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You've got to admire President Barack Obama for sticking by his guns in a controversy that many say he never should have injected himself into in the first place: the arrest July 16 of Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr., PhD in his own home by police who were called there to investigate a suspected burglary complaint. Gates has accused the officers of treating him unfairly because of he his black, while the Cambridge police say they were justified in arresting him for disorderly conduct because he "exhibited loud and tumultuous behavior."On July 22 Obama, who considers Gates a friend, remarked that Cambridge police officers "acted stupidly" for arresting the 58-year-old academic after he had proven that he lives in the residence near Harvard Square. He also said that while he didn't know all the facts of the case, that "there is a long history in this country of African-Americans and Latinos being stopped by law enforcement disproportionately, and that's just a fact."
The arresting officer, Sgt. James Crowley, objected to Obama's remarks, saying that he had done nothing wrong and is himself an expert on racial profiling. Obama is "way off base wading into a local issue without knowing all the facts, as he himself stated," Crowley told WBZ-AM radio. On July 23 Obama told ABC News he stood by his comments, and while he respects the difficulties of police work, "cooler heads should have prevailed."
At the July 24 daily White House press briefing the president said that he had spoken personally to Crowley, and while he regretted his choice of words in characterizing the officer's actions, he also hoped the case would become "a teachable moment" to improve relations between minorities and police officers. The professor-in-chief did not agree that he should keep his nose out of a "local" issue.
"The fact that this has become such a big issue is indicative of the fact that race is still a troubling aspect of our society," said Obama. "Whether I were black or white I think that me commenting on this and hopefully contributing to constructive...understandings about the issue is part of my portfolio."
He then said that he, Gates, and Crowley might get together over a beer at the White House some time in the near future.
Just as he followed up the Rev. Jeremiah Wright controversy during his presidential campaign with his seminal speech on race, Obama has decided not to shrink from the Gates arrest controversy, but rather use it as a way to bring Americans closer together. Rather than be vilified, he should be congratulated for not butting out of a "local" matter.
President Obama Pictures
US President Barack Obama winks as leaves after signing a proclamation celebrating the 19th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act in the East Room at the White House in Washington, DC, on July 24, 2009. AFP PHOTO/Jewel SAMAD (Photo credit should read JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images)
AFP/Getty Images
US President Barack Obama reacts after signing a proclamation celebrating the 19th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act in the East Room at the White House in Washington, DC, on July 24, 2009. AFP PHOTO/Jewel SAMAD (Photo credit should read JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images)
AFP/Getty Images
US President Barack Obama reacts after signing a proclamation celebrating the 19th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act in the East Room at the White House in Washington, DC, on July 24, 2009. AFP PHOTO/Jewel SAMAD (Photo credit should read JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images)
AFP/Getty Images
US President Barack Obama signs a proclamation celebrating the 19th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act in the East Room at the White House in Washington, DC, on July 24, 2009. AFP PHOTO/Jewel SAMAD (Photo credit should read JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images)
AFP/Getty Images
US President Barack Obama signs a proclamation celebrating the 19th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act in the East Room at the White House in Washington, DC, on July 24, 2009. AFP PHOTO/Jewel SAMAD (Photo credit should read JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images)
AFP/Getty Images
US President Barack Obama signs a proclamation celebrating the 19th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act in the East Room at the White House in Washington, DC, on July 24, 2009. AFP PHOTO/Jewel SAMAD (Photo credit should read JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images)
AFP/Getty Images
US President Barack Obama signs a proclamation celebrating the 19th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act in the East Room at the White House in Washington, DC, on July 24, 2009. AFP PHOTO/Jewel SAMAD (Photo credit should read JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images)
AFP/Getty Images
President Barack Obama salutes from the stairs of Air Force One as he arrives at Andrews Air Force Base, Md, Friday, July 24, 2009, after a day trip to Cleveland and Chicago.(AP Photo/Luis M. Alvarez)
AP
President Barack Obama walks down the stairs of Air Force One as he arrives at Andrews Air Force Base, Md, Friday, July 24, 2009, after a day trip to Cleveland and Chicago.(AP Photo/Luis M. Alvarez)
AP
U.S. President Barack Obama makes remarks at the daily briefing after a surprise visit to the Brady Briefing Room at the White House in Washington, July 24, 2009. Obama said he should have chosen his words more carefully when he said police "acted stupidly" in arresting a prominent black Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates, touching off a debate over race. REUTERS/Jim Young (POLITICS CRIME LAW)
Reuters
Comments: (81)
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By: David on 7/24/2009 8:44PM
This is just another example of white racism in mainstream media. I knew they would make more of a issue out of it because Obama criticize WHITE people. During the presidential campaign we saw Obama harassed by the media until he back tracked and apologized for calling out white racist (behind close doors) for clinging to their guns and religion and blaming minorities for their problems. But when Obama criticizes BLACKS it's a different story. Whites in the media and in America can't praise him enough. But I don't feel bad for Obama because he played racial politics during the presidential campaign to appeal to the same whites who are now criticizing him. Obama threw blacks under the bus during the campaign knowing darn well he couldn't criticize whites the same way he did blacks. What comes around goes around. He's learning as hard lesson. Even though whites are more willing to accept you for being half white they still considered you BLACK.
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By: madupont on 7/25/2009 11:37AM
You are projecting. That is a psychological term for reading your own emotional clutter into the behavior of some important person and believing you can interpret their attitudes and behavior. If that were true, you would be in their position and not your own
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By: Jen on 7/25/2009 12:21PM
You apparently disagree with David. I am pretty sure you formed your perception based on your believe & life time experiences. Your opinion is valid but some how David's isn't? YOU couldn't possibly have your own clutter huh?
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By: Jen on 7/25/2009 12:24PM
It's funny how you guys make rules, but never apply it to yourself! Neither one of you were there, but somehow you guys prefer to take the officer's report as fact, yet those of us who identify with Gate based on our experiences cannot take his words as fact.
Projecting works both ways folks!
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By: Black Moses on 7/25/2009 5:46PM
Great observation about when Booker T. Obama critique Blacks there is no backlash from us but them patties don't play that mess. But, truth be told mulattoes have hisotrically been like that so I am not surprised. I was through with him after he threw the Honorable Louis Farrakhan & Rev. Jeremiah wRIGHT under the bus. Booker T. Obama is the only president that didn't bring thoses whom was with him from the start. Keep your Black head up and chest out brotha and do like the Honorable Marcus Garvy encourage us to do, keep working. Hotep!
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By: Black Moses on 7/25/2009 5:49PM
Great observation about when Booker T. Obama critique Blacks there is no backlash from us but them patties don't play that mess. But, truth be told mulattoes have hisotrically been like that so I am not surprised. I was through with him after he threw the Honorable Louis Farrakhan & Rev. Jeremiah wRIGHT under the bus. Booker T. Obama is the only president that didn't bring thoses whom was with him from the start. Keep your Black head up and chest out brotha and do like the Honorable Marcus Garvy encourage us to do, keep working. Hotep!
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By: MITA on 7/26/2009 1:56AM
DOES ANYONE KNOW WHAT WOULD MAKE A WHITE POLICE OFFICER WHO HAS HAD OR TAUGHT RACIAL PROFILING OR DIVERSITY COURSES REFUSE TO GIVE A BLACK PERSON THAT HE IS QUESTIONING HIS NAME OR BADGE NUMBER?
DOES ANYONE KNOW WHAT WOULD MAKE A WHITE POLICE OFFICER STATE IN A POLICE REPORT THAT THE PERSON WAS BEING DISORDERLY IN A PUBLIC PLACE WHEN ACTUALLY THAT PERSON WAS IN THEIR PRIVATE HOME AND ARRESTED AS THEY STEPPED OUT OF THE DOORWAY OF THEIR PRIVATE HOME?
JUST CURIOUS
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By: Fierce on 7/24/2009 9:01PM
This is the precise problem of prejudice. The cops believe these Black Men; Obama, Gates & Patrick are over sensitive & over-reacting to non-existent racial profiling.
Then they all turned around and get all upset for being called stupid!!! Over re-action if you ask me! What a sweet irony. The Black man doesn't want to be called a criminal, the cop doesn't want to be called stupid! (Let's face it cops are synonimous with STUPID.)
If only they will listen to each other's sensitivities!
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By: Rhonda on 7/30/2009 10:52AM
Youtube video>>>>The Third Jihad! Their goal Islamic control over
the US by year 2050.
Google two words>>> muslim slaves.
A comparison of the Islamic slave trade to the American slave trade reveals some interesting contrasts.
While two out of every three slaves shipped across the Atlantic were men, Two women for every man were enslaved by the Muslims.
The mortality rate for slaves being transported across the Atlantic was as high as 10%, the percentage of slaves dying in transit in the Trans Sahara and East African slave trade was between 80 and 90%!
While almost all the slaves shipped across the Atlantic were for agricultural work, most of the slaves destined for the Muslim Middle East were for sexual exploitation as concubines, in harems, and for military service.
While many children were born to slaves in the Americas, and millions of their descendants are citizens in Brazil and the USA to this day.
Very few descendants of the slaves that ended up in the Middle East survived.
Most slaves who went to the Americas could marry and have families.
Most of the MALE slaves destined for the Middle East were CASTRATED, and the children born to the women were killed at birth.
It is estimated that possibly as many as 11 million Africans were transported across the Atlantic (95% of which went to South and Central America, mainly to Portuguese, Spanish and French possessions. Only 5% of the slaves went to the United States).
When Islam takes over the US, Slavery will be re-instated, as the quran, states slavery is legal and a right of muslims.
Who is the biggest Racist?
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By: Brother mustafaa on 7/24/2009 9:14PM
Greetings,
I look at this two ways. I think this is an obvious wake up call to Professor Gates regarding the reality which black men have to suffer daily in a prejudice society. So, now he can add his voice to the needed discussion regarding this long standing issue.
Secondly, the police and others are making it as though they were the victims and not Mr. Gates. This typically happens all over the country where there are problems of police misconduct. The officers or the department routinely try to make the black man the cause of the problem. What could an elderly man as Gates is be a threat?
Let this be a wake up call to all.
Peace
Brother Mustafaa
Http://brothermustafaa.com
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