I wasn’t going to blog about Henry Louis Gates’ dust up with the Cambridge police because; Gates immediately struck me as another brother unnecessarily playing the race card. Mr. Gates is one of those brothers who firmly wear his racism goggles everyday. They see every microscopic piece of racism in every little corner of the globe. Had his home been broken into for real and the cops did not stop it, he would be calling them racists for letting his home get robbed.
Sadly, brothers like Gates get all the attention, more attention than real racism like those poor kids getting kicked out of the pool in Philly.
After reading about both sides of the story, I bet Gates’ real problem wasn’t that the cops were racist (heck, wasn’t one of the cops in the picture black too) but that they did not recognize Gates’ authority at Harvard. As Eric Cartman from South Park would say, they did not respect his authoritah! Instead the cops just did their job, they got a report that there was a suspected break in, they went to the location and made double sure that the person in the house was really the owner, case close. Their biggest sin was that they treated Gates like a common man, not a common black man mind you, but just a common man. That is what pissed Gates off and made him pull a race card.
I also suspect that it was the cops failure to recognize Gates’ Harvard status, which made Obama call them stupid! Obama too seems to revels a wee bit too much in his authoritah. He has made little references to his superior status from time to time. Even in his news conference he had this line:
So let me be clear. This isn't about me.
I have great health insurance, and so does every member of Congress.
This statement is a rather telling thing to say when you are trying to sell “universal” healthcare to the masses.
For Obama the cops were stupid because they did not know who the great Henry Louis Gates, Jr. was and therefore did not afford Gates all the courtesies and specials privileges that his status at Harvard should bring. For Obama that was the reason for the cop’s stupidity and the justification for Gates’ anger.
In the end, the whole Gates dust up has little to do with a black man being wronged and everything to do with an elitist not getting his ass kissed.
Sadly, brothers like Gates get all the attention, more attention than real racism like those poor kids getting kicked out of the pool in Philly.
After reading about both sides of the story, I bet Gates’ real problem wasn’t that the cops were racist (heck, wasn’t one of the cops in the picture black too) but that they did not recognize Gates’ authority at Harvard. As Eric Cartman from South Park would say, they did not respect his authoritah! Instead the cops just did their job, they got a report that there was a suspected break in, they went to the location and made double sure that the person in the house was really the owner, case close. Their biggest sin was that they treated Gates like a common man, not a common black man mind you, but just a common man. That is what pissed Gates off and made him pull a race card.
I also suspect that it was the cops failure to recognize Gates’ Harvard status, which made Obama call them stupid! Obama too seems to revels a wee bit too much in his authoritah. He has made little references to his superior status from time to time. Even in his news conference he had this line:
So let me be clear. This isn't about me.
I have great health insurance, and so does every member of Congress.
This statement is a rather telling thing to say when you are trying to sell “universal” healthcare to the masses.
For Obama the cops were stupid because they did not know who the great Henry Louis Gates, Jr. was and therefore did not afford Gates all the courtesies and specials privileges that his status at Harvard should bring. For Obama that was the reason for the cop’s stupidity and the justification for Gates’ anger.
In the end, the whole Gates dust up has little to do with a black man being wronged and everything to do with an elitist not getting his ass kissed.
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3 comments:
Nice work Barack... with one comment you managed to alienate 75% of America.
And anyone who has spent any amount of time in the "higher" education system knows the Professor Gates type: bitter, spitefull, bigoted, reverse racist with a position of power who felt emboldened to make a political statement.
This is the type of Professor who would change the subject on you when you attempt to engage in a debate. Also, would give you a poor grade because you actually have an opinion, and done research outside of marxist texts and such. You are fooling no one Gates.
And Mr President, is this "nuance" you've spoke of? "the police acted stupidly"?
Obama is out to rip this country to shreds in EVERY way- who can question that such statements are divisive... and NOT helpful?
Obama has no idea what happened, he admitted it- and apparently doesn't care, either... he's picked his side.
But back in reality, the childish and paranoid Gates completely baited the cop, who acted with admirable restraint, IMO... all he had to do is show his ID and shut up, he was treated with respect. This guy was clearly looking for a fight... and he ought to thank God he didn't find one.
Obama is going to destroy race relations in this country with his vengeful "get even" mentality... some messiah- Americans should have chosen a fair and sensible human being instead of this embittered nut.
In the end, the whole Gates dust up has little to do with a black man being wronged and everything to do with an elitist not getting his ass kissed.
I tend to agree with your assessment. Universities - especially prominent ones - are teeming with professors and instructors and graduate students who think they are la crème de la crème, and that they deserve special treatment, exceptions to rules that apply to others, and lickspittle-like courtesy wherever they go.
About 18 years ago, I worked at a university bookstore for about a year. During the intake in September, the bookstore would be overflowing with new and returning students, and we would change our routines to accommodate the crowds. Additional cashiers would be set up, there would be more staff on the floor to help book buyers, and we would permit entry to the bookstore through the shipping and receiving area, so that the main doors could be exit-only, helping with crowd control and security. From time to time, we had to stop people who wanted to exit the store through the shipping/receiving room (i.e., the way they had come in), telling them that the traffic was one-way only for security reasons, and asking them to please exit the regular way through the cashiers' area. Almost everyone understood, apologized for missing the "no exit through this door" sign, and complied. One day, I stopped a middle-aged gentleman who had come in to browse but had bought nothing, and who was trying to exit through shipping/receiving. He became flustered almost immediately and accused me of treating him with discourtesy and disrespect, which was complete crap - I am often sarcastic or cranky when I blog, but in person I pride myself on maintaining good manners. So I told him if he had a problem with our policy, or the manner with which I had interacted with him, he could take it up with the manager.
Well, dude immediately became puffed up and proud, and went to the manager. He bloviated about who he was (a philosophy professor), and how long he had been teaching, and what an affront all of this business was to him, and on and on. The manager listened politely and told him no problem, he could exit the way he wished this time only, and we would be pleased to see him out. The bastard beamed at us contemptuously as he waltzed out.
I suspect Professor Gates probably walks about daily with the same sort of attitude / superiority complex as the Puffy Professor I encountered back in 1990. But he knew the race card would carry more weight than the elitist card, so that's the one he played.
Nice work! I am sadden by the way Gates has displayed respect for the police officers who were ultimately protecting the community and his property. I wish Ohamma did not get involved in this because Gates does not deserve the publicity. I would never use the "N" word on anyone with the exception of someone like Gates. Every once in a while an arragant SOB like Gates will try to over inflate his ego on someone who will not bow down to his loftly expectations. With this attention in the media he is taking our beloved president down with him. Obama is siding with the wrong guy. Both Gates and Obama should apologize to the police officer.
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