StudyGrowKnow

Being Black in Massachusetts

July 24, 2009 at 9:58 AM Leave a comment

A "Calm" and "Compliant" Professor Henry Gates

It looks like everyone from the common taxpayer, to the president is weighing in on this one, so why not add my own two cents to the mix?  First up, we have two completely different versions of the story; one from Sgt. Crowley and one from Professor Gates.  Who should we believe?  Hmmm…I’m guessing we should go with Sgt. Crowley.  Why?  Because of the following:

1. why on EARTH would ANY white officer in an upscale neighborhood want to deliberately place himself in the spotlight of racism unless he was racist?
2. Professor Gates had a perfect reason to yell “racism”:  it’s because he is a racist and/or believes that every white person – especially white police officers – are out to get him
3. the stories are so far apart that it makes sense that Gates would be trying the best he can to tone down the rhetoric
4. the photo of Gates being led away in hand cuffs shows that he is yelling and/or agitated, not “calm” as he has stated on several talk shows

Has anyone bothered to check to see if there are any instances of alleged racism in Sgt. Crowley’s record as a police officer?  Sgt. Crowley was responding to a possible break-in.  He was doing his job to protect the homeowner of Gates’ home.  He was unaware obviously that Gates lived there and Gates could have easily cleared up the problem by showing his IDs to the officer when first asked.  Apparently though, Gates would have us believe that he was non-combatant, and compliant.  Yet, in spite of his supposedly calm demeanor, the American public is expected to believe that the white officer – because he is allegedly racist – simply decided to arrest Gates anyway, AFTER he fully complied (allegedly) with Sgt. Crowley’s request.

Professor Gates believes:

1. because he is black, the American people are supposed to accept his side of the story
2. because he is a Harvard professor, he would never lie
3. because all white people are racist, it stands to reason then, that in spite of Gates’ best efforts to comply, he was still arrested

What we have is a case of a black man’s rage against a white police officer.  It is without question pitiful.  Gates is a professor at Harvard, likely receiving a decent salary for his work there.  Apparently though, his neighbors are not aware of who he is, and what he does for a living, because at least one of them called the police when he/she saw two black men seemingly trying to break into a house.  Not knowing who lived there, and seeing one of the black men trying to break down the front door, they assumed that a break-in was in progress.  Obviously, they were wrong, but the fault lies with the fact that the neighbor does not know Gates and assumed that because a black man is seen trying to break down the door of a home, it must be a break-in.

Of course, the ridiculous part of this is that a black man (or any man), would attempt to a break-in of a home at the FRONT door, in plain sight of the neighbors.  Beyond this, it must be asked why the neighbor did not know the identity of Gates?  The casual way that Gates is attempting to deal with the fall out, belies the fact that he was most likely the aggressor in the situation and the police officer had had enough of his antics.

It is against the law for anyone to refuse to show proper ID to a police officer.  According to Crowley, Gates refused and was annoyed from the first moment he (Crowley) arrived to assess the situation.  It is too bad that the Cambridge Police Department had not sent a black officer to the scene first.  In that case, this would not have occurred.  I’m quite certain (because of the fact that I personally know a number of police officers as well as FBI Special Agents), that the black officer would have done the exact same thing as Crowley did.  The difference though is that Gates would not have been able to yell “RACISM!” as he did.  He might have accused the black officer of being an “Uncle Tom” in a white world, but that would have hardly made the news.

The fact that we have a white police officer, with weapons, approaching a black man in an upscale neighborhood plays really well in the media.  People love it and hang onto it for all its worth.  Even President Obama has indicated that the police officers acted “stupidly,” this in spite of the fact that he was not there, and admitted that he did not have all the facts.  So, we see that our own black president is racist for siding with Gates, in spite of the fact that he did not have all the facts.  This is no surprise since Obama has sided with Hamas and the rest of the Arab world against Israel and Jewish people in the Middle East.

The tragedy of the Gates debacle is that racism DOES exist in the United States, as it exists throughout the entire world.  However, when situations like this occur, with “racism” being screamed loudly from the front porch (when no racism likely exists), it makes it more difficult for actual incidences of racism to be brought out.  It’s like crying “wolf.”  Say it too many times without proof and people grow really tired of hearing it.  Like the car alarm that goes off at all hours of the day and night, people become deaf to it.  The times when the car is really being broken into and stolen goes unnoticed because of how often the alarm went off.  It’s the same with alleging racism.  Say it often enough and people stop listening.

Gates should know better.  He is an educated black man, who receives a decent paycheck, and lives in an upscale neighborhood of Cambridge.  He was seen by someone (and that person could have been simply driving by; not even a neighbor), attempting to break down the front door of a home.  When the police arrived in response, he became angered that he (Crowley) deigned to ask for a black man’s ID!  How DARE he think that a black man must provide that information!  Did not Crowley KNOW that Gates was merely attempting to break into his own home?!?  THAT is the point.  Crowley did NOT know and the fact that he was white had nothing to do with it.  The fact that Gates is black is what really creates the problem here.  As a black man who likely grew up being harrassed because of the color of his skin, he likely learned early on that white people are racist.  Accordingly, he began to suspect racism in every white person until they PROVE that they are not racist.

Sgt. Crowley – a white cop from Cambridge, MA – was doing his job when he ran into a black man who harbors racism against white people.  That is NOT the fault of Crowley.  For an educated man like Gates to harbor racist attitudes against white people is just as bad as the reverse.  Had Gates done what was asked, the situation would have ended quickly and peacefully.  Maybe after thinking about it, Gates might have gotten to the point of being thankful that white police officers were there to protect his home and his belongings.  Instead, he chose to view Sgt. Crowley as a racist and from there, the situation quickly escalated into something it should not have become.

Professor Gates is responsible for what occurred on his front porch.  Sgt. Crowley is not.  In spite of this, apparently Gates is demanding an apology and Crowley is refusing.  Good for Crowley.  He has done nothing wrong, but is expected to apologize?  Why, because Gates – a black man – refused to “cowtow” to a white man?  That was his thinking there.  And from the looks of the black people in the audiences of the talk shows he’s been on, they believe every word he says, even though they KNOW that he is lying.  Why?  Because racism is alive and well in America.  One has to wonder though, if the racism that is now being engendered toward white people has not only come of age, but become completely acceptable?  Sadly, it would certainly appear to be the case.

I recently read a number of editorials (they seem to be coming out of the woodwork), and as expected, people of color side with Gates, while those who are colorless side with Crowley.  One such individual has this to say:  “Racism or Not, Cambridge Police Owes Professor Gates an Apology.”

So, according to this individual, even though the police officers were responding to a legitimate 911 call, went to the home and in an attempt to assess the situation, asked Gates to prove the home was his residence, Sgt. Crowley is supposed to apologize.  However, it is reprehensible to assume that Sgt. Crowley acted with a mindset of racism.  While racism DOES exist in America as it does in the rest of the world, when we believe people like Gates simply because they SAY racism occurred, the injustice that takes place, takes place against those with whom the unproved charge of racism is directed.

The same individual said, “One thing seems clear to me, regardless of who is right and who is wrong, Professor Gates should never have been arrested — the police department owes him a public apology.”  Why?  If Crowley did nothing wrong, why should he be forced to apologize?  Because a black man was offended?

Hindsight is 20/20.  Were all these people who are siding with Gates actually THERE at the scene?  Did they personally witness how “calm” and “compliant” Gates was as he was being addressed by this supposedly “unruly” white police officer?

Even Obama showed his own brand of racism by first admitting that he did not know the details, but he was convinced the police acted “stupidly.”

Has anyone stopped to consider the fact that it would be career suicide for ANY white police officer to do what Crowley did to a black man in such a situation?  Wouldn’t Crowley just be begging for trouble?  If Crowley was a racist, would this not have surfaced somewhere else along the line?

People can be wonderful armchair quarterbacks.  The op-ed piece I quoted from merely convinced me that the writer is racist.  He insists that Gates never should have been arrested.  He also states, “One thing is for sure, “belligerent” and “disorderly” do not seem like apt descriptors for someone who must have mastered the art of discipline and wisdom to have gone this far.”

Really?  Is it POSSIBLE that because of all of Gates’ honorary degrees and standing at Harvard, he had come to the point of thinking that he was actually BETTER than a white police officer who was merely doing his job?

Beyond this, why is NO ONE focusing on the call itself?  WHO made the call?  Was it a neighbor, or someone simply driving by?  If it was a neighbor, the question MUST be asked; Why did they not recognize Gates?!?  Maybe THEY are the ones who are racist, but it plays much sweeter to bring charges against a white police officer, than a white resident of the same neighborhood as Gates, doesn’t it?

Folks like the journalist quoted do nothing to eliminate racism.  They actually aid and abet it, by legitimizing every claim; whether true or fales.  There are REAL cases of racism in America.  What does NOT need to occur now is for superfluous cases of questionable racism to make the headlines.  It defeats the purpose.

As I look over the many sources reporting on this particular case, it seems fairly equally divided, with people of color siding with Gates, and white people siding with Crowley.  It reminds me of the Tawana Browley case in upstate New York years ago.  In it, she alleged that a number of white NY police officers kidnapped her, brutalized her and carved racial epithets on her body.  Immediately, Jackson and a newcomer – Sharpton – got involved.  This was their case to put them on the map!  During the situation, Sharpton used the media for all it was worth, defaming the individual police officers allegedly involved.  In spite of the fact that some from Jackson’s camp left because of their understanding of what was actually taking place and the fact that there was virtually NO proof against any of the white officers, things continued.

Eventually, the officers were completely cleared, largely because of the inconsistencies in Brawley’s testimony, a complete lack of evidence, and proof that some of the officers were elsewhere when they were supposed to have been manhandling Brawley.  To date, Sharpton has never issued an apology, even though he paid (or actually his supporters paid) a $65,000 judgment to one of the police officers.

Not too many years ago, Duke University LaCrosse players were accused and indicted regarding the gang-rape of a black dancer.  Black people were incensed and outraged, in spite of the lack of evidence.  I’m sure you know the story, yet I’m still waiting for an apology to be issued to those young men.  How about you?

Yet, we have people like the journalist above  insisting that Gates should receive an apology.  If ever there was a double standard, it can be seen now.

I think if we continue to treat these cases as truthful, when in point of fact, everyone (including black people) know that Gates is lying, it does a huge disservice to the actual cases of racism that DO occur in this country.  Because people have gotten behind Gates as being mistreated through racial profiling, without proof, they merely wind up stoking the fires.

I find it fascinating that Gates says he insisted that Sgt. Crowley provide him (Gates) with his name and badge number and apparently, Crowley refused.  The stupidity of that remark can be seen for what it is, when you realize that the police officers were ALL wearing BADGES on their chest, which would have at least had their badge NUMBER on it.  Is Gates caught in a lie?  Sure looks like it and if he is lying about that, he’s probably lying about the rest of it.  Why?  Because racism riles people up and if it turns out HE is the one who made a big deal out of nothing, he knows he’ll look like a moron.  Can’t have that happen, especially considering the fact that he has so many honorary doctorates and teaches at Harvard.

Entry filed under: Life in America. Tags: acted "stupidly", al shaprton, angry gates, angry professor gates, black racism, cambridge harvard, crowley white cop, gates, gates harvard, jesse jackson, obama racism, president obama racism, professor gates, racism gates, racism professor gates of harvard, reverse discrimination, reverse racism, sgt. crowley, sgt. crowley white police officer, white cop vs. black man, white racism, white vs. black.