Thoughts on arrest of Harvard Prof

[3WE]

Joking- but with truth- I look forward to the final report on this.

I have to say, I'm dissapointed with the cop's initial attitude. "There will be no apology". He sounds like a jerk. He could have gotten a lot more milage with some satement like, "Obviously, we take no joy in arresting anyone- especially in their own home, and I'm most definately sorry this incident happened; however, I followed all procedures properly and Mr. Gates actions and lack of cooperation were illegal and more than sufficient to justify his arrest".

Don't take my comments to mean I blindly support the professor. The stories of a second officer confirming the first officers story and the stories of an African-American police officer involved makes me think the cops were likely in the right.

Still, there's some interesting legal ramifications of the charges being dropped. I can believe that the police chief/judge/whoever may have belived that there was a valid reason for the arrest, but simply felt like forgiving this guy for losing his temper (we do need to be careful in our supposedly free country- being in a rotten mood or pissed off is not a crime and not a valid reason for an officer of the government to deny you your basic freedoms). But again, "forgive" is the operative word as in, forgiving whatever the actual law violation was with the excuse that the professor didn't really mean it. Then again, dropping the charges opens the door that maybe the arrest was baseless (or based on race or based on the cop being a power-mad jerk).

Anyway- anyone else have some thoughts? I'm sure some folks will defend the cop and scream reverse racism, I'm sure some folks will write this off to human nature/personality conflict.

I think Obamma stepped in it big time, but another angle is that I"m happy that most of our country is dismissing the "race card". Sure, there's still racism (on both sides), but suggesting that there's rampant, improper discrimination is not gaining much traction in this incident.

[flyboy2548m]

I think Obamma stepped in it big time....

Concur. Just like he always does whenever a situation isn't one that his handlers thoroughly prepared him for.

[Sabre]

I think Obamma stepped in it big time....

Concur. Just like he always does whenever a situation isn't one that his handlers thoroughly prepared him for.

Would you say he handled it 'stupidly'?

[Sickbag]

Remind me again of the percentage of prisoners to population in the US?
Tell me once more the percentage of black prisoners compared to the population percentage?

[3WE]

Remind me again of the percentage of prisoners to population in the US?
Tell me once more the percentage of black prisoners compared to the population percentage?

Whoa sickbag, that is a grossly incorrect thing to look at.

First you have to break down the percentage of crimes committed by those prisoners, and I imagine you will find a hellaciously strong correlation.

In fact, I would bet that if you threw the white prisoners in the dataset and looked for a correlation to coming from poor, uneducated households with drug-using mom's and absent fathers that that correlation would be stronger than black vs. white.

What do you think?

Now, do you want to look some correct stats (instead of flawed stats that support idiology instead of facts). We could look at punishment versus the crime and see if there's a racial differentiation? Yes, you can often find one. I didn't say racism was gone, I said it wasn't rampant.

The incidence of all white juries and judges sentencing persons of color with grossly lacking evidence and then talking about how the n-person had it coming after the trial....Kind of hard to find anymore.

I know things are so much better in Germany, we'll keep trying to be like them. I think they even have lots of white jewish dudes on their basketball teams.

[Sickbag]

Ah I see, you submit I posed an incorrect question, how Marxist of you, off to the re education camp for me then.


Let me put this proposition: In the post industrial world there is no need for a large under educated unskilled work force anymore in western societies, nor has there been a large scale war for the last forty years to use up this sector of society as cannon fodder. European liberal democracies both left and right have tended to promote, in various degrees and with varied commitment and success welfare, health care and above all educational investment in order elevate that now redundant sector of society.
Meanwhile The US has invested in prisons.

[flyboy2548m]

European liberal democracies both left and right have tended to promote, in various degrees and with varied commitment and success welfare, health care and above all educational investment in order elevate that now redundant sector of society.

Very successfully, too, as the Paris riots so brilliantly demonstrated.

[OldSowBreath]

I would have tasered the good Harvard prof, but then again, I'd love to taser any Harvard prof for all the shit they've done to this country.

[Half Bottle]

I would have tasered the good Harvard prof, but then again, I'd love to taser any Harvard prof for all the shit they've done to this country.

Indeed. They gave us George W. Bush, for example.

[3WE]

@#$@#$

Pres has them over for a beer.

A. Now, if you respect beer, that is pure, ITS-eclipsing genious.

B. But if you despise politicians is he ultimate lowest grandstanding imaginable.

Bottom line: There was camera present, therefore "B".

[Half Bottle]

My 11-year blew my mind with a jaw-droppingly realpolitik analysis over the weekend. My dad and I were debating the whole Gates/Crowley incident when she offered up the following: "I think Obama was wrong to say the police acted stupidly."

Although I agreed with her, since I was proud of her for engaging in the "grown-up" chatter, I wanted to hear more so I asked her why she thought that. I figured she would say something about how the police have dangerous jobs, but instead this was her response: "Because the whole purpose of his press conference was to get people focused on healthcare and by giving the media that one word to obsess over for a week, he's lost a lot of momentum on his agenda."

I about fell over.

[Putt4Par]

I would have tasered the good Harvard prof, but then again, I'd love to taser any Harvard prof for all the shit they've done to this country.

Indeed. They gave us George W. Bush, for example.

Didn't Obama go to Harvard Law?

[Half Bottle]

I would have tasered the good Harvard prof, but then again, I'd love to taser any Harvard prof for all the shit they've done to this country.

Indeed. They gave us George W. Bush, for example.

Didn't Obama go to Harvard Law?

Yes, Obama went to Harvard Law and GWB to Harvard Business.

[Putt4Par]

Remind me again of the percentage of prisoners to population in the US?
Tell me once more the percentage of black prisoners compared to the population percentage?

Yes, the U.S. is terrible and black people haven't had a chance to suceed here due to the "evil white man". I mean, look at every
other country where black people are a majority...all of them are success stories: Haiti, every country in Africa, etc...

[Sickbag]

Remind me again of the percentage of prisoners to population in the US?
Tell me once more the percentage of black prisoners compared to the population percentage?

Yes, the U.S. is terrible and black people haven't had a chance to suceed here due to the "evil white man". I mean, look at every
other country where black people are a majority...all of them are success stories: Haiti, every country in Africa, etc...

Yes Africa , where the continent the evil white man raped, pilaged and left destitute
Good example.

[Verbal]

Yes Africa , where the continent the evil white man raped, pilaged and left destitute

Fortunately, African leaders such as Idi Amin and Robert Mugabe came along and rectified that situation.

[Sickbag]

Fortunately, African leaders such as Idi Amin and Robert Mugabe came along and rectified that situation.

Yes .Mugabe's military struggle and then victory over the white racist rulers of Rhodesia is legendary.
Good example.

[Verbal]

Yes .Mugabe's military struggle and then victory over the white racist rulers of Rhodesia is legendary.

And the country's transition from Breadbasket of Africa to Barely Able to Feed Itself is also legendary. This could have been foreseen when they went out and killed all the people who knew how to farm. Pity.

[Sickbag]

Yes .Mugabe's military struggle and then victory over the white racist rulers of Rhodesia is legendary.

And the country's transition from Breadbasket of Africa to Barely Able to Feed Itself is also legendary.

Yes ,due to the evil white man renegading on land reform deal, as negotiated in the Lancaster house agreement.

Good example.

[Verbal]

Fakey, if you are looking to hitch your wagon to a rising African political star, there are better choices than Robert Mugabe. For example there's... um... give me a minute here....

Or does Mugabe not have enough blood on his hands for you?

[Sabre]

My 11-year blew my mind with a jaw-droppingly realpolitik analysis over the weekend. My dad and I were debating the whole Gates/Crowley incident when she offered up the following: "I think Obama was wrong to say the police acted stupidly."

Although I agreed with her, since I was proud of her for engaging in the "grown-up" chatter, I wanted to hear more so I asked her why she thought that. I figured she would say something about how the police have dangerous jobs, but instead this was her response: "Because the whole purpose of his press conference was to get people focused on healthcare and by giving the media that one word to obsess over for a week, he's lost a lot of momentum on his agenda."

I about fell over.

While her comments are impressive nonetheless, it sounds like the indoctrination is well under way.

[Putt4Par]

Let me put this proposition: In the post industrial world there is no need for a large under educated unskilled work force anymore in western societies, nor has there been a large scale war for the last forty years to use up this sector of society as cannon fodder. European liberal democracies both left and right have tended to promote, in various degrees and with varied commitment and success welfare, health care and above all educational investment in order elevate that now redundant sector of society.
Meanwhile The US has invested in prisons.

You are obviously not a U.S. taxpayer. The amount of money our government has spent (and wasted) in social programs, welfare, and education of minorities is staggering, especially when you compare it to the results we've achieved. You try to give them jobs, they don't want them. You give them freebies, they take them and demand more. Meanwhile, prisons are fililng up.

Give me some evidence of a successful country where the majority of people are black and then we can discuss social injustice in the U.S.
Even first generation hispanic immigrants, many of them illegal, are doing better than african americans in the U.S. Apparently it has to do with a desire to work.

[Verbal]

It is ironic that recent Asian and Latino immigrants to the U.S. have done better economically overall than African-Americans, despite the challenge of adopting a new language. Sadly, the prevailing inner city African American culture has itself become toxic to those who want to rise above their circumstance.

[Sickbag]

You are obviously not a U.S. taxpayer. The amount of money our government has spent (and wasted) in social programs, welfare, and education of minorities is staggering, especially when you compare it to the results we've achieved. You try to give them jobs, they don't want them. You give them freebies, they take them and demand more. Meanwhile, prisons are fililng up.

Give me some evidence of a successful country where the majority of people are black and then we can discuss social injustice in the U.S.
Even first generation hispanic immigrants, many of them illegal, are doing better than african americans in the U.S. Apparently it has to do with a desire to work.

Your country only dropped it apartheid stance forty years or so ago,shame on you and damn right you spend money on trying to repair the centuries of damage caused by a state that was, in it very foundations built apon the blood and sweat of slaves.Here's an idea : spend more.

[Verbal]

Here's an idea : spend more.

We did. It hasn't worked out so well. Time for a new paradigm.