zippolight2002: zippolight2002: PascalsGhost: However, I'm from Ohio/West Virginia originally and people literally had "No N*gg*r President for me!" signs in their HOMES and TAVERNS leading up to the election. These people's businesses or persons are not avoided nor abnormal to the surround population.

So blacks have a point.


They may have a point about some people being racist. But they don't have a point if they say because of these couple (more than likely much much older) white people, that racism is a huge problem or that it won't go away without help. IMO, in 10-15 years, racism will be gone. Because most of the people that are TRUELY racist, are in the older generations where they grew up in it. And no matter WHAT you do, you will NOT be able to make them unracist. So whats the point?

I get what you mean, but it does exist. And in Ohio and WV, it ain't going away that quick :) But blacks do use it as a crutch.

At this point, the only way racism goes on after those people are dead is if you give another race a reason to hate you. Calling white people racist all the time, gives black people a reason to hate white (even if its not truely "racism) and white people a reason to hate blacks because we keep getting labeled as racist when its not the case.

And guess what... thats EXACTLY whats going on in this country when it comes to race now. This entire thread proves it and exhibits it.

PascalsGhost: glassa: All Apologies: zabadu: The officer was investigating a report of a burglary. Until he is satisfied that there is no crime, he can hang around all he wants.

2 forms of ID confirming that Gates is the resident is not enough?

You think under that pretense the police should be able to enter anyones property and not leave until they are satisfied?

Do you think the owner might now if there is a crime in progress, and could make that decision on his own. Or is that something regular people can't handle?

Could very well be that the cop thought there might've been criminals hiding in the house somewhere and wanted to remove Gates from the property before he searched the place...so he could keep Gates safe from possible perpetrators.

Nothing like that in his report, and you are the first person to even suggest that.

No, every-frickin-thing on earth has been suggested, including that.

Re ID: Gates says he showed his Harvard ID (no address) and his Mass. drivers license, which has his address (I assume the Ware Street address). Crowley says Gates showed the Harvard ID only.

What was he trying to be, Super Spade or somethin?

vonster: The hyperbole has gotten too deep here....weep for the loss of reason. Nite.

Somebody call the whaaaaambulance, make sure they don't forget to take your toys home with you.

keypusher: PascalsGhost: glassa: All Apologies: zabadu: The officer was investigating a report of a burglary. Until he is satisfied that there is no crime, he can hang around all he wants.

2 forms of ID confirming that Gates is the resident is not enough?

You think under that pretense the police should be able to enter anyones property and not leave until they are satisfied?

Do you think the owner might now if there is a crime in progress, and could make that decision on his own. Or is that something regular people can't handle?

Could very well be that the cop thought there might've been criminals hiding in the house somewhere and wanted to remove Gates from the property before he searched the place...so he could keep Gates safe from possible perpetrators.

Nothing like that in his report, and you are the first person to even suggest that.

No, every-frickin-thing on earth has been suggested, including that.

Re ID: Gates says he showed his Harvard ID (no address) and his Mass. drivers license, which has his address (I assume the Ware Street address). Crowley says Gates showed the Harvard ID only.



That suggested this:

Could very well be that the cop thought there might've been criminals hiding in the house somewhere and wanted to remove Gates from the property before he searched the place...so he could keep Gates safe from possible perpetrators.

C'mon. I mean, just admit the cop was wrong dude.

Palpable Butthurt: vonster: The hyperbole has gotten too deep here....weep for the loss of reason. Nite.

Somebody call the whaaaaambulance, make sure they don't forget to take your toys home with you.

Weep for the fact that about 30 farking idiots who vote and call themselves Americans in this thread think the cops can legally and should legally be able to simply arrest whomever they choose.

Woe for the future of America.

DNRTFT but I want everyone one of you assholes that swore Gates would be retiring after his lawsuit against the Cambridge PD settled to stand up and publicly proclaim that you are, in fact, Obama fanbois and generally knee jerk pricks in all of your miserable dealings with life in general on this planet.

/fark YOU
//race baiters

Meauran: DNRTFT but I want everyone one of you assholes that swore Gates would be retiring after his lawsuit against the Cambridge PD settled to stand up and publicly proclaim that you are, in fact, Obama fanbois and generally knee jerk pricks in all of your miserable dealings with life in general on this planet.

/fark YOU
//race baiters

You know, decaf tastes just as good as the real kind.

PascalsGhost: glassa: All Apologies: zabadu: The officer was investigating a report of a burglary. Until he is satisfied that there is no crime, he can hang around all he wants.

2 forms of ID confirming that Gates is the resident is not enough?

You think under that pretense the police should be able to enter anyones property and not leave until they are satisfied?

Do you think the owner might now if there is a crime in progress, and could make that decision on his own. Or is that something regular people can't handle?

Could very well be that the cop thought there might've been criminals hiding in the house somewhere and wanted to remove Gates from the property before he searched the place...so he could keep Gates safe from possible perpetrators.

Nothing like that in his report, and you are the first person to even suggest that.

It's not a wild accusation. It's completely reasonable to think it may have happened that way, or that was what the cop was thinking.
And in fact, if the cop didn't search the property to ensure there was no burglers there, he wouldn't have been doing his job properly IMO.
All he knew was that someone was breaking in. He didn't know if the owner was home at the time or not. It's best to cover all bases & possibilities.

glassa: PascalsGhost: glassa: All Apologies: zabadu: The officer was investigating a report of a burglary. Until he is satisfied that there is no crime, he can hang around all he wants.

2 forms of ID confirming that Gates is the resident is not enough?

You think under that pretense the police should be able to enter anyones property and not leave until they are satisfied?

Do you think the owner might now if there is a crime in progress, and could make that decision on his own. Or is that something regular people can't handle?

Could very well be that the cop thought there might've been criminals hiding in the house somewhere and wanted to remove Gates from the property before he searched the place...so he could keep Gates safe from possible perpetrators.

Nothing like that in his report, and you are the first person to even suggest that.

It's not a wild accusation. It's completely reasonable to think it may have happened that way, or that was what the cop was thinking.
And in fact, if the cop didn't search the property to ensure there was no burglers there, he wouldn't have been doing his job properly IMO.
All he knew was that someone was breaking in. He didn't know if the owner was home at the time or not. It's best to cover all bases & possibilities.

As soon as he got in, he knew who owned the house. His report is there. I'm not claiming Gates didn't act like an asshole, but the cop had no right to arrest him.


Meauran: DNRTFT but I want everyone one of you assholes that swore Gates would be retiring after his lawsuit against the Cambridge PD settled to stand up and publicly proclaim that you are, in fact, Obama fanbois and generally knee jerk pricks in all of your miserable dealings with life in general on this planet.

/fark YOU
//race baiters


You didn't read the report or the fact that the 9-11 caller claims the cop is now lying? So since Gates isn't suing, the cop was right? Wow.

glassa: PascalsGhost: glassa: All Apologies: zabadu: The officer was investigating a report of a burglary. Until he is satisfied that there is no crime, he can hang around all he wants.

2 forms of ID confirming that Gates is the resident is not enough?

You think under that pretense the police should be able to enter anyones property and not leave until they are satisfied?

Do you think the owner might now if there is a crime in progress, and could make that decision on his own. Or is that something regular people can't handle?

Could very well be that the cop thought there might've been criminals hiding in the house somewhere and wanted to remove Gates from the property before he searched the place...so he could keep Gates safe from possible perpetrators.

Nothing like that in his report, and you are the first person to even suggest that.

It's not a wild accusation. It's completely reasonable to think it may have happened that way, or that was what the cop was thinking.
And in fact, if the cop didn't search the property to ensure there was no burglers there, he wouldn't have been doing his job properly IMO.
All he knew was that someone was breaking in. He didn't know if the owner was home at the time or not. It's best to cover all bases & possibilities.

I havent read the report but the only thing I could think of to warrant this is if Gates was keeping him from doing his job, which would be to do a quick search of the house. If THAT is the case, then he was absolutely right in arresting him for keeping a cop from doing his job.

Aexia: crimsin23: I can't hear you over the sound of how loud you are kissing Obama's ass.

So you think it's smart police work to make arrests you know aren't going to hold up?

Did I say that? Where did you pull that one out of? I don't think it's smart to start a confrontation with a PO when they ask you for an ID.

/Cop was dumb
//Gates was dumber
///And Obama should keep is mouth shut on race issues.

PascalsGhost: glassa: PascalsGhost: glassa: All Apologies: zabadu: The officer was investigating a report of a burglary. Until he is satisfied that there is no crime, he can hang around all he wants.

2 forms of ID confirming that Gates is the resident is not enough?

You think under that pretense the police should be able to enter anyones property and not leave until they are satisfied?

Do you think the owner might now if there is a crime in progress, and could make that decision on his own. Or is that something regular people can't handle?

Could very well be that the cop thought there might've been criminals hiding in the house somewhere and wanted to remove Gates from the property before he searched the place...so he could keep Gates safe from possible perpetrators.

Nothing like that in his report, and you are the first person to even suggest that.

It's not a wild accusation. It's completely reasonable to think it may have happened that way, or that was what the cop was thinking.
And in fact, if the cop didn't search the property to ensure there was no burglers there, he wouldn't have been doing his job properly IMO.
All he knew was that someone was breaking in. He didn't know if the owner was home at the time or not. It's best to cover all bases & possibilities.

As soon as he got in, he knew who owned the house. His report is there. I'm not claiming Gates didn't act like an asshole, but the cop had no right to arrest him.


Meauran: DNRTFT but I want everyone one of you assholes that swore Gates would be retiring after his lawsuit against the Cambridge PD settled to stand up and publicly proclaim that you are, in fact, Obama fanbois and generally knee jerk pricks in all of your miserable dealings with life in general on this planet.

/fark YOU
//race baiters


You didn't read the report or the fact that the 9-11 caller claims the cop is now lying? So since Gates isn't suing, the cop was right? Wow.

Your assuming the caller doesnt have an agenda of her own. Like.... publicity.

The funny part about this is if Sgt Crowley wouldn't have bothered responding to the breaking an entry call because Prof Gates was black, it would have been 100 times more racist and yet not have been newsworthy due to a lack of a confrontation.

PascalsGhost: You didn't read the report or the fact that the 9-11 caller claims the cop is now lying? So since Gates isn't suing, the cop was right? Wow.

Wow, what? Put it in the public record. Believe it or not, simply spewing some crap to a reporter isn't exactly the same as a police report that the cop signed and can/will defend in court.

Look, cops aren't very smart people but they've got a lot of history and even some very silly laws on their side.

Gates was wrong. Just admit it. I have. I'm not a fan of cops in general but this one seems pretty clear. You'll feel better in the morning.

Meauran: Gates was wrong. Just admit it. I have. I'm not a fan of cops in general but this one seems pretty clear. You'll feel better in the morning.

What on earth do you mean by 'wrong'?

Obama will be glad to have this Biden-like gaffe over and forgotten.

The question about the Gates incident did overshadow the entire press conference on the health care reform. For very good reason. The health care reform proposal in Congress right now is absolutely indefensible and Obama knows it. He doesn't even know what the hell is in it but he's ready to sign it merely because it rapes the American people, destroys their freedom to choose their own health care, and authorizes ever more government control of every facet of their lives.

So he trotted out the race card. Except that this time the card was folded, spindled, and mutilated. Gates was clearly in the wrong, Crowley did exactly what he was supposed to do and Obama, speaking from a position of profound ignorance of the facts, stepped in a huge pile of racist doodoo.

T0 those who think the cops can do no right or brought up the "pigs" monker (something I thought had gone out of vogue in the 70s): hating the cops is like hating the parents who make you clean your room, go to the dentist, and obey the speed limit. Of course they are standing in the way of you being an irresponsible asshat. If you had the maturity of an adult, you'd be able to act like one on your own.

glassa: PascalsGhost: glassa: All Apologies: zabadu: The officer was investigating a report of a burglary. Until he is satisfied that there is no crime, he can hang around all he wants.

2 forms of ID confirming that Gates is the resident is not enough?

You think under that pretense the police should be able to enter anyones property and not leave until they are satisfied?

Do you think the owner might now if there is a crime in progress, and could make that decision on his own. Or is that something regular people can't handle?

Could very well be that the cop thought there might've been criminals hiding in the house somewhere and wanted to remove Gates from the property before he searched the place...so he could keep Gates safe from possible perpetrators.

Nothing like that in his report, and you are the first person to even suggest that.

It's not a wild accusation. It's completely reasonable to think it may have happened that way, or that was what the cop was thinking.

Sure, unless you read the police report, which completely contradicts that line of reasoning...

Mongo cut wood: I blame Tabloid news and Obama for helping Gates play the Race Card.

Obama, Our First Racist President.

Without Fact, he condemned this police officer because he was White.
Gates condemned the officer as racist purely on his being White.

Had the officer been Black, we would be discussing Universal Health Care.

THIS.

Mr. Right: Of course they are standing in the way of you being an irresponsible asshat. If you had the maturity of an adult, you'd be able to act like one on your own.

Regardless of whether Gates was actually being an irresponsible asshat (I haven't seen convincing evidence one way or the other), do you believe that alone should justify arresting him on his own property? The local DA seems to disagree with that position.

SteelPeart: Mongo cut wood: I blame Tabloid news and Obama for helping Gates play the Race Card.

Obama, Our First Racist President.

Without Fact, he condemned this police officer because he was White.
Gates condemned the officer as racist purely on his being White.

Had the officer been Black, we would be discussing Universal Health Care.

THIS.

And, again, Obama didn't say the officer was racist. He just said the police acted stupidly, which they did.

PascalsGhost: vonster: And does anybody here really think cops don;t regularly arrest people without the intent to charge or prosecute them? As in to cool someone off?

It doesn't make it legal.


zippolight2002: Mongo cut wood: I blame Tabloid news and Obama for helping Gates play the Race Card.

Obama, Our First Racist President.

Without Fact, he condemned this police officer because he was White.
Gates condemned the officer as racist purely on his being White.

Had the officer been Black, we would be discussing Universal Health Care.

Its not Obama's fault. Alot of black americans think that every time they dont get a job, get cut off, get pulled over, or get arrested its racism. It just sucks that I, being white, can't do the same if I get pulled over by a black cop, dont get a job with a black boss, or get cut off by a black person.

I know my white brother, we are oppressed.

O.W.E. M.E.

Oppressed White Educated Man in Extremis

Obdicut: What on earth do you mean by 'wrong'?

Come on, really? All of it. His actions during the arrest, his post arrest call to arms of the entire black population of the US, his conviction of Crowley as a racist, his stance as a professional victim, his airs of superiority, untouchability, invincibility... should I go on?

crimsin23:
/Cop was dumb
//Gates was dumber
///And Obama should keep is mouth shut on race issues.

Really? You think our first black president should just keep a big-ol grin and smile at the nice white folk? Anyway, he mostly did. Here's the exact quote:
"Now, I don't know, not having been there and not seeing all the facts, what role race played," Obama said. "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."

Palpable Butthurt: Mr. Right: Of course they are standing in the way of you being an irresponsible asshat. If you had the maturity of an adult, you'd be able to act like one on your own.

Regardless of whether Gates was actually being an irresponsible asshat (I haven't seen convincing evidence one way or the other), do you believe that alone should justify arresting him on his own property? The local DA seems to disagree with that position.

Gates was acting like a blatant race hustler asshat. He was making totally unfounded accusations against Sgt. Crowley and refusing to let the matter go after Crowley would have happily left. The Perpetually Aggrieved do that and Gates is a card-carrying member of that fraternity. Crowley arrested him to neutralize the situation. He didn't beat him, he didn't taser him, he didn't draw down on him. He arrested him. It, for the time being, shut Gates up. Which was the intended result. I doubt seriously Crowley had any intention of this arrest leading to some kind of trial or incarceration. It stopped Gates from escalating the situation further. And he was clearly the one escalating the situation. Nothing Crowley could have done would have mollified him. He was determined to be a victim of racism and nothing would deter him from pursuing that goal. Short of temporary incarceration.

Mr. Right: Gates was acting like a blatant race hustler asshat. He was making totally unfounded accusations against Sgt. Crowley and refusing to let the matter go after Crowley would have happily left. The Perpetually Aggrieved do that and Gates is a card-carrying member of that fraternity. Crowley arrested him to neutralize the situation. He didn't beat him, he didn't taser him, he didn't draw down on him. He arrested him. It, for the time being, shut Gates up. Which was the intended result. I doubt seriously Crowley had any intention of this arrest leading to some kind of trial or incarceration. It stopped Gates from escalating the situation further. And he was clearly the one escalating the situation. Nothing Crowley could have done would have mollified him. He was determined to be a victim of racism and nothing would deter him from pursuing that goal. Short of temporary incarceration.

Like I said, maybe Gates was being an asshat, I haven't seen any evidence either way. But that doesn't justify arresting him on his own property. Maybe you'll recognize this paragraph:

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

It is not illegal to be an asshat on your own property, and Officer Crowley could just as easily have defused the situation by leaving.

PascalsGhost Quote 2009-07-27 02:58:48 PM

DaCaptain19: There are only four words that anyone should be saying about this entire incident, including the President:

"I was not there".

Having said that, note the following:

1. I've never know a cop to abuse his/her power.
2. I've never known a black person to get over-excited.

You've never left your house?


And anyone who says you can/should be able to rant/rave in the presence of a cop, in your own home, with impunity?

Thanks for playing and please pick up your lovely parting gift-basket.

Cite the law please.

Well, you see PG, that's the beauty of it - there is no law, only interpretation which - in the end - is decided by the judge (and the "judge" comes well after the "arrest/charge" part). But, to give an interpretation:

A typical statutory definition of disorderly conduct, in this case Indiana's, defines the offense in this way:

A person who recklessly, knowingly, or intentionally:

(1) engages in fighting or in tumultuous conduct;
(2) makes unreasonable noise and continues to do so after being asked to stop; or
(3) disrupts a lawful assembly of persons;

commits disorderly conduct. . . [1]

Indiana's definition of "disorderly conduct" is modeled after the Model Penal Code's definition, and is typical, but not identical, to similar laws on the statute books of other U.S. states. It covers a large variety of potential acts in its prohibition; "fighting" is perhaps the clearest act within the scope of its prohibition. What is "tumultuous conduct," what constitutes "unreasonable noise", or what "disrupts a lawful assembly" are matters that are far harder to decide, and as such disorderly conduct statutes give police officers and other authorities fairly broad discretion to arrest people whose activities they find undesirable for a wide variety of reasons. Potential punishments include a jail term, fine, probation, restraining orders, or community service.

Hell dude - under Texas penal code, you can be cited for disorderly conduct for farting! True fact - look it up.

Theaetetus Quote 2009-07-27 03:07:18 PM

DaCaptain19: And anyone who says you can/should be able to rant/rave in the presence of a cop, in your own home, with impunity?

Thanks for playing [The Game of Democracy] and please pick up your lovely parting gift-basket.

I assume that's what you meant, since you're apparently advocating fascism.

I apologize for apparently causing you butthurt.

Palpable Butthurt:
It is not illegal to be an asshat on your own property, and Officer Crowley could just as easily have defused the situation by leaving.

Crowley was willing to leave, Gates kept hounding him and screaming about racism and "what happens to a black man in America." Crowley didn't threaten the security of Gates in his property or possessions. That refers to seizure of property. Gates kept demanding to know Crowley's name. Crowley had given it to him several times. Gates kept escalating the situation. Crowley was trying to leave and told Gates that if he wanted to continue this, he'd have to go outside. Gates refused to back down - he's the one that pursued Crowley at that point.

Gates is a rabid racist hell-bent on being a victim in any situation. Crowley called his bluff, secure in the knowledge that he, Crowley, is not a racist and that justice would fall on his side. It is illegal to try to intimade an officer with your asshattery, regardless of location.

Mr. Right: He arrested him. It, for the time being, shut Gates up. Which was the intended result.

One more thing -- it was still a stupid thing to do, because it exposed the city to a possible false arrest lawsuit. I can't believe how many farkers think it's OK for cops to just arrest people for basically no reason at all.

Sure, if they're trying to provoke violence or making a huge public scene, yelling fire in a crowded theater or otherwise disrupting a public gathering on public property, then that's disorderly conduct. Yelling at a police officer on your own property is simply not disorderly conduct.

Palpable Butthurt:


You have a great login.

Mr. Right: Palpable Butthurt:
It is not illegal to be an asshat on your own property, and Officer Crowley could just as easily have defused the situation by leaving.

Crowley was willing to leave, Gates kept hounding him and screaming about racism and "what happens to a black man in America." Crowley didn't threaten the security of Gates in his property or possessions. That refers to seizure of property. Gates kept demanding to know Crowley's name. Crowley had given it to him several times. Gates kept escalating the situation. Crowley was trying to leave and told Gates that if he wanted to continue this, he'd have to go outside. Gates refused to back down - he's the one that pursued Crowley at that point.

Gates is a rabid racist hell-bent on being a victim in any situation. Crowley called his bluff, secure in the knowledge that he, Crowley, is not a racist and that justice would fall on his side. It is illegal to try to intimade an officer with your asshattery, regardless of location.

Even if that's true (you haven't provided any links supporting your caricature of Gates), the fact is that once he established his identity to Officer Crowley, which was acknowledged in Crowley's report, under the law Gates has the right to keep yelling at Officer Crowley as long as Officer Crowley is on his property, and has the right to pursue Officer Crowley to the edge of his property. Asshat or not, Officer Crowley was in the wrong when he arrested Gates.

Phil Herup: Palpable Butthurt:


You have a great login.

Thank you!

Palpable Butthurt: It is illegal to try to intimade an officer with your asshattery, regardless of location.

That is true. Please let me know when you come up with Officer Crowley's explanation of what he found intimidating about the behavior of the 5'7" 150-pound disabled sixty-something Gates. The police report is noticeably lacking any mention of intimidation, or suggestions of physical threat.

Mr. Gates: nubian! Please?

Black Officer: nubian, Please.

/can't shoop on this computer

/can someone put these two together?

Palpable Butthurt: Mr. Right: Palpable Butthurt:
It is not illegal to be an asshat on your own property, and Officer Crowley could just as easily have defused the situation by leaving.

Crowley was willing to leave, Gates kept hounding him and screaming about racism and "what happens to a black man in America." Crowley didn't threaten the security of Gates in his property or possessions. That refers to seizure of property. Gates kept demanding to know Crowley's name. Crowley had given it to him several times. Gates kept escalating the situation. Crowley was trying to leave and told Gates that if he wanted to continue this, he'd have to go outside. Gates refused to back down - he's the one that pursued Crowley at that point.

Gates is a rabid racist hell-bent on being a victim in any situation. Crowley called his bluff, secure in the knowledge that he, Crowley, is not a racist and that justice would fall on his side. It is illegal to try to intimade an officer with your asshattery, regardless of location.

Even if that's true (you haven't provided any links supporting your caricature of Gates), the fact is that once he established his identity to Officer Crowley, which was acknowledged in Crowley's report, under the law Gates has the right to keep yelling at Officer Crowley as long as Officer Crowley is on his property, and has the right to pursue Officer Crowley to the edge of his property. Asshat or not, Officer Crowley was in the wrong when he arrested Gates.

Look up anything you want about Gates. He is a Black History professor who has made any number of pronouncements about how badly blacks are treated in this country. Which is why we've had two black Secretaries of State, a couple of Supreme Court Justices, a host of successful black entrepeneurs, a gaggle of successful black entertainers and legions of incredibly successful black athletes and, by golly, why we've elected a black President. Gates represents those who have made a career out of race victimology and the fact that blacks do have a level playing field and can be successful in America really chaps their ass because it takes away their reason for being.

And no, you do not have the right to be an asshat on your property when you are, in essence, threatening an officer of the law. If you want to get really technical, Gates doesn't actually own the property. Harvard does. He's, at best, a tenant. Does Harvard have any rules of decorum?

Palpable Butthurt: crimsin23:
/Cop was dumb
//Gates was dumber
///And Obama should keep is mouth shut on race issues.

Really? You think our first black president should just keep a big-ol grin and smile at the nice white folk? Anyway, he mostly did. Here's the exact quote:
"Now, I don't know, not having been there and not seeing all the facts, what role race played," Obama said. "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."

What does Obama being black have to do with him not understanding racial issues? Just because he is black does not automatically make him an expert on racial issues. He can talk about law, but he doesn't know much about race relations.

Meauran: Come on, really? All of it. His actions during the arrest, his post arrest call to arms of the entire black population of the US, his conviction of Crowley as a racist, his stance as a professional victim, his airs of superiority, untouchability, invincibility... should I go on?

Hyperbole, but whatever. Granting everything you said:

How is that 'wrong'?

Specifically, how is it more wrong than arresting him?

Mr. Right: And no, you do not have the right to be an asshat on your property when you are, in essence, threatening an officer of the law.

How exactly did he threaten an office or the law? In reality, not "in essence".

What the hell is happening to Fark? I swear this place is slowly turning into Free Republic.

How is this even an issue? OK, so a black dude and some cops were dicks to each other. It's not clear who started it, but they're definitely all dicks, and since charges were dropped it looks like the worst that came of it was just that they were dicks to each other. Hardly news.

Yeah, Obama made a comment on it that he shouldn't have. It wasn't necessarily untrue, but it definitely would've been smarter to shut his mouth. Fine. He invited both parties over to his place for some beer. Doesn't sound like somebody trying to start a race war. And in the scope of dumb comments that a president can make, this is pretty freaking minor.

So what's the big deal? You guys just love whining about an annoying black dude? Or are you really reaching this much to find reasons to hate Obama?

I've said it before and I'll say it again: calling Obama a "socialist", claiming he's not a citizen, or making a huge deal about one marginally stupid comment only succeed in making you look retarded.

There are legitimate problems with his actual policies. It'd be great to have a conservative party that didn't aggressively embrace ignorance, so that they could actually help improve these projects. You guys could be instrumental in making this country a better place if you could deal with the actual policies being discussed here in reality, instead of blubbering on about socialism while we forcibly drag your dumb arses into the 21st century.

crimsin23: Did I say that? Where did you pull that one out of? I don't think it's smart to start a confrontation with a PO when they ask you for an ID.

You're the one arguing in favor of a police state. Maybe in whatever backward-ass communist state you hail from that's the norm but here in an America we have rights, including the right to talk back to authority.

Get with the program, "comrade", or GTFO of the United States of America.

zippolight2002: Your assuming the caller doesnt have an agenda of her own. Like.... publicity.

Well it's a good the actual evidence backs her up.

PascalsGhost:
That suggested this:

Could very well be that the cop thought there might've been criminals hiding in the house somewhere and wanted to remove Gates from the property before he searched the place...so he could keep Gates safe from possible perpetrators.

C'mon. I mean, just admit the cop was wrong dude.

Oh, I don't believe he got Gates out of the house for his own protection for a second. I was just pointing out that everything has been suggested, including that.

Thrag: Mr. Right: And no, you do not have the right to be an asshat on your property when you are, in essence, threatening an officer of the law.

How exactly did he threaten an office or the law? In reality, not "in essence".

When Gates was screaming racial epithets, that was threatening. Not physically threatening but threatening in a "I'm gonna sue your honky ass" kind of way. Arresting Gates for being a complete racist asshat was Crowley's way of neutralizing that threat. It wasn't violent, he didn't berate him, didn't physically abuse him, didn't shoot him or even threaten to shoot him. Just neutralized the situation. It was actually the best move he could have made in that situation.

rastjr: Ward Churchill wasn't a good example.

He has a lot of interesting things to say

0/10.

Has Rev Wright, the President's other friend of color weighed in?

/ooops. Obama isn't friends with him anymore.

patrick767: You realize Obama is doubtless really pissed off that an hour press conference on healthcare has been overshadowed by the media's obsession with his 30 second answer at the end to a totally unrelated question?
/you stupid farkwad

This is all by design for Obama. He knew the question was going to be asked. He wanted it to. His plan was to further support the fact that "that man" is keeping the poor/down-trodden/minorities down. That makes it more justifiable to tax "the man" for his policies. What he wasn't counting on was that people of sick of his pseudo-intellectual attempt at subtle racism.

That or he knew this reaction would occur, but now we are talking about this instead of how his health care and Tax and Trade programs will bankrupt our grandchildren.