Alright,
I’m weighing in a little late on this one, but something needs to be said. What happened? And how did things get so far out of control? Yes, I am referring to the situation involving Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. (or Skip Gates), office James Crowley of the Cambridge police department, and President Barack Obama leader of the free world. This is a hotbed issue that just kept getting worse and worse. Let’s recant some of the facts and proceed.
First of all, from what we know, professor Gates was coming home from a long trip, and apparently could not get into his house in a normal fashion. When he “broke into” his own home, a neighbor saw this happening, and called the police. From here, the police arrived after Gates was already inside his home. It gets a little fuzzy here, as all the facts are either not known or are different, depending on who you ask. Following this, you have professor Gates being taken out of his home, in handcuffs, escorted by police. This is also where the picture that had been circling the airwaves was taken, of an apparently screaming Gates being removed from his home. Next, the police take professor Gates to jail, where he is processed. He is eventually released, and the charges later dropped. During the arrest, officer Crowley was the arresting officer, and apparently the one that exchanged words with professor Gates. This made headlines due to the prestigious reputation of professor Gates, and perhaps due to the fact that he is African-American, and was breaking into his own home. From the now released police reports, Gates was not arrested for breaking into his own home, but for disorderly conduct. Yes, he was in his own home and actually arrested for disorderly conduct – in his own home. According to the Crowley report, he was “exhibiting loud and tumultuous behavior”. Also from the pictures, it seems like there were several police officers on the scene. This is understandable, as when dispatched initially, they could have been walking into anything, and so utilizing safety in numbers makes perfect sense. End of story? Not even close.
This episode received national news attention, due to the facts mentioned above. It became a beacon and magnet for racial profiling. White cop arrests black man, who had not broken any laws up until the police got there, and did not break any laws following their arrival (and his arrest). On the talk shows, it came up. On the news shows, it was discussed. It quickly became the buzz. This was on July 16th 2009.
Now let’s fast forward to July 20th, 2009. President Obama is giving a speech on healthcare reform in the later evening hours. He is trying to rally support by appearing in prime time and getting his message across. The speech goes as well as expected, and the President opens the floor to Q&A. The questions that he fields from the media are mostly healthcare related. Then he is asked about the arrest of professor Gates, and the President answers by saying that the police “acted stupidly”. From this he goes on to describe his interpretation of the events. From here he continues by drawing a comparison-type of analogy using himself trying to get into the White House under similar circumstances. He continues on a bit further, and even garners more than a few laughs from those assembled. He answers a few more questions, not related to professor Gates, and then ends the event, leaving. Okay, that’s it, right? Wrong.
Now let’s see where things went wrong – and yes, they went terribly wrong. First of all, when the police arrived at professor Gate’s home, he was already inside. Already inside! According to witnesses, he had shown the officers his driver’s license as well as his Harvard identification card. This is confirmed, as he was never charges with breaking and entering, his id never in question. He had shown proof of residency. That should have really have been it. The event should have been over, done, complete. But no, it continued. Officer Crowley, for whatever reason did not leave it there. According to him, professor Gates said something about his mother. Let’s see now, you have one of the most pre-eminent scholars, at one of the top learning institutions in the country, American literary critic, educator, writer, editor, and public intellectual allegedly saying something about a police officer’s mother, with several other police officers around. The director of the W.E.B. Du Bois Institute for African and African American Research at Harvard was actually debasing himself in such a manner? Very, very hard to believe. However, even if you do believe it, which professor Gates vehemently denies, since when is that grounds for an arrest? Taking another look at the picture where professor Gates is led out of his home, in handcuffs, we see several police officers there. Obviously they had made sure that the area was secure, not dangerous. The only potential threat came from professor Gates. Let’s drill down on that. Professor Gates is 58 years old, small by any and all accounts (even lightweight), and walks with a limp assisted by a cane. In his home, surrounded by police, where is the threat? What greater good does it serve to arrest a man who is legally in his own home, when all he wants is for you to leave? There is little doubt as to why the charges were dropped, because they were bogus and unconscionable; utterly ridiculous. Officer Crowley obviously abused his authority. This was a travesty. Even when the tapes were released of Crowley calling in the incident, he told the dispatcher to keep the backup cars coming. Outrageous! One small man, nearly 60, several police officers, Crowley the arresting officer, and we get ‘keep the backup cars coming’. Disgraceful. Offensive. Officer Crowley was apparently much less than sincere with his statements to the press, and should be ashamed of himself. The arrest should not have happened.
President Obama, arguably one of the most intelligent presidents in generations, charismatic and calm under fire, and possessing on awareness that many, if not most, seem to lack. President Obama who has to deal with major issues like the economy, wars on two fronts, and most recently healthcare. President Obama, author, statesman, man in touch, what were you thinking? Why did you weigh in like you did? It seemed somewhat obvious that the President might have thought that the situation was very straightforward, and even at the tail end of its lifecycle. Yes and no. Yes it was clear what we all saw, more so when the 911 tapes were released, and Crowley’s report was aired. It was stupid, what officer Crowley did. No doubt. However, it was not the type of thing that the President should be giving his opinions on, especially to the detail and magnitude that he did. Not a good idea. Worse even, when coming from someone who is so intelligent. A simple “I do not know the full details, so I cannot comment” would have sufficed in his signature deep, rich tone. President Obama’s comments on the arrest completely overshadowed his speech on healthcare reform – completely. I was finishing the dishes at the time that the speech came on. It was informative and well delivered. He answered the questions definitively and succinctly. Then he said what he said about the arrest, and my jaw dropped. Then he elaborated and expounded. I had to do a bit of a double-take. Really? The fallout came later that night on the late night news programs, followed up by a tidal wave of discussion on his comments, the very next day, and beyond, day after day. It got so bad, that he had to intervene in the daily press briefings to somewhat detract what he had said. Then he revealed that he might be having a beer with professor Gates and officer Crowley in the near future. Really? No, Really! Then it actually happened. The three met, with the VP, at the White House, and had drinks, and discussed whatever.
This meeting should not have happened. Just based on the facts and details, this appears to have been a case of an abuse of authority on the officer’s part. I cannot even discern that it was a case of racial profiling. Maybe, but not sure. Officer Crowley in any case acted without discretion, and was insincere in his statements. He should have been reprimanded for his actions. They were stupid indeed. He should not be rewarded by being invited to a meeting with the President of the United States of America. He does not deserve this honor at all. He owes professor Gates an apology for his actions. This whole series of events was just one mistake after another. Professor Gates should have been left alone once it was determined that he was in his own home – plain and simple. NO crime was committed, and even the stupid (yes, I said it again, stupid) charges that were used to arrest and embarrass him were found baseless and dropped. President Obama should not have commented about it – at all. It cost him focus and attention from his healthcare push, and some political capitol as well. That meeting at the White House should not have happened, period. It raised the level of an overreaching, authoritatively abusive, insincere police officer to the rank of a presidential guest worthy of that type of meeting. Again, worthy Crowley was not. The meeting was something that the President termed as a ‘teachable moment’. Regardless of what your views and opinions are, one thing is happening. People are talking. Racial profiling is receiving some attention. People are discussing it. People are being educated about it, hopefully. Things might change, and this time it could be on purpose.
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