Taking Care of Your Own People

Taking care of your own people, that's the least we would ask for the leader of a free land and what President Obama did last night. Taking the opportunity of his health reform speech to the nation, President Obama told the TV audiences, "I think it’s fair to say, No. 1, any of us would be pretty angry. No. 2, the Cambridge police acted stupidly in arresting somebody when there was already proof that they were in their own home. And No. 3, what I think we know separate and apart from this incident is there is a long history in this country of African-Americans and Latinos being stopped by police disproportionately. That’s just a fact.”

To replay what had happened in the middle of the day on Thursday July 16, 2009: Harvard 'University Professor' (that's a title held by about 20 most prestigious professors of Harvard) Henry Gates came back to his home near Harvard campus after a long trip overseas. His front door was found jammed, so he enlisted help from his driver to shoulder in, an act caught sight by a lady worked down the street. The woman called police to report two individuals forcing in a house at the address.

Six police officers of the Cambridge Police were sent to check it out. The police asked the professor for his driver's license. It started as Sgt. Crowley asked for an ID, and Mr. Gates replied 'No, I will not'. Having been making a living by teaching on racial issues, Professor Gates yelled to the officer, 'this is what happened to Black men in America'. After a few back and forth, the professor produced his Harvard ID, which bears his name and title, but does not include a home address. The professor was obviously annoyed and advised the police 'you don't know who your messing with'. The police insisted on the driver's license. The professor refused and pulled out the racial card. When the police asked him to step out to clarify, the professor responded, 'I will talk to your Mama outside'. Finally the professor produced his driver's license and the police retreated. The professor chased down the police on foot to the outside and shouted racial slurs when he was arrested for disorderly conduct.