The Curious Incident of Professor Gates Trying To Enter His Own Damn House While Black

Ya know, the interesting thing about the arrest of Professor Gates for living in a house in Cambridge while black is that his neighbor called the cops to report two black men trying to push open the front door but apparently no one called a damn cop to report the incident that damaged the f*cking door in the first place.
via Angry Black Bitch

I've read three different reports of this incident and had more questions each time. It certainly seems the cop messed up big time, but if a cop came to my house because a neighbor called thinking someone was breaking in, I'd hug the cop and offer to buy him dinner, not yell at him.

Updated On: 7/21/09 at 11:55 AM

Absolutely. I was just saying that a cop coming to investigate a burglary at MY home would be treated as a hero not an adversary. Not even if I were the suspected burglar

Very little of what you posted above has been reported in the Boston Media.

However, at the end of the news it sounds like it is over from both sides now. (Sorry, I couldn't catch any quotes.)

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Those cops need to watch more PBS. Gates is pretty damned recognizable.

Not to mention his Harvard identification!

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Well, why SHOULDN'T he provide that information?

Oh my God, this is not just any professor, this is THE Henry Gates who is one of the most (if not the most) contemporary African-American scholars in academia. I took an African-American literature seminar in the Spring and we read a number of literary theory by Gates, I've studied his work and even used a lot of his theory to analyze the literature, etc. I am in shock that this man who is such a prominent figure in the African-American literary movement is dealing with this. It's pretty absurd.

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I think we should all stop, watch an episode of COPS and then rejoin the debate.

I'm guessing that in hindsight, perhaps Mr. Gates DID overreact to being asked for his identification. (Just from the way they "have both agreed" to this ending)

I've heard of Mr. Gates, but know that I would not know what he looked like if shown pictures. I don't think it's fair to think that EVERYONE would (or even SHOULD) be able to identify him.

I would really like to hear from Mr. Gates...and I'm hoping he will grant an interview soon and hear his thoughts after the fact.

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The other side of the story - from CNN.com

"The police report offers a different account of the incident.

Gates refused to step outside to speak with the officer, the police report said, and when Crowley told Gates that he was investigating a possible break-in, Gates opened the front door and exclaimed, "Why, because I'm a black man in America?" the report said.

"While I was led to believe that Gates was lawfully in the residence, I was quite surprised and confused with the behavior he exhibited toward me," he said, according to the report.

The report said Gates initially refused to show the officer identification, but eventually produced a Harvard identification card, prompting Crowley to radio for Harvard University Police.

Gates followed the officer outside and continued to accuse him of racial bias, the report said. After Crowley warned the professor twice that he was becoming disorderly, the officer wrote he arrested Gates for "loud and tumultuous behavior in a public space."

LOL! I think it does!!!!

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