'm not white, but my reaction to this - pretty much identical to the president's - would be the same even if the professor were white.

But again, if he were... this probably wouldn't have happened.

For being a Harvard Professor, he sure acted stupidly by forgetting his keys when he left his own home!

Just a thought.

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]

Originally posted by TheWalkingFox
Do you think a white professor would have been arrested for entering his own home? If he were, wouldn't you be sympathetic to the guy and believe the police overstepped themselves?

He wasn't arrested for entering his own home. He was arrested for running his suck on the cops when they were trying to figure out what was going on.

reply to post by Alxandro

For being a Harvard Professor, he sure acted stupidly by forgetting his keys when he left his own home!

Great point! LOL. The distinguished professor wasn't having a good day! He's probably POd at himself for forgetting his keys. He gets spotted and caught breaking into his own home so he's more POd. When he flashes back at the officer and accuses the officer of being a racist, the officer isn't impressed and keeps asking for his credentials. When he points out to the officer what a distinguished professor on racial issues he (Gates) is, the officer isn't impressed and still asks for the credentials. When Gates gets loud and unruley and upbraids the officer repeatedly he does what any officer would do he arrests him. Cudos officer!

Here's the details: Harvard professor Gates arrested at Cambridge home

The police report said Gates was arrested after he yelled at the investigating officer repeatedly inside the residence then followed the officer outside, where Gates continued to upbraid him. "It was at that time that I informed Professor Gates that he was under arrest,'' the officer wrote in the report.

Obama gets wind of the spat and makes a reactionary statement against the police and supporting his good buddy from college days the distinguished Professor on racial issues who has just made a fool out of himself. So Obama makes a fool out of himself also by not checking into the case before running his mouth!

My understanding based on local talk shows and internet searches on the subject;

The officer is dispatched to a residence - two African Americans breaking in the front door. Officer arrives and encounters one AA and asks for ID. AA is outraged and begins mouthing off. The officer is the first to arrive - his only knowledge is a home invasion in progress involving two AA‘s.

The “Professor” finally produces ID and continues to mouth off to the officer. Again, all the officer knows is it was reported that two AA’s were breaking down the door of the residence.

The officer not knowing if there were others (perpetrators) in the home asks the “Professor” to come outside. This further enrages the “Professor” and he mouths of more.

The issues for the officer were 1 - Establish the identity of the individual in front of him. 2 - Not knowing if there were actually two perps in the house, the officer wanted to get the “Professor” outside for his own safety and the officer want to get out for his safety, again initially the first officer on the scene.

If I was the officer you are G*D D*MN right I would have arrested the “Professor”.

I have supported President Obama since the beginning however, Obama’s statement on national TV was irresponsible and racist. I will continue to support the Prez but his stand on this issue opened my eyes.

Of course all those with an ax to grind will make this a racial issue. My hat is off to the officer he did his job.

Originally posted by DaisyAnne
So, he shouldn't comment or have an opinion on this because he is black?
Or is it just any president who shouldn't have opinions?

Also this post by:

THX-1138:
He's my friend.
He ain't do nothing to nobody.
Word. Police done did him wrong!
Where's Jesse?
Where's Bubbles?!

Is that how all black people sound inside your head? Is this how you translate the clearly eloquent and educated president, because he's black?

What is your point with your racist remarks?
Do you think that someone is above the law because of the color of their skin or because of the company they keep? Or maybe both?

Never mind, your post speaks to what you think very clearly! Forget about ethics or morals or laws or respect for authority and while we're at it, let's throw COMMON SENSE right out the window too! Until you realize that your opinions based on emotion do not usurp the facts based on rationale , you will lose ever debate you enter into!

The Fact is the Federal Government has no jurisdiction in the Government of a state. Not my opinion its a fact, it's in the CONSTITUTION!!

The fact is Mr. Gates became loud, offensive, and disorderly,refusing to do what the officer instructed him to do. Not my opinion its a fact! Mr. Gates attorney stated this was true.

And I will close with my opinion. If its late at night and I can't find my key and I am causing a disturbance. I hope and pray my neighbor does not think twice about calling the cops. And I really hope and pray that officer treats me with caution, and asks to see everything including the kitchen sink as a means to identifying who the hell I am. And I expect to get a lecture not about forgetting my key, but about making so much noise that I am disturbing the peace.

If I'm lucky, he'll let me off with a warning and I will be thanking him graciously for the quick response and the manner in which I was treated!! And rest assured I will know this is a man that cares about my safety and the safety of others! A point that was clearly lost on Mr. Gates and a point that was clearly lost on you.

reply to post by THX-1138


now if this gates guy is a schoolhound and a sage of society how come he cant figure out that he doesnt have to kick in the front door when hes holding keys that fit the back door or did he give those to al sharpton

There is something stinky smelly about this whole thing.

It is either a total fool of a professor Gates and a bumbling Obama, or
it is something else.

This doesn't leave a lot for us.

It is either a hot headed bitter Black professor mouthing off and then being supported by an arrogant and racially biased Black President, which doesn't look good for them both, or it is something entirely different and acted out purposefully for some reason that we will have to discover.

It might be: Obama needs his friend to assist in the purposeful loss of popularity that will lead up to a war effort. People say that when a President is not thought of highly or is thought to be ineffective or making the wrong decisions then it is time for a war.

Obama comes into political office with little experience, he doesn't participate much in the Senate, he is groomed, ready to rise quickly, he is run against a sure loser of an opponent, his planned and easily obtained victory grabs the attention of the Republic as a whole, specifically gets the Black people excited about their collective racial achievements, gets them inspired, gets them thinking positive thoughts, gets them to ultimately do as he commands. Obama takes Office, continues in the same path as the previous President, adds in some of his flavor and keeps the Republic moving forward. After the honeymoon is over a series of orchestrated political and Media gimmicks creates a drop in popularity, so the Media claims the Republic is being torn apart again and of course we can't stand for this, the whole ''do right, go to church, always work, respect those with authority over you'' propaganda comes in, the idea that we need to see that leadership, responsibility and respect emerge again for the sake of the Republic comes in, suddenly a crisis emerges on the world scene in one or multiple hot spots, America is needed to police the bad guys and a whole lot of manpower is needed, a new strategy is tried and a strong call for volunteer military service is sent out, come be a hero!, in case the response is weak a draft will be called for, the Media will play it back and forth, come be a hero!, it is now time for ''courage and sacrifice''. FEMA detainment camps are readied for protesters and dodgers alike. Religious organizations remind the youth that the plan from above is always the right plan. Young people frustrated by the recession and dim hopes for employment pack for bootcamp.

The plain fact is that a White man could not inspire the Black youth.
Obama is the inspirational leader the Republic needed and will need.
The big worrisome factor is backlash against what is perceived as a Christian war against Islam. If you just happen to be young, Black, bitter, racially biased and possibly even claiming Islamic religion then you just may be persuaded by a Black President with a Muslim father to ''do what is right'' even if you don't understand it.

THIS is what I think is motivating this bewildering and otherwise irrational behavior we are seeing. The Media and the events being reported appear to be very orchestrated.

...right down to the Police officer that was sent to the house.

He had a history that was perfect for the job. He was known to be a righteous guy that would do exactly the right thing in the situation. He said he was really baffled by the way Gates was behaving. He is the patsy so to speak. I do not think he was in on the planning.

A PSA that Gates should have watched prior to all this happening.

reply to post by TheWalkingFox


Well, my husband is WHITE and when he was an intoxicated young man, the police were telling him to go back inside his house ( he was on his own front porch). He became belligerent and spoke harshly to the police. Guess what, HE WENT TO JAIL and for what you ask? Disturbing the peace and terrorists threats against the police officer.
Gates deserved to go to jail because he did the same thing.
I can't believe the President of the US would be so dumb as to show the entire nation that he is a racist.
Things will only get worse from here.
Obama practically told all blacks, latinos and poor people that they are being targeted by the police and that it is ok to act like Gates when police are involved. This is so irresponsible. I feel sick.

There's a press conference going on right now. Theyre all saying various investigations have shown the officer acted appropriately and all of these union and association heads are asking for apologies from Partick and Obama. One guy went off calling Obama a bigot.

There goes their police union support.

I am an Obama supporter and it saddens me greatly that he went so low with his statement about "stupidity" of the police. It's just unfathomable. I'm pretty sure he in fact DID have the facts except these facts were according to that professor, his side of the story.

The professor acted like an @sshole and he fully deserved to go to jail.

Yeah, the prez probably stepped in a doggy pile... especially putting himself in a position as being racially motivated with his view. Not that he really did anything wrong, mind you. But this ain't the happy-go-lucky 1970s when Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor used to crack jokes about race and we all laughed about it.

Nope. Today, we are a thin-skinned society with no tolerance for tolerance. One wrong word and you're charged with a hate crime.

The 21st century just sucks for everyone.

The officer gave Gates more warnings than he would a regular citizen he asked him several times to show him some id and all Gates had was his Harvard id card which didnt show an address. Sgt. Crowley was just following police protocol.

reply to post by mack pryor

The officer gave Gates more warnings than he would a regular citizen he asked him several times to show him some id and all Gates had was his Harvard id card which didnt show an address. Sgt. Crowley was just following police protocol.

I don't buy this. This individual was not arrested for suspension of breaking and entering. He was arrested for disorderly conduct. Everyone wants to make this a racial issue or an Obama issue. It is neither. This is a first Amendment issue.

This individual was arrested because he offended the officers using speech that is supposed to be protected under the first amendment.



[edit on 24-7-2009 by harvib]

Originally posted by TheWalkingFox
reply to post by sunny_2008ny

 

Do you think a white professor would have been arrested for entering his own home? If he were, wouldn't you be sympathetic to the guy and believe the police overstepped themselves?

I'm not white, but my reaction to this - pretty much identical to the president's - would be the same even if the professor were white.

But again, if he were... this probably wouldn't have happened.

Having worked with police officers for several years (as a Sheriff's Auxiliary, an EMT, and occasionally as a dispatcher...oh, the joys of living in a small town!), I can tell you that anybody who exercised their 'First Amendment right' to verbally abuse a police officer, or who, when asked to identify himself, presented ID that didn't show a home address, or 'poked at' a police officer, would, indeed, be packed up and shipped off to the nearest comfy cell. If he weren't a wealthy man with powerful friends, he'd spend at least overnight there, and it might rate one line in the next morning's paper....maybe.

One of the best bits of advice when dealing with the police comes from, of all places, the Blue Collar Comedy Tour. Ron White mentions that "I had the right to remain silent...I just didn't have the ability!". Learn from this. Be polite to the officers, or at least civil. If you feel the urge to exercise your First Amendment right to drop an F-Bomb, S-Bomb, or other bleep-generating bit of verbal ordnance, bite your tongue. You probably wouldn't care for someone using that language if you were the target, don't expect the cops to like it either.

Personally, I think the good Professor should have been grateful that some of his neighbors noticed (and cared enough) to report what probably did look like a break-in. The correct response would've been a quiet, polite presentation of ID (with an address on it, for the love of good sense!), and an equally quiet explanation of what was going on. Had that happened, most cops I've known would've nodded, checked off a few boxes on the paperwork, and moved on.

Back to the topic of the thread, I think the President was 'way out of line to comment as he did, particularly when, by his own admission, he didn't know all the facts. If he absolutely had to open the First Mouth and insert the First Foot, he should have simply said something along the lines of "I can't comment at this time, since I don't know the details of the case", or better yet (as suggested above) "It's not my place as President to comment on the actions of local police.". If, for whatever reason, he felt compelled to go beyond that point, "acting stupidly" was about the worst choice of words he could have made. Yes, he is entitled to have an opinion...everybody is. But no matter what your opinion, if you are in a position of authority, you watch what you say, and you watch how you say it.