President Obama has publicly stated that police in Cambridge, Massachusetts, "acted stupidly" in arresting a prominent black Harvard professor last week after a confrontation at the man's home.
"I don't know, not having been there and not seeing all the facts, what role race played," Obama said Wednesday night while taking questions after a White House news conference.
When race becomes an executive issue
Cambridge authorities dropped disorderly conduct charges against Henry Louis Gates Jr. on Tuesday.
Obama defended Gates on Wednesday night, while admitting that he may be "a little biased," because Gates is a friend.
"But I think it's fair to say, No. 1, any of us would be pretty angry; No. 2, that the Cambridge police acted stupidly in arresting somebody when there was already proof that they were in their own home; and, No. 3 ... that there's a long history in this country of African-Americans and Latinos being stopped by law enforcement disproportionately."
The Cambridge police report states that Gates, an African-American professor at Harvard refused to step outside to speak with police and when an Officer Crowley told Gates that he was investigating a possible break-in, Gates opened the front door and exclaimed, "Why, because I'm a black man in America?" the report said.
The report said Gates initially refused to show the officer identification, but eventually produced a Harvard identification card, prompting Crowley to radio for Harvard University Police.
"While I was led to believe that Gates was lawfully in the residence, I was quite surprised and confused with the behavior he exhibited toward me," Crowley said, according to the report.
Gates was arrested for "loud and tumultuous behavior in a public space" and was released from police custody after spending four hours at the police station.
So many questions stem from this. Do police show disproportionate behavior towards minority groups? Did the Cambridge police act carelessly? Was Prof. Gates warranted in his "Why, because I'm a black man in America?" outburst? Was the president warranted in his mention of this incident? Is racism still alive and well in all factions of American society?
Obama defended Gates on Wednesday night, while admitting that he may be "a little biased," because Gates is a friend.
"But I think it's fair to say, No. 1, any of us would be pretty angry; No. 2, that the Cambridge police acted stupidly in arresting somebody when there was already proof that they were in their own home; and, No. 3 ... that there's a long history in this country of African-Americans and Latinos being stopped by law enforcement disproportionately."
The Cambridge police report states that Gates, an African-American professor at Harvard refused to step outside to speak with police and when an Officer Crowley told Gates that he was investigating a possible break-in, Gates opened the front door and exclaimed, "Why, because I'm a black man in America?" the report said.
The report said Gates initially refused to show the officer identification, but eventually produced a Harvard identification card, prompting Crowley to radio for Harvard University Police.
"While I was led to believe that Gates was lawfully in the residence, I was quite surprised and confused with the behavior he exhibited toward me," Crowley said, according to the report.
Gates was arrested for "loud and tumultuous behavior in a public space" and was released from police custody after spending four hours at the police station.
So many questions stem from this. Do police show disproportionate behavior towards minority groups? Did the Cambridge police act carelessly? Was Prof. Gates warranted in his "Why, because I'm a black man in America?" outburst? Was the president warranted in his mention of this incident? Is racism still alive and well in all factions of American society?
This reminds me of Shirley Franklin, Atlanta's mayor, saying she was living in fear for her safety and her family's safety after the angry police officer said he felt like beating her in the head with a baseball bat. The cop apologized, GET OVER IT! Surely this has happened before to both whites and blacks. I am tired of hearing skin color as the blame for someone's problems.
I wish these two fools had to go out and patrol the streets and protect the citizens.
Racism is more evident and prevalent in Pike County now as it was before. Some of you try to clean it up but you cannot!
What is stupid is hating people because of a skin color that we had no choice in deciding and in which I love very much!
The point: Life is too short to be worried about skin color! Get over your self-righteous selves and find something to do with your time like play golf or have a tea party!
Enjoy life! What's really going is you have a man in office trying to correct the mess of a dumb president that just left office!
Now deal with that!