Gates v Cambridge PD is Just One Big Misunderstanding
I'm sure everyone is aware now of the controversy that occurred in Cambridge, Mass. involving Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates and the Cambridge Police.
From reports, Gates was locked out of his house, and "broke in" to his own home. This is when a neighbor phoned the police and reported a possible break in. The police then arrived to Gates' house, went in, and after a "war of words" arrested Gates.
Then, the controversy gets even bigger when President Obama says he believed the Cambridge police acted "stupidly."
Now, many in the national media are taking sides, either with the police or Gates, or with against Obama.
Today (July 30), Obama, Gates, and the arresting officer are having a beer summit at the Whitehouse to talk this out. Hopefully, after tonight, it will be the end of this whole three ring circus.
To me though, the most comical part of all this, besides the media's over coverage of such a miniscule event, is that this whole event could've been avoided.
Many in the media want to point out a "good guy" and a "bad guy" in this type of instance. Really, that is overly simplistic. This isn't a Hollywood movie.
Now, the neighbor did the right thing in calling the police on what probably appeared to be suspicous activity. Once the police got there, it went all wrong.
According to reports, the police bumrushed into Gates' home, and arrested him after Gates had some choice words for them.
Here, the police could've avoided this situation by simply knocking on the door and asking Gates a few questions, kinda like this.
"Hello. We had received a phone call from a neighbor saying she thought someone was breaking into this house. We just wanted to come by and make sure everything was okay. If we could just see your ID so we can know that you are Prof. Gates, we will be on our way."
There, situation diffused.
But Gates is just in the wrong here as well. Instead of getting all angry, he could've calmed them down by simply saying, "This is my home. I'm Prof. Gates!"
Clearly, cooler heads would've prevailed in this situation, but the police neglected their duty of being controllers of a situation instead of instigators, and Gates instigated the situation further with his rhetoric.
But you know what they say...there isn't a problem beer won't fix.
Let's hope the President's "Beer Summit" clears up this instance where there is clearly a failure to communicate.
From reports, Gates was locked out of his house, and "broke in" to his own home. This is when a neighbor phoned the police and reported a possible break in. The police then arrived to Gates' house, went in, and after a "war of words" arrested Gates.
Then, the controversy gets even bigger when President Obama says he believed the Cambridge police acted "stupidly."
Now, many in the national media are taking sides, either with the police or Gates, or with against Obama.
Today (July 30), Obama, Gates, and the arresting officer are having a beer summit at the Whitehouse to talk this out. Hopefully, after tonight, it will be the end of this whole three ring circus.
To me though, the most comical part of all this, besides the media's over coverage of such a miniscule event, is that this whole event could've been avoided.
Many in the media want to point out a "good guy" and a "bad guy" in this type of instance. Really, that is overly simplistic. This isn't a Hollywood movie.
Now, the neighbor did the right thing in calling the police on what probably appeared to be suspicous activity. Once the police got there, it went all wrong.
According to reports, the police bumrushed into Gates' home, and arrested him after Gates had some choice words for them.
Here, the police could've avoided this situation by simply knocking on the door and asking Gates a few questions, kinda like this.
"Hello. We had received a phone call from a neighbor saying she thought someone was breaking into this house. We just wanted to come by and make sure everything was okay. If we could just see your ID so we can know that you are Prof. Gates, we will be on our way."
There, situation diffused.
But Gates is just in the wrong here as well. Instead of getting all angry, he could've calmed them down by simply saying, "This is my home. I'm Prof. Gates!"
Clearly, cooler heads would've prevailed in this situation, but the police neglected their duty of being controllers of a situation instead of instigators, and Gates instigated the situation further with his rhetoric.
But you know what they say...there isn't a problem beer won't fix.
Let's hope the President's "Beer Summit" clears up this instance where there is clearly a failure to communicate.
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