Cambridge cop is a liar.

[il Padrino Ute]

If you have a general distrust of police, or an axe to grind (what is wrong with that?), then there is a pretty decent reason why a man in his own home might be reluctant to have to prove the legitimacy of his being there. It is not an insignificant thing. Sure, Gates could have just rolled over and done everything easy, but he didn't, and that was his right. The police officer, who didn't feel threatened, who saw the ID but didn't like the attitude, decided to teach this man a lesson. Public disorderliness in his own home, on his own property? Think whatever you want about Gates, but a man has a right to be a fool in his own home.

Pure speculation on your part that the officer decided to teach Gates a lesson in public.

Respect the police and odds are there will be no problems.

[RobinFinderson]

Link? Everything I've read said that Gates was handcuffed because he refused to provide identification.

Read the NYT article. It is all there. Gates showed the ID, though maybe reluctantly. The officer was led to believe that Gates did indeed belong in the home. Gates yelled at the cop, words were exchanged, and the cop arrested Gates for disorderly conduct.

[Non Sequitur]

Why is it so hard to believe that this cop just might have been a dick? Like no one has ever met a cop that wasn't a total douche bag?

[il Padrino Ute]

I agree that Obama spoke stupidly. But I also think that Obama was right.

Whether Obama is right or wrong is not the issue. He injected what seems to be his personal opinion of a situation in which he had no business doing so, especially considering when he did it.

[Non Sequitur]

Respect the police and odds are there will be no problems.

If a cop is being an ass, why the hell should you respect him? Is there a law that says you have to respect cops?

[SoonerCoug]

Whether Obama is right or wrong is not the issue. He injected what seems to be his personal opinion of a situation in which he had no business doing so, especially considering when he did it.

I'm sure he learned his lesson.

[Jarid in Cedar]

Whether Obama is right or wrong is not the issue. He injected what seems to be his personal opinion of a situation in which he had no business doing so, especially considering when he did it.

hack

[ERCougar]

Wait a minute. The caller made it clear in her 911 call that she couldn't identify race, but that maybe one of the men was hispanic. Crowley proceeded to write that the caller claimed that she saw black men. Are you suggesting that the caller changed her story when the cop showed up? I suppose that's possible, but I think it's much more likely that Crowley fabricated it.

Yes, I am saying that the caller changed her story...at least once. So are you:

She never saw their race. ... All she reported was behavior, not skin color

[il Padrino Ute]

If a cop is being an ass, why the hell should you respect him? Is there a law that says you have to respect cops?

I agree with your other post that there are some cops who are dicks, but what good does it do to be belligerent with a cop who is a dick?

[il Padrino Ute]

I'm sure he learned his lesson.

I'll bet you lunch that he'll do it again. There are still three and a half years left in this current term.

[RobinFinderson]

Pure speculation on your part that the officer decided to teach Gates a lesson in public.

Respect the police and odds are there will be no problems.

He arrested him for disorderly conduct for yelling at him while Gates was on his own property after Gates had convinced him that he did indeed belong in his own home. I'm willing to call that 'teaching a lesson.' I'm comfortable calling that 'teaching him a lesson.'

Lots of people do not respect the police. It is often expedient to feign respect for police, but sometimes a person needs to stand up for what he believes, and often police need to be humbled.

[il Padrino Ute]

hack

Guilty.

[SoonerCoug]

Yes, I am saying that the caller changed her story...at least once. So are you:

She said that one of them might have been hispanic, but that she really couldn't tell. I suppose she could have told the cop at the scene that she saw two black guys, but that wouldn't be the simplest explanation. The simplest explanation is that Crowley was biased after his fight with Gates, and Crowley was supporting his own actions by claiming that the suspects had been identified as black men.

In any case, Gates has the right to scream and demand a name and badge number while he's standing in his own kitchen.

[il Padrino Ute]

He arrested him for disorderly conduct for yelling at him while Gates was on his own property after Gates had convinced him that he did indeed belong in his own home. I'm willing to call that 'teaching a lesson.' I'm comfortable calling that 'teaching him a lesson.'

Lots of people do not respect the police. It is often expedient to feign respect for police, but sometimes a person needs to stand up for what he believes, and often police need to be humbled.

Ok, you're comfortable calling it "teaching him a lesson."

Glad you admitted it's speculation on your part.

[ERCougar]

Read the NYT article. It is all there. Gates showed the ID, though maybe reluctantly. The officer was led to believe that Gates did indeed belong in the home. Gates yelled at the cop, words were exchanged, and the cop arrested Gates for disorderly conduct.

OK...so the cop asks Gates for his ID, Gates is pissed that he has to show it and ascribes the request to the cop's alleged racism, the cop believes him and leaves the home, but Gates follows him out, yelling at him and accuses him of racism.

I'll stand partially corrected. It sounds like both of them were being dicks. But one provoked the other. Why is a cop a racist for doing his job?