Nuance: Cop who arrested Gates is an expert on … racial profiling
posted at 4:03 pm on July 23, 2009 by Allahpundit
The perfect crime, my friends. If you were a racist eager to harass prominent black intellectuals, what better cover story could there be than teaching tolerance to new recruits for years on end? Besides giving Reggie Lewis CPR in a desperate bid to save his life, I mean.
Clearly we’re dealing with a criminal genius of unusual cunning here.
Cambridge Sgt. James Crowley has taught a class about racial profiling for five years at the Lowell Police Academy after being hand-picked for the job by former police Commissioner Ronny Watson, who is black, said Academy Director Thomas Fleming.
“I have nothing but the highest respect for him as a police officer. He is very professional and he is a good role model for the young recruits in the police academy,” Fleming told The Associated Press on Thursday.
The course, called “Racial Profiling,” teaches about different cultures that officers could encounter in their community “and how you don’t want to single people out because of their ethnic background or the culture they come from,” Fleming said…
In radio interviews Thursday morning, Crowley maintained he followed procedure.
“I support the president of the United States 110 percent. I think he was way off base wading into a local issue without knowing all the facts as he himself stated before he made that comment,” Crowley told WBZ-AM. “I guess a friend of mine would support my position, too.”
Last I heard, Gates was thinking of making a documentary about his experience because, well, he’s got his narrative and he’s sticking to it — no matter what certain other prominent black intellectuals have to say. To be honest, from what little I know of the facts, it sounds like the only “crime” Gates was guilty of was being a douche to the cops. I’m not sure why that warranted arrest, but then neither you nor I nor The One was there, not that that stopped him from making grand pronouncements about the alleged stupidity of the police’s conduct. Self-serving exit quotation from his latest statement about this: “I think that I have extraordinary respect for the difficulties of the job that police officers do.”
Blowback
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So, does this mean Obama was calling one of his O-bots stupid?
Count to 10 on July 23, 2009 at 4:26 PM
Thank goodness Obama could comment on this without knowing the facts… He must have learned his lesson from the Iran Debacle a la Custard.
Upstater85 on July 23, 2009 at 4:26 PM
Did obummer just lose some union support?
farright on July 23, 2009 at 4:26 PM
Book sales are important.
a capella on July 23, 2009 at 4:26 PM
President Obama’s gut reaction is to blame the police, the military, or America in general.
It’s only after all the facts are in that he… blames the police, the military, or America in general.
BadgerHawk on July 23, 2009 at 4:27 PM
POTUS risks race riots while declaring ignorance of facts.
Akzed on July 23, 2009 at 4:27 PM
Karl Rove is indeed a genius.
xRos on July 23, 2009 at 4:27 PM
With my parent’s my mom would probably offer them something to drink, chat with them a bit, and thank them for coming.
Really, is being nice to a cop SO FREAKING HARD?
Rightwingguy on July 23, 2009 at 4:27 PM
As the Obama agenda falters expect the media to start pulling the race card out of the deck.
I see there is a whole new storyline popping up on Memeorandum filled with faux shock and dismay over some conservative member of the AMA emailing a funny picture of Obama as a witch doctor (ObamaCare, witch doctor, get it??).
Don’t fall for it.
DaMav on July 23, 2009 at 4:28 PM
Oh, Lord, of ALL the quotes for the AP to use…
tree hugging sister on July 23, 2009 at 4:28 PM
It is when you’ve made your career out of being a race-baiting grievance monger.
Vic on July 23, 2009 at 4:28 PM
Let us evaluate the behavior of Gates character just prior to his arrest.
[ps] no Balls there
Americannodash on July 23, 2009 at 4:29 PM
What do you mean “suspicious?” Are you a racist?
fourstringfuror on July 23, 2009 at 4:29 PM
I know Allah likes to post stuff about police brutality and the like, but hey, sometimes you just need your a#$ whooped. The professor has been teaching about black “oppression” for years and is now looking for notoriety out of this. If you don’t want to be arrested: shut your freaking mouth and do what the officer says. I am sorry, but this case and Obama’s intrusion into it pisses me off.
TXMomof3 on July 23, 2009 at 4:29 PM
Let’s add some context. According to the smoking gun report, Gates lives on Ware St. Ware st. is in neighborhood 6 according to the Cambridge MA police department. Here is an over view of home break-ins just this year (scroll down to pg 10 to see the neighborhood 6 stats). In the same report I just linked, you’ll notice on page 5 that street burglaries are on the rise, commercial burglaries are on the rise, and home burglaries are constant. All this shows that break-ins are a problem, and remain high or are climbing.
Weight of Glory on July 23, 2009 at 4:29 PM
Actually what Obama said was pretty funny and ironic. “Yes, America is a deeply, deeply racist country. Except that I got elected. Other than that, white people can’t stand black people in power.”
Rightwingguy on July 23, 2009 at 4:29 PM
The irony is somewhat awesome.
RedbonePro on July 23, 2009 at 4:29 PM
Does this mean that Gates will be with the TeaBaggers at the next Tea Party rallying for less governmental authority?
Upstater85 on July 23, 2009 at 4:29 PM
Well, That IS axiomatic…
And sometimes 0bama DOES say what he actually thinks.
LegendHasIt on July 23, 2009 at 4:30 PM
Maybe he should hire the two black panther thugs as body guards.
farright on July 23, 2009 at 4:30 PM
barnone on July 23, 2009 at 4:09 PM
Just goes to show that police lie. I have watched 6 or 7 police officers from less than ten feet away as they pinned and cuffed a man (he had called a group of them some unkind names) and then proceeded to kick and punch him as they taunted him with, “Why are you resisting arrest?”
I would very happily sit on any jury overseeing their convictions and subsequent punishment for assault, deriliction of duty, conduct unbecoming an officer, and violations of
Police should be held to much stricter compliance with the law than ordinary citizens and anyone who says they are “Just doing their job” should be beaten and held without trial for the full 48 hours, and then subsequently prosecuted for resisting arrest if they say anything but, “Thank you, officer.”
fronclynne on July 23, 2009 at 4:31 PM
The mayor and governor are both black as well.
Oh the humanity!
BadgerHawk on July 23, 2009 at 4:31 PM
Why yes it is, as I had my arse chewed out over the weekend for taking 2 pans of sausage and peppers leftover from our pool party.
You would have thought I shot someone from the nasty remarks thrown my way……by the same people who call the cops because their afraid of the racoons in their garbage cans.
Knucklehead on July 23, 2009 at 4:32 PM
I don’t know if any of you have been locked out of your house, but I have, and my biggest concern has almost always been arousing the suspicions of my neighbors.
My second concern is that I’m an idiot.
YYZ on July 23, 2009 at 4:32 PM
Thirty-six years ago, I left for work at Mercy Hospital at 9:30 at night. When I got to my car, I realized that I had left my keys in the apartment. I had to pry open a window in order to get back in, and as I was crawling through the window, a police officer walked up behind me to ask what I was doing.
I slid back out the window and explained. He asked for my identification, which was (fortunately) in my purse. I wasn’t in uniform because I worked in labor and delivery. The officer checked my identification, then let me crawl through the window to get my keys, and very nicely walked me to my car, since it was dark and the area wasn’t of the best. Case closed. No arrests, no screaming.
By the way, the police officer was black and I am white. I was only grateful that he was as alert as he was. If it had really been a robbery, he would have saved me a lot of grief.
hachiban on July 23, 2009 at 4:32 PM
Count to 10???
In the vid I viewed…he said he “DID NOT” vote for Obamby!
Check your fire! just sayin.
~B
Brian on July 23, 2009 at 4:33 PM
If someone was trying to force their way into a house, that looks a bit out of the ordinary. Most people get in using a wonderful technology known as “keys”. Honestly, if I forgot my keys and tried to break into my own place, I would say that would look suspicious. It would make more sense (although it’d cost some money)to get a locksmith to come out. It is hard to tell the difference between criminal and dude-who-locked-himself-out from a distance.
Rightwingguy on July 23, 2009 at 4:33 PM
On one side, us. On the other side, chaos. In the middle? The police. I’m sorry they’re not as perfect as you. Try to get over it, huh?
Akzed on July 23, 2009 at 4:34 PM
I would thank them. And my neighbor, too.
“Gates told me that the door was unsecurable due to a previous break in attempt at the residence.”
Blake on July 23, 2009 at 4:34 PM
Good thing the police officer didn’t say “jigger”……
…………. like the President of the United States did.
Seven Percent Solution on July 23, 2009 at 4:34 PM
I loved how the cop confused the ever-living hell out of those reporters by not answering their questions. When he did, it was short, sweet, and to the point. I bet they’re used to people trying to prove their innocence to them, so they get very long statements. Those reporters were dumbfounded, I absolutely loved it.
Torch on July 23, 2009 at 4:34 PM
What evidence did the cop have that Gates wasn’t the owner of the house before insisting to see his birth cer…uh, drivers license?
Buddahpundit on July 23, 2009 at 4:35 PM
Akzed on July 23, 2009 at 4:35 PM
I was once on foot walking home to my place in Boston when a police officer in a cruiser pulled over and asked me to stop. A woman had been sexually assaulted in the area and I fit the description. It was very late and there weren’t a lot of folks on the street at the time.
I did as the police officer requested — I stopped, provided him with my ID and told him where I was coming from (a gay bar). He asked me a few more questions which I answered politely and promptly and then he allowed me to go on my way. Maybe I should have screamed and yelled about how this big (black) cop was hassling a gay man for the sport of it and threatened to talk to his “mama,” etc. (Obviously, being gay sort of helped in this instance… LOL)
I don’t know — call me crazy — but I think I handled the situation appropriately.
D2Boston on July 23, 2009 at 4:35 PM
Crowley – I support the president of the United States 110 percent.
Obama – “police department acted “stupidly”
Hmmmmmm. If the whole police department voted for Obama then I would have to agree. They did act stupidly.
Guardian on July 23, 2009 at 4:36 PM
Well there’s no telling with some people sometimes. I’m sorry for what you had to go through. Some people are just born tools.
Rightwingguy on July 23, 2009 at 4:36 PM
I think this professor needs to live a while where cops don’t do what they did to him. I don’t think he’ll like that one bit.
spmat on July 23, 2009 at 4:36 PM
Crowley should challenge Obama to a duel
Chiasmos on July 23, 2009 at 4:36 PM
Someone needs to talk to TOTUS. Wayyy off base on that one.
tbear44 on July 23, 2009 at 4:36 PM
The next time Gates goes out of town………..
…….. wouldn’t it be funny if someone backed up a moving van to his front door, spent the entire day clearing out the house, and because of his behavior, no one blinks an eye?
Seven Percent Solution on July 23, 2009 at 4:37 PM
“This isn’t the stupidity I know”- Ogabe
Fletch54 on July 23, 2009 at 4:15 PM
HA HA HAAAA!
max1 on July 23, 2009 at 4:37 PM
I think that the black community should be very careful with Obama. Racial baiting, like last night, along with poor executive decisions on the economy and foreign policy will weigh heavy on Obama over the next few years. If he fails as miserably as we all hope he does, without regard to his “historic” presidency, it may be another generation or more before a black man or woman is given another chance by the American people to sit in the White House.
genso on July 23, 2009 at 4:37 PM
This isn’t about me. It’s about BS.
bloggless on July 23, 2009 at 4:37 PM
“Look, the cop was white, the victim was black. What more do I need to know?”
B. H. Obama – circa 2009
BobMbx on July 23, 2009 at 4:38 PM
If for any reason I am trying to break into my own house at night, I want my neighbors calling the police. I want those cops to rush to my house and I want them to ask me for proper identification. One day if it happens to be a stranger attempting to break in, I would expect the same.
sherry on July 23, 2009 at 4:38 PM
Interesting.
I wouldn’t think anyone else would support P.BO 110%, but I did phrase it as a question.
Count to 10 on July 23, 2009 at 4:38 PM
AMAZING! You were respectful and cooperative….and he let you go on your way. That is astonishing! I think I might just see the connection. :)
Rightwingguy on July 23, 2009 at 4:38 PM
YYZ on July 23, 2009 at 4:32 PM
lol, no doubt.
I’ve done it and that was my FIRST thought as I was walking around trying to find a way to break in my own house..checking low windows and the like…and it didn’t help that my dogs were barking crazy…
I would have been SO Embarrased if a cop had showed up. I would never have thought to accuse the man of anything other than doing his JOB.
And, I would have THANKED any neighbor who actually did call the cops.
Gates is an ass.
bridgetown on July 23, 2009 at 4:38 PM
The police officer is still a racist. There is no way in hell you arrest a man in his own house, when you are in the wrong.
Chudi on July 23, 2009 at 4:39 PM
Is Crowley married? GAWD, he’s hot! I could probably bring myself to marry a Yankee.
SouthernGent on July 23, 2009 at 4:39 PM
bridgetown on July 23, 2009 at 4:38 PM
s/b ‘if a cop had shown up’ oops
bridgetown on July 23, 2009 at 4:39 PM
To be honest, from what little I know of the facts, it sounds like the only “crime” Gates was guilty of was being a douche to the cops. I’m not sure why that warranted arrest,He refused a request from a law enforcement officer, and was at least somewhat disorderly and abusive to him. The public has a responsibility to treat safety officers with deference, lest the authority of those officers be diminished.
hawksruleva on July 23, 2009 at 4:40 PM
It is possible to commit disprderly conduct in one’s own home. If he was threatening and/or abusing the officer, he should have expected cuffs (which I think is obviously what he wanted).
Akzed on July 23, 2009 at 4:40 PM
Thankfully he didn’t arrest him in the house. Read the report.
BadgerHawk on July 23, 2009 at 4:41 PM
Read the report. He was arrested for disorderly conduct on his front porch, which is considered a public place.
Count to 10 on July 23, 2009 at 4:41 PM
Well, I just got a nice thank you note from the police department. At least they have manners and were appreciative.
Knucklehead on July 23, 2009 at 4:42 PM
genso on July 23, 2009 at 4:37 PM
The white guilt voters are going to come to their senses and vote for a candidate based on his/her record and leadership.
farright on July 23, 2009 at 4:42 PM
You are an a$$. The good professor has an issue with authority figures and I guess you do too. The officer was 110% in the right to lock this guy up.
blue1 on July 23, 2009 at 4:42 PM
Except, the officer wasn’t in the wrong. He’s guilty of trying to protect Gates’ property. What’s he supposed to do, ignore the call on the break-in? Or assume that whomever he finds in the house is the owner?
I guess you’d be happy if police officers don’t respond to crime against blacks?
hawksruleva on July 23, 2009 at 4:42 PM
He’s not a racist. You’re the racist. And he wasn’t arrested in his home. So, stop lying.
Blake on July 23, 2009 at 4:42 PM
I would like to see this cop sue Obama for slander…AND, I think Obama has made a major mistake here. He has placed himself squarely in the Al Sharpton camp on race, and that’s gonna cost him a lot of support among people who are, you know, rational.
Rational Thought on July 23, 2009 at 4:43 PM
“I think”? WTF? You mean he’s not sure about his positions?
For all of his supposed soaring rhetoric, his continual qualifications of straightforward statements are tiresome.
BuckeyeSam on July 23, 2009 at 4:43 PM
Maybe this case will end up at SCOTUS and SOTOMAYOR will make the wise tiebreaker.
THE CHOSEN ONE on July 23, 2009 at 4:43 PM
“I think that I have extraordinary respect for the difficulties of the job that police officers do.”
Thinking it doesn’t make is so, a–hole.
Dark Star on July 23, 2009 at 4:43 PM
Does Obama know anyone who is not a racist?
The one who yells racist is usually the racist. The arrogance
is the telltale sign.
lilium on July 23, 2009 at 4:43 PM
Chudi can’t read!
Blake on July 23, 2009 at 4:44 PM
Joe the Plumber, Rush Limbaugh, the AIG Exec’s, etc. Now this Officer. If you are a private citizen and white, the Obama Administration is about as much fun as swatting a hornets nest.
GunRunner on July 23, 2009 at 4:45 PM
I can hardly wait for the documentary and the Academy Award/Nobel Peace Prize to follow. It will show Skip Gates almost about to cure cancer with a green, re-usable technology when this Neo-Nazi cop arrives to ruin everything. Of course the big Obama clip saying the cop behaved badly will be show several times just before they reveal the police officers family was once sort-of related to the salving industry.
Too bad the cop can not make his own documentary.
TexasDave on July 23, 2009 at 4:45 PM
What else can we expect from a POTUS that spent 20 years in a racist church?
farright on July 23, 2009 at 4:45 PM
For Obama, this is an “all-or-nothing” presidency. He feels if he can change this country to fit his image, he will open the door for all blacks and likely for himself for many years. If he fails, he fails all blacks. That’s why, IMO, he is pushing so hard and fast. He knows people will wake up at some point. He needs the destruction before that happens.
genso on July 23, 2009 at 4:46 PM
He should be at least a police Captain by know.
chemman on July 23, 2009 at 4:46 PM
Akzed on July 23, 2009 at 4:34 PM
Thank you straw man.
Becuase I did say, “We should abolish the police.”
Penis.
fronclynne on July 23, 2009 at 4:46 PM
Amen… David Dinkins, NYC 1989 to 1993 and he killed for a lot of talented people for years to come…
blue1 on July 23, 2009 at 4:46 PM
Best line of the video.
therightscoop on July 23, 2009 at 4:47 PM
I have heard it is hard to tell a robbery from an out of the ordinary event.
My husband owns an automotive parts store that used to be next door to city hall and the police station. Every cop in our small town knows him. One night, after closing, hubby was taking a load of parts to a customer and on the 3rd trip out to his pick-up with an armload of stuff he meets a cop, on one knee, with his gun drawn. Scared the bejeezus out of him. Needless to say, he didn’t get all mouthy or yell although he just about dropped his stuff. Especially since he knew that same cop had shot himself in his own foot showing off his gun to the cute clerk at the convenience store.
So maybe the cop acted stupidly by not having his gun drawn. You don’t get so much backtalk when you are armed.
Lily on July 23, 2009 at 4:48 PM
are you high?
D2Boston on July 23, 2009 at 4:48 PM
hawksruleva on July 23, 2009 at 4:40 PM
As the idiots in wikipedia land frequently say, “Citation needed.”
fronclynne on July 23, 2009 at 4:49 PM
I wonder if Obama set-up the whole thing.
JiangxiDad on July 23, 2009 at 4:49 PM
How come the trolls that make these stupid remarks like growfins and chudi never respond?
Shock the Monkey on July 23, 2009 at 4:50 PM
Having taught criminal justice and law for years I would guess the incident unfolded something like this:
1) Someone calls 911 and reports that a man, (the caller may have specified a black man…I don’t know), is trying to break into a neighboring house.
2) Police officers respond to a burglary in progress call.
3) When the police arrive at the address they proceed with great caution, drawing their weapons and treating the man on the porch or in the house as a suspect until able to do ascertain otherwise. There are dead police officers who have not been cautious enough in these situations. Professor Gates’ telling, yelling, or cursing at the police officer that he is the home owner will not cause the officer to back off.
4) Gates is angry that he is being treated like a criminal . For all the officer knows at the time he may very well be. Gates, rather than understanding the difficult situation the officer is in, decides to play the race card. He joins the society of perpetual victims. “If I weren’t black this wouldn’t be happening.”
5) Identification is established but Gates, having played the race card, won’t let go. “If the officer is not a racist I’ll make everyone within shouting distance think he is.”
6) Gates is arrested for disordly conduct. Another black victim of police brutality.
7) Obama calls the officer “stupid.”
sdd on July 23, 2009 at 4:50 PM
If they were rational, they wouldn’t have supported him in the first place.
Vic on July 23, 2009 at 4:50 PM
Just another cynthia mckinney cop slap episode. just dont like people with authority over them. Something about chip, shoulder
Greed on July 23, 2009 at 4:51 PM
What is wrong with “Yes officer, what do you need to know?”
And officer came to my house last year…this is basically the conversation:
Officer: Good afternoon, may I have a look at your back porch?
Me: What is this about?
Officer: May we look at your back porch?
Me: Sure, come on in.
Officer: Thank you
Me: Here is my back porch
Officer: (looking around) Do you own a gun?
Me: Pardon me?
Officer: Do you own a BB Gun
Me: No
Officer: We had a report that someone one shooting off of your porch.
Me: That was probably next door, they have several kids that are not supervised.
Officer: Which Neighbor
Me: Over there
Officer: Thank you
Then they went over, back yard (we have no fences) found the gun.
Then they came over, nicely, talked to me, informed me what was going on, thanked me for being co-operative.
I thanked them and that was it.
I could have said: F u, it is none of your business, where is your search warrant…but why, they needed to take care of local, neighborhood business.
*
And when they approached me, all business, no smiling, not happy, they had a job…and I respected that.
After is was resolved, we had a great time, and they were very relaxed and talkative…great guys.
right2bright on July 23, 2009 at 4:52 PM
Who would have guessed a softball question at a doomed presser could be so much fun?
pedestrian on July 23, 2009 at 4:52 PM
Seven Percent Solution on July 23, 2009 at 4:37 PM
Interestingly, this does happen all of the time. And guess what the police do.
Did I hear, “Take a report and then drink coffee while laughing when they don’t think you’re looking.”? You win the big prize, Sparky.
fronclynne on July 23, 2009 at 4:53 PM
It wouldn’t surprise me.
tbear44 on July 23, 2009 at 4:53 PM
Fairly close. You could just read the 3 page police report, which is painstakingly detailed.
BadgerHawk on July 23, 2009 at 4:54 PM
Too bad the charges were dropped………….
……… I would have loved seeing Gates get on the stand and try to justify his behavior, turn the trial into a political circus, set race relations back forty years, and give Gretta and Geraldo something to talk about ad nauseum for the next year.
Oh well…………
……… Maybe Obama will give another speech.
Seven Percent Solution on July 23, 2009 at 4:54 PM
I find it very telling that Obama gives his friend the screaming racist a pass but calls the actions of the police officer “stupid.”
Think about that for a second.
Don’t you think it is racist in and of itself to accuse someone else of racism when the claim apparently has no merit at all other than to be the ultimate trump card?
MightyConservative on July 23, 2009 at 4:54 PM
Even when they do it “stupidly.”
Obama should quit digging this hole. And, speaking of stupid, this is the stupidest issue that Obama has dived into yet. I think he misunderestimates the volatile nature of a case like this.
cruadin on July 23, 2009 at 4:55 PM
This was all a promotional stunt for CNN’s Black in America 2.
YYZ on July 23, 2009 at 4:56 PM
Please give just one example…………
……… if you can.
Seven Percent Solution on July 23, 2009 at 4:56 PM
Also, when someone says there is no one else, they are trained not to believe that…someone could be hostage, or threatened not to say anything.
If the body language said something was amiss, they have to go with that and not rely on a potential hostage situation.
When I was a kid working late at a liquor store, a policeman once walked in, asked how everything was, I said fine…he then said softly, “if not blink twice quick”, I stared like a deer in the headlights…he had a call that something was wrong.
right2bright on July 23, 2009 at 4:56 PM
Lynn Sweet is a good old Chicago gal.
Connect the dots
Knucklehead on July 23, 2009 at 4:56 PM
With those times in America where a cop truly might be a racist and out of line, this Gates cheapens those REAL times with this made up garbage.
Jeff from WI on July 23, 2009 at 4:57 PM
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