;)
Gates Arrested in His Own Home
Thursday, July 23, 2009 at 4:29AM 
Henry Louis "Skip" Gates, Jr. (born September 16, 1950) is an American literary critic, educator, scholar, writer, editor, and public intellectual. Gates currently serves as the Alphonse Fletcher University Professor at Harvard University, where he is Director of the W. E. B. Du Bois Institute for African and African American Research.
The above was taken from his Wikipedia biography. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. is also Black. Whether this fact played a role in his arrest at his own home or not is as matter of conjecture. Below is one account of what happened when police were summoned to his house, because a neighbor, identified as Lucia Whalen, thought that two Black men were trying to break in. See Video here
The President, Barack Obama, was asked at a news conference what he thought of the incidence. Obama called Gates a friend, and said he doesn't know all the facts of the case but he said:
"Cambridge police acted stupidly in arresting somebody when there was already proof he was in own home," Obama said.
"What I think we know separate and apart from this incident is that there's a long history in this country of African-Americans and Latinos being stopped by law enforcement disproportionately," Obama said. "That's just a fact."
The police sergeant accused of racism after he arrested Gates insisted that he won't apologize. Police say Gates at first refused to display ID and then accused the officer of racism. Sgt. James Crowley said he followed proper procedures in arresting Gates.
Crowley said he was disappointed by the national debate triggered by the incident and insisted he followed proper procedures in arresting Gates last week in Cambridge on a charge of disorderly conduct.
"I'm outraged," Gates said in extensive comments made to TheRoot.com, a Web site he oversees.
"I can't believe that an individual policeman on the Cambridge police force would treat any African-American male this way, and I am astonished that this happened to me; and more importantly I'm astonished that it could happen to any citizen of the United States, no matter what their race.
There are 1 million black men in the prison system, and on Thursday I became one of them," he said. "I would sooner have believed the sky was going to fall from the heavens than I would have believed this could happen to me. It shouldn't have happened to me, and it shouldn't happen to anyone."
He spoke of a "terrifying and humiliating" experience at the Cambridge jail, where he was booked, fingerprinted, photographed and questioned, then locked up in a tiny cell that made him claustrophobic. He said he wants an apology from the officer, Sgt. James Crowley. He also said he planned to talk to his legal team about the next step.
Prosecutors dropped a disorderly conduct charge against Henry Louis Gates Jr. The city of Cambridge called the arrest "regrettable and unfortunate," and police and Gates agreed that dropping the charge was a just resolution.
The city of Cambridge, a Boston suburb, released a statement saying the situation "should not be viewed as one that demeans the character and reputation of professor Gates or the character of the Cambridge Police Department."
Reader Comments (178)
Bob
I was with you till the end. To be honest, I don't know who to believe. Both stories seem a little far stretched. Do I think the officer was as polite as can be, No!! Do I think Gates was like yes sir no sir, No. I think it's interesting for people to jump sides, and most of the side jumping is based on race. Whites don't want to believe this could happen, and blacks want this to happen to help point out racism exists still.
One more thing Bob, if the officer was black, it might have been worse. Sometimes black cops with black suspects are worse. I don't know which one bothers me more!
i like how you blindly believe everything in the police report. Cops are trained to describe situations using certain words. Words that they know will have effect. The Facts, regardless of what language was actually used, are that this man produced the requested ID and then argued with the cops. Now, unless he actually threatened the cops so as to make them believe that they were in imminent danger, he shouldn't have been arrested. Its easy for the cop to sound cool and collected because he's just waiting to arrest this guy. Mr. Gates' only way of expressing his frustration was through his words, I'm sure that if he could have arrested this cop, Mr. Gates would have been the cool one, and Officer Crowley would have been a little more visibly upset.
Tom,
Don't listen to James. He is someone that supports that stuff. He mentions no facts, he doesn't have the facts for this and he's against Gates. Some people in America, not all, wish things were like it was in the "old days" That's why sayings like the south will rise again will always be around!
If the cop had left without arguing with Mr. Gates, there would similarly be no situation. Considering that they were at Mr. Gates' house, I believe that the cop should have been more logical. Also, please read the police report, where Officer Crowley admits to asking Mr. Gates to continue their argument outside.
Its never gonna end. This country will never be completely free of racism, some poeple have their beliefs and no one is ever gonna change their minds. Plain and simple. It is a free country. People are free to think as they wish. By the way, Thank you for you service and ensuring our freedom E Hoff!
John
I agree. And if that woman did that, she would have known who Gates was and never called the police!!!
Yeah you cant! you blacks who think every white is a racist...Then you got whites who are racist! blacks who are racists and whites who think that blacks just shouts wolf so you cant win...But I have won because I don't see color I just see a man getting arrested in my opinion which could have been resolved!
this post only highlights the need to hold cops accountable for their actions. Officer Crowley and Steve should both be in jail themselves.
Hey Pacsa, it's not illegal to be belligerent in your own home, which is where Mr. Gates was before the cops asked him to come outside. In fact it's not illegal to be belligerent in public, especially if you define belligerence as questioning a police officer, which they always do.
My Humble opinion...
It's disconcerting to read the commentary of people accusing blacks of playing the race card in situations like this. It's funny how we pick up these catch phrases and some how use them so indiscriminately, as an African American I don't need to be lectured on race relations in America, espescially when it comes to being profiled by the police. Let me educate you on some distrubing aspects of racial profiling. First, it was not created to enhance, protect, nor to deter crime in America, it is simply a criminal grouping tool used by law enforcement, that disproportionately targets African Americans, and Latino's. Law enforcement agencies, and Home Land security experts will vehemently denie this. Law enforcement departments are well versed at manipulating public perception, and twisting facts as it relates to racial profiling, law enforcement will tell you how it saves lives, and give's departments another tool to combat crime. Yeah right!!Because of racial profiling many innocent African Americans, and Latino's have an epitaph on thier grave that reads "I was minding my business when I was killed by a police officer for no other reason except for being Black, or Latino." A number of people who accuse African Americans of playing the race card have no clue about the social dynamics of African Americans.
And for all of you Race Baiters consider the following:
1. When a black man show's emotions he's considered angry, and combative, conversly with a white man he's being passionate, and assertive. Why?
I don't have to like America for it's past, but I must love America for it's promise. Peace!!!
mitch you're totally right, except for one thing. Cops don't get to continue to "control" the situation, once they discover that no situation exists.
Josh,
I love how you make the officer seem like a patriot. Now I will say he was wrong for calling him a racist, but at the same time we don't know the tone of the officer either. We were not there! And accusing someone of being racist is something that should not be said lightly, but at the same time that doesn't mean the person saying it is racist! Until more information is released, besides the cop report, which I don't believe in whole, I'm not going to say guilty or innocent. But if a statement is made that makes no sense, I will challenge it!
Yes the President shouldnt have spoken on this issue. However I truly believe we are more and more living in a police state. The police have been doing this type of thing for years and its getting worse. In turn citizens are getting more and more upset over the increased police overstepping their duties and letting emotions get the best of them. They just need to go back to doing what is commpassionate and right, protect and serve again in turn stop this us and them attitude that has brought us to many situations like this one.
Its just sad when we lock up the most people in all the world yet have 5% of the population to begin with. We have 25% of the worlds prisoners, we have no money to keep building prisons and yet we are releasing rapests and violent criminals to make room for non violent ones. Minimum sentencing and the War on Drugs has left this coutry chasing its tail. We need to reform our criminal justice system and we need to end this failed War on Drugs that has sucked this country dry while doing nothing but hunt down citizens and suspecting everyone of criminal actions when non is there.
We need to rethink how police interact with the public and stop the "everyone is a criminal" idea that has lead us to stuations like this so many times.
Wow buddy you sound angry for what I don't know I'm just giving some history! It kind of hard to trust that someone is there for your safety when you don't know am I right? I live in Alabama I'm the last one to say racist I'm dating a white women most of my friends are white hate to say it but there is racism still going on! so don't try to make like there isn't any white racist people. If you don't believe come to Alabama Buddy!
I don’t have to like America for it’s past, but I must love America for it’s promise. Peace!!! GREAT Quote you hit it right on the head!!
Mr. Gates, being a very well educated man, should have some insight into the procedure of law and the way police operate. I think he could have even got away with being totally uncooperative, had he chosen to do so in a respectful, calm way. When the police asked him to step outside, he probably could have responded as he did (No! I will not!) He could have asked if he was legally required to do so. When asked for his ID, he probably could have legally gotten away with refusing to produce one by pointing out that he was in his house and that the police have shown no search warrant.
I'm no lawyer, but had he simply closed the door, I think that would have put the onus on the police to show that's he's not the owner. Gates certainly would have had a much stronger case for legal proceedings had he remained calm and respectful. Instead, he was very quick to play the race card and start making his own racially motivated accusations. "Verbally assaulting an officer" is what it sounds like to me. And I don't think we as a society expect or should expect our police officers to have to just stand there and accept that, regardless of what shades of skin color are involved on either side.
I think it is good that some of this discussion is coming out. I think it exemplifies that when people have a big chip on their shoulder to start with, it tends to get easily disturbed. In this case, I don't think Prof. Gates is doing anything to advance his (otherwise legitimate) "cause".
Hooray for Obama, its time that more politicians start speaking up against the cops. Cops aren't heros. In fact most of them are bullies who have never even come close to actually saving anyone. If this were a mayor or other public servant, no one would care that Obama criticized him, but for some reason everyone loves cops. Cops are trash and I'm glad that my president is capable of criticizing them with the same level of contempt as myself.
If I could send that police officer fan mail, I would. This is a man who is doing his best to protect the city he serves and it's citizens. When he's verbally assaulted by an affluent black man for trying to ensure the safety of that man's OWN HOME, when he arrests this man for his belligerence, he's painted as a villain. I can't imagine the pain and trauma he's had to endure because another black man in america used the Race Card to place themselves in the victim's chair after abusing this officer the way he did. Mr. Gates should be ashamed of himself. I say kudos that officer for refusing to apologize. That's a man who did his job, and stands by his decisions.
I completely disagree with Mistake #1. It was no mistake. Mr. Gates should thank his neighbor far taking the time to report the incident. He can take the time to get to know his neighbors in person, so that they recognize him.
"How would you feel of being accused of breaking into your own home?" He did break into the home (or he had his driver do it). That's what justifies the call to the police.
Knowing that he just broke into a home (his own), Gates should not have been too surprised that the police might have been called, and should have been more than willing to cooperate and explain things. Seems like he decided to just simply be an ass instead. Gates seems to expect everyone around to know exactly who he is, where his house is, what he's up to, etc. His own neighbors apparently don't know him, yet he's incensed that he should be asked to identify himself to police responding to a breaking and entering call.
But I agree with Mistakes 2, 3 that you point out. :)
OMG.... LOL
I think the officers should ask burglars if they can help them with their cargo instead of confronting them. Then we wouldn't have these problems. Hope Gates gets robbed sometime and no one calls the police.
@ Luca
I can only surmise that when this officer was hired, he told the panel some thing like this; "I am a very compassionate person, I'm willing to serve and protect all the citizens of Cambridge, and I understand that Harvard university have some of the best minds in the world, I would be honored to serve these most esteem citizens of Academia in America." Well you see mister all that was a fabricated lie to get a job on the police force. Meanwhile a verbally abusive, out spoken, combative black Harvard professor breaking and entering his own home equals a emotionally broken, traumatized officer.WOW!! Well you see Mr. Luca so many times African Americans are killed when retrieving their I.D from their pocket, and all the while the officer will state "I thought he was pulling out a weapon, it looked like a gun." Another black man killed by trigger happy, arrogant, power hungry, policeman in our community. Thank God that this officer doesn't epitomize the majority of officers who are able to think, and rationalize, not self indulge, or escalate a situation while using common sense judgement. Regardless of what the majority of you think the age old adage that we hear in our community so often from power hungry officers; "Haha you might beat the rap but I quarantee you want be the police ride." Being a police officer does not give you the ability to put your ego aside to make simple quality of life decision, this ability comes from the simple lie he told in the interview when he was hired, "I am a very compassionate person."
I guess you failed to see that compassion when he worked tirelessly to give CPR to a fallen black athlete until Paramedics arrived, and the crushing failure he felt when he learned he wasn't able to save his life. No compassion there, I guess.
Listen, Race certainly was an issue in this arrest, but on the part of the police officer. Mr. Gates immediately felt threatened and attacked because a white police officer was asking him for identification. Had a black police officer responded, this would have gone very differently, without any conflict. But the simple fact that this officer was white, led Mr. Gates into a tirade and immediately began accusing the officer of racial profiling when he was only responding to a 911 call someone had placed. Put yourself in the officer's shoes.
You respond to a possible robbery in progress and find two men playing with a door upon arriving at the scene. Rather than jumping to conclusions and drawing his weapon, this officer remained calm and decided to question the men as they did not appear outwardly dangerous, but still suspicious as a robbery had JUST been reported. Upon initial questioning, the suspect becomes belligerent and verbally combative and refuses to produce ID. Again, rather than jumping to conclusions and putting a well-deserved beatdown on the suspect and arresting him right then and there for being on a property that had a robbery reported and a subject on the property has refused to produce ID, he questioned further. Once the subject finally identified himself, the officer then attempted to leave the property, but was continuing to be verbally abused as he tried to leave the premises around a new growing crowd. At this point, the officer rightfully places the subject under arrest for disorderly conduct.
Now, picture the same circumstance, exactly as this has played out. But for the moment let's pretend the offender is white, and the property is a trailer park. Rather than this being on CNN, this would be on COPS and people would laugh and the stupid redneck being arrested...
Because he is black, and affluent, he believed he deserved special treatment and that this officer should ashamed of himself for asking for ID when responding to a robbery. This officer acted well within the boundaries of his position and in my opinion exercised an incredible amount of professionalism and restraint when dealing with this belligerent man. So before you place the blame on the officer, let's put some burden of responsibility on the offender, who acted unreasonable towards a very reasonable request.
Communicate
Go left—right—down through the middle
Go any way you want to go
From the blue Black Sea to the Ivory Coast
Or get tough—hard—dive into battle
waging new warfare
under heavy metal armor just running scared
Make a white flag
Bring the code book
Get the peace-pipe smokin’ good
Every worldwide color of meaning
can shade what we’re meaning to say
Before darkness falls—
it’s time we try and communicate
There’s one world—one sun shining
turning us eye to eye
as it filters through our perforated sky
Stand up—march to the new League of Nations
everyone face to face
’cause if no one gives, we lose the human race
Make a white flag
Bring the code book
Get the peace-pipe smokin’ good
Every worldwide color of meaning
can shade what we’re meaning to say
Before darkness falls—
it’s time we try and communicate
-Michael Hedges