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...as an afterthought...didn't his neighbor call the police?

What kind of neighborhood is this when a older man with a cane and obvious luggage (they said he had two large luggage bags) is mistaken for a robber by his own neighbor in broad daylight ?(the video shows him handcuffed in front of his porch in broad daylight). Though I may not be on a first-name basis with my neighbors, I make it a point to at least be able to recognize my neighbors.

If I had seen my neighbor... and older man with a cane, struggling to get inside of his home... I would've asked if he needed help, not called 911. I can see if this was at night and I couldn't see very well....I might've become alarmed and called the police too. But don't people at least know what their neighbors look like anymore? But then that's me, I guess I'm old-fashioned...

I could be wrong or just completely dense...Am I missing something here?

Some illumination would be helpful..
- July 25th, 2009, 05:55 am
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legend29 wrote :
...as an afterthought...didn't his neighbor call the police?

What kind of neighborhood is this when a older man with a cane and obvious luggage (they said he had two large luggage bags) is mistaken for a robber by his own neighbor in broad daylight ?(the video shows him handcuffed in front of his porch in broad daylight). Though I may not be on a first-name basis with my neighbors, I make it a point to at least be able to recognize my neighbors.

If I had seen my neighbor... and older man with a cane, struggling to get inside of his home... I would've asked if he needed help, not called 911. I can see if this was at night and I couldn't see very well....I might've become alarmed and called the police too. But don't people at least know what their neighbors look like anymore? But then that's me, I guess I'm old-fashioned...

I could be wrong or just completely dense...Am I missing something here?

Some illumination would be helpful..


Legend, I think this is one of the most intelligent comments I've read about this incident, in any forum.

Last edited by cameracollector; July 25th, 2009 at 11:01 am. Reason: clarification
- July 25th, 2009, 10:59 am
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Legend, I think this is one of the most intelligent comments I've read about this incident, in any forum.
Thanks CC....I haven't heard one blow-hard pundit mention this, so I was curious if I was missing something.

I think the fact that his own neighbor didn't know who he was, or just saw a black man and freaked out speaks volumes...maybe even more than the craziness that happened afterwards. I am so glad that I don't live in Dr. Gates 'hood!

Where is the neighborly love folks?????

Last edited by legend29; July 25th, 2009 at 03:25 pm.
- July 25th, 2009, 02:00 pm
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The updated story I heard last night was that it was a passer-by and not a neighbor. Also my understanding is that there was a 2nd person (possibly his driver) who was with him trying to help him force the door. Having two people trying to force a door would look even more suspicious.

More facts are still coming out about this, and I believe at some point they'll release the 911 call, and some other facts. I sincerely believe that the more that comes out the more it is going to be clear that Officer Crowley acted appropriately, and Mr. Gates acted very inappropriately.

I think those who are predisposed to see racism around every corner and who suffer from white guilt (the desire to blame white people for whatever problems there are) need to take a step back and wait for all the facts before jumping to conclusions. The early indications on this pointed to the fact that the officer acted appropriately. There was an African American police officer on the scene who says Officer Crowley acted within protocols and supported the action he took, and I believe a hispanic officer was there as well.

Racism does exist. Profiling does exist. Admitting that a white officer acted appropriately while a black Harvard professor didn't, doesn't diminish these facts. It just means that in this particular case the white police officer was right and the black man was wrong. What many African Americans do not understand is that crying racism in situations like this is like crying wolf. It happens so many times that whites become desensitized to the accusation. This is bad because there are legitimate episodes of racism that need to be addressed.

Last edited by waltercl; July 25th, 2009 at 04:08 pm.
- July 25th, 2009, 03:44 pm
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Just read the incident report http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/ima...3/0498.001.pdf

Wow, that's all I can say. Officer Crowley was in the process of leaving, and Gates followed him out the door and onto the porch while continuing to be belligerent and loud in front of all those witnesses. This must be where the African American officer and others saw what was happening. Seems clear to me that Gates was determined to throw his weight around and make sure this officer knew he was big man on campus and would get the best of him. Not only was this the right thing to do, but it was needed to send a message to everyone that this is not the way you treat police officers.
- July 25th, 2009, 04:01 pm
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waltercl wrote :
Just read the incident report http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/ima...3/0498.001.pdf

Wow, that's all I can say. Officer Crowley was in the process of leaving, and Gates followed him out the door and onto the porch while continuing to be belligerent and loud in front of all those witnesses. This must be where the African American officer and others saw what was happening. Seems clear to me that Gates was determined to throw his weight around and make sure this officer knew he was big man on campus and would get the best of him. Not only was this the right thing to do, but it was needed to send a message to everyone that this is not the way you treat police officers.
That doesn't add up with the photo, though, that shows him being led out of the door in handcuffs.
As I said before, I think the truth probably lies between the two reports. You had two men who aren't used to being crossed who probably both said things that escalated the conflict. I'm glad they are going to sit down together and have that beer with the President .

I've heard of a number of incidents that were indeed racial profiling in recent years, in addition to the one I posted earlier, so I tend to wonder about it more than I used to. This is not a matter of "white guilt", (whatever that is) but a matter of not closing my eyes and ears to a very common experience of a number of the people around me. And then there was the officer two years ago when I had a purse snatched, who was writing the report and said, "was the suspect black? Or Hispanic?" Grrrrr.....
As I said earlier, we all have a lens through which we view this incident. The different reactions to it are giving all of us a chance to learn more about one another's lenses.
- July 25th, 2009, 07:50 pm
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....and legend, you are sooo right about Limbaugh!
- July 25th, 2009, 07:54 pm
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waltercl wrote :
When an officer arrives on the scene in a potentially dangerous scene that is not the time to be mouthing off to them. If you show disrespect and are disorderly then you can expect to get arrested.

Problem one with this, is that if the police start the disrespect, it is their fault. Regardless of the individuals involved, police are “on the clock,” and need to keep that in mind. It is their job, their training, and their experience to manage the emotional state of all parties. Normal civilians have not the training and experience to handle these events.

Problem two, police are notorious for confusing mental health deficiencies and normal stress response with criminal behavior, often with tragic consequence. They should refrain from belligerence until possible harm is proven.
- July 25th, 2009, 08:07 pm
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I don't see a problem with an experienced Sergeant doing his job & bringing in a man that was out of hand.

It does not matter in the least why this person was out of hand.

The excuse that he was tired from travelling may be accurate but is meaningless in this situation.

I don't even think that the Officer had a quick trigger on making the arrest.

This really is only a story because of the fact that the man was a Harvard professor & perhaps also because he happened to be black. I do think that had it been a white Harvard professor perhaps it would have been a little story...maybe.

I firmly believe that the Sergeant would have arrested ANYONE under those same circumstances. People are arrested for that same thing daily.

I don't think that the professor just got angry. I think that he got wildly angry & for an extended period of time.
- July 25th, 2009, 08:25 pm
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bigfincat wrote :
This really is only a story because of the fact that the man was a Harvard professor & perhaps also because he happened to be black. I do think that had it been a white Harvard professor perhaps it would have been a little story...maybe.

This is the tradegy I alluded to in my first post. That it is a big story is why he, and not you or I, does not suffer.

I have a problem with that sort of disparate treatment by the state.
- July 25th, 2009, 08:29 pm
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