Comments on: President Obama puts to rest any silliness about a “post-racial society”

By: Melinda Bishop

Melinda Bishop — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 15:48:52 +0000

Guy, are you freakin’ serious? Wow.

I’m not one to play the race card but there is no question that this was INDEED about racial profiling.

From what I heard, a white woman called the police because she believed that Skip was breaking into somebody’s home. She obviously didn’t realize that he actually lived there. I’m sure that the neighborhood is nearly all white. So in her mind, the only reason a POC would be there is because he is up to no good.

The cops were right to respond to the call, because that is what cops do. However, they were NOT right to arrest him after he showed ID as proof. That was his residence. You don’t slap cuffs on somebody because they raise their voice at you. If talking back were a crime, most people would be in jail.

People seem to believe that when a POC defends him/herself, they are “uppity” and should be put in line. This was Skip Gates’ only crime. He is guilty of being a black professional living in a mostly white community and being unable to enter his own home without some hysterical person calling the authorities.

By: C

Wed, 29 Jul 2009 19:19:32 +0000

Thanks for posting that, it is interesting. She does have some good points though about the neighbor. If not for the neighbor jumping to conclusions those jerk cops wouldn’t be there.

By: C

Wed, 29 Jul 2009 19:08:15 +0000

A rather interesting article I ran across: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090729/ap_on_re_us/us_harvard_scholar_caller

Guy you’re full of crap!

By: The Angry Black Woman

The Angry Black Woman — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 03:20:11 +0000

Hmm, I didn’t see this comment until someone pointed it out to me. I’m going to have to disagree.

There are plenty of police officers who do have these tendencies, but there are also plenty who joined the force with a genuine desire to serve and protect, to solve crimes, catch actual criminals, and be decent, stand-up people.

I don’t think it’s at all fair to lump all police in with the bad apples. I can’t tell you what the percentage of bad cops are to good, but I would hazard a guess that 100% bad isn’t even a supportable system.

By: The Angry Black Woman

The Angry Black Woman — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 16:45:47 +0000

yeah, I can’t even be bothered to disemvowel you since I think the ignorance on display here should serve as a testament to how far we have not come.

By: brownstocking

brownstocking — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 06:44:47 +0000

bwahahahah!

Thanks, I was feeling down on a Sunday night. You cheered me up. You’re funny like Borat.

By: delagar

delagar — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 17:08:31 +0000

Guy’s post: “Police protect the rich superstructure. Most arrests are of the brown underclass. Someone called the police, and a black guy talked back — we can’t let someone like that think he has rights! Next thing you know, brown people will think they’re human! The police were right!”

Fixed that for you, son.

By: Guy Bauman

Guy Bauman — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 16:41:27 +0000

Police protect the public. Most crimes are done by blacks. A house was broken into. A black man was there… DO THE MATH! The police were right to arrest Gates.

By: Foxessa

Foxessa — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 15:51:59 +0000

Not only did this event show that this nation is NOT a post racialized nation, it shows it is a police state.

4 fails here at once as well: against the elderly, against the disabled, against a black man and, against the intellectual.

This nation is a police state that is making war upon the intellectual class, and has been since Nixon.

By: HoneyBear

HoneyBear — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 12:41:51 +0000

I’m proud of President Obama for commenting about his “friend” and fellow Harvard “alma mater” associate. He said what he and every other POC have felt for a long time. Mr. Obama mentioned his difficulty in hailing a cab in Manhattan during the presidential debate with then-Senator Hillary Clinton. I’m not surprised by Caucasian commentators on other sites that doggedly cling to the notion that if they were in the same circumstances as Dr. Gates, they would have done everything right and orderly and the situation would have gone differently for them. They will never admit/understand “White privilege”. The policeman would see a fellow citizen, not a potential “criminal”/underserving minority. How many cases have to be sited to show uncalled-for police brutality (no, this particular case didn’t warrant that term, but it could have easily escalated.)? Sean Bell, Abner Louima, etc. Ask any Black person, especially Black man, driving an expensive vehicle what is typically going to happen during their time on the road. All will say “DWB”: Driving While Black. Now we’re going to have a new term: “HWB” – Home While Black. Post-racial America….sure we are….