Obama: Police "Acted Stupidly" in Prof Arrest

you should be proud to be from the south. it's a wonderful place and my earlier comments were in regard to the fact that i see less racism here than in the northeast.

not exactly sure why have targeted me with your criticisms, but good luck to you.

You are not a target. If you feel that way, I apoligize. Sometimes I vent in the wrong way/places. xoxoxoxoxo

MA'AM, I do not presume anything. So there will not be any presumption on anyones part, I am a white male, 48 and loving life with Christ at the helm. My knowledge of black/white comes from 2 people.. my nephew and niece---who are mixed (at least that is what society calls them). I do not care about your background unless you would like to share it with me and the other posters here. My information here with sowal is like a glass house. I do not hide nor have I ever hidden my idenity. I believe what I say with no shame or regret.

By the way, I am sooooooooooo proud that I am from the South.

Interracial :wave:

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?
where did i say that i'm "coming from the south"?

you did not

nothing at all, my father is, but the commenter suggested my point of view was specifically because i was "coming from the south". which was an inaccurate assumption. it also may be a good idea not to assume that people are describing a point of view they don't know anything about or haven't lived. this is a message board and it's important not to assume you know someone's background or experience. for instance, we run in ivy league circles because we're ivy league graduates.

that you are an educated person who has experienced life in the south, and know of it's history, is not reason trust your observations as prevailing fact. your point is that northeast liberals are closet racists who worship at the alter of black inferiority? i will now presuppose that you are under the age of 40, and live in a sheltered white collar world. is that prejudice?

The Associated Press: Analysis: What they saw during the Gates arrest Analysis: What they saw during the Gates arrest

By JESSE WASHINGTON (AP) ? 4 hours ago

Henry Louis Gates Jr. felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up as he looked across the threshold of his home at Sgt. James Crowley. Looking back at Gates, Crowley worried about making it home safely to his wife and three children.

Fear was the only thing the white police officer and black scholar had in common. Soon their many differences would collide, exploding into a colossal misunderstanding.

How could things go so wrong? How could two by all accounts decent men start a fire that drew comparisons to the O.J. Simpson case and knocked President Barack Obama off his racial tightrope?

maybe this shares some insight:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/26/opinion/26dowd.html?ref=opinion
from the daughter of a cop.

Good to lighten up the conversation.😀

maybe this shares some insight:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/26/opinion/26dowd.html?ref=opinion
from the daughter of a cop.

Good to lighten up the conversation.😀

I like that article...

I hope they do meet with President Obama for a beer, and walk away laughing about how stupidly they both acted that day, and I hope Officer Crowley apologizes for arresting Mr. Gates. We'll see...

It's amazing how big this little incident has gotten.

how neat and clean it must be to have been born into the proper statistical realm. the unfortunate folks just need to be understanding that this is their lot in life.

Bob, you are stereotyping me. Stop! You are stereotyping me as being neat and clean and in the proper statistical realm. Why are you stereotyping me? That is so improper. I thought that is what you said was wrong. Did you actually read my post. It is about what you are doing. You claim it is a bad thing but don't see that it is exacty what you and Gates do. I can't believe the concept is not understood. Maybe you don't want to understand.

And as far as being sterotyped because of race, I was suspended from school along with a black friend, years ago, because of race, pal. You don't know me but your stereotyping of me is obvious. I always hear people,especially minorities, say we need to 'speak openly' about race. But what they want is for the white man to say, 'we are wrong, we are racist'.

Quit strereotyping me and other people as stereotyping blacks. Don't you see the hypocracy? I do understand their lot in life. It is unfortunate that racism exists or that because of the high ststistical crime rate of blacks that people may think they have a higher propensity to commit criminal acts. But to label white people constantly as racist or stereotypers is doing the exact same thing.

I would probably have gotten arrested in this situation too - but sadly I wouldn't have been IN that situation, because when someone sees me, they don't automatically see a criminal.

I can pretty much do whatever and go wherever I want - because I am a young white female w/ a smile - so noone thinks I am a threat or a danger to them. Security patrols just wave at me, people unlock doors for me, noone ever questions my right to be anywhere - me in sneakers and ratty jeans can go more places and be treated better than a black man in a suit and tie.

Does anyone doubt that the reason the neighbor called the cops is that the professor was black?

Does anyone doubt that the professor lost his temper because this was yet another in a long series of incidents where he was singled out or treated differently for being black?

Of course Obama said the officer acted stupidly - he did!

I have a great deal of respect for the law enforcement community, and I appreciate all that they do to keep us safe - but that doesn't mean that they never make mistakes or assumptions - especially based on race.

Seems you missed the boat on this one, SB. I assume by now you have heard the 911 tapes. I think you need to re-think the "officer acted stupidly" comment. Only my opinion, however. BTW, "stupid" is a good word and often applys, but not in this case.

A week or so ago I had a lifeguard come out to the second sandbar to 'check' on me. I was not in distress and showed no signs of distress. He came out because he assumed I was like many others he'd seen who got in over their heads and should not be out there.

Rather than be defensive and argue with the guy about leaving me alone, I understood why he came out and thanked him several times for doing such a good job.

To Bob, who said when Gates moved to North Carolina he was mistaken as a servent. I assume it was a prodominantly 'white' neighborhood and that servents were a regular occurence there. So for someone to mistake Gates as a servent is not racism or even wrong. It is just the human mind working.

When I was in junior high school the basketball team was called to go for an away trip. I was on the team but was not allowed to leave the class because the 'substitute' teacher did not believe I was on the team. Even when the other kids insisted that I was indeed a team member, the teacher would not allow it. (I eventually just left the class)

I was upset but did not consider it racism. After all, it was an abberation for me to be on the team. It just IS that way. If a white guy tells you he is a running back in the NFL you might laugh to yourself.

When I go back to my hometown and visit my friends 'in the hood' I know not to look at the neighbors in their yard, who are selling drugs. Why? Because I am white and they may think I am 'the cops'. So my buddy doesn't want my line of sight to stray and have them wonder what's going on. I do not consider that racsim or some sort of crazy profiling. It is statistics. What am I doing there? I don't belong. I do not fit there. I am not a common sight. It just is!

We should not want to rid ourselves of this form of profiling. It is how the mind works. The mind recognizes differences and more times than not it is useful. And the times where it offends someone they should not take it personally. They should understand that they fall in a statistical realmn. It is unfortunate, but the way it has to be. Just like me with the life guard and the basketball team.

Are you the same guy who wrote "I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell"? :lolabove:

The one lesson that I learned from this thead, with its avalanche of responses. mainly from white people, is the that white people can truly be very amusing.

Take one step back or outside yourself, and think about it. Hahahahah :lol:

Are you the same guy who wrote "I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell"? :lolabove:

Miss Quitty?--Ok who are you really???:confused:

Are you the same guy who wrote "I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell"? :lolabove:

I got quivers when I saw your avatar.

Miss Quitty?--Ok who are you really???:confused:

Don't look at me...I still can't post a pic! 😀

I think I have a stalker, again. :blink:

hnooe...we are a funny lot. :wave: