Cambridge Police

[Casper]

Nope, it doesn't mean that you are above everything but it means that if you fuck with him the president will call you stupid, and get to be on the news a lot.

And then the president does his famous backpedaling...

[Disclaimer]

Opinions are like OR members, they're all assholes and they stink.

(wait, I don't think that's how the saying goes....?)

[Casper]

Opinions are like OR members, they're all assholes and they stink.

(wait, I don't think that's how the saying goes....?)

[shittygsxr]

there Obama called the cop and they made up.

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/story?id=8163051&page=1

[kawi kid]

i love it........

[dmagicglock]

although its not a "scientific" poll... in a recent poll it showed that out of over 3000 people, 84% felt obama went too far in criticizing the police.

http://www.sodahead.com/question/514929/did-obama-go-too-far-in-criticizing-the-police/

[John]

84% of sodahead.com users that is

[Casper]

84% of sodahead.com users that is

I just added a poll to this thread...

Do you think Cambridge police made the right decision arresting Gates?

[dmagicglock]

84% of sodahead.com users that is

I found the poll on ABC.com so not just sodahead users

[2wheels>4]

"At a news conference Friday, union leaders said Crowley acted appropriately when he arrested the scholar for disorderly conduct. Police say Gates flew into a rage when officers responding to a report of a burglary asked him to show identification.

Obama said the officers "acted stupidly." Patrick, the state's first black governor, said the arrest was "every black man's nightmare.""

I think it was probably a whole room full of racists, and a story being further propigated by more of the same. I would love to see video or even hear an audio recording of how things really went down.

I call douchebag on the biggest racist, but I am not sure it was the cops. (for the record, the cop was wrong to arrest him... but if he was intentionally goaded into losing his cool by the proffessor though, they both need a good beating and put in the corner to think about their actions as if they were the preschoolers which they act like.)

[ChevelleFan]

Maybe someone could show these to Professor Gates.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2wOxnAiIVs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJfQevjpf_g

Chris outlines a few simple rules to not get your ass kicked by the Police. Professor Gates missed the "STFU" rule. (and possibly the "get a white friend" rule)

Cops show up at Gates' house right after he got back from an international trip. The house had already been broken into before this incident, as Gates stated he was having trouble with the door. Cops asks for ID and Gates shows a Harvard ID. Huh? Mistake #1. Show your f*cking driver's license or passport, that shows your address. If he's done nothing wrong, what's he afraid of? Cop calls Harvard Police to see if they recognize him. I see nothing wrong with that. When the cops eventually start leaving, he just starts yelling at them. Yell at the cops at your own peril. You want the cops gone? Say "Thank you, have a good day."

I find it quite interesting so far that you don't hear about any of his neighbors sticking up for him. Except for his 'peeps, Obama. (what an idiot -- wont even bother with that, other than to say I bet a bunch of otherwise normal white moderates and liberals are rolling their eyes and beginning to see what they voted for.)

wu tang!

-Dave

[phop5]

First of all if I break into a house and then the cops knock on the door I definitely would open it and start shooting the shit with them. <-sarcasm

Now I haven't met Professor Gates but I am going to go out on a limb and say that he is probably an ungodly intelligent man and comes across the same. If the cops are so stupid that they cannot tell the difference between a 58 year old Harvard Professor and a burglar then maybe they made the wrong career choice.

the PoPo were at my mom's house about a month ago looking for some guy that used to live there; they asked me if I was him, I said "No" he doesn't live here any longer....... and all ten of them left!! why does this guys neighbors not know who he is??

[Cheech]

I think its stupid that people are trying to stir the pot about something as stupid as this. I don't care if you're in your home or not, if a LEO asks for identification you have to provide it. I agree with the PD

Not in Ohio you don't. If you are driving/riding, yes, you must provide ID as that is proof that you are eligible to drive. If you are walking down the street and a cop asks you arbitrarily to provide ID you can tell him to pound sand. Not sure how it is in Mass.

As for the entire incident, this is what happens when a irresistable douche meets a unmovable asshole. Gates was CLEARLY stoking the fire when he immediately played the race card and started making veiled threats. This kind of behavior I've seen a few times from professors that have been tenured WAY too long, and have grown accustomed to the fact that kids will pay 60,000 a year to let him have power over their professional career. Yet another power-tripper, just instead of a badge and gun he's got a report card. The cop had absolutely NO business inside the house. He made entry of a private residence with the owner inside without consent or a court warrant. The funny thing is, on the report it makes no mention of him entering the house, or under what conditions. It just said he left. The disorderly charge was a crock as well. If you are going to charge someone with something you know is only going to stick for a few hours, it was bullshit to beign with.

When Gates sues the cop (and to make good on his threats, he pretty much has to) I can only hope the courtroom is nuked from orbit. It's the only way to be sure.

[Whitey1]

Not in Ohio you don't. If you are driving/riding, yes, you must provide ID as that is proof that you are eligible to drive. If you are walking down the street and a cop asks you arbitrarily to provide ID you can tell him to pound sand. Not sure how it is in Mass.

As for the entire incident, this is what happens when a irresistible douche meets a unmovable asshole. Gates was CLEARLY stoking the fire when he immediately played the race card and started making veiled threats. This kind of behavior I've seen a few times from professors that have been tenured WAY too long, and have grown accustomed to the fact that kids will pay 60,000 a year to let him have power over their professional career. Yet another power-tripper, just instead of a badge and gun he's got a report card. The cop had absolutely NO business inside the house. He made entry of a private residence with the owner inside without consent or a court warrant. The funny thing is, on the report it makes no mention of him entering the house, or under what conditions. It just said he left. The disorderly charge was a crock as well. If you are going to charge someone with something you know is only going to stick for a few hours, it was bullshit to Begin with.

When Gates sues the cop (and to make good on his threats, he pretty much has to) I can only hope the courtroom is nuked from orbit. It's the only way to be sure.

Let's say the cop just knocked on the door frame of the OPENED door after receiving a call of a break in. A guy comes to the door claiming to live there. Responding cop is dumb and lazy (like the haters want him to be) and just says OK and leaves. Then homeowner gets shot buy actual burglar. I bet Gates would be suing the cop for not checking that his home was safe. You cant win here.

[ReconRat]

Back to basics... It doesn't matter who you are, where you are, or what is happening. If a LEO asks you twice to do something, you better say "Yes Sir" and do it. The third request might be while being detained or placed under arrest, with or without handcuffs. Just to get you out of the way, so they can do their job. It's a safety issue, both your safety and theirs. When police are on the scene of a call, they are in control. No one else. And they don't need out-of-control people around.

Gates was pushing the limits, and he got the basic response. Same as any other citizen.

[fusion]

Meh both sides acted stupidly. Gates should have been more cooperative (from the officers story) and there's no way Gates should have been arrested.

Obama was only wrong for not saying Gates may have acted as equally stupid.

[fusion]

Good find, fun read.

[max power]

I'm white and I've been arrested for disorderly conduct. Should I join the racism bandwagon? No, I was acting like an idiot (however both instances were really funny). Just my two cents I guess.

Story time!!!

When I saw the title of this thread, and read the first couple posts, I thought, "there is a black man in Cambridge Ohio?"

[phop5]

at least ONE; Jagr, Oomp, And I saw him when we were there last year!!!

[shittygsxr]

Back to basics... It doesn't matter who you are, where you are, or what is happening. If a LEO asks you twice to do something, you better say "Yes Sir" and do it. The third request might be while being detained or placed under arrest, with or without handcuffs. Just to get you out of the way, so they can do their job. It's a safety issue, both your safety and theirs. When police are on the scene of a call, they are in control. No one else. And they don't need out-of-control people around.

Gates was pushing the limits, and he got the basic response. Same as any other citizen.

Those cops and their high school education can fuck themselves and get over their power trips. That cop handled shit like a cocky prick and now he gets to deal with it. Dealing with pricks is part of the job that is why they get paid well. If the cop was right then why did they drop the charges???

+1 for Obama for actually standing up for something.

[Cheech]

Those cops and their high school education can fuck themselves and get over their power trips. That cop handled shit like a cocky prick and now he gets to deal with it. Dealing with pricks is part of the job that is why they get paid well. If the cop was right then why did they drop the charges???

+1 for Obama for actually standing up for something.

They really don't get paid well, at least not to start. I make almost double what a rookie cop makes.

Agreed on the rest. Part of the job is dealing with people that may not like you, it's kinda like working retail. You as the retail employee have to be professional and courteous even though the other guy is spouting off over some damn thing.

Dropping the charges is the thing that really gets me. He HAD to know the charge wouldn't stick, so why arrest him in the first place?

[John]

Dropping the charges is the thing that really gets me. He HAD to know the charge wouldn't stick, so why arrest him in the first place?

just to fuck with him and say "oh yeah you wanna yell at me? look what i can do". thats whats called "being professional".

[shittygsxr]

just to fuck with him and say "oh yeah you wanna yell at me? look what i can do". thats whats called "being professional".

lt. dan - God damn it, Gump! You’re a goddamned genius! This is the most outstanding answer I have ever heard. You must have a goddamn I.Q. of 160. You are goddamned gifted, Private Gump.

[max power]

Gump hasnt even commented on this yet.

[smashweights]

this kinda shit happens all the time anyway. the only reason it's "racist" here is because he knows Obama. I'm not saying he made the right call, but a police officer doing something stupid isnt exactly unheard of and certainly isn't racist. I dont see anyone demanding he go have a beer with every other person he's arrested in which the charges were dropped either.

Next time Sgt. Crowley should be smarter and call the "Black Police" when he realizes a potential crime involves a black person. Hell I would bet you if a black officer responded to that call instead he still would have been arrested, assuming Gates isn't a racist and would respond the same way regardless of the officer's race. I'm inclined to say his reaction would have been different.