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Top scholar Gates arrested in Mass., claims racism

disneydude said:
Aps...c'mon. Do honestly believe that police write their police reports accurately? No. They are written to justify an arrest. Gates probably did get out of control, after the officers got out of control and failed to accept his offer of identification.
Too often the police respond to a situation and immediately look for any evidence to substantiate a claim.
Its the arrest now and ask questions later mentality that has to change in this country.
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Oh, I am sure some police officers don't write accurate reports. This police officer wrote a rather detailed report. I thought the details he provided were such that I found them credible. Now that I know his history (having provided mouth-to-mouth resuscitation to a black man), I am assured of the accuracy of his facts. Why would he lie? Others were present to provide their account of the situation. There was a black police officer present. To me, he would be a complete idiot if he lied about the facts. I don't find him to be an idiot. It's that simple.
 
WillRockwell said:
Gates is free to say anything he wants in his own home, that's one of those personal freedoms you righties whine about. Remember? The point about this case is that if Dr. Gates, who was named one of the 25 most influential Americans, can be arrested in his own home, what chance does a random black man have?
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Will....you are calling me a righty? Are you serious? :shock:

Did you read the police report? It sounds like you did not based on your above description. Also, that's an inaccurate statement that you can say anything you want in your own home. So if Gates said, "Get the hell out or I'll kill you," are you saying that is perfectly legal?
 
aps said:
Oh, I am sure some police officers don't write accurate reports. This police officer wrote a rather detailed report. I thought the details he provided were such that I found them credible. Now that I know his history (having provided mouth-to-mouth resuscitation to a black man), I am assured of the accuracy of his facts. Why would he lie? Others were present to provide their account of the situation. There was a black police officer present. To me, he would be a complete idiot if he lied about the facts. I don't find him to be an idiot. It's that simple.
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It isn't always about racism. Racism is only one thing that plagues police forces around the country.
There is also an aura of arrogance and unlimited power and the "code of silence" that plague our police forces.

Your example you posted is a good example of that. Look for any evidence that justifies what you want to see and ask questions later...oh...and then write your police report in a way to make it look like you did nothing wrong.
 
disneydude said:
It isn't always about racism. Racism is only one thing that plagues police forces around the country.
There is also an aura of arrogance and unlimited power and the "code of silence" that plague our police forces.

Your example you posted is a good example of that. Look for any evidence that justifies what you want to see and ask questions later...oh...and then write your police report in a way to make it look like you did nothing wrong.
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I understand the aura of arrogance comment. It appears that Gates had that aura as well. Acutally, it doesn't just appear that he did--he HAD arrogrance. He sounds like a jerk. I'm glad he got his butt hauled into the police station.
 
WillRockwell said:
Gates is free to say anything he wants in his own home, that's one of those personal freedoms you righties whine about. Remember? The point about this case is that if Dr. Gates, who was named one of the 25 most influential Americans, can be arrested in his own home, what chance does a random black man have?
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Totally irrelevant. The facts only matter to this incident. Only liberals want this to blow up into a national event.

Here let me show you how your favorite media outlet MSNBC handled it.

Link

NATICK, Mass. - A white police sergeant who arrested renowned black scholar Henry Louis Gates Jr. at his home says he followed procedure and is disappointed by the national debate triggered by the incident, which has drawn criticism from the president on down to local sports radio hosts.
Gates has demanded an apology from Sgt. James Crowley, who had responded to the home near Harvard University last week to investigate a report of a burglary and demanded the scholar show him identification. Police say Gates at first refused and then accused the officer of racism.
Gates said Crowley walked into his home without his permission and only arrested him as the professor followed him to the porch, repeatedly demanding the sergeant's name and badge number because he was unhappy over his treatment.
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This is how you liberals portray the facts. "A white [supremicist, of course] police sargeant (no name given because all whiteys are alike)"......" renowned scholar HENRY LOUIS GATES, JR. (famous black that shouldn't be questioned by mere mortals)".

This is how liberals play media games to introduce racism where there wasn't any before.

DISGUSTING! :roll:
 
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I found the police report. The amount of facts provided by the police officer tell me that this is what actually happened.

[ame="http://www.scribd.com/doc/17512830/Gates-Police-Report"]Gates Police Report@@AMEPARAM@@/docinfo/17512830?access_key=key-2nj609zhsiu0u88sfon2@@AMEPARAM@@17512830@@AMEPARAM@@key-2nj609zhsiu0u88sfon2[/ame]
 
cops hate being yelled at, even when they deserve it.

Nobody actually gets arrested for yelling at a non cop outside of their home.

This is simply an example of a cop enjoying the power they hold over people. If cops weren't such sensitive little pricks, they wouldn't be hated so much.
 
aps said:
Will....you are calling me a righty? Are you serious? :shock:

Did you read the police report? It sounds like you did not based on your above description. Also, that's an inaccurate statement that you can say anything you want in your own home. So if Gates said, "Get the hell out or I'll kill you," are you saying that is perfectly legal?
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According to the police report, Gates repeatedly yelled charges of racial bias against the cops. In his own home. He did not threaten them. He was within his rights and acting legally. Since the charges have now been dropped, the court agrees.
 
WillRockwell said:
According to the police report, Gates repeatedly yelled charges of racial bias against the cops. In his own home. He did not threaten them. He was within his rights and acting legally. Since the charges have now been dropped, the court agrees.
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He was outside of his home when he was yelling at the police officer.

My point of using threatening words was to point out that just because someone is in their home doesn't mean they can say anything they want and NOT be arrested. That is an incorrect legal statement.

I think the police (not the court) chose to drop the charges. I agree with that decision. It sounds like Gates got out of hand, but it doesn't warrant him having a police record.
 
Caine said:
In the report I read, Gates never produced a state ID, only a Harvard ID. Whether or not that ID had an address on it is unknown to me, and was not mentioned in the official report, as, the officer still had mentioned that he felt certain (not confirmed) that this was the man's house.

The officer then went outside where the man continued after him, cursing and acting beligerant and calling him a racist for doing his job :)roll:) The officer noticed that this man's yelling and cursing was disturbing people in the area, he asked him to calm down several times, the racist black man refused, so he was arrested.
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oh for the love of god.

the cop could of saved time, tax payer money, and hassle by just leaving once it was clear that nothign illegal was going on.

swallow your enormous ego and leave. Too much to ask of your profession? Apparently. How dare anybody raise their voice to a cop.
 
aps said:
He was outside of his home when he was yelling at the police officer.

My point of using threatening words was to point out that just because someone is in their home doesn't mean they can say anything they want and NOT be arrested. That is an incorrect legal statement.

I think the police (not the court) chose to drop the charges. I agree with that decision. It sounds like Gates got out of hand, but it doesn't warrant him having a police record.
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I thought he was on the porch. Show me where you can't yell racist accusations at a policeman from your own porch, the only possible charge would be disturbing the peace.
 
Our black, pig president said the police "acted stupidly". There goes the police union vote you jackass traitor! Were you there O'Banana?
 
WillRockwell said:
I thought he was on the porch. Show me where you can't yell racist accusations at a policeman from your own porch, the only possible charge would be disturbing the peace.
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Here's the Massachusetts law he was charged with violating: M.G.L. - Chapter 272, Section 53

It looks like he can be arrested for disturbing the peace. The police officer pointed out that Gate's tumultous behavior could be viewed by the public.
 
Caine said:
In the report I read, Gates never produced a state ID, only a Harvard ID. Whether or not that ID had an address on it is unknown to me, and was not mentioned in the official report, as, the officer still had mentioned that he felt certain (not confirmed) that this was the man's house.

The officer then went outside where the man continued after him, cursing and acting beligerant and calling him a racist for doing his job :)roll:) The officer noticed that this man's yelling and cursing was disturbing people in the area, he asked him to calm down several times, the racist black man refused, so he was arrested.
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When he produced proof of his residence is crucial to knowing whether the cops acted fairly or "stupidly."
 
I have had similar things happen to me but didn't have the power to arrest the person. I applaud the officer for doing so. Officers deserve respect for putting their life on the line every day and working to protect our safety.

Some blacks seem to have this feeling of entitlement and arrogance towards white people. My guess is that it stems from a misplaced feeling of inferiority, from an unwillingness to let go of the past. They then respond to this by assuming an attitude that hides this feeling, and it comes across as rude and quite unmannerly.

We should all live in the present - we might find it is a lot less hostile than we ever realized.

Liberals and their identity politics go into a feeding frenzy on this kind of story, automatically labeling Gates the victim and ranting about how racism is alive and well. It's disgusting.
 
aps said:
Here's the Massachusetts law he was charged with violating: M.G.L. - Chapter 272, Section 53

It looks like he can be arrested for disturbing the peace. The police officer pointed out that Gate's tumultous behavior could be viewed by the public.
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please describe the aspects of this that gates was found to have violated:
CHAPTER 272. CRIMES AGAINST CHASTITY, MORALITY, DECENCY AND GOOD ORDER


Chapter 272: Section 53. Penalty for certain offenses


Section 53. Common night walkers, common street walkers, both male and female, common railers and brawlers, persons who with offensive and disorderly acts or language accost or annoy persons of the opposite sex, lewd, wanton and lascivious persons in speech or behavior, idle and disorderly persons, disturbers of the peace, keepers of noisy and disorderly houses, and persons guilty of indecent exposure may be punished by imprisonment in a jail or house of correction for not more than six months, or by a fine of not more than two hundred dollars, or by both such fine and imprisonment.
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justabubba said:
please describe the aspects of this that gates was found to have violated:
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Clearly this law has been in existence for decades. I found a criminal defense attorney's website, and this is what she says constitutes a violation of this law:

Disorderly Person

The crimes of disorderly person in Massachusetts is governed by G.L. c. 272 §53. In order for the prosecution to convict someone of violating this statute it must prove that the behavior of the accused was offensive and disorderly to a reasonable person. Offensive acts are those that cause discontentment, umbrage or anger. Massachusetts appellate courts have held that acts or language that implicate fighting or threatening, or behavior that is riotous or violent, or behavior that creates a hazardous or offensive condition for no legitimate purpose can satisfy the elements of the disorderly person statute.

Using vulgar or profane words alone or offensive speech does not amount to disorderly conduct. Nor does the use of obscenities in public places suffice for a conviction under this statute.

Chelsea, Massachusetts Criminal Defense Lawyer :: Disorderly Person :: Roxbury, Massachusetts Crime Defense Attorney
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WillRockwell said:
I thought he was on the porch. Show me where you can't yell racist accusations at a policeman from your own porch, the only possible charge would be disturbing the peace.
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You haven't proved the perpfessor's innocense of anything.
 
aps said:
I found the police report. The amount of facts provided by the police officer tell me that this is what actually happened.

Gates Police Report
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:rofl

So the more "facts" you provide, the more truthful the report must be? It's impossible to make up that many facts, I guess.

Since police reports are always the Gospel truth, it's kinda redundant to have a trial, isn't it? Imagine how much money we could save if we just did away with the judiciary and let the arresting officer be the judge!
 
American said:
You haven't proved the perpfessor's innocense of anything.
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The professor need not prove his innocence at all. It's assumed until proven to be otherwise.

It's really disturbing to me to see so many police apologists. I guess we didn't really need all those silly rights after all ...
 
Coronado said:
:rofl

So the more "facts" you provide, the more truthful the report must be? It's impossible to make up that many facts, I guess.

Since police reports are always the Gospel truth, it's kinda redundant to have a trial, isn't it? Imagine how much money we could save if we just did away with the judiciary and let the arresting officer be the judge!
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There is no need for hyperbole. Based on the information given, the truth tends to lean towards the officer's account of what happened more than Gates. Do you have anything to back up your assertions about Gates? Are all cops racist to you? Is it that hard to believe that sometimes black people pull the race card in situations where it isn't warranted?
 
Dr_Patrick said:
There is no need for hyperbole. Based on the information given, the truth tends to lean towards the officer's account of what happened more than Gates. Do you have anything to back up your assertions about Gates? Are all cops racist to you? Is it that hard to believe that sometimes black people pull the race card in situations where it isn't warranted?
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I'll thank you to not put words in my mouth, sir.

The cop is one witness, no more or less credible than any other random human being. He has no corner on the "truth" market. He has his version of events, which should be weighed by a jury in light of other evidence. Just because he says something doesn't necessarily make it so.
 
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