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I did a great deal of CNN commentary on the Henry Louis Gates case, and to the ire of some of my fellow black scholars at Harvard, I firmly held the position that the Gates case was not about racial profiling. Not to say that the officer didn't violate procedure, but the truth is that there was almost nothing about that case that made me believe that Professor Gates was arrested because he was black.
I felt the need to voice the position clearly because there are hundreds of thousands of cases across the nation in which black men are unjustly arrested, harassed, incarcerated and shot by police. In almost none of these cases has Professor Gates taken a public stand, at least not to my knowledge. The idea that he would use his personal ego-matching contest with a police officer to suddenly justify a nation-wide dialog on racial profiling was both nonsensical and appalling. The truth is that Henry Louis Gates was not racially profiled, and I honestly believe he knows it.
To make matters worse, this issue nearly cripples the presidency of Gates' friend, Barack Obama, as the White House became tangled in Professor Gates' minor inconvenience. Obama suffered greatly for standing up for his Harvard buddy without knowing all the facts: His support among white Americans dropped immediately and all of the valuable political capital the president had built with white America, which could have been used on a worthwhile cause, was wasted on his Ivy League crony.
Since that time, Obama has not, to my knowledge, said the words "black man" or "black woman" on any major public platform, primarily because he's got guys in his cabinet telling him to stay away from the issue of race. By speaking so sloppily on the Gates case the way he did, Obama attempted to do delicate racial surgery with a rusty, three foot butter knife, leading only to greater infection. Our nation hasn't been the same since last summer.
Dr. Boyce Watkins is the founder of the Your Black World Coalition and a Scholarship in Action Resident of the Institute for Black Public Policy. To have Dr. Boyce commentary delivered to your email, please click here. 
Comments: (21)
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By: Mimi on 6/18/2010 5:42PM
I DID MY OWN RESEARCH INTO THIS CASE WHEN IT INITIALLY HAPPENED. I HEARD INTERVIEWS FROM PROFESSOR GATES, THE WOMAN WHO MADE THE 911 CALL, THE ACTUAL 911 CALL AND THE OFFICER.
I CONCLUDED THAT THE ARREST BY THE OFFICER WAS TRIGGERED BY RACISM OR JEALOUSY OF PROFESSOR GATES OR A COMBINATION OF BOTH. THE WHITE OFFICER WAS JEALOUS OF THIS BLACK MAN AND THE FACT THAT HE WAS NOT BREAKING IN... BUT LIVED IN THE HOME HE WAS ACCUSED OF BREAKING INTO. HOW CAN YOU COME HOME FROM A TRIP OVERSEAS AND BE ARRESTED FOR BREAKING INTO YOUR OWN HOME...OH EXCUSE ME....DISORDERLY CONDUCT IN YOUR OWN HOME AS A DIRECT RESULT OF BEING PUT THROUGH A SERIES OF UNNECESSARY B.S. QUESTIONS BY A RACIST AND/OR JEALOUS AND ENVIOUS POLICE OFFICER?
THE POLICE REPORT FILED BY THE OFFICER CONTAINED LIES.
1. THE WOMAN WHO MADE THE 911 CALL STATED SHE NEVER TALKED TO THE OFFICER AT THE SCENE AND YET THE POLICE REPORT SAID THAT HE DID TALK TO THE WOMAN AT THE SCENE. THE WOMAN CAME OUT WITH HER ATTORNEY AND SAID NO CONVERSATION HAPPENED BETWEEN HER AND THE OFFICER AT THE SCENE. THE OFFICER LIED IN HIS REPORT.
2. THE 911 CALL WAS RELEASED AND THE WOMAN NEVER SAID THAT IT WAS A BLACK MAN BREAKING INTO THE HOUSE. THE 911 CALL WAS VERY CLEAR AND AUDIBLE. THE OFFICER SAID IN THE POLICE REPORT THAT THE WOMAN SAID IT WAS A BLACK MAN BREAKING INTO THE HOUSE. THE WOMAN NEVER SAID THAT...THIS WAS ANOTHER LIE.
3. THE POLICE REPORT SAID THAT PROFESSOR GATES WAS ARRESTED ON PUBLIC PROPERTY FOR DISORDERLY CONDUCT. EVERYONE KNOWS THAT HE WAS ARRESTED AT HIS HOME. THIS WAS ANOTHER LIE HE WAS NOT ARRESTED ON PUBLIC PROPERTY IT WAS A PRIVATE RESIDENCE.
WHEN SOMEONE LIES....ALL CREDIBILITY IS OUT THE WINDOW. THE POLICE REPORT WAS FILLED WITH LIES. I DON'T RECALL ALL OF THEM....BUT ONE IS TOO MANY TO BELIEVE ANYTHING ELSE IN THE REPORT.
I DON'T BELIEVE ANY REPORTS FROM ANYONE... AFTER THE FACT REGARDING THIS CASE. AS FAR AS I AM CONCERNED ANYONE NOT ACKNOWLEDGING THE LIES IN THE POLICE REPORT CAN'T CONVINCE ME THAT THIS CASE WAS NOT BASED ON RACISM, JEALOUSY OR A COMBINATION OF BOTH.
I BELIEVE THE INTERVIEWS THAT WERE GIVEN BY ALL OF THE PEOPLE INVOLVED, PROFESSOR GATES, THE WOMAN WHO MADE THE 911 CALL AND I ACCEPT ALL OF THE LIES BY THE OFFICER IN HIS POLICE REPORT WHICH IS EVIDENCE THAT THE ARREST WAS BASED ON RACISM...OR JEALOUSY OR A COMBINATION OF BOTH BY THE WHITE OFFICER TOWARDS PROFESSOR GATES.
THE POLICE REPORT WAS AVAILABLE ON LINE WHEN THIS INCIDENT FIRST TOOK PLACE.
I RECALL PROFESSOR GATES STATING THAT HE REPEATELY ASKED THE OFFICER FOR HIS SUPERVISOR'S NAME WITHOUT ANY SUCCESS. I BELIEVE THE OFFICER BECAME FRANTIC ONCE HE WAS ABLE TO SEE THAT PROFESSOR GATES WAS GOING TO MAKE SOME PHONE CALLS REGARDING THE ROGUE COP'S QUESTIONING.
THIS IS ONE OF THOSE STORIES THAT I WILL NEVER FORGET.
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By: alie on 6/18/2010 6:55PM
Don't you know cops back each other up, don't you know some are corrupt, gates got himself in a tight spot, the president spoke up for him and quickly back tracked, why? he has to be seen as inpartial remember can't be seen favouring blacks or even his friends, remember when he was running from people like al, jessie and the black caucus pre-election? we are only needed for elections? as for gates when their is trouble suddendly he is black? everything was fine before above the rest of us, when will we ever get it, no matter how high we are in society will are still looked on as N-words, sorry to say this but it is true
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By: Ludvikus on 6/18/2010 7:07PM
Having paid careful attention to the news reports, I believed it was un-necessary, and un-wise, to pursue the issue of Racism. Prof. Gates, having been arrested "at home" was therefore not liable for alleged Disorderly Conduct, no matter what he said. Furthermore, if the was any "misconduct," it was on the part of Officer Crowley for asking Prof. Gates "to step outside." What was the purpose of asking a man, whose speech is unpalatable to the police officer, to have that man continue that mode of conduct outside his home?
And because of all that, I'm now extremely disappointed in Prof. Charles Ogletree - for writing a book on the issue of Race, when the obvious issue is the abuse of police authority by Officer Crowley. Shame on you, Prof. Charles Ogletree. I hope you take the time to explain this issue of law to your client, Prof. Gates. President Obama had it right the time around. It was "stupid" to arrest a man in his own home. And that's what you should be explaining to your client. When Prof. Gates was asked to step outside, it appears obvious that officer Crowley already knew that Prof. Gates was in his home. At that point, he should have apologized to Prof. Gates and left like a really good cop - not a cope who wants to be vindictive because he does not like what he hears from a man whose irritated. Dear Prof. Gates, I think at the very least, you should seek a Second Opinion. We do that in medicine. It should also be done in law. From the facts presented, I think, like you, Prof. Ogletree is preoccupied with Racism. And even if that still remains an issue in the post-Obama era, it does not appear to me to be so in your case hear. The tragedy of your predicament, is that you fail to see that the injustice you suffered at the hands of one policeman is a danger to all persons of all races, white, black, or whatnot. I'd like to end this by reminding you of the obvious - to officer leading you out of your home, on your porch was an African America.
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By: kwame on 6/18/2010 11:05PM
@ Lukvikus- I attended Harvard and I am African American. I can tell you that racial problem is major problem on and around campus. Prof. Ogletree has been at the forefront of addressing this issue. Racial profiling is, by definition, an abuse of authority. And it is obvious that race is on the table because, as one commenter (Mimi) has noted, the arresting officer falsely reported that Gates has been identified as African American (the caller did not indicate the race of the "suspect"). The fact that Prof. Ogletree has (rightfully, in my view) highlighted racism, in no way diminishes the fact that this officer's race-based abuse of authority can also impact non-minorities.
p.s. The stats that Prof. Boyce highlights and what the purport to prove is misleading. They focus narrowly on disorderly conduct. To get a better sense of racial profiling one would need data from all arrests by Cambridge Police, not just DCs. And statistics have no bearing on what is in an individual officer's head (e.g. who should be in what neighborhood). kzs
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By: kwame on 6/18/2010 11:12PM
edit: for "racial problem" read "racial profiling"
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By: kwame on 6/18/2010 11:17PM
edit previous post, line 2: for "racial problem" read "racial profiling" kzs
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By: fab@fifty on 6/18/2010 6:41PM
BECAUSE the President spoke about his friend, having the facts or not, the President felt that he knew his "FRIEND". When you refer to someone as "FRIEND", you speak on your relationship with your "FRIEND". Why was this question asked of the President anyway???Why is this still being talked about????? Such pettiness!!! It shouldn't of been asked of the President. Every thing that the President and his family do, or say will be scrutinized. As the White House became tangled in Professor Gates' minor inconvenience, not because he offered his opinion, it was asked of him, and always having to be quick on his feet and ready for all of the questions about "what happened on the "YOUNG and the RESTLESS""!!!?
Not being able to concentrate on important matters that need his undivided attention. We have some reporter that gets a pat on the back for asking the question!!
(His support among white Americans dropped immediately and all of the valuable political capital the president had built with white America, which could have been used on a worthwhile cause, was wasted on his Ivy League crony. )
This statement makes the hair on my neck leave my body and not look back. You are on board or not!!!!
If this minuscule piece of news drops their support, was there any loyalty/""FRIENDSHIP"" OR SUPPORT FOR THE PRESIDENT FROM THE BEGINNING ?????
Why elect the man. From the beginning of his presidency they (White America) have changed the job description and title of the President.
And now MR. President would you please put on a scuba diving suit and go plug that hole.
(Dr.Boyce, you didn't mention how YOUR COLLEAGUE'S addressed the fact about the Presidents children's education " Have you plugged the HOle yet DADDY"?, is that what there learning in school. Let's jump on these idiots who have nothing, nothing better to do and upset with this black man who has been given ***&&&^&^&&(((%%$ on a platter for a presidency).
A recent report to be published Thursday in the Boston Globe is set to show that the Cambridge Police Department does not use racial profiling, as it was accused of doing during the controversial case last summer involving Harvard Professor Henry Louis Gates, It just want's to report that the COPS are just RACIST!!!
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By: ThePlayer on 6/19/2010 5:19PM
Recalling the incident at the time, there was never an admission, reporting nor statement of conscious of racial profiling.
Regardless it was quite evident from the manner in which the entire incident played out, it was quite obvious a situation which ended up being a case where a person was racially profiled.
As in the cases when black police officers have been shot by fellow police officers, who thought the black officer was a perpertrator of criminal activity, the arresting officer in Dr Gates case went out of his way to arrest Dr Gates.
And when one thinks about it even at the police station, Dr Gates as a professor of any school, let alone one of the most prestigous schools in the country, could have been merely sat down and released.
The desk sergeant could've release Dr Gates without incident. But that didn't happen either. They wanted to place Dr Gates in the same frame as they do so many black men (and women) and give him a record. No mug shots were necessary; the arresting officer could not have honestly believed that Dr Gates was a threat to him nor society.
It was a situation meant to embarrass and humiliate. That it did either, I don't know, but it sure brought to light that a black man should, even in today's society, "know his place."
But I rather not leave on a dire notation.
There has been much progress on the last half-century, and over the next half-century there should be, prayerfully so, much more to celebrate in terms of race relations in this country. The struggle will end at some point, it's just a matter of when......
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By: James Williams on 6/19/2010 11:35PM
Everytime I read something ya'll talk about, it's always about someone against you because of your race. Stop it and get a life. No ones against ya'll and if they are, 'GOD' is with you, so how can one stand against you. Get off your knees and stop complaining and get ready to do for self. Men, be a man, and ladies support your man. It's time to stop all of this winning,would'nt you say.
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By: Yolanda on 6/19/2010 3:13AM
You have to be a white man with limited knowledge and experience with Black people. Your comments are insulting and you show how ignorant you really are. It's comments likr yours that need to be kept bottled up inside you just so there are no one else influenced by your dumbness. I usuallysay that dumb doesn't become most people but you wear it well. Thanks for showing what dumb and ignorance looks like.
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