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BOSTON -- The officer who arrested Harvard scholar Henry Louis Gates Jr. stirring a national debate about race relations in America was the same officer who tired to resuscitate Boston Celtics star Reggie Lewis when he collapsed 16 years ago.

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Gates has accused Crowley of being racist after he was arrested at his Cambridge home as he was trying to budge open a broken door last week. Gates appeared on CNN Wednesday night and called Crowley a rogue officer.


"It is the fault of the policemen who couldn't stand a black man standing up for his rights, right in his face," Gates said on CNN.

In his first interview since his arrest for disorderly conduct, Gates, a renowned scholar of African-American studies, said that the incident was an eye-opener.

"What it made me realize was how vulnerable all black men are, how vulnerable all people of color are and all poor people to capricious forces like a rogue policeman," Gates said.

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On Wednesday, Bill Carter, the man who snapped a photograph of Gates being led away in handcuffs, said police officers were calm and that Gates was "slightly out of control" and "agitated" when he was arrested.

"The officers around kind of calmed him down," Carter said. "I heard him yelling -- Mr. Gates yelling. I didn't hear anything that he was saying so I couldn't say that he was belligerent."

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ORIGINAL: Loki45

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ORIGINAL: maybemaybenot

A few facts that people here have wrong:

1- Gates did not show ID proving he lived there. He showed Crowley his Harvard ID, which did not have his address on it. It's in the police report and Gates doesn't dispute it.
2- When Gates asked for Crowley's ID, Crowley reached into his pocket to get it and Gates walked away with a phone in his hand and began a conversation with some one. It's in the police report and Gates does not dispute that.
3 Crowley states he asked Gates to step out, because he responded alone and did not want to enter the house if there was an intruder inside or Gates was one of the " intruders". Again, in the police report, undisputed by Gates. He also said in an interview on local radio today, that once he saw Gates he did not think he was a burglar, but because a call had been made, he was unsure if Gates entered the house after an intruder ans was in danger. he doubted it, but he was alone at first.

As I said earlier this is just Gates outrage at being on of the " beautful people ". Elitism at it's finest.

Ohh as far as the question Crowley asked that Skippy refused to answer was : Is there anyone else in the house with you?  You tell me how that can possibly contrued as racist.

here are a couple of other facts, that if you and I were in the same situation, be us any color would never have happned. He got special treatment because of who he was. No one is talking about that. When they cuffed him, he said he had some medical issue and they removed the cuffs and cuffed his hands in fornt of him. He then told them he needed a cane to walk and it was in his house, Crowley retrieved the cane and GAVE THE CANE to Gates. A front cuffed aresstee being given a potential weapon. Yea, that happens all the time to we regular folks. When Gates got to the station he cried claustrophopia. And guess what ? he was not put in a cell, but given a room all to himself where his buddies came to be with him.  The fact of the matter is the Cambridge police department bent over backwards for the elistist prick. He was shown far more leniancy than a working class schmuck would ever be shown.

Obama sickened me last night. He offered an opinion on something he admittedly did not know the facts on. Then stated facts that are incorrect and alluded to racism. but isn't that his way.  I am 100% sure that reporter was a plant by Team Obama. His answer was scripted and smooth, unlike his incomprehensable diatribes when talking about healthcare. And how sad that a president of the US would stand up there and call a police department stupid ?

I live 30ish miles from Cambridge, and Massachuetts is one of the most liberal, bedwetting states in the country. Gates is not getting alot of support from the population, that is absolutely surprising and speaks volumes to his whining about racism  < in this particular case > and the validity of his claim.

Sadly, I liked Gates. I have seen his documentaries and have attended a few lectures he has given. He always seemed even handed, reasonable and a rational voice in a crazy world. My opinion has permanantly changed.

I listen to sports radio on my AM drive. Today Crowley was a guest, oddly enough, and gave his side of the story. I will provide a link if anyone wants to listen. And keep in mind as you listen. Gates has a website and speaks about his outrage, but does not deny a single word in the police report.

http://audio.weei.com/m/25432556/stg-james-crowley-cambridge-police.htm

edited to add : Somewhere in that interview Crowley says before they took Gates away, they tried to secure/lock up his home. Gates told him that he couldn't secure it, cuz it was damaged in a previous break in. Again, wouldn't the average person be glad to see the cops respond to a questionable B&E, and wouldn't you be even happer had your home already been broken into ?
                  mbmbn

Interesting information. Good post.

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ORIGINAL: slutslave4u
I agree, excellent post....As an ex police officer of many years I could not agree more. I do not think the officer or the department have acted in any wrong manner at all and did exactly as they should have done, with him or anyone else under the circumstances. he is the one crying he was done wrong, when all they were doing was and is their jobs, he should have been thankful for that in that they were protecting not only his property but the neighborhood.....speaks volumes of his character, or lack thereof, I think.

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ORIGINAL: Level

Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates was arrested for disorderly conduct, after a neighbor called police and told them he was breaking into a home. Thing was, it was his house...
 
We've come a long way, electing a black man as president. But are we a color blind society? Will we ever be?
 
No, but feel free to discuss the finer points amongst yourselves.

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1973306/henry_louis_gates_arrest_becoming_a.html?cat=9

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ORIGINAL: servantforuse

It is interesting to me that 'Level', who started this thread, has not once come to the defense of this race bateing professor. Maybe he, like Obama also didn't know all of the facts. 

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ORIGINAL: Level


[ Third, of course I don't know all the facts; no one but those there do, Kreskin. That's why I put that question mark in the title, and it doesn't change the fact that NO, society has not, nor will it ever, be color blind.

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ORIGINAL: Level

Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates was arrested for disorderly conduct, after a neighbor called police and told them he was breaking into a home. Thing was, it was his house...
 
We've come a long way, electing a black man as president. But are we a color blind society? Will we ever be?
 
No, but feel free to discuss the finer points amongst yourselves.

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1973306/henry_louis_gates_arrest_becoming_a.html?cat=9

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New England hottie wrote:

You know, racial profiling is a real problem.

Yes, terrible, indeed. Now, more importantly, will Tom Terrific's knee be healed in time for the season opener?

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Seems to me there's plenty of blame to go around here.
Looks like Mr Gates got all high & mighty and the cop, despite years of training and experience, didn't know when to just walk away.

It's one of those cases where I just want to smack their heads together, make them shake hands and apologize to each other as though they were a couple of little kids. Preferably on live TV.

~Dave