Harvard Prof Arrested in His Own Home
Henry Louis Gates Jr. is one of the most prominent African-American scholars in the world. He's written and edited more than 50 books. He's hosted several series and specials on television. He's received 49 honorary degrees from colleges and universities across the world. He was named as one of the 25 most influential Americans by Time magazine in 1997. And he's the director of the W. E. B. DuBois Institute for African and African-American Research at Harvard University.
He's kind of a big deal.
That's why it was surprising when Cambridge, Mass., police showed up at Gates's house on Thursday and arrested him. The police were responding to an emergency call reporting a break-in in progress at Gates's house. When they arrived, Gates, who had been having trouble getting his door open, was already inside, friends said. Incensed by what he called racial profiling, Gates accused the investigating officer of being racist, the police report said. Police eventually arrested Gates outside of his home and charged him with disorderly conduct, saying Gates yelled repeatedly at the investigating officer and would not calm down.
But a joint statement was released today announcing that the charges against Gates were dropped, and Cambridge police will not comment further on the situation.
"The city of Cambridge, the Cambridge Police Department, and Professor Gates acknowledge that the incident of July 16, 2009, was regrettable and unfortunate," the statement said. "This incident should not be viewed as one that demeans the character and reputation of Professor Gates or the character of the Cambridge Police Department. All parties agree that this is a just resolution to an unfortunate set of circumstances."
Tags: Harvard University | colleges | racism
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COP SHOULD HAVE HIGHER EDUCATION TO DEAL WITH THE COMMUNITY
IS LIKE I ALWAYS SAY, IN THE UNITED STATE OF AMERICA POLICE ARE NOT TO REQUIRE A COLLEGE DEGREE WHERE THEY CAN LEARN TO BE CIVILIZED PEOPLE. ANY GED OR HIGH SCHOOL KID CAN BECOME A COP AND PEOPLE ARE SO STUPID TO PULL FOR THESE FOOLS WHO HAVE NONE OR VERY LITTLE EDUCATION. THE POLICE ACADEMY IS NOT ENOUGH TO DEAL WITH THE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY,THEY OUT SHOULD REQUIRED HIGHER EDUCATION, THINGS ARE CHANGING ALL THE TIME AND IF THE POLICE ACADEMY WAS GREAT YEARS AGO, TODAY THE WORLD HAS CHANGED AND SO SHOULD THE POLICE REQUIREMENT SHOULD CHANGE. FIRST OF ALL, A COP SHOULD BE REQUIRED A MINIMUN OF A BACHELOR DEGREE IN PSYCHOLOGY OR RELATED FIELD PLUS THE POLICE ACADEMY OF COURSE, BUT NOT ONLY BE THE POLICE ACADEMY BE SUFFICIENT TO BECOME A COP IN THE U.S.
COPS ARE NOT EDUCATED IN AMERICA AND THEY ARE GIVEN WAY TOO MUCH POWER TO UNEDUCATED PEOPLE AND THIS IS WHY HAPPEN THE THINGS THAT HAPPEN IN OUR COMMUNITY. PEOPLE SHOULD ADVOCATE MORE EDUCATION, RAISING THE AMOUNT OF EDUCATION A PERSON NEEDS TO HAVE TO BECOME A COP. ANYONE IN THE COMMUNITY CAN HAVE MORE EDUCATION THAN A COP OUT THERE! I HAVE MORE EDUCATION THAN A GIVEN COP IN THE COMMUNITY. THINK ABOUT THIS AND YOU WILL SEE THAT WHAT I AM STATING IS TRUE!
Cry Baby Cry!?!
First and foremost I would like to state I did minor research on this issue. But the knowledge that I have acquired, brings me to my conclusion that hands down the police didn’t act entirely appropriate.
First of all, if I where the officer who got the call about this "Robbery" I would have looked up who the home belonged to. That right there would have killed five birds with one stone. If the officers knew it belonged to Mr. Gates and upon arriving would have asked Mr. Gates himself to show some identification, which states GATES ON IT, then there you have it. But if one would really want more evidence, then you run his name into the system where it shows that he is a pretty prominent and powerful figure.
Secondly, I would like to propose this question; what do robbers usually tend to wear?
I really can’t answer that question with full knowledge, but I can say what they do not wear. A robber doesn’t break into someone's home wearing I fifty dollar polo, 80 dollar designer pants, 150 dollar penny loafers and 200 hundred dollars glasses, with some form of identification on them, unless of course you are a pretty rich thief, or someone attempting to break in their own home after what appears to have been business meeting just before hand, assuming of course wee judge on the basis of what Mr. Gates was wearing.
Finally, I am addressing anyone who doesn’t seem to believe that this was in any case discrimination. In doing so I’m asking you all; have you ever traveled? Have you ever experienced Jet Lag from a flight that was under 3 hours? If not then please book a vacation right now and experience it. This man had just flown back from CHINA, that jet lag would ultimately be miserable.
For those of you who have experienced it, imagine having to come home to your own house, your front door being jammed, being forced to enter through the back, get your front door, then on top of all that being badgered about breaking into your own home. I’m sorry but the Pope or a Buddhist Monk would have Lost his cool.
I do believe those of you who are blinded to ignorance or are to set on your ways to realize that this is discrimination, that if not now then when will you realize?
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