The Beer
I personally think that the Beer at the White House was a good thing regardless of whether it comes off as if the President was trying to save face or not. He knew what he was doing...simply trying to open up more dialog in a non threatening manner. I am holding out Hope that Professor Gates (being the intelligent man that he is) and Officer Crowley (who also seems intelligent and as if he can be a reasonable person) take this to the next level. They both can be the poster men for not only Racial Profiling but also serve as a GOOD example of how we need to speak to one another and process information (Conflict Resolution) regardless of original intentions or motivations. I also have a good feeling that Officer Crowley will make amends to professor Gates if he does not succumb to peer pressure. It would be the right thing to do. We all are going to have differences of opinions but fighting fire with fire is not always the best thing. All it does is confuse the issue even more. IMO. I am sure we will hear more from these two men....more positive.
on 7/30/09 8:44 pm - ~Somewhere in~, PA
It's funny how most blacks and white view the SAME issue, I think Obama tried to do damage control, I think he put his foot in his mouth when he got INVOLVED in this...by saying the officer acted "stupidly"..that in itself cause MORE tension than the actual arrest with Gates.
Hopefully everyone learn from this, funny how we ALWAYS scream racism and what I find more funny is that he IS married to a white woman and when SOME blacks get into trouble they want everyone to come to their rescue AKA OJ Simpson, if it was JOE BLOW being being accused of disorderly conduct he would have sent to JAIL...BLACK OR WHITE...and had a dent on his police record...at first I was impartial on this until I heard ALL the facts, I think Gates WAS probably in a funky mood trying to get into his house all he had to do was just SHOW his ID and keep quite....
My 2cents
on 7/30/09 10:11 pm, edited 7/30/09 10:31 pm - Sweet Dreams lives in , PA
Perhaps you are right and President Obama was trying to do damage control. I am sure he regrets using that word...especially...when he saw how it was negatively impacting race relations to a certain degree. While I am certain there could have been a BEST case scenario if you will...it did not happen that way....so we have to take the situation as it stands. We do know that these very same scenarios play themselves out all the time across this country of ours....BUT does it have to end in the same result....a man going to jail for getting an attitude in his own home. Perhaps Professor Gates could have been a little calmer but he wasn't ...he was as you said probably in a funky mood from that long azz trip from China. His leg might have been achy....you know when its humid outside...we will cry achy bones in a minute...lol...but I digress. I just think that excessive force and the like needs to be addressed as well. Police need to have periodic check ups on how not to take the shioot so personally in certain situations...try to diffuse the person a little. I mean dayum...no wonder our local jails are full of people who haven't really done not a freaking thing but hurt a cop's feelings. Sure they should be arrested if they actually committed a crime...no doubt!
My point was simply to express my hope that the issue is not dropped here. That these two men will come together to education others (from a National Perspective) on 1) How to effectively engage the police and 2) How Police need to make efforts to diffuse the situation rather than taking it personally or consider their authority is being challenged. 3.) Make internal affairs more accountable to keep rogue cops (racist or simply azzholes) in check.
I am so praying that they can some together and write a book or do a lecture series or something about this whole experience. It would have a significant impact...I think.
Have a good day lady.
, I miss you. 
