President Obama just stated the following at a press conference:
Now, I don't know, not having been there and not seeing all the facts, what role race played in that. But I think it's fair to say, number one, any of us would be pretty angry; number two, that the Cambridge police acted stupidly in arresting somebody when there was already proof that they were in their own home; and, number three, 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. That's just a fact.
Start your timers. How long before the right-wing jumps on this as their newest cause célèbre and paints Obama as the next Bobby Seale? Welcome to post-racial America.
[Video of Obama's comments below the fold.]
This video is from Politico. Note what they cut out after Obama says the phrase "the Cambridge police acted stupidly."
See The Huffington Post for complete transcript and video of the press conference.
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If this leads to better oversight and scrutiny of law enforcement, then I'll gladly take a little extra noise from from the faux patriots.
I have seen the Cambridge police acting "stupidly" in an overtly an unconsionably racist manner, an incident in which I was directly involved. That was 15 years ago, admitidly. They have also been known to act stupidly in other ways as well.
Most white policemen do stereotype minorities. Even the white policemen's black and Latino brethren are racist against their own people and will side with their fellow white cops. They do this for a couple of reasons. The most obvious is that they don't want to end up dead on the side of the road. They also do it because most people in authority think that they are above everyone else. I know I am an Anglo and former probation officer. I have witnessed it all first hand.
President Obama is the chief security officer of the U.S. He admittedly did not know the facts and admitted to being his (Professor Gates)friend and predisposed to be biased. That's when he should have stopped, or better yet he could have painted a better picture of the complex role of a peace officer and the frustrations of what it must have been like to be questioned about how you came to be in your own home.
Professor Gates believes this is an example of racist law enforcement. I'm not sure, because I don't know who said what to whom. I do believe the President understands that without the presence of peace officers there would be no peace in America. He, by virtue of his job, is not only the commander and chief of the U.S. military, he is the nation's top peace officer. He didn't get this question right.
(Romans 13 v 1-4)
1Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. 2Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. 3For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. 4For he is God's minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God's minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil.
If you were riding on a subway train late at night, and you were the only passenger in your subway car, which would make you feel safer:
a) A bunch of cops (all races) board your subway car; or
b) A bunch of militant left-wing blacks boards your subway car.
I would definitely vote for a).
I learned that lesson the hard way, when I lived in New York City.
If you were walking down the street and were accosted by a police officer who threatens your life, searches you, and steals your valuables. Who would you call?
What would you do if you called the police about the prostitutes who every night work your street and every time they responded, they drive away after being comp'd?
Who do you call when you look out your window to see police officers mercilessly beating a homeless man?
The Police believe that there are 2 types of people in this world: COPS and SCUMBAGS. I think that says it all.