Gates, Obama and Racisim

Having read the arrest report and corroborating witness statements--in addition to the press coverage--the facts are clear. This was not a case of racism, but instead, ultra-arrogance by an academic.

It is very apparent that the professor was trying to bully, intimidate and humiliate the officer. His language, volume and manner are all indications of this.

The cop was doing his job--and more politely and professionally than I would have in the same circumstances.

Are the police just supposed to take the word of an unidentified man (fitting the description of the reporting witness) through a locked door? I sure would want the police to follow-up if it were my house--and I wouldn't have any problems producing ID and responding to the requests of a police officer.

Just suppose that it had been a real break-in (and how could the officer have known it was not) and the officer had just walked away? What do you think the consequences would have been then? The occupants of the house could have been in serious danger. And, in addition to not preventing a crime, the officer would have most likely been accused of racism for not following up because the house was owned by a black man.

Dr. Gates was arrested because of his outrageous behavior--which went far beyond the reasonable--not because of racism. Anyone, regardless of skin color, demonstrating this behavior and total lack of respect for the police, should expect the same outcome--arrest.

By his comments (". . . the Cambridge Police Department acted stupidly . . ."), Mr. Obama was not speaking as a President of the United States, but instead as a "community organizer". His comments were ill-conceived at best, and demonstrated a true lack of judgment.